Post by flojo888 (Devils GM) on Aug 28, 2011 16:56:53 GMT -5
When the 2012 draft was over, teams came away with prospects that they hoped would make the NHL in the future.
Little did teams know, so many of the prospects drafted would line-up in the NHL in the coming season and be ready to produce. A total of 10 draftees are currently in NHL lineups, with more
Draftees currently in NHL
Draftees who could make NHL teams
Draftees in junior who could become elite offensive players
These lists of players show possibly the greatest first season of any draft class, ever. Even the legendary 2003 draft class had only 7 players in the first round play more than 10 games in the season after, and only one player played more than 60 games (Eric Staal, 81 games and 31 pts). No players except Staal were able to maintain a NHL position.
It's clear that the 2012 draft class is the most developed of any class ever, and if it continues to develop it will hold elite or even eventual franchise players throughout.
Even the later round picks, compared to pre-2012 prospects of teams, have passed them on the skill charts (rating charts), with non-1st rounders becoming top position prospects for a team, above older, more developed players who were already in the system. It's almost like players in the 2012 draft had the same skills as 2nd, 3rd, 4th rounders who are 20 or 21.
With the 2013 draft up-coming, and the top 6 picks scouted, it seems like 5 of the top 6 players will be ready to step right into the NHL at some point in their first season. Will the rest of the first round be as un-explainably high-end as the 2012 class? It seems unlikely and it would seem reasonable that after a highly developed draft class, the next year's is less developed.
Consider the fact that a ton of the 2012 draft class would win spots that normally would be split between the 2012 draft class and the elite of the 2013 class in the many years prior, in various teams and tournaments. This most likely stunted the growth of these players, as has been the pattern in the past.
The league will forever be changed by the talent level produced in the 2012 draft class, and will the 2013 draft be as league-altering? It seems unlikely, and would change the future of the league entirely if it tuns out to be as talented. Having two incredible draft years in a row is something that has never happened before, and logically seems unlikely to ever happen.
Little did teams know, so many of the prospects drafted would line-up in the NHL in the coming season and be ready to produce. A total of 10 draftees are currently in NHL lineups, with more
Draftees currently in NHL
- 1st overall: ANA Ryan Murray D
- 2nd overall: MIN Nail Yakupov RW
- 3rd overall: CAR Nick Ebert D
- 4th overall: COL Mikhail Grigorenko C
- 7th overall: NYI Nabby Jamal LW
- 14th overall: OTT Binny Dunji D
- 15th overall: NYI Hafeez Dossa C
- 25th overall: CBS David Damarro C
- 29th overall: PHX Juha Koivunen C
- 34th overall: CAR Reggie Smyth LW
Draftees who could make NHL teams
- 5th overall: PHX Parjeet Lilja RW 72 OFF 72 DEF
- 6th overall: OTT Andrew Watson D 68 OFF 71 DEF
- 8th overall: MIN Griffin Reinhart D 58 OFF 73 DEF
- 21st overall: TB Ayesh Marshall-Baker G 74 OFF 75 DEF
Draftees in junior who could become elite offensive players
- 12th overall: Alex Galchenyuk C 57 OFF 52 DEF
- 13th overall: Claude Snipré RW 60 OFF 27 DEF
- 16th overall: Alexander Bure LW 62 OFF 40 DEF
- 35th overall: Knud Modin C 65 OFF 35 DEF
- 63rd overall: Randy Roberts RW 63 OFF 50 DEF
- And more...
These lists of players show possibly the greatest first season of any draft class, ever. Even the legendary 2003 draft class had only 7 players in the first round play more than 10 games in the season after, and only one player played more than 60 games (Eric Staal, 81 games and 31 pts). No players except Staal were able to maintain a NHL position.
It's clear that the 2012 draft class is the most developed of any class ever, and if it continues to develop it will hold elite or even eventual franchise players throughout.
Even the later round picks, compared to pre-2012 prospects of teams, have passed them on the skill charts (rating charts), with non-1st rounders becoming top position prospects for a team, above older, more developed players who were already in the system. It's almost like players in the 2012 draft had the same skills as 2nd, 3rd, 4th rounders who are 20 or 21.
With the 2013 draft up-coming, and the top 6 picks scouted, it seems like 5 of the top 6 players will be ready to step right into the NHL at some point in their first season. Will the rest of the first round be as un-explainably high-end as the 2012 class? It seems unlikely and it would seem reasonable that after a highly developed draft class, the next year's is less developed.
Consider the fact that a ton of the 2012 draft class would win spots that normally would be split between the 2012 draft class and the elite of the 2013 class in the many years prior, in various teams and tournaments. This most likely stunted the growth of these players, as has been the pattern in the past.
The league will forever be changed by the talent level produced in the 2012 draft class, and will the 2013 draft be as league-altering? It seems unlikely, and would change the future of the league entirely if it tuns out to be as talented. Having two incredible draft years in a row is something that has never happened before, and logically seems unlikely to ever happen.