marcaractac

I mean, that's gonna be the case for any outstanding talent in any lesser league really. I do think Wallstedt will get off the the quicker start in the NHL based on his path; I feel with the tools Cossa has combined with his athletic ability and size, he will have the higher ceiling in the long run. Don't get me wrong, I'd be happy to have either. Only Stevie has the balls to pick Cossa at 6.

It's not about the goalie. It's about Walstedt. Sing the praises of Cossa @ 6 and I will not bat an eye.

There was no resistance, I was merely pointing out the circumstances of that draft. Partially, of which I got wrong. It does not change the fact that taking a goalie at #6 vs #19 are very different things. Neither of which I am against. Vasey at #19 was a much clearer choice than a goalie at #6 this year. The resistance is not taking a goalie early. The "resistance" was pointing out the scenarios involving Tampa then vs Detroit now and how they are not the same. You are the one creating a facade of resistance, despite me saying I was fine with a goalie at #6. Why must you continue to argue when someone is AGREEING with you?

I already conceded to the "everything in place" thing. Get over it. I also said countless times that Vasey was BPA at 19. No disputing that at all. I just don't think he'd have taken him at 6 that season. That's it. I'm allowed to have that thought, and that thought is 100% independent of my opinion on this coming draft, which is if Eklund is taken, I do not disagree with Walstedt being in the group of BPA. I 100% agree we need to address the position by taking a goalie in the first couple rounds in this year. My preference would be Eklund at 6 and goalie with the 22 pick, even if it means trading up. If Eklund is gone? I say giver on Walsedt. Hell, giver on Cossa at #6 for all I care, as I see Cossa at that same level.

GOALIE CITY, *****!!! But like I said in Discord last night, #Cossa@6

Neo, Kip, and 91 are the only three I've seen who are straight up anti-goalie in round 1. Key words: I've seen. More people seem perfectly fine with it than not. To say every poster besides you is saying taking Walstedt at 6 is foolish is quite disingenuous. Many have preferences for other players at 6OA. But that does not mean being anti-goalie at 6OA. If any preference what so ever is given to another player at #6 by anybody, you lump them in with the anti-goalie crowd. That is what is foolish.

Ahh yes, continue to beat the dead horse. And the only thing people argue about Walstedt is your unreasonable all or nothing stance. There are like two anti-goalie people on this forum. Everyone else is pretty much okay with it assuming he is the best option at #6. Sadly this information seems unable to reach that brain of yours.

I agree with everything except Raymond as a 1C. I like Walstedt at 6 if he is BPA at 6. I'd definitely prefer Cossa with the Caps pick, even if it means trading up to get him. The position definitely, urgently needs to be addressed, and I hope he solves it a similar way he did in Tampa. Without a top 10 pick (if possible). And please do not use the word hooker. It's a trigger word for some guy who likes to predict the future.

I absolutely did not say Raymond was a center in Discord. Unless you're getting your wires crossed on my discussion of Eklund. It happens. I'll admit 'EVERYTHING IN PLACE' was a poor choice of words. I still stand by the fact that Vasey was simply the BPA at 19, and that based on Yzerman's choice at 10, probably didn't see him at BPA in the top 10. I'll also stand by the fact that it makes sense to get your top center and top dman before gunning for a goalie in most scenarios, the exception being when the goalie is BPA. Will Walstedt be BPA at #6? Who knows. I think you have Eklund who is the best player in the draft, though because of his size everyone has hard ons for Power and Berniers. So IMO, Eklund is the clear BPA if he is on the board with pick 6. I'd make a similar argument for Hughes, though I see him as a tier below. As far as guys like Walstedt, Johnson, MacTavish go, I see them all as about equal.

Funny how you learned this detail from me when I am just finding out about it now myself.

Doesn't change the fact that Raymond is NOT a center. Doesn't change the fact that Yzerman would NOT have drafted Vasey had he had the #6 pick that season.

Well there it is. Vasey was the pick acquired from trading Quincey, after all.

You sure love grasping at things I did not even say. 1. At the time, he had high end players in the two most important positions. At no point did I say the rest of the players you mentioned were not core pieces. We have our 1D. We do not have our center. 2. Vasey was easily BPA at 19 in that draft class. Can't say the same if he had the #6 pick like he does now.

A redraft has nothing to do with it. Neither of us would never know what he would do with a 6th pick in that draft. It is what it is. Yzerman absolutely had his high end core pieces in order at the time with a 1C in Stamkos and a 1D in Hedman. Yes, we have Seider. But you yourself have said Larkin is no 1C. I think Eklund can address that (if available). If you don't that's fine too. But hey, lets just hope he maintains that same raft pedigree with us when it comes to everything he drafted post-Vasey. And once again, I'm not against Wallstedt at #6, assuming he is the best guy on the board at that time. There are just players that, if available at 6, I cannot see being passed on for a goalie at this time.

If I were a GM with a top 10 pick, yes I'd ensure the rest of my house is in order before using it on a goalie. Vasey wasn't a top 10 pick. That does not mean 'goalie is the last piece drafted'. Cleary Yzerman saw Vasey as the BPA at that point in the first round. Wallstedt being the BPA at #6 is a much tougher sell. It's not an unreasonable thought. s***, Malcom Subban went just 5 picks later. It's just the way that draft shook out. Does Yzerman take Vasey in that draft if he had the 6th overall pick? Probably not!

You finally saw the light of 3rd line winger Ras. Yes, the man who drafted a first round goalie when everything else was already in place. Not when he had glaring holes down the middle and on the left D side.

The part you continue to ignore is that the management who haven't been able to draft a great goalie in 25 years is no longer in place. This same management who couldn't draft a goalie was also only able to produce two top 4 dmen in his tenure in Kronwall and Hronek. Look at how quickly Yzerman changed that. Most teams have success drafting goalies in later rounds and developing them into quality NHL goalies. What Holland has done , or in this case has not done, is irrelevant now. Maybe Wallstedt is the guy. But maybe, just maybe, we have the right people in place now to find success in those later rounds for goalies.

Can't surrender to what you're not involved with. I merely pointed out a couple of facts to assist with the discussion that was ongoing. I have no dog in this fight.

I don't doubt McTavish. I'd just prefer that high-end skill from Eklund. Better balance with Larkin's style. He'd also be NHL-ready fall of 22 along with Raymond. PS: I'd still take McTavish or Edvinsson over the goalie. It just wouldn't bother me at that point if the goalie was taken. Now If Eklund was on the board? That would sting.

If Eklund and Hughes are off the board, that's perfectly fine. We have three holes in the pipeline: Top six C, top four LHD, and a goalie (in order of importance to fill).

I think Power and Berniers are safe bets at 1 and 2. I'm hoping the Ducks go with Guenther and that the Devil's take Hughes. Columbus I think is the team that will likely f*** us over on the Eklund-front. Let's hope we see a big Jones/Eichel swap before the draft haha. Eklund is a natural center

He definitely has all the tools you can ever want in your top center. The only thing I can see GMs question whether he is a capable center or not is his size. But we all know Yzerman doesn't give a s*** about that with Point's production in Tampa. I cross my fingers every day this kid falls to #6, because I cannot picture any player in this draft being better. He's also likely the closest to NHL-ready. He is Crosby-lite. Don;t get me wrong, I'm not saying he is anywhere near Crosby's level. He simply plays a very similar style.

Fixed

... in rounds 3+

I've disputed none of this.