Is it ever OK to trade a 1st overall pick anymore?

[InfinityIggy]

The thing is, if you move those contracts then that cap space is ‘dead’ unless you use it on something else. Namely, more UFA signings which may not work out either.

A better option would be to trade those guys separately to teams looking to hit the cap floor.

 

[JianYang]

When was the last time a #1 draft pick was traded before the draft itself?

There were the berard and lindros deals from the 90s but those were because they wouldnt report, and they had already been picked.

The habs made a deal in 1976 with colorado, which eventually landed them the #1 pick in 1980. Was there anything after that?

 

[Howe Elbows 9]

When was the last time a #1 draft pick was traded before the draft itself?

There were the berard and lindros deals from the 90s but those were because they wouldnt report, and they had already been picked.

The habs made a deal in 1976 with colorado, which eventually landed them the #1 pick in 1980. Was there anything after that?

In 1999, the Lightning originally had the first overall selection, while the Thrashers had the second overall selection. The Thrashers eventually got the first selection while the Canucks got the second and third selections.

Also, the Panthers originially had the first overall selection in both the 2002 and 2003 drafts, but traded them to the Blue Jackets and Penguins, respectively.

 

[Mcnotloilersfan]

The last three seasons the first overall has been out produced by the 30th overall. Come on mate, he's a good player but he's not the best player in that draft. Not even close.

Show me where I said he's the best player from the draft. I dare you. Go ahead and find it.

 

[b in vancouver]

I can assure you that they're glad they kept the RNH pick. Jeeze.

It would be stupid of any team to trade a 1st overall, especially in a year like this to move bad contracts. If Edmonton does miss and somehow wins the lottery, they're thankful to take that player and add more scoring depth.

Really? I think they should've traded down every year. RNH for example. What would've been the cost to trade back from #1 to #5 or #7 or somewhere? Probably a team's first rounder the following year, or a 2nd and good young roster player. The Oil were simply given more value than any other team by getting those 1st over-alls and they squandered them - as they should've moved down in nearly every draft and actually gotten some depth and built up a quality team as compared to throwing a couple kids to the wolves.

Hard to argue that no matter what they did it wouldn't have been for the better.

 

[Mcnotloilersfan]

Really? I think they should've traded down every year. RNH for example. What would've been the cost to trade back from #1 to #5 or #7 or somewhere? Probably a team's first rounder the following year, or a 2nd and good young roster player. The Oil were simply given more value than any other team by getting those 1st over-alls and they squandered them - as they should've moved down in nearly every draft and actually gotten some depth and built up a quality team as compared to throwing a couple kids to the wolves.

Hard to argue that no matter what they did it wouldn't have been for the better.

That is the most ridiculous hindsight ever and I'm sick of hearing it. Not just about the Oilers. Every team picking first assumes they're picking the best guy, otherwise of course they would trade down.

Often it just works out that the guy who went first doesn't end up as the best player. Statistics aren't in their favour. There is already question of Hischier being the best player in his draft but I'm sure NJ has no regrets taking him.

Edit:. Let me add this as well. Say Edmonton did trade down in those years. What players do you think those teams that were trading up to #1 would have taken? Hall, RNH, Yakupov . The consensus #1 picks. And they would have given extra assets to do so. So drop the perfect 20/20 hindsight vision crap. I'm sick of it.

 

[sabremike]

The Oilers learned the hard way.

Not every 1st overall pick is McDavid, Matthews or McKinnon.

There's busts like Yakupov, Daigle, Stefan.

There's underwhelming players like Diepietro, E.Johnson, C.Phillips.


RNH is probably a middle pack 1st overall with Ed Jovanovski, Rick Nash, Brian Berard, Roman Hamrlik, and Joe Murphy.

This is where I point out that DP was actually real good but his career was destroyed by injuries. In fact the one that destroyed his career was actually suffered in an All Star Game skills contest.

 

[b in vancouver]

That is the most ridiculous hindsight ever and I'm sick of hearing it. Not just about the Oilers. Every team picking first assumes they're picking the best guy, otherwise of course they would trade down.

Often it just works out that the guy who went first doesn't end up as the best player. Statistics aren't in their favour. There is already question of Hischier being the best player in his draft but I'm sure NJ has no regrets taking him.

Edit:. Let me add this as well. Say Edmonton did trade down in those years. What players do you think those teams that were trading up to #1 would have taken? Hall, RNH, Yakupov . The consensus #1 picks. And they would have given extra assets to do so. So drop the perfect 20/20 hindsight vision crap. I'm sick of it.

Not hindsight: said it at the the time and have said it about other teams as well in the top 3 or so - not just the Oilers. It's a case by case thing - however I firmly believe and have for a long time that teams paint themselves into a corner with some of these high picks and would be better served moving back in the draft and building up their depth. Not every year, nor every team, but often these #1-#3 picks never have more value than the draft weekend and it's an opportunity to actually build a team.

No revisionist history on my side. I've talked about it often enough - since before The Oil sucked.

 

[sansabri]

Let's say Edmonton misses the playoffs and wins the lottery.

Again?

Ugh.

 

[Mcnotloilersfan]

Not hindsight: said it at the the time and have said it about other teams as well in the top 3 or so - not just the Oilers. It's a case by case thing - however I firmly believe and have for a long time that teams paint themselves into a corner with some of these high picks and would be better served moving back in the draft and building up their depth. Not every year, nor every team, but often these #1-#3 picks never have more value than the draft weekend and it's an opportunity to actually build a team.

No revisionist history on my side. I've talked about it often enough - since before The Oil sucked.

Good for you.. there's still a reason that teams don't do it, which you're choosing to ignore.

What if Edmonton traded down from Nuge and took Strome? Moved down from Hall and took Nino? Yak for Reinhart. There isn't always a win there because teams could just end up taking others players as bad or worse.

 

[justafan22]

In the last 20 years, only in 1999, 2002 and 2003 has the first overall picked been traded, and each time the team with the #1 pick only moved down to #3 overall.

Lindros was the last #1 pick to moved where the team trading the pick didn't get a pick that same year.

In the last 10 years, there's been about 4 trades I think of top 10 picks for players straight up. It just doesn't happen.

 

[b in vancouver]

Good for you.. there's still a reason that teams don't do it, which you're choosing to ignore.

What if Edmonton traded down from Nuge and took Strome? Moved down from Hall and took Nino? Yak for Reinhart. There isn't always a win there because teams could just end up taking others players as bad or worse.

For sure. It's definitely a risk.
However, I think a big reason why teams don't trade out of the top couple spots is because they're trying to sell the STHers and fanbase and create some excitement with a concrete thing - i.e. well-know prospect, as fans from teams having terrible years start looking at the draft and hearing their names.

Whereas without that pressure of teams tanking or rebuilding or whatnot - the smarter 'hockey move' would often be to trade back and build up depth on your roster to move forward. These high picks are also getting paid a pretty penny on second contracts and kinda have the leverage because they're pointed to as the bright point by the organization - whether they've earned that big pay check yet or not.

This isn't Oiler-centric.

And there's no way I'd consider moving a hypothetical first next draft to unload contracts - however I would consider moving it for a decent return of a few players/picks/prospects.

 

[HanSolo]

Show me where I said he's the best player from the draft. I dare you. Go ahead and find it.

You didn't. I just thought that's what you meant. Simmer down.

 

[SullivanT]

I like Russel and his contract and I like Lucic he had one bad year. Sekera is unfortunate but was a good contract when he was healthy. Chai took this team to within one win of a conference final. Last year the team just didn't preform and had some key injuries. Chai has done a good job building some depth and options when it comes to putting a lineup together something the Oilers desperately needed but that takes time. Not his fault the former management couldn't draft out of the first round or sign a free agent to save their lives. Has he been perfect no but definitely hasn't been as bad are alot play it out to be.

 

[HOPE]

Let's say Edmonton misses the playoffs and wins the lottery.

I would just ban them from the league, i would be disgust. And i never hated them.

 

[ziggyjoe212]

This is not even close to been true.

Yes it is. You can check for yourself here.
Ottawa Senators - CapFriendly - NHL Salary Caps

Senators forwards account for a total sum of $51.1 million. This is, of course, including $14.4 mill. worth of forwards on their IR (Gaborik, MacArthur, Pageau, Tkachuk).

Penguins' forwards amount of $46 million.

Hooray for competent management!

 

[thadd]

I would just ban them from the league, i would be disgust. And i never hated them.

Given their lack of depth on the wings and the ride side D? Could end up being a few points out of the wildcard and end up making a miracle happen.

I'm sure over 9,000 angry hockey fans would come on HF to say that this is the last straw and that they hate the Oilers, but I'm pretty sure they already hated us for tanking for Gagner, Hall, Hopkins, Yakupov, Nurse, Drai and McDavid.

 

[thadd]

Yes it is. You can check for yourself here.
Ottawa Senators - CapFriendly - NHL Salary Caps

Senators forwards account for a total sum of $51.1 million. This is, of course, including $14.4 mill. worth of forwards on their IR (Gaborik, MacArthur, Pageau, Tkachuk).

Penguins' forwards amount of $46 million.

Hooray for competent management!

LOL and they already unloaded 6M in Hoffman and whatever Brassard was making.

 

[HOPE]

Given their lack of depth on the wings and the ride side D? Could end up being a few points out of the wildcard and end up making a miracle happen.

I'm sure over 9,000 angry hockey fans would come on HF to say that this is the last straw and that they hate the Oilers, but I'm pretty sure they already hated us for tanking for Gagner, Hall, Hopkins, Yakupov, Nurse, Drai and McDavid.

I mean enough is enough there should be a rule for a maximum of top5 ish pick per amount of certain year, at the end of the day if you can’t build a team it’s not the fault of the system and they shouldn’t be rewarded for it! They made a rule for teams not to intentionally tank, i don’t see why such a rule wouldn’t work!

Like i said i never hated the oilers but at some point you have to come to an evidence! I’m sure you can understand from an other fan base stand point!

 

[LeafFever]

Ask Ottawa in June.