We were a little lucky to get that #1 pick. We have NEVER finished dead last, not once in 40 years. Then 2 years later we got it again! and now #2. Count your blessings! Slaf is the next Jagr, bank on it!
(well, maybe, you never know! 
)what about trading them tatar to get galagher going?
an offer sheet for 6 or 7 years would land in the compensation category for 2 first, a second and a third. for shorter term the compensation would be first, second and third.
What an immature take. What’s Nico supposed to do un-pick himself? Blaming the player for things outside of anyones control, like who’s available in certain draft year, and how they are ranked at the time is pretty ridiculous.
For an 18 year old rookie who has played every game, that shouldn't be very surprising that he hit the wall hard. Especially when you consider he's played only 65 games total in past two seasons.
Makar is so talented and skilled he'd still be an excellent player in NJ by now. The issue is his defense is nothing special and if Zacha is the number two center is Makar really going to produce as well as he does in Colorado outside the PP? On balance, he'd likely still be a "better" player than Hischier to me, but he'd be seen as somewhat flawed and one dimensional. More or less like Quinn Hughes in Vancouver. Great player but not the guy you want defending a lead late in a game and someone that can be neutralized with heavy checking in the playoffs (which to be fair happened last season to Makar).
minnesota probably would struggle to make the cap work with hischier.
low:
There's definitely reasons. All I'm saying is that Mercer had a good rookie season. He did not have a great rookie season, nor has he done anything to make him untouchable. He is a very talented young player who I think will have an very nice career but I don't consider him a cornerstone of the franchise.
I’m not trying to pick on you, but why do people overvalue the impact an organization can have on a player this way? Makar is a generational talent. He could have gone to Buffalo and he’d still wind up as good as he is. He’s on a different level than 95% of NHL players, his path may have looked a bit different, maybe even been slightly delayed in a less optimal environment, but 100% he’d still be who he is today.
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I’m with you. I want to see the rebuild from within come to fruition without giving up Mercer/Holtz/#2/Gristyuk et Al. I couldn’t care less if we traded Zacha and other prospects to get help though…I think Smith could be expendable, but we would be selling low on him. If he bounces back from his sophomore slump, I wouldn’t be opposed to dealing him for a haul at the deadline if we’re out of the playoff picture or next off season if Luke is ready.
Not me. I am one of those people that thinks "what would I do if I knew I would not fail?" The Devils should dare to be great and use the pick, A potential hit at pick 2 performing on a ELC/RFA contract is FAR more valuable than Tkachuk, Pasta, etc at a UFA rate. If the Avs played it safe and traded Pick 4 in 2017 for a "sure thing" because they were in a long rebuild they would not nearly be as good as they are now.
