i see this team w/ at least 2 1sts. One from Helle (PIT has been my spot), and either ours, however.....
id love for this team to use one of our supposed departing players (scheifele, pld) to somehow get into the top-10 so we can draft a legitimate Centre prospect that has a high % of chance of being one in the NHL. however, imo the only viable teams that are moving out of the top-10, and this is dependent on who is on the board of course, is STL or WSH.
CHI, ANH, CBJ, SJS, MTL, ARI, PHI i don't think so. rebuild teams probably dont want UFA-1s or players that may not sign there at the value of a top-10 1st. DET is 9th - i think they'd be more open with 17th to move.
STL/WSH strike me more of teams that had bad years rather than legit rebuilds so could def move out their top-10 1st for a high quality Centre. WSH was kind of like us in the first half they were around top-10 and that had a colossal drop-off. both teams need Cs with ROR gone in STL, and aging/contracts of Backstrom and Kuz. I do think if Michkov is there at 8, WSH keeps the pick and takes given their success w/ Russians over the years. WSH has 2 RHD prospects who frankly i don't know enough about but could be good additions for us, and were some high 2nd rd picks in Chesley and Iorio. Can also take back the Mantha contract for an additional pick.
so if Michkov gone my fantasy-hockey deal of the day - we get the 8th+Chesley/Iorio+Mantha+protected 2024 1st for PLD+18th
again depending on the board: with 14th overall (PIT) id be open to moving back in that range and getting 2-3 shots in the ~20-~40 range were prospects usually tend to flatten a bit. ofc dependent on draft-to-draft and fallers.
SJS last year moved back 16 spots from 11th (Geekie) for 27th (Bystedt), 34th (Lund) and 45th (Havelid). idk enough about this draft to say if the prospect pool is similar in talent level/status to last year's but it's def something to consider imo.
SJS coincidentally has 26th and 36th, but nothing else in the 2nd. that's getting close to their trade last year (could take next year's 2nd which will likely be super early too)
CHI has 19th and 35th and 44th.... maybe 14th for 19th+44th.
DET has 17th, 41st, 42nd and 43rd..... DET are usually the ones to trade back
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STL has 25th and 29th....they have no 2nds though so might not be as eager to move up.
and ofc MTL has 31st and 37th.... that's close to the SJS trade last year but would want a 2nd (could be next year's which likely is early again).