I am wondering if they don't try and either trade up or trade down with the #6. Nylander is going to be a stud but he is all finesse and no sand paper.
- DuranDuran

Backlund & the #6 for the #3 sounds good to me. Otherwise take the best D-man.

and same with Ferland, Bennett moving forward
I think Nylander is definitely the best bet...he carried his team as a rookie
Tkachuk played with Marner and Dvorak...please...Nylander is a right shot RW

its a perfect match for us
- cpltanto

I think if he was 6 inches taller and 30 pounds heavier he would be more perfecter.

Backlund & the #6 for the #3 sounds good to me. Otherwise take the best D-man.
- Kevin R

Yes to the first part.

to the second part!

D man?! You want ANOTHER D man?!

Backlund & the #6 for the #3 sounds good to me. Otherwise take the best D-man.
- Kevin R

I really think you're underselling Backlund here. His low cap hit makes him valuable.

Backlund & the #6 for the #3 sounds good to me. Otherwise take the best D-man.
- Kevin R

I don't think that gets it done but I would do that in a heartbeat;

JG - Money- Pryble/UFA signing
Ferly/JC - Bennett - Pulji
Ferly/JC - Janko/Grant - Frolik
Bouma - Stajan - Jooris/Hathaway

No D-man, definitely best forward available

Looks like we won't be getting John Stevens. Lombardi wouldn't let us interview him unless he has assurance that he would be a top candidate. TVL couldn't give him that assurance. I guess there's a chance that Hitchcock won't get an extension if the Blue loose this round. If that happens, he would become my number one choice.

I really think you're underselling Backlund here. His low cap hit makes him valuable.
- flamminghead

Its not really about Backlunds value here, its about Pulji's value

I really think you're underselling Backlund here. His low cap hit makes him valuable.
- flamminghead

I think the Flames desperation for skill on the wing outweighs Backlunds value. That is a lot to give up for the #3 but after next season there wont be enough ice for Backlund.

Its not really about Backlunds value here, its about Pulji's value
- CapeBreton_er

Kid is going to be a stud.

I really think you're underselling Backlund here. His low cap hit makes him valuable.
- flamminghead

We won't be able to afford Backlund in two years, he will want to get paid 2nd line Centre money, will be 29 & will & should get 5.0 to 5.5 mill per on at least a 5 year deal. In two years Bennett & Monahan will be our top 2 centres. Columbus needs a top 2 centre badly & getting the #6 will still get them a great prospect. I think it's a steep price but got to give, right.

Yes to the first part.

to the second part!

D man?! You want ANOTHER D man?!
- The-O-G

Haven't been impressed with Tkachuk from what Ive been watching at the Memorial Cup. Scares me being Sam Gagner 2.0 who had Kane pad his numbers.

Nylander scares me too. Hey, if we take him fine, he has skills but he reminds me of Sven 2.0. Neither of these two will be ready for a few years & we need that forward now. Drafting best D, & Im leaning toward Juolevi, he seems a higher version of Brodie, meaning he may be our Brodie clone who can be NHL ready quicker than Brodie got here. Imagine going into the 2017-18 season with Brodie Hamilton & Gio Juolevi top 4. Silky smooth top4 Dmen are huge demand & that gves us the ability to trade Fat Ras or Kyllington or Hickey or even Kulak if he keeps progressing for that young forward we need next year.

Nylander makes the most sense IMO. He generates the offense for his team, in his first year in CHL, while Tkatchuk finishes alot of Marner and Dvorak's brilliance. The few times I have seen Nylander, he has me convinced that he could be a perfect winger to Sam Bennett. If you want size more size in your top 6, you can find it in free agency. You will not find the skill to match this kid. If some cap space is opened up, you could go hard after Lucic to play with the both of them, because you can't keep going with Bennett playing with bottom 6 wingers, yes that includes Ferland, who is better suited to playing with Backlund or Stajan. Joe Colbourne is risky, as it doesnt appear he can keep up the pace he had to finish the year, but he could also be a consideration to play with those kids as well.
The other draft option I like, and has grown on me plenty in the last month or so, is trading down a few spots to draft Tyson Jost. When its all said and done, he may end up being better than Dubois or Tkatchuk. It's really too bad he didn't elect to play in the WHL this year. With his hockey IQ and his ability to make plays for his wingers in tight, he reminds me alot of John Tavares. Heck, if we didn't get a trade done, and took him at #6, I would be happy.

We won't be able to afford Backlund in two years, he will want to get paid 2nd line Centre money, will be 29 & will & should get 5.0 to 5.5 mill per on at least a 5 year deal. In two years Bennett & Monahan will be our top 2 centres. Columbus needs a top 2 centre badly & getting the #6 will still get them a great prospect. I think it's a steep price but got to give, right.
- Kevin R

I hate the idea of trading Backs... but this is the kind of trade that would make me ok with it.

Haven't been impressed with Tkachuk from what Ive been watching at the Memorial Cup. Scares me being Sam Gagner 2.0 who had Kane pad his numbers.

Nylander scares me too. Hey, if we take him fine, he has skills but he reminds me of Sven 2.0. Neither of these two will be ready for a few years & we need that forward now. Drafting best D, & Im leaning toward Juolevi, he seems a higher version of Brodie, meaning he may be our Brodie clone who can be NHL ready quicker than Brodie got here. Imagine going into the 2017-18 season with Brodie Hamilton & Gio Juolevi top 4. Silky smooth top4 Dmen are huge demand & that gves us the ability to trade Fat Ras or Kyllington or Hickey or even Kulak if he keeps progressing for that young forward we need next year.
- Kevin R

I still think Sven's going to be an impact player... the Flames just stunted his growth.

But I have more faith in Nylander. And NHL defense is so hard to project.... tons of high pick studs turn into duds at the pro level. I wouldn't want to reach for a guy and pass up elite offense only to have that guy top out as a 6/7 D man at the NHL level.

Especially when we have pretty good depth on the back end right now.

I think Bennett needs someone that can feed him the puck. Not sure about that 3rd line. Is Mangiapane more of a playmaker or finisher? Just trying to think what is in the pipeline that might fit the playmaker role.
- DuranDuran

I think mangipane is a passer....a lesser JG. Which would work well with bennet and Shink. 2 shooters, one that is more aggressive the other more perimeter.

I think Bennet is more then capable to set up as well as shoot though.

I still think Sven's going to be an impact player... the Flames just stunted his growth.

But I have more faith in Nylander. And NHL defense is so hard to project.... tons of high pick studs turn into duds at the pro level. I wouldn't want to reach for a guy and pass up elite offense only to have that guy top out as a 6/7 D man at the NHL level.

Especially when we have pretty good depth on the back end right now.
- jtommyt

I don't think his growth was stunted. I think it was more a case that he was bypassed and lost his spot to an fast riser called JG.

Like Rattie in Stlouis. who got lost in the mix due to fast risers, and that stunted his growth. OR similar to whats going on with a lot of the young D in minny.

I hate the idea of trading Backs... but this is the kind of trade that would make me ok with it.
- jtommyt

I'm sure Penguins would have loved to keep Jordon Staal as their 3rd line centre too but they had to move. Cant pay a 3rd line centre that kind of $$$. If you think Backlund is a 2C with Monahan then swap Bennett straight up for the #3 & keep the #6. But I believe Monahan & Bennett are the two that get us where we want to go.

Again, I wouldn't be disappointed if we take Nylander, just scares the bejesus out of me. Just seeing how coveted top D are, well if you pick the right one & have first pop at the best D in the draft, the pedigree alone is very trade-able. Look how RNH wasn't enough to get Jones.

I hate the idea of trading Backs... but this is the kind of trade that would make me ok with it.
- jtommyt

I agree. Not many trade proposals come up with Backs name that make me even think. But I agree with Kevin, he'll be hard to retain in 2 years. But always with Backlund is the question is he worth more to us than what other teams see him as? If we could swap #6 and Backs I would like to possibly see Rychel come back, but that's not a deal breaker.

I would then resign Grant to a 1 way contract and see if he and Stajan could cover C #3 and #4.

My choices for #6, if we retain that pick, is still Tkachuk, Dubois, Nylander. But its awfully close. I would not take a D with that pick.

Watching the Memorial cup last night, I was actually more interested in Cliff Pu than Tkachuk (not to say there is anything bad with Tkachuk). He makes things happen all over the ice. I would be extremely happy if we picked Tkachuk at #6 and then Pu with #35.

I'm sure Penguins would have loved to keep Jordon Staal as their 3rd line centre too but they had to move. Cant pay a 3rd line centre that kind of $$$. If you think Backlund is a 2C with Monahan then swap Bennett straight up for the #3 & keep the #6. But I believe Monahan & Bennett are the two that get us where we want to go.

Again, I wouldn't be disappointed if we take Nylander, just scares the bejesus out of me. Just seeing how coveted top D are, well if you pick the right one & have first pop at the best D in the draft, the pedigree alone is very trade-able. Look how RNH wasn't enough to get Jones.
- Kevin R

If we didn't pick Anderson and Kylington in the 2nd round last year I'd be inclined to agree. I think we already have those blue chip defensemen in our system so we would be much better served using our 6th overall on high end skill that is typically only found at the start of the draft instead of using it on what could already be called a strength in our system.

The longer I think about the pick, the more I want us to take Nylander.

We won't be able to afford Backlund in two years, he will want to get paid 2nd line Centre money, will be 29 & will & should get 5.0 to 5.5 mill per on at least a 5 year deal. In two years Bennett & Monahan will be our top 2 centres. Columbus needs a top 2 centre badly & getting the #6 will still get them a great prospect. I think it's a steep price but got to give, right.
- Kevin R

Backlund is still the best possession centre on the team. I know Bob liked Sam in centre but the next coach may find that he is more useful on the wing. Just 'cause he was drafted at centre doesn't mean he has to stay there. Just look at Stamkos.

Backlund is still the best possession centre on the team. I know Bob liked Sam in centre but the next coach may find that he is more useful on the wing. Just 'cause he was drafted at centre doesn't mean he has to stay there. Just look at Stamkos.
- flamminghead

It wouldn't just be up to the coach. I'm sure Hartley and BT, as well as Burke and the rest of the hockey ops management, had several discussions regarding the direction they want to go with a prospect. It's a risk but if you don't take any, you end up like the Oilers.

If we didn't pick Anderson and Kylington in the 2nd round last year I'd be inclined to agree. I think we already have those blue chip defensemen in our system so we would be much better served using our 6th overall on high end skill that is typically only found at the start of the draft instead of using it on what could already be called a strength in our system.

The longer I think about the pick, the more I want us to take Nylander.
- Saskabush

SUPER agree here
Anderson and Kylington are looking like great picks
D-men are so hard to peg, so using #6 on one of the d-guys is a bad idea IMO

Plus Nylander looks great...won rookie of the year and led his team AS A ROOKIE!
Tkachuk benefited from playing with 2 other all stars that are senior to him in Marner and Dvorak....I don't get how anyone is saying we should go for Left shot Tkachuk over Nylander who LOOKS better and is a RW shot