Speculation: All-encompassing Draft Thread

[CallArnoldSlick]

edit: Here's a look at #1 overall forwards v.s. their #3/5 counterparts for anyone wondering. I put the years where the #1 pick was clearly better in boldface. I left off 2019 because they've only had 7/8ths of a season to play.

2017 Nico Hischier - Miro Heiskanen/Elias Pettersson
2016 Auston Matthews - Pierre-Luc Dubois/Olli Juolevi
2015 Connor McDavid - Dylan Strome/Noah Hanifin
2013 Nathan MacKinnon - Jonathan Drouin/Elias Lindholm
2012 Nail Yakupov - Alex Galchenyuk/Morgan Rielly
2011 Ryan Nugent-Hopkins - Jonathan Huberdeau/Ryan Strome
2010 Taylor Hall - Erik Gudbranson/Nino Niederreiter
2009 John Tavares - Matt Duchene/Brayden Schenn
2008 Steven Stamkos - Zach Bogosian/Luke Schenn
2007 Patrick Kane - Kyle Turris/Karl Alzner
2005 Sidney Crosby - Jack Johnson/Carey Price
2004 Alex Ovechkin - Cam Baker/Blake Wheeler
2002 Rick Nash - Jay Bouwmeester/Ryan Whitney
2001 Ilya Kovalchuck - Alex Svitov/Stanislav Chistov

 

[Jaded-Fan]

 

[Peat]

I know this me being angry and grouchy but f*** me, what a brilliant insight in the headline. What mad genius would make such a connection? That'll teach me to think a highly touted prospect would be a hindrance.

Doesn't even grapple with the uncomfortable possibility that a star winger wouldn't be enough to actually make a team with zero meaningful centre prospects into a contender again - useful, but not quite enough. Lafreniere is almost exactly what the last of the Sid/Geno era needs, but the day after?

 

[Jaded-Fan]

I know this me being angry and grouchy but f*** me, what a brilliant insight in the headline. What mad genius would make such a connection? That'll teach me to think a highly touted prospect would be a hindrance.

Doesn't even grapple with the uncomfortable possibility that a star winger wouldn't be enough to actually make a team with zero meaningful centre prospects into a contender again - useful, but not quite enough. Lafreniere is almost exactly what the last of the Sid/Geno era needs, but the day after?

 

[HandshakeLine]

Well, the Jagr era went so well, why not try it twice?

 

[Peat]

Well that, Mr @Jaded-Fan, did not give me hope, but fair dos if it made you happy.

 

[The Greatest 101]

So is this Laffy kid on Jagr’s level or not?

 

[IrishTiger]

I know this me being angry and grouchy but f*** me, what a brilliant insight in the headline. What mad genius would make such a connection? That'll teach me to think a highly touted prospect would be a hindrance.

Doesn't even grapple with the uncomfortable possibility that a star winger wouldn't be enough to actually make a team with zero meaningful centre prospects into a contender again - useful, but not quite enough. Lafreniere is almost exactly what the last of the Sid/Geno era needs, but the day after?

I wonder if we could just sign a big name center (Larkin) with the cap space that Malkin/Crosby open up?

 

[Peat]

I wonder if we could just sign a big name center (Larkin) with the cap space that Malkin/Crosby open up?

It's possible. There's a bunch of really good centres that are stuck in eternal rebuilds and not all of them will stick there. It's also possible that we get lucky with the '22 draft as well and get Wright/Savoie, or we discover the Aho/ROR of the next draft or two. It's also possible Malkin/Crosby age really well if surrounded by talent and this question is a long way away. Lots of things can happen.

Just it's a question mark until one of those things does happen.

 

[JTG]

There was a good article I read on Lafreniere - he was compared to past 1st rounders with adjusted point totals from their 17 y/o years in Jr. McDavid came away the far away winner, but the only player close to him was Lafreniere, with Matthews close behind him.

 

[JTG]

It's possible. There's a bunch of really good centres that are stuck in eternal rebuilds and not all of them will stick there. It's also possible that we get lucky with the '22 draft as well and get Wright/Savoie, or we discover the Aho/ROR of the next draft or two. It's also possible Malkin/Crosby age really well if surrounded by talent and this question is a long way away. Lots of things can happen.

Just it's a question mark until one of those things does happen.

Sid and Geno will be PPG players until their late 30's. I think with the salaries, there is no reason why this team couldn't do a quick retool and be back at it again for another 3-5 years until they retire. Lafreniere obviously expedites that process.

 

[Peat]

Sid and Geno will be PPG players until their late 30's. I think with the salaries, there is no reason why this team couldn't do a quick retool and be back at it again for another 3-5 years until they retire. Lafreniere obviously expedites that process.

I am referring to the post Crosby-Malkin era here, not happens while they're still here.

 

[The Old Master]

From what I've read, Lafreniere is really good, but he's not a generational talent kind of player. That's not a knock on him - generational talents are just really rare.

But given that he's more Taylor Hall level than Crosby or even Malkin level, if the Pens won the lottery, would it make sense to trade the #1 overall to the Sens for picks 3 and 5? Or maybe #3 overall, , the Islanders 1st (which the Sens got for Pageau), plus a second rounder? I've seen rumors that the Sens are willing to trade for the first overall, so this doesn't seem outlandish.

With the #3 you're getting either Stutzle or Byfield, who are only a step down from Lafreniere, and then you have the ability to restock the prospect depth a bit with the additional picks.

I don't think I'd trade down to any other team - getting two first rounders, including the #3 overall are pretty much what make this seem even remotely like a good idea, here. But it might work out well for both teams - the Sens would get a key building block for their team, and would still have a second first round and multiple second round picks, so they can afford it, while the Pens could rebuild a prospect system that is in desperate need of it, while getting some pieces that could potentially play right away anyway.

I'm not in love with the idea, but I admit the possibility is intriguing (which is why the Pens will just end up losing the lottery, so I don't get to entertain the idea for long, anyway... )

totally agree! pluss having those two top picks, we might be able to move up a spot or two. and we need to improve in more than one spot.

 

[HuskerTornado]

Hey NHL, your nightmare is about to happen.

Lol what does is mean to "deserve" the pick? Maybe they deserve it most of all considering they were trying to win as a buyer at the tdl and flamed out so hideously.

Also, this guy must not have been paying attention, the Pens were trending to very possibly miss the playoffs with the run they were on going into the shut down.

 

[Peat]

Lol what does is mean to "deserve" the pick? Maybe they deserve it most of all considering they were trying to win as a buyer at the tdl and flamed out so hideously.

Also, this guy must not have been paying attention, the Pens were trending to very possibly miss the playoffs with the run they were on going into the shut down.

We were 99% likely to make it. Even if we'd continued our Feb-on form for the rest of the season, we'd probably end up on 98 points, which isn't a given considering we'd got 3 wins out of 5 in March. The possibility of us missing it is hugely overstated.

Which is why we do deserve it. We got jobbed by the play-ins, we deserve compensation.

 

[JTG]

I am referring to the post Crosby-Malkin era here, not happens while they're still here.

Gotcha.

I think we still have 5-7 years of Sid and Geno.

 

[Jaded-Fan]

Looks good, doesn't it?

 

[Big Friggin Dummy]

I haven't cared about a draft this much since the Sidney Crosby draft.

If we win, I'll be as excited as when we won the last Cup.

 

[EightyOne]

I haven't cared about a draft this much since the Sidney Crosby draft.

If we win, I'll be as excited as when we won the last Cup.

I'm already trying to think of how I will win the meme .gif post of the day...

 

[Big Friggin Dummy]

I'm already trying to think of how I will win the meme .gif post of the day...

 

[HandshakeLine]

I'm more excited about the prospect of cleaning house, TBH. This has not been a fun Pens team to watch since the last Cup, so might as well reboot, IMO.

 

[Turin]

I am referring to the post Crosby-Malkin era here, not happens while they're still here.

Too many things can happen until then, really pointless to speculate as to what the C situation will be post 2025 honestly.

 

[Turin]

Looks good, doesn't it?

He will fill the francophone void left by Fleury.

 

[Jaded-Fan]

He will fill the francophone void left by Fleury.

The Pens began losing because they made the wrong choice and traded Fleury.

Ask my brother, he will tell you.

 

[Peat]

The Pens began losing because they made the wrong choice and traded Fleury.

Ask my brother, he will tell you.

No wonder you're so jaded if you grew up with such a dizzying intellect.