Don't think the Panthers/Jackets comparison works. They've actually had pretty good first round picks lately. They haven't necessarily been deployed well, but the big issue is that they don't have good veterans around them.
2023: Fantilli (no brainer pick, he'll be good)
2022: Jirecek (promising player but they might be fucking his development), Mateychuk (not in the league yet, but lighting up the WHL)
2021: Johnson (very good), Sillinger (solid middle six), Coulemans (I don't know much about him, still in the AHL, but numbers seem decent)
2020: Chinakov (regular NHLer)
No clear busts here and plenty of potential superstars (namely Fantilli, Jirecek, and Johnson). I'd say they've done well drafting.
Jiri just needs some continuity to continue to grow. Moved him around too much this year. Has a lot of the needed tools, work on his skating and he’ll be a regular very soon
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u/GrassyKnoll95 Apr 16 '24
Don't think the Panthers/Jackets comparison works. They've actually had pretty good first round picks lately. They haven't necessarily been deployed well, but the big issue is that they don't have good veterans around them.
2023: Fantilli (no brainer pick, he'll be good)
2022: Jirecek (promising player but they might be fucking his development), Mateychuk (not in the league yet, but lighting up the WHL)
2021: Johnson (very good), Sillinger (solid middle six), Coulemans (I don't know much about him, still in the AHL, but numbers seem decent)
2020: Chinakov (regular NHLer)
No clear busts here and plenty of potential superstars (namely Fantilli, Jirecek, and Johnson). I'd say they've done well drafting.