Can someone explain to me the rationale behind drafting an enforcer 20th overall in any draft? We had 4 1st round picks in 98 and we chose to draft Parker with our final 1st round selection? Notable players that were drafted after Parker
Simon Gagne ( Drafted 22nd overall)
Scott Gomez
Mike Fisher
Mike Ribiero
Brad Richards ( Everyone missed the boat on this one)
The list goes on but seeing as how Gagne got drafted just 2 spots behind Parker kinda makes me thnik what the hell was on PL's mind that day. I know we needed toughness but theres a reason why enforcers arent drafted high.
Last edited by The Kingslayer: 10-11-2011 at 05:22 PM.
Well he wasn't considered as an pure enforcer back then. IIRC they thought that he could play a PWF role.
Really? The Avs had/have top notch scouts. A nutless and blind monkey could see he was nothing more then a tough guy. I liked Parker but to be drafted 20th overall is crazy.
Really? The Avs had/have top notch scouts. A nutless and blind monkey could see he was nothing more then a tough guy. I liked Parker but to be drafted 20th overall is crazy.
He had 30 goals the previous season, and 6 in 7 during the playoffs (a lot of teams gets burned on playoff wonders from Junior who turn out to not do much later). He'd doubled his point total and shaved ~100 PIMs of his total from the previous dub season. It was not absolutely ridiculous to assume he could have been starting a career trajectory from enforcer to PWF.
Weren't there also some financial restrictions at the time? I believe the team didn't want to draft 4 high potential guys in case they had to pay out big money to them in the near future, and instead wanted someone that could play as the team's enforcer/new Chris Simon. At the time of the draft Parker was coming off a 30+ goal 200+ PIM season, and back then there was a huge fascination with size.
Also, at the time of the draft wasn't Richards considered too small, too slow and just riding the coattails of Lecavalier? Can't look back at drafts and say should've, could've...except for the Kuleshov pick, everyone was expecting the Avs to take Havlat and they took the random Russian instead.
Really? The Avs had/have top notch scouts. A nutless and blind monkey could see he was nothing more then a tough guy. I liked Parker but to be drafted 20th overall is crazy.
Drafting record from that time period is quite spotty.
Really? The Avs had/have top notch scouts. A nutless and blind monkey could see he was nothing more then a tough guy. I liked Parker but to be drafted 20th overall is crazy.
they also had sakic and forsberg that they needed to protect. they had filled their need for a forward and two D prospects.
parker was the next big hoel they needed to fill.
granted, i am of the school you just sign one of these guys as a UFA and you don't waste a pick on them, but he had some scouts thinking he could be a power forward.
Can someone explain to me the rationale behind drafting an enforcer 20th overall in any draft? We had 4 1st round picks in 98 and we chose to draft Parker with our final 1st round selection? Notable players that were drafted after Parker
Simon Gagne ( Drafted 22nd overall)
Scott Gomez
Mike Fisher
Mike Ribiero
Brad Richards ( Everyone missed the boat on this one)
The list goes on but seeing as how Gagne got drafted just 2 spots behind Parker kinda makes me thnik what the hell was on PL's mind that day. I know we needed toughness but theres a reason why enforcers arent drafted high.
Yeah but none of this players had what Parker had...The beard!!!!!
Parker was one scary guy. Scariest guy I can remember the Avs having.
He did probably score just enough in his draft year (52 points in 71 WHL games) to make some of the Avs scout believe there was some upside to him. Looking back it was a mistake. But then again, a better pick than our following three first rounders in 1999, 2000 and 2002.
Weren't there also some financial restrictions at the time? I believe the team didn't want to draft 4 high potential guys in case they had to pay out big money to them in the near future, and instead wanted someone that could play as the team's enforcer/new Chris Simon. At the time of the draft Parker was coming off a 30+ goal 200+ PIM season, and back then there was a huge fascination with size.
Also, at the time of the draft wasn't Richards considered too small, too slow and just riding the coattails of Lecavalier? Can't look back at drafts and say should've, could've...except for the Kuleshov pick, everyone was expecting the Avs to take Havlat and they took the random Russian instead.
That's the reason I'd heard. But it doesn't really make sense to me, having to make a decision on who you can afford to let go because you have too many good players is a luxury.
Weren't there also some financial restrictions at the time? I believe the team didn't want to draft 4 high potential guys in case they had to pay out big money to them in the near future, and instead wanted someone that could play as the team's enforcer/new Chris Simon. At the time of the draft Parker was coming off a 30+ goal 200+ PIM season, and back then there was a huge fascination with size.
Also, at the time of the draft wasn't Richards considered too small, too slow and just riding the coattails of Lecavalier? Can't look back at drafts and say should've, could've...except for the Kuleshov pick, everyone was expecting the Avs to take Havlat and they took the random Russian instead.
When the Avs drafted Parker, he was supposed to be the new Chris Simon. Or at least that was the thinking behind the pick. It was tough not to be excited with the draft that season, Parker or not, because of the talent the Avs picked up (with a very young Hejduk and Drury already on the team). With there being a wealth of young talent on the team, the Avs wanted a big, strong player who could protect the guys while still produce offensively.
Sure, it looks like a wasted 1st rounder today... but back then it wasn't so crazy. The Avs actually got some praise for the pick. Everyone thought he was going to put the Wings on alert
they also had sakic and forsberg that they needed to protect. they had filled their need for a forward and two D prospects.
parker was the next big hoel they needed to fill.
granted, i am of the school you just sign one of these guys as a UFA and you don't waste a pick on them, but he had some scouts thinking he could be a power forward.
I think the mentality for the Avs was just that... fill those areas that needed the most work. Maybe now more than back then, it's take the best player available regardless of needs.
But back then, we were a Cup contending team with a heated rivalry with the Wings and Dallas. The Avs needed that enforcer who could take care of the other team and produce as well. Parker didn't live up to the hype, but he was a scary dude and won a lot of fights in an Avs jersey.
At that time as well everyone wanted a big guy to take the beatings that Forsberg was enduring. The game wasn't as wide open, and everyone stood in front of the net..
I can't believe that PL would have taken him if he knew he was only going to be an enforcer.
Just taking a look at that draft year, and WOW who was Ramzi Abid, taken First overall in the 2nd round had 135 Pts in 68 games in the Q during the 97/98 season AND 266 PIM's, either thats a typo or he was an absolute machine.....
Just taking a look at that draft year, and WOW who was Ramzi Abid, taken First overall in the 2nd round had 135 Pts in 68 games in the Q during the 97/98 season AND 266 PIM's, either thats a typo or he was an absolute machine.....
Not a typo apparently, and the Avs never could agree to sign him I guess. Sounds like the guy had a rough career though after showing some major promise...
Not a typo apparently, and the Avs never could agree to sign him I guess. Sounds like the guy had a rough career though after showing some major promise...
Wow 3 straight memorial cups??? Man did he have talent, to bad he couldnt reach a deal with the Avs, one could only wonder what he could have brought to the Avs if we had signed him, those #'s he put up in the Q are simply put amazing.
Wow 3 straight memorial cups??? Man did he have talent, to bad he couldnt reach a deal with the Avs, one could only wonder what he could have brought to the Avs if we had signed him, those #'s he put up in the Q are simply put amazing.
If he actually translated to an NHL player he would have had much more of a career than he did/has
As has been said, he wasn't just a scrapper at the WHL level. That was his role as he became a pro, but he was expected to be a solid power forward when he was drafted.
the Avs had some spotty draft picks during that era. you had guys like Drury,Tanguay,Hejduk but they had some serious issues with maintaining talent levels and getting significant impact players consistently.
but they were drafting lower as Sakic and Forsberg kept getting into the prime of their careers. similar to the Yankees in how they always spent money, won but their minor league system was a mess until they re-tooled it and focused on premier talent that would translate.
That's the year when we had 4 first round picks , right ?
I remember someone from the Avs saying on TV , I think it was PL , that They went for role players with some of their picks. Coz they wouldnt have enough cash to pay all their players, if they would have drafted the BPA with each pick.
