Draft Pick Watch - WE PICKED NYLANDER!!1!!

[Corn Flake]

AND...... Ekblad is all kind of awesome. He got the same early admission to the OHL status that Tavares got and Ekblad is a dman. He became team captain this last season and was a terrific lead by example captain. He was Rookie of the Year in his first season, an All star this season, as well as playing in the gold winning U20 this year. Whatever NHL team gets Ekblad is in for a franchise player.

Phaneuf established himself as the junior hockey's top player following his drafting by Calgary, earning the Bill Hunter Memorial Trophy as the top defenceman in the WHL. He was also named an Eastern Conference All-Star by the WHL, and a First Team All-Star by the Canadian Hockey League (CHL). He was considered a candidate to join the Flames in 2004, however the 2004?05 NHL lockout forced Phaneuf to play one final year of junior hockey. He scored 56 points in 55 games to finish his junior career with 146 points. He repeated as the WHL's defenceman of the year, and was again named to both WHL and CHL All-Star Teams. Prospects Hockey rated Phaneuf as the top player in the CHL in both 2004 and 2005, ahead of Sidney Crosby, naming him one of the best junior defencemen of the previous decade.

It's just my opinion... but an opinion shared by several people I know and respect their opinions of for CHL prospects, that hitching your wagon to Ekblad as a potential franchise player is a pretty big reach.

 

[Kin]

I think the draft day deal that sent Jordan Staal to Carolina could be used as comparable when assessing Dion's value.

That was for Brian Dumoulin, Brandon Sutter and 8th overall pick.

Maybe but I mean, it's impossible to separate the price paid for Jordan Staal from the belief at the time that he was going to be substantially more than he'd shown to date. They overpaid on that basis. That's a harder sell for a 29 year old defenseman who, let's be fair, is seen as something of a disappointment.

 

[bustaheims]

It's just my opinion... but an opinion shared by several people I know and respect their opinions of for CHL prospects, that hitching your wagon to Ekblad as a potential franchise player is a pretty big reach.

That's the impression I get as well, and the same can really be said of all the guys at the top of the draft this year. There are some very good players there, but, I don't think there are any franchise types.

 

[nutman]

Putting Berger's uselessness as a source aside, I do think there's a fair chance that Phaneuf gets packaged before the deadline.  FLA or EDM are the obvious places.  And if either were willing to part with their pick in exchange for our eighth, we'd end up with either Ekblad or a very good young center.  If Ekblad, you keep Kadri; if one of the other 3 (Bennett, Reinhart, Draisaitl), you deal him.

Even though I'm no fan of Dion I wouldn't do this, though, having said elsewhere that the price is too high to trade up.  If the deal was Phaneuf AND Kadri, then it's even worse.

I agree that the rumor stated is completely ridiculous and just reeks of Howie's old method of picking random names in a loosely connected potential trade partner scenario.  I think he's just trying a standard way of getting lots of attention from Leafs nation.  It's one of the goofiest trades I've ever seen proposed.

I could see Phaneuf, #8 for the #1 and Jovo

or

Kadri and the #8 for the #1

but not Phaneuf AND Kadri AND the #8.  That is clown college craziness.

I think Edmonton is a more likely scenario than Florida anyway.  I think EDM would be far more eager to outright trade their #3 pick for Phaneuf, take on the salary and be happy to not need to send any back.  I don't think they have much of an appetite to draft yet another kid to add to that team already loaded with young talented kids.

I agree ... well put.

 

[Champ Kind]

No, but, it is a time dependant asset, nonetheless.

Not really. It's there until you use it. Yes, if the Leafs don't use it in a particular season there's some wasted opportunity but that chunk of dough will always be available until you find a player you want to use it on.

Yes, absolutely.  But I think you have contextualize it.  You can save cap space for a rainy day, if you're in a position to be able to do so.  So if the Leafs start hollowing out the team with a trade like this, they've got to either commit to re-spending the cap dollars or going all-in on a rebuild, which I think would mean getting rid of Kessel, trying to get rid of Clarkson, etc.

I don't think the Leafs management sees the team in this way.  Sitting on a pile of cap space and having a mediocre team that is prepared to neither fully win nor fail is entirely counterproductive.

 

[ZBBM]

Putting Berger's uselessness as a source aside, I do think there's a fair chance that Phaneuf gets packaged before the deadline.  FLA or EDM are the obvious places.  And if either were willing to part with their pick in exchange for our eighth, we'd end up with either Ekblad or a very good young center.  If Ekblad, you keep Kadri; if one of the other 3 (Bennett, Reinhart, Draisaitl), you deal him.

Even though I'm no fan of Dion I wouldn't do this, though, having said elsewhere that the price is too high to trade up.  If the deal was Phaneuf AND Kadri, then it's even worse.

I agree that the rumor stated is completely ridiculous and just reeks of Howie's old method of picking random names in a loosely connected potential trade partner scenario.  I think he's just trying a standard way of getting lots of attention from Leafs nation.  It's one of the goofiest trades I've ever seen proposed.

I could see Phaneuf, #8 for the #1 and Jovo

or

Kadri and the #8 for the #1

but not Phaneuf AND Kadri AND the #8.  That is clown college craziness.

I think Edmonton is a more likely scenario than Florida anyway.  I think EDM would be far more eager to outright trade their #3 pick for Phaneuf, take on the salary and be happy to not need to send any back.  I don't think they have much of an appetite to draft yet another kid to add to that team already loaded with young talented kids.

I agree.  I'd do that trade in a second.  The idea of having 2 picks in the top 10....

 

[Kin]

Yes, absolutely.  But I think you have contextualize it.

I mean, you do and you don't. I think you can have a discussion about what the right thing to do is without forcing through the prism of the people running the Leafs being shortsighted idiots.

Regardless, even in that context the Leafs window isn't next year or never.

 

[nutman]

Dealing Phaneuf  to no matter who should get a first just to start things. Edm or Flo would not be just there pick, it would cost more. Phaneuf is one of the top d in the NHL and our capt, if he goes it wont be cheap, and there are teams out there that will pay big. I too think Edm is a good fit.

Who ever had him and Kadri and our pick in the same deal, PLEASE sell me some of that stuff your smoking.

 

[Corn Flake]

I agree.  I'd do that trade in a second.  The idea of having 2 picks in the top 10....

I would think.... and maybe I'm wrong (never!) ... that Edm walking away from the draft with a player like Phaneuf would do a lot to appease fans compared to another draft selection they add to the team far too early and he misses expectations.

 

[L K]

Putting Berger's uselessness as a source aside, I do think there's a fair chance that Phaneuf gets packaged before the deadline.  FLA or EDM are the obvious places.  And if either were willing to part with their pick in exchange for our eighth, we'd end up with either Ekblad or a very good young center.  If Ekblad, you keep Kadri; if one of the other 3 (Bennett, Reinhart, Draisaitl), you deal him.

Even though I'm no fan of Dion I wouldn't do this, though, having said elsewhere that the price is too high to trade up.  If the deal was Phaneuf AND Kadri, then it's even worse.

I agree that the rumor stated is completely ridiculous and just reeks of Howie's old method of picking random names in a loosely connected potential trade partner scenario.  I think he's just trying a standard way of getting lots of attention from Leafs nation.  It's one of the goofiest trades I've ever seen proposed.

I could see Phaneuf, #8 for the #1 and Jovo

or

Kadri and the #8 for the #1

but not Phaneuf AND Kadri AND the #8.  That is clown college craziness.

I think Edmonton is a more likely scenario than Florida anyway.  I think EDM would be far more eager to outright trade their #3 pick for Phaneuf, take on the salary and be happy to not need to send any back.  I don't think they have much of an appetite to draft yet another kid to add to that team already loaded with young talented kids.

I agree.  I'd do that trade in a second.  The idea of having 2 picks in the top 10....

I would certainly be open to the kind of trade that is something like Phaneuf + 3rd round pick + prospect of some kind type of move, but not for two established NHLers, and certainly not Phaneuf + Kadri + the 8th. 

 

[freer]

Dealing Phaneuf  to no matter who should get a first just to start things. Edm or Flo would not be just there pick, it would cost more. Phaneuf is one of the top d in the NHL and our capt, if he goes it wont be cheap, and there are teams out there that will pay big. I too think Edm is a good fit.

Who ever had him and Kadri and our pick in the same deal, PLEASE sell me some of that stuff your smoking.

I wasnt smoking anything, it was a quote from another site. It was a quote from Berger's, who I dont know.

 

[CarltonTheBear]

Some more speculation that the Leafs might be looking to move up, from the Toronto Sun this time:

During the recent scouting combine in Toronto, the Leafs set up a late interview with one of the players projected to go in the Top 3. They originally had not organized a meeting with the kid, who definitely will not be available at eight.

So, what changed?

?Word is, they are exploring moving up ? it?s more than due diligence,? said a source familiar with the Leafs activities at the combine.

This is probably going to be like 2009 all over again though.

 

[GhostofPotvin29]

Sam Bennett to Toronto.

 

[CarltonTheBear]

Sam Bennett to Toronto.

I would definitely take him or Reinhart over Ekblad if we had the chance.

 

[nutman]

Dealing Phaneuf  to no matter who should get a first just to start things. Edm or Flo would not be just there pick, it would cost more. Phaneuf is one of the top d in the NHL and our capt, if he goes it wont be cheap, and there are teams out there that will pay big. I too think Edm is a good fit.

Who ever had him and Kadri and our pick in the same deal, PLEASE sell me some of that stuff your smoking.

I wasnt smoking anything, it was a quote from another site. It was a quote from Berger's, who I dont know.

It was not a shot at you, but one for who ever made it up. way over payment.

 

[nutman]

Putting Berger's uselessness as a source aside, I do think there's a fair chance that Phaneuf gets packaged before the deadline.  FLA or EDM are the obvious places.  And if either were willing to part with their pick in exchange for our eighth, we'd end up with either Ekblad or a very good young center.  If Ekblad, you keep Kadri; if one of the other 3 (Bennett, Reinhart, Draisaitl), you deal him.

Even though I'm no fan of Dion I wouldn't do this, though, having said elsewhere that the price is too high to trade up.  If the deal was Phaneuf AND Kadri, then it's even worse.

I agree that the rumor stated is completely ridiculous and just reeks of Howie's old method of picking random names in a loosely connected potential trade partner scenario.  I think he's just trying a standard way of getting lots of attention from Leafs nation.  It's one of the goofiest trades I've ever seen proposed.

I could see Phaneuf, #8 for the #1 and Jovo

or

Kadri and the #8 for the #1

but not Phaneuf AND Kadri AND the #8.  That is clown college craziness.

I think Edmonton is a more likely scenario than Florida anyway.  I think EDM would be far more eager to outright trade their #3 pick for Phaneuf, take on the salary and be happy to not need to send any back.  I don't think they have much of an appetite to draft yet another kid to add to that team already loaded with young talented kids.

I agree.  I'd do that trade in a second.  The idea of having 2 picks in the top 10....

I would certainly be open to the kind of trade that is something like Phaneuf + 3rd round pick + prospect of some kind type of move, but not for two established NHLers, and certainly not Phaneuf + Kadri + the 8th.

Thats more realistic then what the papers and rumors have been carrying on with

 

[GhostofPotvin29]

Sam Bennett to Toronto.

I would definitely take him or Reinhart over Ekblad if we had the chance.

Ooooh yeah, 100%.

 

[Kin]

Some more speculation that the Leafs might be looking to move up, from the Toronto Sun this time:

During the recent scouting combine in Toronto, the Leafs set up a late interview with one of the players projected to go in the Top 3. They originally had not organized a meeting with the kid, who definitely will not be available at eight.

So, what changed?

?Word is, they are exploring moving up ? it?s more than due diligence,? said a source familiar with the Leafs activities at the combine.

This is probably going to be like 2009 all over again though.

I mean, I'm sure that the implication here is that the Leafs are serious and everything but teams should explore moving up in the draft every year, right?

 

[Corn Flake]

Sam Bennett to Toronto.

I would definitely take him or Reinhart over Ekblad if we had the chance.

Ooooh yeah, 100%.

Reinhart x10

 

[L K]

Some more speculation that the Leafs might be looking to move up, from the Toronto Sun this time:

During the recent scouting combine in Toronto, the Leafs set up a late interview with one of the players projected to go in the Top 3. They originally had not organized a meeting with the kid, who definitely will not be available at eight.

So, what changed?

?Word is, they are exploring moving up ? it?s more than due diligence,? said a source familiar with the Leafs activities at the combine.

This is probably going to be like 2009 all over again though.

I mean, I'm sure that the implication here is that the Leafs are serious and everything but teams should explore moving up in the draft every year, right?

True.  Unless you are the New York Knicks.  Then you should probably just settle for having a draft pick.