It's that time of year again, when NHL and NBA/NCAA fans check out mock drafts, scouting reports, and youtube videos of the players that might be the next to wear their team's colors. In the case of the NBA, the post-draft day gratification is relatively immediate. The first round picks are all pretty well-known from their college or international play, and even if they don't get a lot of PT as rookies, they're still on the roster and will get some minutes here and there.
In the NHL, however, the rosters are considerably bigger, and there's a minor league system in place. The talent pool is vast and more multinational, with many of the players after the top two or three picks being complete unknowns to the average sports fan, even to most hockey enthusiasts. Then, it often takes at least a year—usually more—for even a first rounder to crack the NHL roster. However, although the fans might not know the players well before they at least get some minor league pro time in, the scouting staff and GM have been tracking him for quite awhile before selecting him at the draft. Or so you'd think.
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When Bobby Clarke, the Flyers GM at the time, strolled to the podium at the 2006 NHL draft, he knew which player he wanted. He just... didn't remember his name. Watching the draft as I often do (the first round, anyway), this was kinda surreal and even worried me some. Either Clarkie was getting senile and shouldn't be making such decisions, or the new Flyer was pretty damn forgettable. Clarke didn't last much longer as the GM (although we haven't heard any of any other senior moments), but every Flyer fan would agree that Claude Giroux is anything but forgettable.
After being called up from the Phantoms this year, the 5'11 forward was an immediate impact player with the big club—an amazing playmaker with great hands, speed, and vision. Even when the Flyers slumped overall down the stretch, Giroux excelled, seemingly getting better with every game. His presence and the possible ascendence of James VanRiesdyk will provide for another season of great depth at forward, but the Flyers will need to make some changes to ensure a guy like Giroux gets enough PT this season.