Quote:
Originally Posted by Asher
From what I understand there were a lot of red flags concerning Leaf's personality tests but the Chargers chose to ignore them.
As for Daigle, I pretty much agree that he just lacked the drive that it takes to take your game from the junior to the pro level (which is a huge step for most players).
When I think of personality tests on hockey players in general my mind always comes back to Bonsignoire and how (I believe) the Oilers were late compared to some other teams in using these tests. Bonsignoire, according to to Barry Fraser, deserved to be drafted #4 in terms of talent. In fact, Fraser has not changed his opinion on this. The problem was that Bonsignoire looked at getting drafted as his final goal. Once he accomplished that goal, he didn't care enough about taking the next step. I kind of put Daigle in a similar place in terms of his mindset. Daigle wanted to be in Hollywood, Bonsignoire wanted to ride Harleys all day (no joke). Neither of them really cared about being pro hockey players.
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I've heard that too, but it would have been tough to listen. Remember, that draft essentially came down to a #1a and #1b between Peyton Manning and Leaf. We'll never really know how undecided the Colts were - maybe it was more like a Hall/Seguin situation in which it appears the Oilers were actually sold privately on Hall virtually from the start. It's likely.
Neverthleless, when it's a clear 1/2 according to all pundits and insiders, I can't see how the Chargers had any other option. Their franchise was in shambles and they couldn't afford to opt out of the "obvious" #2.
Point is, even had the Senators picked up on some red flags, it's pretty hard to qualify to the masses the reasons you go against the consensus top pick. And it's even harder to live with the egg on the franchise's face if it were to have balked on Daigle and he had wound up being another Sakic.
They took their shot, they missed. As we all know, it happens.
