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The Everything NHL Thread

yeah, no question there. they definitely do need to improve on defense.

but doesn't it make more sense to maximize the value of the first overall pick by either trading down or taking the most valuable asset off the board? you can trade a linus omark and/or sam gagner for a defenseman. or you can get additional pick/prospect out of trading down and selecting the guy you would have picked anyway..
 
popemobile said:
Oilers will take Murray if they're smart, but chances are they'll pick Yakupov
Click to expand...

You draft for talent and you trade for need. Taking a potential #2 defenseman instead of a potential 1st line winger with first overall is what makes you the laughing stock of the NHL for decades. The top ranked defenseman is rarely ever the best defenseman in the draft, whereas the top ranked forward is almost always among the best. Lets look at just the last 10 years.

2002: Nash>any other forward in the draft, Duncan Keith>Jay Bouwmeester
2003: This draft was an anomaly, superstars everywhere
2004: Ovechkin>any other forward in the draft, people have short memories after Malkin won a few trophies Ovechkin has won multiple times this year. As an Oilers fan, I feel for the Blackhawks for having to endure the nightmare that is Cam Barker
2005: Crosby, period. I'd probably take Kris Letang and Keith Yandle over Jack Johnson
2006: Jonathan Toews was the top ranked and should've been the first forward picked pick, Pittsburgh clearly made a mistake here. But even Jordan Staal is probably still the 5th best forward in the draft. Erik Johnson might be the best defenseman in the draft, but was a fail of a first overall pick, which further goes to show why you don't take defenseman first overall.
2007: Kane>all other forwards, I'd probably take Subban and McDonagh over Alzner, and on a tangent, wow how good would Montreal's defense look if they had these two on their top pairing. No wonder Scott Gomez is the most hated player in that city.
2008: Stamkos>all other forwards, Erik Karlsson>Drew Doughty
2009: Tavares>all other forwards, Victor Hedman is like a second pairing defenseman now... surely I wouldn't take the Swedish dman takes soon after him
2010: To avoid being a homer, I'll just say Hall=Seguin for now. But Gudbranson has clearly been passed by Fowler and Faulk.
2011: Too early to tell atm, but currently RNH>all other forwards (lets be honest, there wouldn't be a Calder "race" if RNH hadn't gotten injured), Larsson>all other defenseman.

Picking Murray would be like what the Caps picking Barker instead of Ovechkin or the Isles picking Hedman instead of Tavares is: incredibly stupid.
 
With Hall, Eberle, RNH, and if they add Yakupov, they have 4 potential first liners and stars on their team. One of them is a great bargaining chip to bring in a solid top 4 defenseman, and some draft picks (Jesus Christ it's been what 5 years?). I think Hall would be the odd man out in my opinion.

Edit: Rofl TT waives his no-trade clause.
 
Those only make sense when the forwards are that much better. It's obviously not going to be the case every year. Though, this year I would agree that Yakupov is that much better.

They're kind of turning into Chicago now with a insanely skilled but young top 6. They currently don't have any depth at D though...
 
Except Chicago had a talented d-corps by the time they cultured a young and good top 6. Chicago also had Hossa come in. Edmonton would weep to be on the path Chicago was once on.
 
Worst trade ever. The Canes could've signed Jordan Staal at the end of this season without giving anything up.

Best defensive prospect - gone
One of the best defensive centers in the NHL - gone
#8 overall pick - gone

All for a player they could have signed in FA next year.

............
 
What are your thoughts on Mike Ribeiro being traded from Dallas to Washington in return for Cody Eakin and a Round 2 draft pick?
 
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