Quoting: BStinson
I’m not sure where you pulled these profiles from since they’re not sourced but even those rankings are similar in category yet Cholowski didn’t crack our roster. Let’s not act like Mete is some bonafide top 4 guy and this is some outlandish take I have.
Pulled from your scouting profile from Mete, “ There isn’t a lot about his game that dazzles outside his skating” that’s great from a 5’9” defender.
They are from the Athletic, and no they are not similar in category, Mete is in a different tier than Cholowski. Mete is in the tier that projects him to be a 2nd pair guy, Cholowski is projected to be a bottom pair at this time.
You also chose to focus on his weakness (of being average at everything but skating) and ignored "His skating is clearly the best aspect of his game. His edgework, and especially his speed, are elite and allow him to push the pace when leading attacks up the ice." I'll repeat the word Elite, these guys don't toss those words out their lightly.
Also no one is calling Mete a bona-fide top 4 guy, but he has played top 4 role for MTL with Weber and Petry already, Cholowski can't even play in the NHL consistently at this point.
Only 13.7% of players drafted from the 3rd round have played at least 100 NHL games in their career.
https://www.google.com/amp/s/dobberprospects.com/nhl-draft-pick-probabilities/amp/
Mete just turned 22 and he has played 171 already. He is 20th in his draft year for points (as a defenceman with very limited PP time) and 13th for NHL games played.
He has never been a "minus" player in his career despite playing on non playoff teams for all three seasons finishing 28th, 17th, and 24th. He also has a higher % of Dzone starts than Ozone starts. Not only that, but he is actually 2nd behind Weber in +/- over those three years.
Comparing him to a 21 yr old Jared Spurgeon (both guys are 5'9"), Spurgeon had 6 EV pts in 53 games and Mete had 10 EV pts in 51 games. Spurgeon has gone on to finish 11th and 13th in Norris voting.
Mete even outproduced Vince Dunn at even strength last year while Dunn had 60% Ozone starts and Mete had 46%.
I'm not saying Mete is a bonafide top 4 D. But he has a shot and at worst he is a 3rd pair guy who can play top 4 occasionally.
You just said you wouldn't even trade a 3rd round pick (or a 13.7% chance of a NHL player) for that.