[Poe969]

Draft picks are lottery tickets but if you're getting a top 3 pick, you're getting a building block for your franchise (unless you're the oilers). How can the Flames get a top pick? They can't hope their luck comes through because...well, Flames. Can they trade for a top 3-5 pick? Maybe but it'll cost a "core" piece of the team. Is it worth trading a core piece for a draft pick? If you can get a top 3 pick in a trade, I think you should do it. The problem with that would be what it would cost, you're going to give up one of your best assets. I think you should do that but if you go that route, you need to go all the way and scorch the earth. You trade away everyone with high value and get good young assets which means your team is going to suck for a bit but that might not be too bad because you're getting high end picks.

IF a team makes a top 3 pick available, make the trade...and then continue to tear it down from there. If the sens would give up #3 + for Tkachuck, you do it IMO but only if you know you can trade the other guys too. Monahan to the sabres or rangers? There would be lots of teams who would trade for him, he may not be an elite first line C but I would say he's a top 3 "second line" C in the league. Whoever trades for him would have to give up a lot though. I think we've talked enough about where Johnny could go; NJ, Buff, Phi, NYR, NYI and a slew of other teams. I think Gio still has some value to teams who want a top pairing "ish" defender to mentor their blue line. At that point, you try to convince Backlund to waive his NTC and chase a cup. Lindholm still has value to the team unless a team really gives up a lot for him but you'd have to keep some good players around. I would keep the young D the team has in hopes they mature and improve alone with the young pieces. When it comes to free agents, if you're going to tear it down, there's no point chasing big names. The team would be better off to take big contracts from other teams in hopes they get good compensation.

All of this is just BS talk because it'll never happen. Ownership seems to want to make the playoffs at any cost so instead of trading the current core for good young pieces, they'll give up futures for average pieces and keep spinning their tires.