Arm-Chair GM: Three 1st round picks for Nate McKinnon

[Canuck-Hater]

Some Flames fans are losing brain cells. They are not trading their 1st overall pick, get it through your thick skulls.

[browna]

The other 2 1st round picks (NOT #6), the 1st rounder next year plus 2 regular players (everyone's available), plus take some 1 or 2 "bad" contract salaries (but decent NHL players) back from Florida, is what I'd offer.

The hope is the Flames should never draft this high in the next decade...with the cap space they have this year and 2 picks in the top 6 in the deepest draft, including an immediate impact young talent, they'll be well on the way to an "acclerated reorganization" (or whatever Feaster's lawyer-speak catchphrase will be).

IMO, they have to do all they can, even if it means overpaying on paper. This, for both for the one ice product to regnerate itself, and, for rebuilding the rapidly slipping away goodwill of its fanbase. Take full advantage of the opportunity they have this offseason, and the dumping they did last season, and ensure they never have a season like they had last year again...pulling off the big move to set the franchise up for the foreseable future is what those in charge of this franchise NEED to do.

[northcrunk]

Originally Posted by browna

The other 2 1st round picks (NOT #6), the 1st rounder next year plus 2 regular players (everyone's available), plus take some 1 or 2 "bad" contract salaries (but decent NHL players) back from Florida, is what I'd offer.

The hope is the Flames should never draft this high in the next decade...with the cap space they have this year and 2 picks in the top 6 in the deepest draft, including an immediate impact young talent, they'll be well on the way to an "acclerated reorganization" (or whatever Feaster's lawyer-speak catchphrase will be).

IMO, they have to do all they can, even if it means overpaying on paper. This, for both for the one ice product to regnerate itself, and, for rebuilding the rapidly slipping away goodwill of its fanbase. Take full advantage of the opportunity they have this offseason, and the dumping they did last season, and ensure they never have a season like they had last year again...pulling off the big move to set the franchise up for the foreseable future is what those in charge of this franchise NEED to do.

Two picks in the top 6 would be perfect, you nailed it.

[Iggy3x]

Originally Posted by browna

The other 2 1st round picks (NOT #6), the 1st rounder next year plus 2 regular players (everyone's available), plus take some 1 or 2 "bad" contract salaries (but decent NHL players) back from Florida, is what I'd offer.

Let's just hope we don't finish dead last next year then - exhibit Toronto.

[GirlySports]

Originally Posted by Canuck-Hater

Some Flames fans are losing brain cells. They are not trading their 1st overall pick, get it through your thick skulls.

We're not talking about the 1st overall pick, we're talking about the 2nd pick after Colorado takes Jones.

I echo browna.
I would offer Calgary's 1st (from STL) 2013, Calgary 1st (from PIT) 2013 and Calgary 1st 2014 for Florida's 1st 2013 and a player.

[ignite09]

Would do the OP's trade. However, what I consider will be the actual price to land the kid will be much higher.

[Flames Draft Watcher]

What incentive does COL have to trade #2 for two first rounders this year and one next? I just don't see that being attractive to them. We'd have to find an offer that makes sense for them and us.

To me it's hard to make an offer that makes sense for both sides. I don't think the Flames can afford to deal Baertschi, Brodie or Backlund.

If COL likes Gaudreau then an offer of CGY 1st + STL 1st + Gaudreau makes some sense for both teams.

But really if we were in COL's shoes then why would we trade down instead of just grabbing MacKinnon? Doesn't seem at all likely unless they feel the top 6 guys on their list are really close.

The key for the Flames trading up will be to find a team that doesn't see much of a dropoff if any from their pick to the Flames. Because of that I think it's much more likely to be able to trade up to #3, 4, or 5.

I don't think MacKinnon is a possibility without overpaying to move up.

[Caged Great]

We are going to suck for a long time. Rushing things to get a #1 pick now is pointless. We'll be getting one of the top 3 picks each of the next two years. We need a lot of prospects and getting 3 good ones in a good draft is a great place to start.

[GirlySports]

Originally Posted by Caged Great

We are going to suck for a long time. Rushing things to get a #1 pick now is pointless. We'll be getting one of the top 3 picks each of the next two years. We need a lot of prospects and getting 3 good ones in a good draft is a great place to start.

We're not that bad, Flames will never finish in the botton 5 in the league.

[StrykerSteve]

If there's a trade you can make to get MacKinnon, you do it.

End of story.

[Hockey_Ninja]

Quality over quantity but for us we need quantity right now. Keep the three picks and build our depth from there. We can still nab a franchise player at 6.

[theTrumanShow]

Originally Posted by macrov

A friend brought up this scenario to me a few weeks ago. With Colorado likely drafting Seth Jones, suppose the possibility existing that Florida was willing to trade their 2nd overall pick to Calgary for Calgary's 6th, 20th, and 30th overall.

If you were the GM, would you pull the trigger for the purposes of drafting Nate McKinnon?

He said he would because:
(1) Calgary has a poor draft record so why not take a sure thing rather than 3 unsure things
(2) The only way to get a top franchise centre is through the draft. I mentioned Joe Thorton was acquired via trade. But I couldn't think of any other active players for which this was true.
(3) Calgary lacks true first line talent rather than 2nd line or 2nd pairing talent, which was a hole Nate McKinnon could fill.

I was on the fence. I think 3 first round picks is a great way to start what is likely to be a 3-5 year rebuild, because you get one almost ready player, plus get to draft a couple projects that would be hitting 21 and 22 as the flames start to emerge from the darkness. Also its a strong draft, so the hit probability is higher further down the draft. On the flip side, I think having 3 top 6 forwards in the line up next year all 25 or younger (Backlund, Baertchi, McKinnon), and 5 in the top 12 (Reinhart, Horak)...all who have top 6 potential would be amazing. And it would be a pit poetic - The club traded joe nieuwendyk for Iginla and Iginla in part for McKinnon. Its a bit like the story of the Phoenix.

I say quality over quantity.......

[Buff]

Try and trick them. The 2nd overall pick for Calgary's 3 1st round picks AND the rights to negotiate with Jarome Iginla after July 4.

[kyuss275]

I would do it, but the Av's or Florida would not.

I doubt the flames use all 3 picks on drafting players anyway's.

[Kaine]

Really? Offering up our 1st next year?

Have some of you seen something I haven't? Yes a chance exist that everyone on the team will click and we will turn this into a half a year rebuild and be good next season. But far more likely we will continue to be terrible for another year or two while our young players mature into quality NHL players.

I would think signs point to next years pick being much more likely a top 5 (or lower) than in the 10-20 range. Terrible trade.

[kyuss275]

Originally Posted by Kaine

Really? Offering up our 1st next year?

Have some of you seen something I haven't? Yes a chance exist that everyone on the team will click and we will turn this into a half a year rebuild and be good next season. But far more likely we will continue to be terrible for another year or two while our young players mature into quality NHL players.

I would think signs point to next years pick being much more likely a top 5 (or lower) than in the 10-20 range. Terrible trade.

Am i missing something? I don't see where anybody offered up the 2014 1st.

The bolded part is a big reason why i would trade all picks this year for McKinnon. Next year they will be bad with or without McKinnon. That could give the flames 2 ellite prospects, plus they can trade Cammi at the deadline to get another 1st.

[Kaine]

Originally Posted by kyuss275

Am i missing something? I don't see where anybody offered up the 2014 1st.

The bolded part is a big reason why i would trade all picks this year for McKinnon. Next year they will be bad with or without McKinnon. That could give the flames 2 ellite prospects, plus they can trade Cammi at the deadline to get another 1st.

Yes, you are missing something.

Originally Posted by browna

The other 2 1st round picks (NOT #6), the 1st rounder next year plus 2 regular players (everyone's available), plus take some 1 or 2 "bad" contract salaries (but decent NHL players) back from Florida, is what I'd offer.

The hope is the Flames should never draft this high in the next decade...with the cap space they have this year and 2 picks in the top 6 in the deepest draft, including an immediate impact young talent, they'll be well on the way to an "acclerated reorganization" (or whatever Feaster's lawyer-speak catchphrase will be).

IMO, they have to do all they can, even if it means overpaying on paper. This, for both for the one ice product to regnerate itself, and, for rebuilding the rapidly slipping away goodwill of its fanbase. Take full advantage of the opportunity they have this offseason, and the dumping they did last season, and ensure they never have a season like they had last year again...pulling off the big move to set the franchise up for the foreseable future is what those in charge of this franchise NEED to do.

Originally Posted by GirlySports

We're not talking about the 1st overall pick, we're talking about the 2nd pick after Colorado takes Jones.

I echo browna.
I would offer Calgary's 1st (from STL) 2013, Calgary 1st (from PIT) 2013 and Calgary 1st 2014 for Florida's 1st 2013 and a player.

[Badgers Nose]

re: quantity, I think the Flames will pick up more picks by taking salary dumps (salary + a couple of picks).

IMO if they make the right deals (2-3 year contracts for decent young players that need to be moved to fit under cap) that is more lucrative then free agency. Better bang for buck vs over-paying mediocre guys at free agency. Save budget for when some elite guys become UFA next year or after.

[korzym12]

The top teams in the league have players all over the top scorers/etc lists..

You try to get Mackinnon - I'd even throw in Wideman and/or Hudler.

[Husky]

Pass. Id rather the Flames get 3 solid assets this year; let them develop and have a poor team and then finish low the next 1-2 years and potentiall get top 3 picks those years.