Then I turn to my so called field of expertise, the NHL. How can anyone argue that NHL scouts do the best job in all of sports at identifying young talent? Look at all of the #1 picks I can remember: John Taveres, Steven Stamkos, Patrick Kane, Erik Johnson, Sidney Crosby, Alexander Ovechkin, Mark-Andre Fleury, Rick Nash, Ilya Kovalchuk, Rick DiPietro, Vinny Lecavalier, and Joe Thornton. All of those players are stars in today’s NHL. Even look at top 3 picks and throw in the Sedins, Dany Heatley, Marian Gaborik, Jason Spezza, Eric Staal, Jonathon Toews, Evgeni Malkin, Bobby Ryan, Jordan Staal, Phil Kessel, Drew Doughty, Tyler Myers and Matt Duchene. Is there any other sport where so much star power is consolidated in the top 3 draft picks from the past 10 years?
My knowledge of top 3 draft picks in the NBA, MLB, and NFL is limited, but I challenge any reader out there to compile a list of talent that rivals the one I just presented. In a world where Lane Kiffin is getting verbal agreements from 13 year olds to play quarterback at USC, I wonder if any scouts have ever pondered what their NHL counterparts look at, and why they are so successful.
Check back tomorrow for a warning to all Hawks fans who think the cup is ours if we get past San Jose. There’s a team disguising themselves as a 7 seed that Hawks fans should start paying some serious attention to.
2 comments:
I agree that the NHL has done an amazing job and even the NBA has done well but I've got to speak up for my NFL. Their is no position in sports that is as crucial as the quarterback. All teams that stink in the NFL have no quarterback. How fair is it that the toughest position and most important position in all sports goes to a kid who is traveling to THE WORST TEAM in the league. I don't know how the NHL does it's draft but in the NBA the team that picks first isn't always the worst... Rose and the Bulls for an example. Not only are rookie quarterbacks supposed to score touchdowns like the Saints but they're supposed to play good even when they play bad. I mean even when they don't score a touchdown they're supposed to get close enough for the punter to pin them down inside the five. When the defense does bad you always here the announcer say "well the defense played bad but the offense didn't do their part to give the defense a break." When they say defense they mean quarterback. Another reason the NFL is tough is because sometimes the number one pick is a lineman like Jake Long last year. It's hard to make a star out of a big 300 pounder who moves five yards every play. The NFL isn't perfect but no sport puts all their hopes on one player. And unlike the NBA one player makes a huge difference. Legone changed the Cavs, but Carson Palmer who I believe is a good quarterback cannot change the team around not because he's not good enough but because his defense is terrible .
Point well taken Tyler. I agree that's its hard to generate star power when an offensive lineman is your first overall pick. The thing I don't understand though is how NFL scouts can come to a consensus that a guy like JaMarcus Russell is the best available talent in a draft. Right now the best team in the NFL could pick up Russell dirt cheap and still nobody wants him. To top it off, he even played in the SEC. So it's not like you can say he never faced anything close to an NFL defense.
And just to be facetious, I think NHL goalie might be the most crucial position in all of sports. A powerhouse NFL team could probably beat the worst team in the league with me handing off the ball and throwing quick slants. However, I doubt any hockey team in the world could ever win if I was thrown into the net.
Post a Comment