Agreed. Every move impacts the next move. If the Canucks take Tkachuck that changes how their 16-17 season goes since Tkachuck played that year. Different story if we're talking about players who all returned to junior after the draft or something.
What is the point differential of that move for the Canucks?
Are the Flames as good without Tkachuck? Who would they take? The only other 1st rounder after Tkachuck who played was Chrychurn in AZ.
So, who gains/loses points against Van/Cal that year? So, other teams can rise/fall in the standings of that change.
Final Standings were Col/Van/AZ/NJ/Buf. Van had 69 points, AZ and NJ had 70. Buf had 78, Det and Dal with 79.
Plus, from what we've heard, the Canucks had Makar rated higher? And if AZ had a draft position higher than Vancouver, and they still made that NYR deal, the Rangers were reportedly targeting Pettersson, but NJ/Phi/Col/Dal were not trading down to them because then their guy whom they ultimately picked would not have been there as none of those 4 were getting past both Van & LV.
So, plenty of things that would lead to an unlikely Tkachuck and Pettersson duo. Impossible for it to have happened? No. But, lots of moving parts.