If we get #1 in '15, would you rather have McDavid or Eichel?

[Paxon]

Oh yeah; shortened season win.. Thought that was 2 years ago but whatever 2 cups in 5 years; Good; Yes but my point still stands. They are dumb and built around a center and a winger rather than 2 centers. The blueprint for a dynasty begins with depth down the middle. We need a 1 and 2 combo down the middle.. not a 1 and a winger.

Case in point: I would not trade BUF 1st for nothing. We can get our own Tavares in this draft that is younger with a higher ceiling.

They've had as much success as the Kings, yet in the Kings' case you'd point to them and say "ah, see... this confirms what I've been saying." In the Blackhawks' case you say, "this is dumb of them!" That requires quite a rationalization.

The truth is there's an ideal way to build, but you have to be flexible. Kane has the same impact on his line as an elite offensive center. He's the puck carrier. He's the one who generates everything offensively. He's both a playmaker and a goal-scorer.

The Hawks have won two championships with their second-best centers being Bolland for one and Handzus for another. Those guys are third-line centers. With the wingers they have, all they need behind Toews is a solid second-line center and they'll be that much better for it. They might've gotten one for this season for a mere $2m. It was a mistake to not address this earlier, but it's something that can reasonably be done going forward.

I wouldn't trade #1 or #2 for him either, but his position isn't really the issue. He may as well be a center offensively.

 

[ende]

why Kane? Chicago great team yes? So what's their problem? Why haven't they been to the finals in two years?

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They built around a winger and only one Center. What the Sabres need to do is build around a 1/2 Center combo and plug in the wingers as the years go. Look at Chicago now; they are desperately looking for a number 2 center and are struggling with cap issues. The Kings? a better team than Chicago.. Yes I said it.. Why? They have depth down the middle.

Kane is not a need here in Buffalo. I wouldn't trade for him ever. If he wants to sign in free agency then be my guest but having two solid centers who make wingers better is worth more than a Toews and Kane its having a Toews and Toews.

Right. If Chicago makes that offer, I say "let me interview Kane", then tell Kane "Hey Kane, don't sign an extension with the hawks and you can write your own paycheck next summer, and skate with McDavid or Eichel"

 

[Sabre the Win]

They've had as much success as the Kings, yet in the Kings' case you'd point to them and say "ah, see... this confirms what I've been saying." In the Blackhawks' case you say, "this is dumb of them!" That requires quite a rationalization.

The truth is there's an ideal way to build, but you have to be flexible. Kane has the same impact on his line as an elite offensive center. He's the puck carrier. He's the one who generates everything offensively. He's both a playmaker and a goal-scorer.

The Hawks have won two championships with their second-best centers being Bolland for one and Handzus for another. Those guys are third-line centers. With the wingers they have, all they need behind Toews is a solid second-line center and they'll be that much better for it. They might've gotten one for this season for a mere $2m. It was a mistake to not address this earlier, but it's something that can reasonably be done going forward.

I wouldn't trade #1 or #2 for him either, but his position isn't really the issue. He may as well be a center offensively.

The Kings beat the Blackhawks this year because of the depth down the center. The Hawks could not compete. Sure the Hawks have had the same success as the King in the amount of cup wins in the last 5 years but the Kings are a better team. The shortnened season win is "meh"; sure they won but give them a full season like this year + playing deep in the post season without the depth down the middle is the reason they are not a dynasty and won't be. Kings will become the first team post cap era if anyone is. They have a more well rounded team with "Depth" down the middle. There is a reason why the organization looks to the Kings rather than the Hawks as inspiration during this rebuild.

 

[Paxon]

The Kings beat the Blackhawks this year because of the depth down the center. The Hawks could not compete. Sure the Hawks have had the same success as the King in the amount of cup wins in the last 5 years but the Kings are a better team. The shortnened season win is "meh"; sure they won but give them a full season like this year + playing deep in the post season without the depth down the middle is the reason they are not a dynasty and won't be. Kings will become the first team post cap era if anyone is. They have a more well rounded team with "Depth" down the middle. There is a reason why the organization looks to the Kings rather than the Hawks as inspiration during this rebuild.

The Hawks "could not compete". 7 game series. The shortened season counts less? What? The playoffs were the same length. Unless you're implying the Hawks wouldn't have made the playoffs in a full season, then this point is nonsense. This is simply you rationalizing the stance you've chosen to take.

They beat the Kings last year. You know, when they won their second Cup, like the Kings did this year. The Hawks have proven to be as good as the Kings without even having a second-line center. They merely need to add a decent second-line center, which they likely already have in Brad Richards, as well as having Teravainen down the pipe. It's ironic that the Kings for all their center depth would probably have not only lost to the Hawks, but likely wouldn't have even sniffed the conference finals if not for the additions at wing of Gaborik, Pearson, and Toffoli.

 

[Heraldic]

McFlurry, of course.

Eichel isn't by any means a bad option either. It's like missing Crosby and getting Toews, at least sort of.

I think McDavid would complement better our centrum, because he has dynamics that Reinhart (and Grigorenko) lacks. Eichel is more in a mold of Reinhart.

 

[jfb392]

I didn't realize Eichel was committed to BC for next season. Interesting.

Yes, four top end players have accelerated and will be looking to play in the NCAA in their draft year, which shows the strength of this class.

Eichel and A.J. Greer, both late 96's, will play for BU.
Noah Hanifin and Zach Werenski, both 97's, have opted out of their NTDP contracts and are looking to play as true underagers.
Whether or not this actually happens seems to change every week, but they have apparently completed all of the required high school courses and could end up enrolling at BC and Michigan respectively (although Werenski never even made a verbal commitment).

 

[Paxon]

Yes, four top end players have accelerated and will be looking to play in the NCAA in their draft year, which shows the strength of this class.

Eichel and A.J. Greer, both late 96's, will play for BU.
Noah Hanifin and Zach Werenski, both 97's, have opted out of their NTDP contracts and are looking to play as true underagers.
Whether or not this actually happens seems to change every week, but they have apparently completed all of the required high school courses and could end up enrolling at BC and Michigan respectively (although Werenski never even made a verbal commitment).

BC's program is just filthy with Hanifin. I know there have been a lot of murmurs one way and the other, but I think he'll go through with it. BC vs BU, Hanifin vs Eichel will be the coolest story of the draft. Two elite prospects battling it out as NCAA rivals for the #2 ranking in the draft. Nothing beats an NCAA rivalry.

 

[jvirk]

If someone like Edmonton or Calgary get the #2 overall pick, do you see them taking the top defensemen on the board (ex: Hannifin) over the top player (ex: Eichel) after McDavid is gone at the top spot??

I'm not saying it will happen, but i do think it could be a true possibility if hannifin shows flashes of what he can become. In that case, whoever the #3 overall pick is, they're pretty damn lucky to land eichel then lol

 

[Paxon]

If someone like Edmonton or Calgary get the #2 overall pick, do you see them taking the top defensemen on the board (ex: Hannifin) over the top player (ex: Eichel) after McDavid is gone at the top spot??

I'm not saying it will happen, but i do think it could be a true possibility if hannifin shows flashes of what he can become. In that case, whoever the #3 overall pick is, they're pretty damn lucky to land eichel then lol

Unless there's some large gap between Eichel and Hanifin, I'd be a bit shocked if either team doesn't take Hanifin. There's a season yet to see how he forms his draft stock, then a lot of time to tell if he truly pans out, but he's a complete, dynamic package as a d-man prospect at this point. He's a Doughty-esque package.

Edmonton got its much-needed 2nd high-end center this year. That makes four top 3 picks at forward (Hall, RNH, Yakupov, Draisaitl), as well as a young top 6'er in Eberle. They have a potential top 3 guy in Nurse as well as some other solid prospects, but Hanifin would really bring things together for them, perhaps putting them in a position to actually live up to the hype everyone saw a couple years ago.

Calgary's best player is a defenseman (Giordano), but projecting down the road their best youngsters are pretty much all forwards: Bennett, Monahan, Gaudreau, Baertschi, Jankowski, Granlund, Reinhart, Poirier. Their defensive pipeline is a real weakness. They really need a high-end defensive prospect.

 

[Insomniac99]

 

[Duddy]

McDavid

 

[T_Cage]

Call me crazy, but if I've got #1 I take advantage of the McDavid hype and trade for #2 + a couple high end assets

Eichel is going to be almost as good..and SOMEONE will overpay for the McDavid name

 

[Insomniac99]

Call me crazy, but if I've got #1 I take advantage of the McDavid hype and trade for #2 + a couple high end assets

Eichel is going to be almost as good..and SOMEONE will overpay for the McDavid name

Someone would have overpaid for Crosby too. But would it have been worth it to trade down? Not at all.

 

[stokes84]

Someone would have overpaid for Crosby too. But would it have been worth it to trade down? Not at all.

If Malkin was sitting at no. 2, yes.

 

[haseoke39]

If Malkin was sitting at no. 2, yes.

Trading down for an assemblage of lesser pieces would just duplicate what we already have in the system. Some team comes to us with a #2 defensemen, a second line scoring winger, and a shutdown center, I just look at them and say, where do we slot them?

Get the best player. Period.

 

[T_Cage]

Trading down for an assemblage of lesser pieces would just duplicate what we already have in the system. Some team comes to us with a #2 defensemen, a second line scoring winger, and a shutdown center, I just look at them and say, where do we slot them?

Get the best player. Period.

I'd hardly call Eichel a "lesser piece". He is going to be a star in his own right.

A future 1C + another 1st + a quality prospect/player is def worth McDavid

 

[Havok89]

I'd hardly call Eichel a "lesser piece". He is going to be a star in his own right.

A future 1C + another 1st + a quality prospect/player is def worth McDavid

I don't think anybody would offer that much.

 

[RecycledEichel]

Call me crazy, but if I've got #1 I take advantage of the McDavid hype and trade for #2 + a couple high end assets

Eichel is going to be almost as good..and SOMEONE will overpay for the McDavid name

But wouldn't the team drafting #2 know that their isn't a big gap between eichel and McDavid? And if they know that, why would they trade ALL of those pieces to switch picks?

 

[krt88]

For myself the purpose of making a trade would be to get a veteran and a another highly talented players whom could help McDavid and Reinhart win right away, If you had the 1st and 2nd picks, how long might it be until Reinhart, McDavid and Eickel are truly ready to win? Two year, three years. If a trade could shave time off of that, it would be worth it. Look at Pittsburgh, even with Crosby and Malkin they don't dominate. It would be better to have more parts, spread out.

If I could get a scoring wingers who was in his 20's, a veteran defensemen (or maybe a goalie [we have two UFA goalies]) plus a pick in the top 10 for the #2 pick, I think TM would have to think long and hard.

Obviously this is all speculation and a dream scenario but at this stage it is something to ponder and dream about.

 

[Yatzhee]

McDavid, but tough choice. Hard to believe 2 talents like this come out in the same year. Hopefully we pick 1 or 2 next year.

 

[tehinternet]

I'm for Jonner McEichel. Get both.

Say we finish last and win the lottery. Then the NYI 1st rd pick is say the 5th overall pick in the draft. I wonder if we took the 5th overall pick + our other 1st round pick lower in the first round + a prospect and traded with the team for their 2nd overall pick. In a heavy draft class I wonder if a team would give up 2nd over all to lower down just a bit for two first round selections?

 

[haseoke39]

I'd hardly call Eichel a "lesser piece". He is going to be a star in his own right.

A future 1C + another 1st + a quality prospect/player is def worth McDavid

I'm talking about trading down out of the top few picks.

 

[jvirk]

I'm for Jonner McEichel. Get both.

Say we finish last and win the lottery. Then the NYI 1st rd pick is say the 5th overall pick in the draft. I wonder if we took the 5th overall pick + our other 1st round pick lower in the first round + a prospect and traded with the team for their 2nd overall pick. In a heavy draft class I wonder if a team would give up 2nd over all to lower down just a bit for two first round selections?

It could happen, but I think what would help the cause is if the Blues pick is higher than expected. If they lose in the first round, or somehow don't make the playoffs b/c of injuries or whatever, and the pick is let's say 13-18, then I see the value of trading #5 and #13-18 for the #2. If a prospect is involved in there, I'm not giving up any of our twin tower d-men! I'd rather give another 2nd rounder, and possibly another 2nd rounder in 2016 (so that's 2 first round picks and 2 second round picks for the #2 overall).

It also depends on what we get back from Stewart/Stafford if they are traded. If somehow TM is able to get a first for them, then package those 3 1sts or the proposal I just mentioned to get Eichel or whomever he's targeting.

 

[tehinternet]

^^ I agree, lots of ways that could go. I think a team would need more than just 2 first round picks and a prospect, but we have enough resources right now where I think we could make that happen and still be okay. That could be a deal both teams want. (though the team giving up the 2nd overall pick would have major fan backlash)

 

[sabrebuild]

Assuming Eichel continues to impress like he did last season, nobody is trading him for 5 and 15 overall. Maybe 5 and 8-12, and only because of how deep this draft is supposed to be. Eichel is a monster and will be almost as coveted as McDavid. The only way we get them both is if the Island tanks hard and wins the lotto.