#4 Nick Robertson
If Nick Robertson was born 5 days later, the 5’9 160lbs 17 year-old winger would’t have been eligible for the NHL Entry draft until next season.
If one of the youngest smallest players in the draft had of had another season to play in the OHL before being drafted, he’d almost certainly been a first rounder.
In fact, enough people feel that he should have been a first rounder this year, that given another year to develop, it’s not unreasonable to think he could have been a first round pick.
So essentially the Toronto Maple Leafs were able to move their first round pick this year for a top pairing defenseman they get for a minimum of two years, and still get a high-end prospect.
That is the kind of magic you don’t usually see outside of House Gryffindor.
Robertson spent last year playing on the same Peterborough Petes team as Semyon Der-Arguchintsev, and he scored more goals and points than his insanely talented once and future teammate.
Whereas SDA is a brilliant playmaker with a high ceiling who might not play in the NHL due to his size and skating, Robertson is smaller and younger and better right now. He possesses the same ceiling, just with a better chance of actually hitting it.
Like SDA, Robertson is said to have skating for a weakness, though he’s got a much better shot. If Robertson can learn to skate the way someone of his size has to to make it in the NHL, then he’s also going to be a star.
For a team that has graduated so many recent players to the NHL, and who has finished in the top ten in the standings two years in a row, the Toronto Maple Leafs have a lot of talent in their prospect group.