NHL Entry Draft Future Draft Watch

[SlapJack]

This penalty is such bullshit. When a player, agent, NHL office, and destination team ALL failed to realize that there was a clause not being realized, it's not fair to take away a first round pick. That's a big deal and Vegas deserves a bit of screwing over anyway

 

[aragorn]

Ottawa definitely should look into drafting this guy in 2026, he could be the next King Kong on skates based on the Lines site. He must be quite thin being that tall & only weighing 231 lbs. Of course, Lines also has the complete opposite with this other guy.

8 - Columbus - Ethan Belchetz - LW - 64' 0" - 231 lbs

66 - Boston - Filip Novak - LHRW - 2'2" - 198 lbs

 

[BondraTime]

This penalty is such bullshit. When a player, agent, NHL office, and destination team ALL failed to realize that there was a clause not being realized, it's not fair to take away a first round pick. That's a big deal and Vegas deserves a bit of screwing over anyway

None of them failed, Ottawa told them the clause was nonexistent.

 

[Adele Dazeem]

We're winning the Cup, the pick becomes 32nd, we give it up and flip a nice little bird to Bettman and company

 

[Icelevel]

There are advantages and disadvantages to keeping this years pick (obviously).

One ADVANTAGE is that you get a player one year earlier so can expect him to be ready sooner than later (likely).

Another is that it gives them an extra year’s time to TRY and work with the league on getting the penalty reduced to a second or something. Unlikely but who knows.

And then of course we have a good idea of where we’ll be picking this year. Next year we hope to continue the trajectory and improve meaning next years pick should be later than this year’s.

It also gives us a year to make deals and get back a 2026 first or two from someone else.

I get why some would prefer to forfeit this year’s but I think I’m leaning towards keeping it and making a pick. Then use the extra time to work on the situation ahead.

 

[bicboi64]

Both would be valid. We are playing very good defence, our goalies are playing great and the team has bought into Green;s system. The team is still maturing and learning how to win, and that doesn't mean we'll make the dance next year. If Ullmark/Merilainen don't perform at the same level as this year, we could miss out if we choke.

At the same time, Tkachuk and Stu can be better. A full season of Matinpalo instead of Hamonic in the lineup, more development from Greig and Pinto, etc., means we might make up for any potential dips in goaltending.

I think there's value in selecting someone this year and having it in the system. Equally good reason to believe next years pick will be higher.

 

[Sens of Anarchy]

 

[Hale The Villain]

There are advantages and disadvantages to keeping this years pick (obviously).

One ADVANTAGE is that you get a player one year earlier so can expect him to be ready sooner than later (likely).

Another is that it gives them an extra year’s time to TRY and work with the league on getting the penalty reduced to a second or something. Unlikely but who knows.

And then of course we have a good idea of where we’ll be picking this year. Next year we hope to continue the trajectory and improve meaning next years pick should be later than this year’s.

It also gives us a year to make deals and get back a 2026 first or two from someone else.

I get why some would prefer to forfeit this year’s but I think I’m leaning towards keeping it and making a pick. Then use the extra time to work on the situation ahead.

There's not that much value in getting a prospect one year earlier. Team should be focused on getting the player that will end up being the best, not arrive the quickest.

I don't see the team trading a player off the roster next season to replace a 1st. We're clearly trying to take the next step into contending status and it'd be counterproductive to trade a difference maker for a pick.

Really the decision to keep the pick or give it up comes down to risk management. The difference in value between the 18th-21st OVR pick in a weaker draft and a later pick in the 1st of a stronger draft class next year is rather minimal, so there's little downside in giving up the pick this year. I look at the names available in the back 1/3 of the 1st this draft and there's few prospects that realistically project as potential difference makers (top 6 F or top 4 D).

No one wants to consider the possibility that we take a step back next season, but shit happens. The parity in this league has never been stronger. There's 23 teams that are at .500 or higher. If injuries hit and some other things don't go our way it's absolutely possible that we could miss the playoffs and end up losing a top 15 pick in a stronger draft class.

It's a pretty easy decision to give up the 1st. I'm sure Staios won't overthink it given he already tried to give up the 24th OVR pick last draft, but was denied by the league.

 

[aragorn]

For Ott to have another good season next yr will be if they continue to play very well defensively & prevent goals against as they have this yr which IMO is the difference. Good defence wins, all the better teams are very good defensively & as long as they can play good defence & reduce the goals against the offence will be fine.

 

[Bjornar Moxnes]

Both would be valid. We are playing very good defence, our goalies are playing great and the team has bought into Green;s system. The team is still maturing and learning how to win, and that doesn't mean we'll make the dance next year. If Ullmark/Merilainen don't perform at the same level as this year, we could miss out if we choke.

At the same time, Tkachuk and Stu can be better. A full season of Matinpalo instead of Hamonic in the lineup, more development from Greig and Pinto, etc., means we might make up for any potential dips in goaltending.

I think there's value in selecting someone this year and having it in the system. Equally good reason to believe next years pick will be higher.

The issue is we don't know for sure how injuries could impact us. Another team can suddenly have a massive unsustainable PDO season as well, etc. If we're healthy, I cannot see us performing and placing worse. But that's a big if, even with Norris no longer here.

 

[bert]

Its a no brainer to use the pick this year. Gives them more time to try and fight to get next years pick back. this team needs help sooner rather than later and needs to rebuild the stable of prospects that Dorion decimated. Barring insane injuries they should be better next year than this year, they have a young team.

 

[Emerica]

Its a no brainer to use the pick this year. Gives them more time to try and fight to get next years pick back. this team needs help sooner rather than later and needs to rebuild the stable of prospects that Dorion decimated. Barring insane injuries they should be better next year than this year, they have a young team.

That and we own Buffalo’s 2nd round pick next year, which could very well end up being top 40. Would make for a much easier pill to swallow to give up next year’s first knowing we could have a high 2nd.

If we give up this year’s 1st, we’re not picking until the 90’s.

There are arguments for both options. I tend to want to get some new blood into the system asap.

 

[Hale The Villain]

That and we own Buffalo’s 2nd round pick next year, which could very well end up being top 40. Would make for a much easier pill to swallow to give up next year’s first knowing we could have a high 2nd.

If we give up this year’s 1st, we’re not picking until the 90’s.

There are arguments for both options. I tend to want to get some new blood into the system asap.

That's more of an argument from a fan/entertainment perspective.

Yeah it would suck to not having a pick until the 3rd round this year, especially given how lame and devoid of talent our prospect pool is, but Staios needs to do what's in the best interest of the franchise long-term.

Given he already tried to give up Boston's 1st last year (24th OVR in a stronger draft) I'm quite confident he'll give up the pick this year.

 

[ottawagm]

We really need to focus on skill forwards in the next 2 years. We can get by with stop gaps for now, but we need a couple more skilled guys in the top 9.

 

[Hale The Villain]

If we end up keeping our 1st this year, not sure who our scouting staff will be interested in in the 20-32 range.

They are probably big fans of Kashawn Aitcheson and Carter Bear, but those two will almost certainly be off the board when we pick.

Looking at other guys who bring size, toughness, tools and (perhaps most importantly) high PIM totals, we might be interested in:

Jack Nesbitt
Cole McKinney
Eddie Genborg
Henry Brzustewicz
Eric Nilson

Not sure who else fits the profile of what our scouting staff look for in a prospect and is expected to go in the late 1st, but I suppose there's always the possibility we go off-the-board for another Eliasson-type, so who knows.