Can’t remember for NHL but didn’t this happen in the NBA with Vince Carter and Toronto Raptors, so I can’t see why it couldn’t happen for nhl. Draft someone’s guy purposely for leverage
It happens in the NBA draft because of the Stepien Rule that states you cannot trade 1st round picks in consecutive years. Team will in effect make a pick trade so it doesn't effect the next year's pick under the rule.
The Denver Nuggets had a great draft in 2014 getting Jusuf Nurkic, Gary Harris and Nikola Jokic, but the Bulls drafted the Nurkic and Harris who were immediately traded for Doug McDermmot.
I was the NBA would amend that rule.
It happened in the NFL when The Raiders were trading up for Steve "****ing PUNK" Wisinewski but Al Davis was yammering on the phone too long and there wasn't enough time to get the trade in so the Cowboys selected him and the the Raiders took Daryl "Moose" Johnson who they traded them.