Speculation: If necessary, should Fitzgerald trade up to assure we get one of Power Hughes or Clarke?

[Emperoreddy]

I think we need to draft top 4 to get one of the big 3.

We can safely win 2 more games without worsening our odds, but it would most likely kill our chances of improving our odds since the Ducks are allergic to winning and 4 wins seems a lot to ask of Buffalo.

Ottawa should win a couple of games, but Columbus is in full free fall right now.

 

[glenwo2]

Either draft BPA or move the pick for a star player.

Hell no to trading up.

CO-SIGN.

Devils should stay put.

 

[Ripshot 43]

Draft BPA.

This is a draft where I wish we had more 2nd and 3rd rounders due to scouts not having the proper time to view all these kids. Lots of draft year risers and fallers that never got a chance to fully play out.

 

[Its Always Sundstrom]

Draft BPA.

This is a draft where I wish we had more 2nd and 3rd rounders due to scouts not having the proper time to view all these kids. Lots of draft year risers and fallers that never got a chance to fully play out.

Same thoughts here about having more 2nd and 3rd rounders. I’m a fan of Janne Kuok but with, putting LW/RW positions aside, some of the wingers coming up (Foote, Mercer, Holtz, Clarke) I was daydreaming of a far fetched scenario where Seattle trades their 2nd for Kuok if their exp. draft bares so-so offensive winger results.

No way suggesting this as a realistic scenario, just a fun thought. If then Janne keeps improving, he’s far away and NJ can draft another player with upside who may have dropped out of the 1st round, hopefully another RD.

I like what MT brings to the table but with no very high upside D prospect in the system now (I hope Muk becomes one) we need, or should I say, I’d like to grab one this year.

Now, the Fish sticks 1st and Foote, another young wing not Mercer/Holtz/Clarke/Rango or a young LD not Muk for Matty T and maybe their ‘21 second and/or G prospect Dustin Wolfe(committed to Markstrom long-term), are we talking here?

Unfortunately their top D prospects, Valimaki (probably untouchable), Kuznetsov, among others are all LDs so if you’re not getting a RD in the draft and moving a high 1st/package to Cal they don’t have one to compensate.

Can’t we just get Brandt Clarke and go to bed happy?

 

[StevenToddIves]

No.

 

[Nubmer6]

Same thoughts here about having more 2nd and 3rd rounders. I’m a fan of Janne Kuok but with, putting LW/RW positions aside, some of the wingers coming up (Foote, Mercer, Holtz, Clarke) I was daydreaming of a far fetched scenario where Seattle trades their 2nd for Kuok if their exp. draft bares so-so offensive winger results.

No way suggesting this as a realistic scenario, just a fun thought. If then Janne keeps improving, he’s far away and NJ can draft another player with upside who may have dropped out of the 1st round, hopefully another RD.

I like what MT brings to the table but with no very high upside D prospect in the system now (I hope Muk becomes one) we need, or should I say, I’d like to grab one this year.

Now, the Fish sticks 1st and Foote, another young wing not Mercer/Holtz/Clarke/Rango or a young LD not Muk for Matty T and maybe their ‘21 second and/or G prospect Dustin Wolfe(committed to Markstrom long-term), are we talking here?

Unfortunately their top D prospects, Valimaki (probably untouchable), Kuznetsov, among others are all LDs so if you’re not getting a RD in the draft and moving a high 1st/package to Cal they don’t have one to compensate.

Can’t we just get Brandt Clarke and go to bed happy?

I think there's a couple potential targets for the expansion draft. It's possible to get Dumba for the Isles 1st + possibly an add. Depends on who we're bidding against. Minnesota's desperate for a center, so it's possible Boqvist or Zacha would interest them.

Cal Foote is another target. They could be interested in forwards that don't have to be protected in the expansion draft like Tyce, Boqvist, Maltsev, Clarke, or any of our defensive LD in Bing. Heck, I'd even trade Nolan Foote back to them for Cal.

I don't expect to get a bargain deal from the expansion draft, but it at least has the possibility to pry loose a young defenseman with upside that wouldn't otherwise be available.

 

[My3Sons]

I think there's a couple potential targets for the expansion draft. It's possible to get Dumba for the Isles 1st + possibly an add. Depends on who we're bidding against. Minnesota's desperate for a center, so it's possible Boqvist or Zacha would interest them.

Cal Foote is another target. They could be interested in forwards that don't have to be protected in the expansion draft like Tyce, Boqvist, Maltsev, Clarke, or any of our defensive LD in Bing. Heck, I'd even trade Nolan Foote back to them for Cal.

I don't expect to get a bargain deal from the expansion draft, but it at least has the possibility to pry loose a young defenseman with upside that wouldn't otherwise be available.

Dumba is a smallish defender that hasn't had a solid offensive season in several years. I'm not sure I'm giving up a first and Zacha for him. I have to think there will be similar players available along the lines of Murray and Kulikov this offseason. I don't think Dumba plays over Severson and like Severson he will need a UFA contract in a couple of years. As for Foote, sure, but doesn't TB need him since he's on an ELC? I'd be great with taking a short term cap dump from TB to get Foote but my guess is that Stamkos injury will somehow subside for the playoffs and reappear once they end and give TB enough room to slide under the offseason cap.

 

[None Shall Pass]

I honestly like the idea of trading up. We have enough depth defensive prospects. Let's swing for the fences to get an elite one. (If we need to).

 

[devilsblood]

I honestly like the idea of trading up. We have enough depth defensive prospects. Let's swing for the fences to get an elite one. (If we need to).

Ya, price always needs to be considered, but we have plenty of volume, we need high end quality.

 

[None Shall Pass]

Ya, price always needs to be considered, but we have plenty of volume, we need high end quality.

I mean, do we even have another defensive prospect who has legitimate top-pairing upside? Mukh maybe, but it'll be a while until we see that. It'd be great to have someone anchor the top-pairing with Ty for years to come.

 

[Emperoreddy]

I mean, do we even have another defensive prospect who has legitimate top-pairing upside? Mukh maybe, but it'll be a while until we see that. It'd be great to have someone anchor the top-pairing with Ty for years to come.

We don't. It depends on cost but I am not opposed to the idea depending how the board works out.

 

[Eggtimer]

No to trading up unless it is one spot to take one of the 3 D. Definitely not at the cost of the Islanders pick in order to move up.
And hell no to Tkachuk. His skating is terrible and its showing how much it effects his game this year. No thanks on him. Id prefer going after Boeser than him.

 

[Emperoreddy]

Who would you be willing to trade?

If Seattle is picking 2 and a 2nd or 3rdfor example and they offered it up for say 5, Zacha, and Merkley. Would you do it?

 

[Nubmer6]

Dumba is a smallish defender that hasn't had a solid offensive season in several years. I'm not sure I'm giving up a first and Zacha for him. I have to think there will be similar players available along the lines of Murray and Kulikov this offseason. I don't think Dumba plays over Severson and like Severson he will need a UFA contract in a couple of years. As for Foote, sure, but doesn't TB need him since he's on an ELC? I'd be great with taking a short term cap dump from TB to get Foote but my guess is that Stamkos injury will somehow subside for the playoffs and reappear once they end and give TB enough room to slide under the offseason cap.

I'm not sure Tampa can protect Foote. They have Hedman and Sergachev as their givens, not sure if they'd protect McDoughnut, but I'm pretty sure they'd protect Cernak. Foote's probably the odd man out.

 

[NjdevilfanJim]

I would go BPA and not trade up....Maybe trade down if we could get a early second rounder....I'd consider every player if the Goalie is the best take him if it's A forward take him....We are stocked at LHD in our prospects pool....Not sold on Clarke being a top pair....As long as they don't miss with a high pick we're good....

 

[devilsblood]

Who would you be willing to trade?

If Seattle is picking 2 and a 2nd or 3rdfor example and they offered it up for say 5, Zacha, and Merkley. Would you do it?

Given all the talk about how 1-7 are fairly interchangeable I say no. Zacha is way too much to give up just to ensure we get a need position.

 

[Eggtimer]

Id give my left nut to use the Islanders pick to trade up in order to draft Cossa . Kid is going to be a stud, I have watched him since he was 15. 6’6.5” smooth very quick and calm and technically very sound. He is going to be Ben Bishop within the injury problems. He will be better than Knight and Dipietro etc etc. I’d even go as far to say that I would be dry surprised if the kid was not a legit #1 goalie with 3 years from now

 

[My3Sons]

Id give my left nut to use the Islanders pick to trade up in order to draft Cossa . Kid is going to be a stud, I have watched him since he was 15. 6’6.5” smooth very quick and calm and technically very sound. He is going to be Ben Bishop within the injury problems. He will be better than Knight and Dipietro etc etc. I’d even go as far to say that I would be dry surprised if the kid was not a legit #1 goalie with 3 years from now

Didn't you already sacrifice that in another draft thread? You know they don't grow back, right?

 

[AfroThunder396]

It's really tough to speculate until we know what the order will be. We have 6 games left and I don't think it's crazy to suggest we could win 3-4 of them. Philly's defense and goaltending are a dumpster fire, NYI is in free fall right now, and we've played Boston very tough all year.

Ottawa has played surprisingly decent the past few weeks, while Columbus and Anaheim are in free fall. We may very well be outside the top-5 pre-lottery at this rate, which was unimaginable just a few days ago.

 

[Guttersniped]

It's really tough to speculate until we know what the order will be. We have 6 games left and I don't think it's crazy to suggest we could win 3-4 of them. Philly's defense and goaltending are a dumpster fire, NYI is in free fall right now, and we've played Boston very tough all year.

Ottawa has played surprisingly decent the past few weeks, while Columbus and Anaheim are in free fall. We may very well be outside the top-5 pre-lottery at this rate, which was unimaginable just a few days ago.

NYI completely smothered the Rangers like they smothered us earlier in the season. Losing five games to Pens and the Caps is a bad sign for their playoff chances and might help drop them to 4th but I don’t think it means we’re beating them.

You’re right about Philly so there’s is definitely a real chance for 4 more points. When Ruff says Blackwood is playing “most” of the games I assume Wedgwood is getting an Islander or Bruin game, or maybe he plays both teams. He has a win against both of them. The most obvious choice is an Islanders game because Blackwood got crushed by them twice. (And Wedgewood has the only win against them.)

 

[Emperoreddy]

If Ottawa, Vancouver, and Columbus win a couple of games that should be enough to keep us behind them

It's difficult to see how the Ducks win 2 more games then us though.