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Originally Posted by united
As of now, the Maple Leafs won’t be picking in the first round again until Backlund is 39 and Wolf is 27. Treliving signature asset discipline.
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Almost all contenders are in the same boat. After the success of TB, VKG, and FLA, the league’s managers have become much more aggressive.
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According to PuckPedia, top teams have traded 14 first-round picks throughout this season, nearly double the total of a year ago. In the aftermath of Friday's big selloff, the Lightning don't have a first-round pick in 2025, 2026 or 2027. Same for the Toronto Maple Leafs.
The Colorado Avalanche, Dallas Stars, Edmonton Oilers, Florida Panthers and Vegas Golden Knights all lack first-rounders in the next two seasons, as well.
That's a group that includes the five teams with the best odds to win the Stanley Cup this year — and seven of the top 10.
It's a carpe diem mindset that makes a lot of sense, especially in a league where the draft is kind of a crapshoot outside of top 10 picks and parity is so high among the contenders that even adding a Bjorkstrand or two late in the season can be enough to separate from the herd.
https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/618...shared_article
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