[FanIn80]

Without getting into whether or not we'll have the first overall pick in the next draft, the question I have is if we even use it for ourselves.

We have some good, young depth at C right now. I just don't see the need for McDavid, Monahan, Backlund and Bennett all on the same team. Two of those four would wind up centering the 3rd and 4th lines, and I don't honestly view any of them as anything less that a #2C.

Recognizing, of course, the potential "generational talent" that McDavid might be... do we draft him, or do we move that pick for a young, elite player that fills a hole?

At a more granular level... do we take McDavid and then trade one of Monahan, Backlund or Bennett to fill a hole with a lesser return or do we keep Monahan, Backlund and Bennett and instead trade the pick to fill a hole with a much more significant return?

This is interesting to me because the combined talent of our top-three Cs is so much higher than the combined talent of our top-three in any other position. Even if McDavid is the next Crosby, is the upgrade over a Monahan or a Bennett going to worth going that route? Do you draft McDavid and trade Monahan for Okposo... or do you keep Monahan and trade the pick for Jamie Benn?

(I'm not saying either of those trades are valid, nor am I suggesting we want those players, nor am I speculating that those players are even available. I'm just comparing the quality of returns under each scenario.)