Drafting Zadina over Quinn Hughes was a mistake. I know it was 2018 but what was Holland thinking? Hughes wasn't even on his radar. He would've drafted Evan Bouchard if Zadina didn't fall to #6. Jimmy Benning was more than happy to take Hughes at #7.

I'm good with it. Zadina will be incredible for us, even though I wanted Hughes on draft day. I'm just happy Zadina dropped so we didn't pick Bouchard as was rumored.

I just don't see it with Zadina. I see good but not great.

He's taken some big strides this year. One of our best players right now.

Something I didnt consider is that we could have drafted Chychrun in 2016, then also Hronek at 46 instead of Givani Smith. Nothing against Givani, but Hronek will have more impact. What could have been...

The only one I blame Holland & Co on is Ras over Necas. Also not wise to choose Zadina over Hughes.

Holland is a terrible drafter. That has been made clear.

I like Zadina and think he'll have a good career. I just believe Hughes will compete for Norris trophies.

Carter Hart was drafted right after Givani Smith. Holland and Tyler Wright really blew it in the draft during Kenny's last decade. Drafting Svechnikov over Aho. Yzerman found Kucherov in the 2nd round. Point in the third round. Trading a 1st to get Kyle Quincey back. Yzerman used that pick to draft Vasilevskiy. There's no guarantee Kenny would've drafted Vasi. All teams miss out drafting good players. But it sure seems Kenny and Tyler Wright missed out the most.

Ehh you gotta play defense to win Norris trophies. That's not really something he's very capable of doing...

Not really. Offensive defensemen win the Norris trophy every season.

I noticed @Letter_Kenny used the word "compete" and not "win", because he won't when he has Seider to compete against

I have very high hopes for Seider. 👍

It's hard not to after how he's played this year and last!

Holland is a size queen. I was yelling Valimaki's name at my TV during the draft but I guess he couldn't hear me. It was rumored that Vegas offered us 15 and 34 for the 9 and **** turned them down. We could have had Juuso Valimaki AND Nicholas Hague.

Yeah but they can still play defense, He can't.

Let us not forget some of Holland's other first round blunders like Thomas McCollum, Brendan Smith, Jakub Kindl, Landon Ferraro and Corey Emmerton.

Hughes is 21 years old. Hedman wasn't Hedman at 21 either. Lots of time for Hughes to improve his defense.

Or the fact that after the 2011 draft he acted like he had completely rebuilt the defense. True story: for the next FOUR YEARS he drafted only one defenseman (saarijarvi) before the fifth round.

Zadina was the consensus 3rd overall in his draft and looks to be a good two way top 6 winger. I was high on Dobson that year as he carried his team to the Memorial Cup and is a great 2 way guy. In this scenario if we didn’t have Hronek, I would’ve opted for Sanderson or Drysdale last year (preferably Drysdale). Vilardi was higher ranked than Necas and I’m not sure Necas has played center at the NHL.


Hughes doesn’t have the tools to clear the crease nor has he shown to date he can be labeled a two way defensemen. I like him a lot but he needs a competent defensive guy to play with and this year is showing that away from Tanev. Seider would’ve been a great partner but we’ll never know.

Come on man, Hedman was leaps and bounds ahead of Hughes defensively at this point in his career. Now if you want to talk about Norris trophies for Cale Makar I won't argue but Hughes just doesn't do it for me. Sorry.

Hughes doesn't have to be great defensively to win Norris trophies. Even PK Subban won one. Early in Hedman's career many called him a bust. Makar will win a few Norris trophies for sure.

Eh agree to disagree. And BTW I don't remember anyone credible saying that about Hedman.

If you google Hedman's early days I'm sure you'll find it. I never called him a bust. He was playing on a lousy Tampa team back then.

Who can clear the crease today with the current rules? Each time I see a defenseman do it, it's called a penalty. Chara is allowed to somehow get away with it.

This has been driving me crazy. If Staal even BREATHES on someone in the crease he gets a penalty.

Refs have their favourites. They also have guys they don't like. They'll never admit it of course. They're human. Remember when Dunkin Dan O'Halloran used to always screw the Red Wings? Why? Because he was once shot in Detroit. I still remember that BS call on Datsyuk in game 5 of the Wings/Ducks WCF playoff series in 2007. O'Halloran can F right off.