You don't realize that Strome first had the flu for multiple games and continued to play, then tried to play through an injury before finally putting him on the IR short term. Those two things hurt his production. Then add to it, at the beginning of the season Cat was terrible....I mean terrible. They had Shaw, then Caggs playing the other sides...nothing was gelling. Strome did a lot to carry the line but his wingers sucked.

Strome just turned 23, has big upsides, is an RFA which means the team that owns his rights has him under control, plus even in a down year was on pace for 54 points based on an 82 game season at the pace he played in 58 games; slightly down from 57 points a year earlier in 78 games. He is easily worth a 1st round pick, saying he's not tells me you don't understand value...nobody here will argue he's not worth a 1st and B level prospect. Cerelli is worth a 1st, A- level prospect, and likely a 3rd. That is significantly more then a 1st round pick and B level prospect.

It's fine if you watch the games and study the players to be offering your opinion with conviction, but when you do it only on points totals, you'll get it wrong in many cases. Point and case, Cerelli comparably this year on pace for 53 points (Strome 54), and last season 39 points (Strome 57)...nobody will argue Cerelli is a player with more upside.