@Skyraider112
@DraftCentralMP
@habsfan00
Let me be a fly in the ointment.
None of the players you suggest were taken either immediately after Botterill's picks. All were passed over by at least four other teams.
Four teams also passed on Suzuki then Vegas passed on him and sent him to Montreal.
How many of us were unhappy with the Skinner contract when it was signed. Who among us would be playing him away from Eichel two consecutive years.
I hated traded Beaulieu but how does one turn him into Fleury?
Sixteen teams also passed on Studnicka and he is only starting an NHL career so one never knows.
How many people listened to entire locker clean out interview of O'Reilly, I suggest you all listen to it again and listen how he gave up before the season started.
Neither Guhle nor Tracey are in the NHL now, I
liked the trade and still do. Montour was the best Sabre defenseman the last 20 games of 2019 and only Risto played more min/gm than he last year, plus he had the teams best +/-. I do not see how a late first and an AHL player for Montour is a bad trade.
Sure about Staal and Johansson, but we did get Staal for Johansson, so was that good move or a black mark in your scoring system?
Twenty-two teams passed on Batherson before Ottawa took him.
Six teams passed on Romanov before Montreal took him, so all six of those GM's are all bad as well.
Miller for a late 2nd, I will still make that trade. Krueger makes too many players look bad.
Why is Hollowel better than Lindstrand?
Why is Zac Jones better than an all star GK?
If you want to get upset Draisaitl and Sergachev were each take one pick after Reinhart and Nylander respectively.
That my friend is an example of poor drafting. No one seems to want to post about the terrible job Murray did, leading a last over all team with extra picks, assets to sell, and a stocked prospect pool to finish last over all, with fewer than standard picks and a bottom 6 prospect pool. After 3 years a bad team with a good future to a bad team with no future.
Other than the O'Reilly, Scandella, Frolick and Beaulieu trades the other moves were reasonable.
Miller, Montour and Jokiharju were all needed to improve the defense.
Firing Housley and hiring Krueger was the biggest error he made.
I have posted this more than once. Last year Miller, Okposo, Vesey, Montour, Skinner, Hutton, Sheary, Rodrigues all had career worse years playing under the Krueger "System" last year.
Well that is my rant of the year.
Unless a player substantially superior is taken next or even two picks later, I do not think one can totally blame the GM nor head scout as other teams passed on that same player as well..
If the next player taken in the draft is substantially better than the teams pick the scouting staff and GM should be fired. Oh that is what happened to Murray, so I guess I am correct.