We’re just one day away from the event of the summer, the great meeting of hockey minds to decide the future of NHL teams across the continent — the total eclipse of our hearts, as hockey fans, as we watch and hope that the right 17 (or 18 or 19)-year-old kid takes the stage next to GM whomever, smiling in the spotlight, basking in the glow of thousands of adoring season ticket holders.
And no draft season would be complete without hundreds of rankings and thousands of Twitter pundits’ 280-character talent appraisals. The rise of video platforms, junior-league stats websites and growth of social media have made it easier than ever for amateur scouts to pore over hours of tape and numbers and disseminate their opinions of who should be drafted when and why.