With 3 First round picks, would you rather....

[DJN21]

I'd trade any of them, all of them, so long as I'm getting back a player I want...

 

[Moskau]

Apparently there was a GM at the draft offering up one of his best players for 3 first round picks.

Probably just a defensive specialist.

 

[Zip15]

Not trading our pick. But I'd be open to trading one of the STL or SJS picks. I think both will be in the 20-25 range. The asset coming back has to be under contract for a minimum of three more years, or be a guy we're confident we can re-sign. A top-4 defenseman would be ideal, but I have to see which wingers would be available at that price, too.

 

[detroitfan83]

Keep all three. Much smarter decision.

End thread

 

[Jim Bob]

Trends carry weight when something can be predictable or at least not supremely volatile. You can spend three years scouting but at the end of the day it is an educated guess. Dahlin could be a huge bust.

Any acquisition is volatile. Even trading a pick for an NHLer is volatile as past results don't guarantee future outcomes.

And how much do you want to bet that Dahlin is a bust?

Dahlin is in the category of guys like McDavid, Matthews, Eichel, etc. that can be counted on to be a big time pro.

 

[Jim Bob]

I think you are guilty of using a straw man here. Nobody is advocating trading the picks just to trade them, but if you can get the right offer don't hesitate to make the move. The Lehner trade was questioned by many the moment it was made because people (rightly) thought it was a gigantic overpay for someone who was far from a sure thing. The fact that we made a bad trade of a pick doesn't automatically mean any trade of a pick has to be a bad trade.

The logic that post I replied to seem to be that any pick is too volatile for that posters liking and trading a future pick for an NHLer is preferable because you know you are getting an NHL player as opposed to rolling the dice on a pick that may or may not turn into an NHLer.

I don't subscribe to that logic and I can't buy into the pessimistic mindset that leads to takes like Dahlin can be a bust.

 

[North Buffalo]

I think you are wrong about D, more wingers and centers are drafted in top 5 because of scoring needs, Top D can be drafted anywhere in first round and many late bloomers or developing D are drafted in later rounds. Scorers are hard to find.

Winger.

I'm more comfortable with our D situation, than with our W situation.

Dahlin, Risto and Scandella are givens. I think McCabe is better than we saw last year. Bogosian is unlikely to stay healthy but if by some miracle he did, can be an asset. Even if we have to trot out Beaulieu or Hunwick next year, I'm comfortable with the upside of guys like Guhle/Pilut and Borgen/Samuelsson for one or two of them to fill those spots beyond that.

We have 2 top 6 wingers I'm comfortable with currently, Reinhart and Sheary. Past that we're hoping guys like Okposo can get their mojo back... or guys like ERod/Girgensons/Wilson can consistently step up their games, who are more middle/bottom-6 anyways.

Plus I think a 1st gets you a better winger than it does a defenseman value-wise.

 

[Dreakon13]

I think you are wrong about D, more wingers and centers are drafted in top 5 because of scoring needs, Top D can be drafted anywhere in first round and many late bloomers or developing D are drafted in later rounds. Scorers are hard to find.

IMO, this is less out of necessity and more because defensemen (and goaltenders for that matter) are incredibly hard to gauge the trajectory of at that level. Forwards have a less unpredictable development path, are more of a "sure thing", and are safer spending the top picks on.

Though I'm not sure where we're going with this. Still think the Sabres need a W more.

 

[Doohickie]

I'd keep all three. We have some big contracts coming up, it would be good to have some good players on ELCs to balance them out.