I think that pipeline article shows what I've been saying (and other agreeing with) that the high draft picks quantity has been so important to "hit" on with value. The tendency and knee jerk in the past from some GMs around the league is to build to as many picks as possible in order to swing for the fences and hope you hit on enough and not worry about the rest because you only have so many roster spots. I think lucking out with Bedard has allowed the conservative approach to gathering picks and taking quality will pay off with articles like this pipeline detail.
The approach seems to be really health for this club in that they still have enough to hit home runs, and the rest will be quality enough that even if they can't break into our lineup, they will be super valuable trade capital especially at a trade deadline when we're trying to make a cup push or reduce the impact of a key injury down the road when they are competitive. I've said all along that the goal of the GM is to get as many players into the NHL as possible, regardless of what team they play for, sets precedence and trade value for your players higher too.
I think that the approach KD is doing is fine--at least for now. Time will tell how his players develop. I think he recognizes that you not only need your generals, but you need your soldiers as well. That's not necessarily trying to hit a home run but going for guys with moderate-to moderately high ceilings and high floors--i.e. non risky players to fill out the middle 4/middle 6.
Bedard helped and he was a no-brainer, and I agree it helped with the conservative approach, which should pay dividends.
I also agree on getting as many NHL-caliber players as well, not just high-risk/high-ceiling guys. Quality, young mid-tier guys have a demand and can always be used for trade pieces. If a high-risk/high ceiling player fails, well, they're as worthless as a cock-flavored lollipop.
As far as Reichel goes....some players take longer to click than others. Duncan Keith was barely mediocre till he was 24. I think we will find out a lot more about him this year. He's still only 22. And if he doesn't work out....well, you're not gonna strike gold on every pick no matter how high it is.
My complaint is not that we re-signed him--in fact, I think KD did a decent enough job with his current deal. It's like, 50k against the cap if he's sent to Rockford, the cap hit is low, we still retain RFA rights when it's up, and it's only 2 years and thus we can see if he breaks out *this* year after a possible soph. slump without the results being clouded by him being in a contract year and playing for a new paycheck.
My complaint was that he didn't replicate his first partial-year success and looked disinterested through the bulk of the year and played almost like he was owed a spot based on talent alone--like Nylander the Lesser and Sikura before him. I think the smart move was to Rockford him and at the end of the year it looked like he started to get his head and ass wired together.
That and based on how they looked, I think it was redonkulous to claim that Reichel's compete level was "average" and Korch's was below average. Korch looked like he had the same--or better compete; he was just out of his depth (like Keith 20
06). Either they both were average or they both were below average.
And yes, that being said if Korch doesn't light up training camp I think he should go to Rockford to learn the finer points of D-play--especially if he's paired with someone like Jones.
I do think LR and KD need to inform him that he will be watched and nothing is guaranteed, but in the same vein we've seen he can be usable in the top-6 and he should be able to replicate that, so I'm not upset about him being here and getting icetime for the 'hawks. We're still trying to flesh out the next core and new lineups and he should be part of that process. But again, nothing should be guaranteed for him.
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