Edmonton Wins Again

[GoArmySports]

Edmonton will get the first pick in the 2012 NHL Draft.

This will be the third straight year they pick first.

1. Edmonton

2. Columbus

3. Montreal

4. Islanders

5. Toronto

Edited April 11, 2012 by GoArmySports

[devilsrule33]

Just an awful system. Granted they didn't win it last year, but New Jersey should have gotten 1st overall pick instead of only moving up 4 spots. Last place has a 25% chance of winning the lottery, but still a 50% chance I believe of picking 1st.

Just a little lucky the Oilers won it this year, but this system rewards losing too much like in the Oilers case.

[Daniel]

Very interesting what Edmonton will do. Best player available (Yakupov) or need (defenseman)?

Maybe a trade. Who's got a young stud defenseman and other chips? Florida? Gunbranson/Huberdeau for Edmonton's first this year and next?

[DevilNurn]

Ugh what garbage, Columbus really needed that pick this year.

[Daniel]

Just an awful system. Granted they didn't win it last year, but New Jersey should have gotten 1st overall pick instead of only moving up 4 spots. Last place has a 25% chance of winning the lottery, but still a 50% chance I believe of picking 1st.

Just a little lucky the Oilers won it this year, but this system rewards losing too much like in the Oilers case.

Actually think it's the best lottery system. Really, the lottery is there to at least not guarantee a reward for a tanking team. At the same time, it's unfair if a team that was say, the 10th worse, gets lucky with the first pick. Best of both worlds.

[halfsharkalligatorhalfman]

Very interesting what Edmonton will do. Best player available (Yakupov) or need (defenseman)?

Maybe a trade. Who's got a young stud defenseman and other chips? Florida? Gunbranson/Huberdeau for Edmonton's first this year and next?

Larsson?

I think Edmonton will have to take Yakupov if they stay put. But yeah, they need to get Dmen somehow, and it's very difficult for Edmonton to sign them.

[Daniel]

Larsson?

I thought about that too, but I don't think the Devils have enough other chips that they'd be willing to part with. (Edmonton won't do Yakupov for Larsson straight up).

[MadDog2020]

I thought about that too, but I don't think the Devils have enough other chips that they'd be willing to part with. (Edmonton won't do Yakupov for Larsson straight up).

This is a joke right? Why would the Devils ever consider trading Larsson?

[Daniel]

This is a joke right? Why would the Devils ever consider trading Larsson?

I'm not JasonMacIssac or a talent evaluator, but Yakupov could potentially be as good as Malkin, or at least Kovy.

I guess a lot of it depends on how good you think Merrill/Urbom/Gelinas will be.

[MadDog2020]

I'm not JasonMacIssac or a talent evaluator, but Yakupov could potentially be as good as Malkin, or at least Kovy.

I guess a lot of it depends on how good you think Merrill/Urbom/Gelinas will be.

None of them will likely be as good as Larsson. I'd be irate if Lou even considered that. This team needs to build the blue line.

[iamtheprodigy]

The "Wins" in the thread title should be in quotes. They "won" the award for luckiest loser. Can't wait to hear about what an amazing and well-run franchise they are in 3-4 years when they become Cup favorites, a la Penguins of the mid 2000s.

Edited April 11, 2012 by iamtheprodigy

[devilsrule33]

Actually think it's the best lottery system. Really, the lottery is there to at least not guarantee a reward for a tanking team. At the same time, it's unfair if a team that was say, the 10th worse, gets lucky with the first pick. Best of both worlds.

Why? Why is it unfair that a team that was somewhat competitive and missed the playoffs deserves a chance to for a great player?

But it is fair for a team like the Oilers continue get rewarded for being a horribly-managed franchise?

Edited April 11, 2012 by devilsrule33

[Daniel]

Why? Why is it unfair that a team that was somewhat competitive and missed the playoffs deserves a chance to for a great player?

But it is fair for a team like the Oilers continue get rewarded for being a horribly-managed franchise?

The whole point of any draft system is to create parity. The NHL's system does that best while not necessarily rewarding a team that intentionally tanks.

At the same time, is it fair that a team that was relatively close to a playoff spot is rewarded with a franchise player, where say, Columbus gets left out in the cold?

[Jas0nMacIsaac]

I'm not JasonMacIssac or a talent evaluator, but Yakupov could potentially be as good as Malkin, or at least Kovy.

I guess a lot of it depends on how good you think Merrill/Urbom/Gelinas will be.

This is a fairly weak draft. When the potential 2nd overall pick is drawing comparisons to Victor Kozlov, that tells you what to expect.

Seeing Larsson being able to play top 4 minutes for much of the season as an 18/19 year old, I don't think there is any chance I would trade him for the 1st overall pick this season. Larsson will no doubt be a first pair defensmen 5 on 5, play first pair PK and could develop into a first pair PP defensmen. When you total that up you have a 25-26 minute defensmen that matches up against top players. When you only have 35 more minutes to worry about it makes things very easy.

Edited April 11, 2012 by Jas0nMacIsaac

[Daniel]

This is a fairly weak draft. When the potential 2nd overall pick is drawing comparisons to Victor Kozlov, that tells you what to expect.

Seeing Larsson being able to play top 4 minutes for much of the season as an 18/19 year old, I don't think there is any chance I would trade him for the 1st overall pick this season. Larsson will no doubt be a first pair defensmen 5 on 5, play first pair PK and could develop into a first pair PP defensmen. When you total that up you have a 25-26 minute defensmen.

But what about Yakupov? The players drafted after Crosby (Ryan, Jack Johnson, Poilout, Price, Brule) were either pretty good or busts, but of course, you'd trade virtually anything for Crosby.

Another way to look at it is if Yakupov and Larsson were available for the Devils at 4 last year (not taking age into account) would you take Yakupov or Larsson? If the answer is Yakupov, I think you should make the deal.

[Devils Dose]

Why? Why is it unfair that a team that was somewhat competitive and missed the playoffs deserves a chance to for a great player?

But it is fair for a team like the Oilers continue get rewarded for being a horribly-managed franchise?

Not rewarding teams that tank or keep screwing up their personnel is something that you can want to have in a draft system. Generally feeding the best talent to faltering franchises is something that you must have in a drafting system. I would be okay with tweeks to the current system that further help to prevent tanking, but if a team is bad (like Edmonton) you need to get them top-level talent or else a prolonged period of irrelevance could set in.

[devilsrule33]

The whole point of any draft system is to create parity. The NHL's system does that best while not necessarily rewarding a team that intentionally tanks.

At the same time, is it fair that a team that was relatively close to a playoff spot is rewarded with a franchise player, where say, Columbus gets left out in the cold?

I think it is fair. The Lightning and Avalanche should have a chance at getting that franchise player and the Jackets shouldn't have a 48.2% chance at getting that player for being so damn awful.

[Daniel]

I think it is fair. The Lightning and Avalanche should have a chance at getting that franchise player and the Jackets shouldn't have a 48.2% chance at getting that player for being so damn awful.

Why don't we give the Red Wings a shot at the number 1. They should get a reward for being so well managed over the years.

ADDENDUM: I'll also add that teams like Tampa/Colorado, have a chance of lucking out by winning the lottery, they only can't move all the way up to the top spot. I prefer that to Tampa, after landing Stamkos and Hedman and who made it to the Conference finals last year, getting the number 1 pick for a down year.

Edited April 11, 2012 by Daniel

[MadDog2020]

But what about Yakupov? The players drafted after Crosby (Ryan, Jack Johnson, Poilout, Price, Brule) were either pretty good or busts, but of course, you'd trade virtually anything for Crosby.

Another way to look at it is if Yakupov and Larsson were available for the Devils at 4 last year (not taking age into account) would you take Yakupov or Larsson? If the answer is Yakupov, I think you should make the deal.

I take Larsson, and I take Larsson with the #1 overall if I had it last year too. Why? Because franchise defenseman, like QB's in the NFL, like elite starting pitching in baseball, are the hardest thing in the NHL to find. They don't hit free agency. You can't generally trade for them. When you have a chance to draft a player of that caliber, you do it and you don't look back. In 3 years, you'll consider it sacreligious to even THINK about trading Adam Larsson.

Edited April 11, 2012 by MadDog2020

[devilsrule33]

Why don't we give the Red Wings a shot at the number 1. They should get a reward for being so well managed over the years.

Just because I don't like one extreme...doesn't mean like the other. But I'd be closer to giving the Wings a .2 percent chance at getting one than giving the worst team a 48.2%.

Look at the Predators. They have been punished years for being managed and coached too well by never getting a top pick.

1999: After their first season they drafted 6th missing out on both Sedins.

2000: Nashville drafts 6th missing out on Heatley and Gaborik (Atlanta finishes dead last but the Isles win the lottery...they take Healtey 2nd. Nashville finishes almost 30 points better than Atlanta in their first season and pays the price).

2001: Nashville drafts 12th while the Thrashers win the lottery and take Kovalchuk.

2002 Nasvhille drafts 6th and misses out on Nash, Lethonen and Bouwmeester. Columbus gets Nash while the Thrashers get Lehtonen.

I could go on and on. Nashville has never had a superstar player that has brought fans to the building and yet have been successful the hard way. Their best player ever is Shea Weber, who they got in the 2nd round. The reason...of course...because they have been managed so much better from the start.

I think the NBA method is miles better. Every team that misses the playoffs has a chance. First 3 picks are decided by the lottery.

[mort4345]

The whole point of any draft system is to create parity. The NHL's system does that best while not necessarily rewarding a team that intentionally tanks.

At the same time, is it fair that a team that was relatively close to a playoff spot is rewarded with a franchise player, where say, Columbus gets left out in the cold?

I'm inclined to agree with pretty much everything said above.

[Jas0nMacIsaac]

But what about Yakupov? The players drafted after Crosby (Ryan, Jack Johnson, Poilout, Price, Brule) were either pretty good or busts, but of course, you'd trade virtually anything for Crosby.

Another way to look at it is if Yakupov and Larsson were available for the Devils at 4 last year (not taking age into account) would you take Yakupov or Larsson? If the answer is Yakupov, I think you should make the deal.

I haven't seen Yakupov live so I can't say for sure. I seen him at the WJC and he didn't really stand out to me as an Ovehckin/Kovalchuk type player, more in the Filitov mold as 17 year olds are concerned. I know one of my co-workers who covers the OHL says that Galchenyuk was the highest potential of all OHL prospects in the draft.

Yakupov is pretty small and initiates a lot of contact at the OHL level and takes a physical beating. I'm not sure it's in his best interest to play that game at the NHL level but in order to be a superstar, he probably has to do that.

Edited April 11, 2012 by Jas0nMacIsaac

[Daniel]

I take Larsson, and I take Larsson with the #1 overall if I had it last year too. Why? Because franchise defenseman, like QB's in the NFL, like elite starting pitching in baseball, are the hardest thing in the NHL to find. They don't hit free agency. You can't generally trade for them. When you have a chance to draft a player of that caliber, you do it and you don't look back. In 3 years, you'll consider it sacreligious to even THINK about trading Adam Larsson.

Really I'm focusing on how good Yakupov might be. Again, I'm not a scout, but what I've read is that he draws comparisons to Malkin. Would you trade Weber for Malkin?

As hard as it is to find an elite defenseman, it's just as hard to find a truly elite scorer. Maybe Yakupov is that or maybe he isn't.

[Jas0nMacIsaac]

Really I'm focusing on how good Yakupov might be. Again, I'm not a scout, but what I've read is that he draws comparisons to Malkin. Would you trade Weber for Malkin?

As hard as it is to find an elite defenseman, it's just as hard to find a truly elite scorer. Maybe Yakupov is that or maybe he isn't.

He draws comparisons to Malkin? From who? He is a smallish electric goal scoring winger. Comparisons rarely paint a truthful picture but if you had to choose it would be a Peter Bondra type winger at top end.

Also I would choose Weber since 99 times out of 100 you wouldn't have Staal and Crosby to allow Malkin cheese soft minutes.

Edited April 11, 2012 by Jas0nMacIsaac

[MadDog2020]

Really I'm focusing on how good Yakupov might be. Again, I'm not a scout, but what I've read is that he draws comparisons to Malkin. Would you trade Weber for Malkin?

As hard as it is to find an elite defenseman, it's just as hard to find a truly elite scorer. Maybe Yakupov is that or maybe he isn't.

Based on Jason MacIssac's assesment of Yakupov, he doesn't sound like Malkin to me. And I look at this way: would you trade Niklas Lidstrom in his prime for Malkin? I wouldn't. Larsson may never be as good as Lidstrom, but when that's considered your upside, I wouldn't trade that for anything.