Former Toronto Maple Leafs general manager and executive, Cliff Fletcher had no idea about the monster he created, with no intent of course, when he uttered the expression, “draft shmaft”, somewhere in the mid 1990’s, when NHL teams like Toronto, could buy whichever players they wanted, and theoretically purchase a contending team through trades and free agency. Other teams also spent freely, including Detroit , New York, even Washington for a short time, although the Red Wings kept most of their draft picks and selected wisely. For the most part, Toronto has a very poor record in the draft over the last thirty years, with only a few star players that they brought into the league and developed. They would include Darryl Sittler, Lanny McDonald, Ian Turnbull, Wendel Clark, and Tomas Kaberle more recently. ( Borje Salming was a free agent signing.) It remains to be seen, how Brian Burke’s scouts perform, and how their current young players evolve.
Whether it’s the NHL,NBA, or NFL, the over the top hype about the draft, and more so with the National Football League, as to who will first or second, and what their impact will be, is quite humorous. Take a look at the top of the NFL Draft, and you’ll see a team that has been parked at the top, for what seems to be decades already.The Detroit Lions had the second pick this past week, and selected defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh, from Nebraska. Based on the draft record of this brutal franchise,with no disrespect intended for Suh, unless they turn things around suddenly, does it really matter who they draft ? Don’t get me wrong, as I’m not saying that the draft isn’t important. In fact, it is the lifeline for any franchise for any team in any sport, when they have scouts who know what they are doing. The point that I’m trying to make, is that the hype for the draft should be about the teams that historically select well throughout the draft, over many years, not the bottom feeders who pick near the top every year, and still make no progress. The Lions and the Cleveland Browns would be the most obvious examples in football.
It’s amazing how in every league, every team always feels their draft was good,or even better than good, as soon as it’s over, and they all have this glow, like a proud parent. Additionally, almost all of the teams in all leagues, publicly maintain that they got what they wanted and needed, and let everyone know about their optimism regarding their selections. Of course, it is understood that they have to keep an upbeat message for their season ticket holders, so there is some major public relations in progress during and after the draft.
I just wish that on some draft telecast, I could watch an isolation camera on the teams that,over time, have done the best at the draft table. There are a few organizations like that in every league, and sometimes it is cyclical, but more times than not, their is a consistency to draft excellence. Teams that have embodied excellence in player selection and development over many years, would include the San Antonio Spurs, Los Angeles Lakers, Detroit Red Wings, New England Patriots, Pittsburgh Steelers, Indianapolis Colts, and the Boston Red Sox. Learning from the best and how they operate, is always more fascinating, than watching failing organizations repeat their same mistakes every year.