Big debate in NY with the Rangers about "tanking" the season to get the highest draft pick they can. "Lose to choose Jack Hughes" is one slogan. The other potential draftee Rangers fans are excited over is the Finn, Kaapo Kakko.
Your thoughts? Hughes, the center, is on the small side, no? How did they look in the World Juniors? Think Hughes was injured some.
Hughes should be the best player coming out of this draft, by far. And, this draft is top heavy. The top 5 players in this draft should be almost sure to become NHL stars. And, the next 6 or 7 should (if all goes right), be almost a lock to be solid NHL 10-12 year regulars. That's a very talent-laden draft, with little "bust potential near the top. That's pretty unusual, as there are usually players drafted high that somehow, don't develop well, and don't become NHL regulars. So, The Rangers will get a pretty good player, if they choose even at #12. Hughes will go #1. The Rangers are too good to end up with the #1, unless they finish 6th or 7th (which is the lowest I think they could reach) , and they get tremendously lucky in the draft lottery. I would bet the farm they wouldn't get Hughes EVEN IF THEY TANK. But, if they do tank, they could end up with a very good prospect, choosing in the no. 5-8th pick. Even 9th-12th will be likely to bring in a solid top-tier prospect (just not a best of 5 year period one, like Hughes MIGHT become). I would guess that Hughes isn't in the generational prospect like McDavid or Crosby, but more on the level of a McKinnon. The Coyotes, The Kings, The Blackhawks, Hurricanes are all too pathetic for The Rangers to pass them on the way to the bottom. Tanking isn't usually a good strategy. Edmonton has finished on the very bottom of The NHL for many of the past 10 years, and they still are not even an average NHL team.
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