“The Pittsburgh Penguins are proud to select, out of nowhere, a guy you will never hear from again.” (Photo: Bruce Bennett/Getty Images North America)
After the Pittsburgh Penguins collapsed against the New York Rangers, some readers suggested that the Caps should hire Dan Bylsma and Ray Shero, both of the Pittsburgh Penguins, should they get fired from their current jobs. In regards to Shero at least, we’re a bit leery.
Here’s one reason why.
The Draft.
Shero has not been a good drafter in recent years. After selecting Jordan Staal in the first round in 2007, Shero went a few years without a strong pick. His best selection over the next four years was Simon Despres, who has struggled to crack Pittsburgh’s not-particularly-strong defensive unit.
The Pens seems to have finally broken out of that slump with the selection of Olli Maatta in 2012 (and we’ll see what Derrick Pouliot has to offer), but their overall draft efforts are mediocre at best.
The Caps, on the other hand, consistently drafted NHL talent. In John Carlson, Marcus Johansson, Braden Holtby, Cody Eakin, and Dmitry Orlov, McPhee drafted five strong NHL players. The jury still out on Evgeny Kuznetsov and Tom Wilson, but they’ve been showing a lot of promise, too.
Ray Shero’s Draft Picks
George McPhee’s Draft Picks
Penguins vs Capitals draft picks who made the NHL, 2008-13 (Click to enlarge).
Data via HockeyDB
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