In my opinion, picks are assets just like players. If you can move an asset to make your team better, you do it. Of course, picks are a bit tricky because there's a chance (an infinitesimal one) that you could snag a guy like Zetterberg later on in the rounds. But, again, the odds of even a 2nd rounder making it to the level of being an impact NHLer are pretty damn low. If you have a chance to move one of those picks for a player who is going to be an effective roster guy for your club, you do it. It's not about selling the farm for rentals, it's about packaging picks for guys like Perron who will be around for an extended period of time. Hell, I even like the Winnik trade. I'll love the trade if he re-signs here this summer. The odds of a 2nd rounder and 4th rounder turning into guys we develop into NHL players are tiny, and the odds of those guys helping us in the next 3 to 5 years is even smaller.
Picks are important with regard to their value as assets, but I think people can overrate them pretty often. The only picks you should really never trade are top-5 picks, especially in a year with bonafide stud players up for grabs (like a Crosby, Ovechkin, Malkin, Stamkos).
