Would you rather forfeit a mid 2025 first rounder or a low 2026 first rounder?

[Sun God Nika]

Delay and keep pushing to lighten the punishment to something like drafting last in the first round of 2026

 

[Hale The Villain]

I'd be tempted to give our up 1st this year just given the fact our insanely out-of-touch scouting staff is still in place, and there's a good chance they reach for some player ranked late 1st/early 2nd that has the attributes they want in a player (mainly size, physical play and PIM totals).

 

[frightenedinmatenum2]

Delay and keep pushing to lighten the punishment to something like drafting last in the first round of 2026

There is too much parity in the league, and teams are very often not consistent from year-to-year.

The downside of giving up a lottery pick, even if low, is not worth the upside of getting the 32nd pick and keeping a pick in the back half of the draft (assuming we finish in a playoff spot)

If Andlauer was willing to give up the Boston pick, I doubt he realistically expects any kind of reversal from the league.

 

[Golden_Jet]

If Andlauer was willing to give up the Boston pick, I doubt he realistically expects any kind of reversal from the league.

Had nothing to do with any reversal, it was about fixing the goaltending and shipping out Korpi.

 

[frightenedinmatenum2]

Had nothing to do with any reversal, it was about fixing the goaltending and shipping out Korpi.

I wasn't referring to the trade.

I was referring to it being publicly known that the Sens tried to offer the BOS pick as a compromise and the league said no.

 

[Norris4Norris]

But isn't the 16th pick a lottery pick?

So I would take that pick over a late 1st next year. But there is not telling we don't get a lottery pick next year or a higher lottery pick than 16 this year...

I too am optimistic that we will be in the playoffs this year and finish even better next year... but have you heard of jinxing something? Counting chickens before they see the light of day type of thing.

 

[Golden_Jet]

But isn't the 16th pick a lottery pick?

So I would take that pick over a late 1st next year. But there is not telling we don't get a lottery pick next year or a higher lottery pick than 16 this year...

I too am optimistic that we will be in the playoffs this year and finish even better next year... but have you heard of jinxing something? Counting chickens before they see the light of day type of thing.

No it’s not a lottery pick, and could never end up winning the lottery either.

 

[Blotto71]

Neither. f*** Dorion. f*** Bettman. f*** Vegas.

Viva les Senators!!

 

[Norris4Norris]

No it’s not a lottery pick, and could never end up winning the lottery either.

Help me understand,

32 teams, 16 make the playoffs, 16 don't.

The 16 that don't have chances assigned to the lottery, right? So the 16th has a chance to win the lottery, 0.5 percent I think.

 

[PlayOn]

Help me understand,

32 teams, 16 make the playoffs, 16 don't.

The 16 that don't have chances assigned to the lottery, right? So the 16th has a chance to win the lottery, 0.5 percent I think.

It is a lottery pick but you can only move up a max of 10 slots so if you’re 16th and you win it’s technically the 6th overall pick.

Regardless though it doesn’t matter because the decision can be made after the lottery draw, so the Sens would know if they won and had the 6th overall when making that decision.

 

[Golden_Jet]

Help me understand,

32 teams, 16 make the playoffs, 16 don't.

The 16 that don't have chances assigned to the lottery, right? So the 16th has a chance to win the lottery, 0.5 percent I think.

No that changed 3 drafts ago.
You can only move up 10 spots
And only 2 lottery picks now, not 3

 

[frightenedinmatenum2]

When people say give up a lottery pick I think the inference is it is an unprotected shot at a high pick. We could have a step back, injuries, etc, and end up giving up a top 5 pick or worse 1st OA via the lottery.

Even if we miss the playoffs this year, they are allowed to wait for the conclusion of the lottery to decide whether to give up the pick.

If Andlauer actually tried to negotiate to give up the Boston pick, I think it's fair to assume that they may give up our pick this year if it's in the back half of the round like that one. Wanting to give up the Boston pick says they value cost certainty if giving up a playoff pick over getting a prospect 1 year earlier and risking that they give up a better pick.

If the Sens make the playoffs and have a positive run, should they really want to have the negativity of an unprotected 1st being given to the league? Every loss would be magnified by that story. It's better to get it over with and have cost certainty.

 

[Golden_Jet]

When people say give up a lottery pick I think the inference is it is an unprotected shot at a high pick. We could have a step back, injuries, etc, and end up giving up a top 5 pick or worse 1st OA via the lottery.

Even if we miss the playoffs this year, they are allowed to wait for the conclusion of the lottery to decide whether to give up the pick.

If Andlauer actually tried to negotiate to give up the Boston pick, I think it's fair to assume that they may give up our pick this year if it's in the back half of the round like that one. Wanting to give up the Boston pick says they value cost certainty if giving up a playoff pick over getting a prospect 1 year earlier and risking that they give up a better pick.

If the Sens make the playoffs and have a positive run, should they really want to have the negativity of an unprotected 1st being given to the league? Every loss would be magnified by that story. It's better to get it over with and have cost certainty.

I won’t say a 100%, cause never say never
But I’ll say 99% it’s 2026 they forfeit, keep trying until run out of options.

 

[Xspyrit]

Forfeit next year’s pick.

While I think our prospect pool issues are somewhat overblown in the sense we don’t actually have that many gaps to fill in our lineup so we don’t need a ton of prospects (assuming the core stays in tact), there will come a time in 2-3 years where UFA contracts start becoming a factor and bridge deals expire etc, so we will need to have a couple of prospects step in.

Developing players takes awhile. Better to get ahead of it sooner than later imo.

It is absolutely a problem. We have been graduating our last good prospects oustide of Yak (Greig, Kleven, Ostapchuk) and had to sign Perron, Amadio, Gregor, Cousins, Gaudette, MacEwen and Hamonic recently and they play most games. It would be nice to have good prospects to fill SOME of these roles instead.

Look at the Stars for example, they have a stacked team but are still graduating quality prospects on the way like Wyatt Johnston, Logan Stankoven, Mavrik Bourque, Thomas Harley, Lian Bichsel, Oskar Back...

Would be a much easier decision if we just make the conference finals.

ok f*** it, let's just win the Cup to close out the debate?

Drafting 20-32 doesn't get you McKenna, even if won lottery.

Yeah OP, the 20-32 defeated the purpose of your poll.