Playoff GDT | Game #2 | at Sabres | Friday, 5/8/26 7:00 PM EST

[CH1]

There is obviously data to support the notion that bigger bodies have a better chance of playing 200 NHL games than smaller ones, all things being equal, so it's not irrational for NHL teams to not draft a Benson type in the top 5. The data supports it and the draft is a crapshoot so teams will err on the side of probabilities. Even the great HuGo drafted Lane at 62OA, not with our picks at 1, 19 or 33.

Part of drafting is trying to guess where players rank on opposing draft boards, so you can exploit the difference between where you value a player and the consensus value

Not sure the data supports big guys are more likely to hit, but the data definitely shows there is a size bias, so teams adjust their boards accordingly

 

[GEEMAN]

Part of drafting is trying to guess where players rank on opposing draft boards, so you can exploit the difference between where you value a player and the consensus value

Not sure the data supports big guys are more likely to hit, but the data definitely shows there is a size bias, so teams adjust their boards accordingly

Teams dont need a good 18 year old , they want a polished solid 22 year old

Some small players who compete are fine if surrounded by bigger willing skilled guys

 

[Krustchev]

Teams dont need a good 18 year old , they want a polished solid 22 year old

Some small players who compete are fine if surrounded by bigger willing skilled guys

Allegedly the Make Beliefs think they do.

 

[CH1]

Teams dont need a good 18 year old , they want a polished solid 22 year old

I don’t know what that means… And I’m not sure I need to know

 

[GrandWazoo]

Part of drafting is trying to guess where players rank on opposing draft boards, so you can exploit the difference between where you value a player and the consensus value

Not sure the data supports big guys are more likely to hit, but the data definitely shows there is a size bias, so teams adjust their boards accordingly

+1

Hughes was a fan and would have drafted him higher but the staff was quite confident that he would still be available later. Personally I don’t like this type of gamble but I understand it.

Also not sure about the data on size. I feel like there is more cases of players being drafted early because of their size that fails than the smaller players, mostly because the smaller players have to be vastly superior to the bigger ones to even be considered. Plus their hockey IQ, arguably the most important skill, is generally much higher because they were forced to develop it,