Never draft a goalie in the 1st round??

Question

I had to laugh at a post recently that said that Carey Price is the best player not in the NHL. I took exception to that and don't even think he is as good as Leland Irving at this point. I used to think the same about JM Pelletier (2nd round) and Maxime Oullet (1st round), the next Patrick Roy's the so called experts said. For every Brodeur, Luongo and Giguere (all 1st rounders) their are 5 really bad picks- Waite-Storr-Kidd-Fichaud-Denis-Thibeault-Cloutier who were blue chippers like Price.
On the flip side you have CuJo and Belfour-UNDRAFTED. Hasek #207. Khabibulin #204. Beezer #72. Heck even Roy himself was 51st.
Put away your anointing oils with Price because with goaltenders you can NEVER tell how they will progress. Drafting a goalie in the 1st round is usually a mistake. Even if they look great in Junior.
To put it in perspective, last year the experts and Leafs fans would have you believe that Justin Pogge was the next big thing but he is struggling in the AHL.

I can throw out a ton more recent names of 1st round can't miss goalie flops too. How about Blackburn? Brian Finley? Brett Krahn? I could go even more recent but since they are young, we will give them time-guys like Munro/Bacashiu/Leclaire/Montoya
There is a long list of players better than Price in the NHL is my point.

Yes. Fleury MAY be a star, as might DiPietro, Rask, Lehtonen, Ward, Swharz, LeClaire and Price.... might be but definitely not the best not in the NHL. Come on, I know someone who will take offense to this. Where's my debate?

OK-we'll drop Blackburn even though before his injury in 63 games he was 20-32-11 with 1 SO.
Yes, there are lots of 1st round flops for skaters and lots go on as 3rd line players or don't even make it but there are also alot more of them drafted, whereas goalies only go in the 1st round if they are blue chip can't miss which is where, as I've pointed out, the scouts falter. It is easier to tell if a teenager can adjust to shooting, skating and hitting with the big boys than if a goalie can progress into a good goalie.
Hell, I know about the Alexandre Daigles and Doug Wickenheisers but as a rule.............

Middy- That's "you're mean" or "you are mean." Sorry to be mean.

Answer 1

your mean

Answer 2

I think that you do have something of a point, but you lack one critical peice of analysis.

You can't just say "lots of goalies have flopped" so don't take goalies unless you analyze how many goalies have flopped reletive to how many forwards/ defensemen have flopped. I'm not sure that the rate of floppage (no that is not a real word) is much worse with goalies, I just think that when they flop, it is more spectacular.

A first round forward who flops could be a valuable third liner. A first round defenseman who flops plays on the second defense pairing. A goalie who flops and ends up a backup appears only 15 times a season, so it is that much clearer how badly he has flopped.

Anyhow, I think that you have to trust your scouts. If they are telling you that a player will be a solid goalie, either pick him or get new scouts that you do trust. You can never make unequivical statements about NEVER taking a goalie in the first round. This isn't football where you expect all players drafted early to end up working out. You trust your scouts and hope for the best.

One final point, take Dan Blackburn out of your argument. You can't base anything off of freak injuries.

Answer 3

I think that Marc-Andre Fleury a first overall pick will be a star in the NHL in the next year or two, he is still a little too inconstant but has shown so much improvement from last year. If he doesn't hit a wall and works on the mental aspect he will be a star. I do see your point though.

Answer 4

3 words (maybe 2... I don't know if a hyphen makes it one word)... Marc-Andre Fleury