The 2016 NHL Entry Draft is more than a month away and rumors are already starting to circulate about teams shopping high draft picks.
At the forefront of said rumors are the Edmonton Oilers. The Oilers are slated to pick 4th overall in the upcoming draft and the consensus is the top five or six players in this class are forwards.
Given the Oilers' abundance of high-end forwards and their desparate need for defense it makes sense for the Oilers to at least listen to offers for their pick. GM Peter Chiarelli is doing just that.
"I've already had 4 or 5 teams call me already. I've made it known we would look to trade down if the right deal is there." Chiarelli.
— OilersNow (@OilersNow) May 9, 2016
The Oilers' need defense and they could get a high-end blue liner in the 7-12 range so it makes sense for them to move down and accumulate assets in the process if they are set on drafting a defenseman; and it seems like they are. Reaching, at least a little bit, for a defenseman at 4th overall when almost no other team would is bad asset management.
So, barring a change of heart, it seems somewhat safe to say the Oilers will move the 4th overall pick.
Considering their need for defense, and the Devils' need for a high-end forward, many have linked the two sides together as a possible match for a swap of picks.
Even if the big three of Mikhail Sergachev, Jakob Chychrun and Olli Juolevi were all off the board by 11th overall the Oilers would still have the ability to pick between at least two of Jake Bean, Dante Fabbro and/or Charlie McAvoy.
I don't think moving up makes much sense for the Devils, though.
Sure, they have a need for a highly skilled forward but they are in no position to pay what it would surely cost for said pick.
The Devils' prospect system is undoubtedly in the lower third of the league and, while they are heading in the right direction, it doesn't make sense to gut the organization for one player.
You can bet the Oilers would want Damon Severson as well as the 11th overall pick in any deal for 4th overall. I'm almost certain they'd ask for more than that, too. They're are dealing from a position of strength and handfuls of teams bidding for said pick only helps their cause.
I wouldn't be surprised if the Oilers asked for a package including Severson, the 11th overall pick and another promising young player like John Quenneville or Steve Santini for 4th overall.
Again, the Devils aren't exactly bursting at the seams with high-end young players and a move like that would almost certainly do more harm than good.
Unless the asking price is reasonable, and it never is for high picks, GM Ray Shero would be smart to stand pat and simply use the 11th pick to take the best guy on their board.
I think the Devils would be better off moving forward with someone like Clayton Keller, Severson, and potentially another quality asset, as opposed to Matthew Tkachuk or Pierre-Luc Dubois.
We'll find out in due time if Shero feels the same way.
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