Originally Posted by New Era
If the main return for Gaudreau is built around a pick outside the top three that is a huge failure. You will not get Taylor Hall to sign here if you're removing a top six player from a team that is need of another top six player or two. If the Flames deal Gaudreau they need to get back a top six talent that will play and contribute immediately. Otherwise this team takes yet another step backward. The focus on draft picks is crazy. They are total wild cards. Here's a list of the players selected at the draft slots being talked about. I'm going back from 2017 since most players take a couple years to show their potential to make the jump.
2017 - Lias Andersson (7), Owen Tippett (10), Nick Suzuki (13)
2016 - Clayton Keller, Tyson Jost, Jake Bean
2015 - Ivan Provorov, Mikko Rantanen, Jakub Zboril
2014 - Hayden Fleury, Nick Ritchie, Jakub Vrana
2013 - Darnell Nurse, Valeri Nichushkin, Josh Morrisey
2012 - Matt Dumba, Slater Koekkoek, Radek Faksa
2011 - Mark Scheifele, Jonas Brodin, Sven Baertschi
2010 - Jeff Skinner, Dylan McIlrath, Brandon Gormley
2009 - Nazim Kadri, Magnus Paajavi, Zack Kassian
2008 - Colin Wilson, Cody Hodgson, Colton Teubert
2007 - Jakub Voracek, Keaton Ellerby, Lars Eller
2006 - Kyle Okposo, Michael Frolik, Jiri Tlusty
2005 - Jack Skille, Luc Bourdon, Marek Zagrapan
2004 - Rostislav Olesz, Boris Valabik, Drew Stafford
2003 - Ryan Suter, Andrei Kostitsyn, Dustin Brown
2002 - Joffrey Lupul, Eric Nystrom, Alexander Semin
2001 - Mike Komisarek, Dan Blackburn, Ales Hemsky
2000 - Lars Jonsson, Mikhail Yakubov, Ron Hainsey
That is ugly. Not many stars on that list. A lot of guys were middling players, and a lot of names that didn't pan out. Risk with picks is crazy. I don't want to roll the dice when moving Gaudreau. I want players that are pretty well baked and you know what you are getting. If we don't get back a top flight player to contribute immediately, and some players on the verge with good potential, this has to be considered a failure. Dealing stars for draft picks is a clear indication of a rebuild. If we only get a handful of magic beans (picks) I would hope Treliving is shown the door.
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