I really believe this is a case of people looking at descriptions of players and jumping to some inaccurate conclusions. They’re both well-rounded players but Duchene has a much higher ceiling than Bailey. IMO, a superior skater and more pure offensive talent.

And I’m a person who defends the Bailey pick. As a follower of the OHL, I think had he returned to Windsor this year the perception among Islanders fans of this player would be much better. He would have had an incredible season with the Spitfires and there’d be an excitement built up around seeing him this coming season.

As for Duchene seeming to be like a child compared to the other two… yeah, he looks young but at the combine where they grade prospects on both their upper and lower body development, he was one of only seven players to receive an ‘AA’ (Above Average) on both. Hedman was another of the seven and Tavares received an ‘A’ for both (as per Gare Joyce’s article on Sportsnet yesterday). So in terms of muscular development, he’s right there with them.

Either way, it’s not a race. 18 year olds shouldn’t be drafted based on the first year following their draft. They also shouldn’t be drafted to please fans at a draft party.