Was Bob Murray thinking too far in the future, for a team that has a need to win now mentality?
At the 2016 entry draft the last weekend in June at the First Niagara Center in Buffalo, with two picks in the first round (late picks but still first round) did GM Bob Murray take the easy road by picking two young forwards?
Most would think that on a team that has a solid crop of top line forwards in San Diego, Murray would go after defencemen to fill the voids most likely being left this season by Shea Theodore, Brandon Montour, or Jacob Larsson.
What is the the thought process behind another almost full draft of forwards, with the odd man out defenceman being Josh Mahura from Red Deer of the WHL?
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Well according to GM Murray, “Other years everything always fallen to us as Defencemen, this year it went kinda the other way…”.
Really Bob? Because if you were to take the last seven drafts including 2016 you’ve drafted 23 forwards, 18 Defensemen and 3 goaltenders. So do tell, exactly how in previous years has the Ducks draft fallen on defencemen? Or are you solely speaking of the first round? If that’s the case it’s close but still leans forward by a 5-4 count. Let me point out that the four first round D-Men are Cam Fowler, Hampus Lindholm, Theodore and Larsson. Two of those four made the team after their first camp, with the others most likely being in Anaheim for start the of 2016 season.
“Ya know it doesn’t hurt to get a few forwards.” Bob Murray
If the front office is that confident with the defensive players we have coming up through the system, that is a great thing. But if the front office is really that worried about the lack of development from the forwards we have coming up in the system, that is something that should be addressed not just through the draft, but through free agency as well.
Good up and coming players along with strong vets shouldn’t be traded or let go to test free agency. Why have the GM and the powers that be let players like William Karlson, Ben Lovejoy, or James Wisniewski (Twice) walk for almost nothing.
Note: I am fully aware the William Karlson trade was for James Wisniewski. I have Karlson on the list simple because the Ducks traded Wisniewski 4 months later for Anton Khudobin. Another trade that made no sense.