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The Tampa Bay Lightning’s Bloggers Roundtable is back. Each week a collection of independent writers from around Bolts Nation is given the opportunity to respond to a question posed by the good people in the organization.
This week’s question explores the upcoming NHL entry draft. I’ve included my response below; you can check out the other responses right here!
This week's topic: The NHL Draft is this weekend. The Lightning have the No. 19 and No. 28 picks in the first round. What will you be watching for the Lightning to do at the draft? Are there any prospects you have an eye out for the Lightning to draft?This draft could be an interesting one for the Lightning.
There’s a lot of speculation floating out there that the team might be interested in trading for some help on the blue line. I won’t go as far as saying that I expect Steve Yzerman will package one of the picks to acquire another defenseman, but the possibility certainly exists.
With so much young talent loaded throughout the roster, I’m of the belief that shipping off a late first rounder wouldn’t set the team back in any measurable way. If a deal for the right player presents itself, there’s really no reason not to pull the trigger.
With that said, there is also the very real possibility that Yzerman & Co. will elect to make selections with both the No. 19 and No. 28 picks. One name that has me particularly intrigued is Ivan Barbashev, the winger from Moncton in the QMJHL. Billed as an offensively gifted, defensively responsible winger with good hockey instincts, Barbashev sounds like a solid fit for the Lightning system.
If the Bolts do decide to draft a forward (like Barbashev) at 19, I do hope that a defenseman is taken at 28. With two picks in the first round, the team can afford to draft based on position with one of the selections. Getting two quality players who play two different positions in the same first round would be fantastic.
Let me know what you’re hoping to see from the Lightning at the draft.
As always, thanks for reading.
Michael Stuart has been the Tampa Bay Lightning writer for HockeyBuzz since 2012. Visit his archive to read more or follow him on Twitter.