Need to pick strategically.
We'll be an automatic top 3 favorite for McDavid next season with impending sell off trades upcoming.
You pick Ekblad this season, and pick up your defensive anchor and leader for the forseeable future, then your offensive leader in McDavid or Eichel next draft, while the supporting cast in Monahan, Poirier, Gaudreau, Klimchuk continue to develop so that they're ready to step in when (potentially) McDavid steps into the league, which will be the season after he's drafted. It'll allow for everything to fall into place at the right time. To me, that's the right approach. I don't want to become like the Oilers, with a bunch of talented forwards but no one to lead the back end, so then you're scrambling to find a top defenseman who can fill that void, while your group of forwards are playing NHL hockey and having the losing ways ingrained into them. We have our chance this season to pick up that top d-man this draft, with the top forwards this year not being of the best/franchise quality. Get him now, while the opportunity is there.
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