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

[Cheerio]

Originally Posted by StrykerSteve

It's sad that Flames fans are too young to know what it's like to have an actual franchise Center.

All many of you know is Iginla, and that's nowhere near the same thing.

If someone trades you MacKinnon for 3 first rounders.... You f'ing DO IT.

I'm amazed this is even being debated here. A true franchise Center is PRICELESS. Monahan is not in the same league, nor are Barkov or Lindholm.

Thanks, Captain Condescension!

Believe it or not, people have differing opinions on how they would build a team!

[Johnny Rotten]

I have no problem with the Flames keeping their picks, but having just watched Espn's 30 for 30:Elway to Marino, I couldn't help but notice that San Diego had three first round picks that year-picking in about the same places the Flames will be this year- and picked the immortal Billy Ray Smith, Gary Anderson, and Gill Byrd. I wonder if now the Chargers would have traded those three picks for John Elway?

Of course Marino went 27th overall to Miami though, so maybe the Flames keeping their picks will turn out

[ignite09]

Well after reading the arguments I'll just say if the Flames brass feel Mackinnon will be better than what we can expect out of our first three, make the trade. If they don't feel that way don't make the trade.

[Where ru Chris O'Sullivan]

Originally Posted by ignite09

Well after reading the arguments I'll just say if the Flames brass feel Mackinnon will be better than what we can expect out of our first three, make the trade. If they don't feel that way don't make the trade.

In my opinion, there is no way Florida would trade McKinnon for our 3 picks, even in what is considered a deep draft it is risky. If this turns out to be 2003, you could potentially have (as Florida) traded Eric Stall at 2 for Ryan Suter, Mike Richards and Corey Perry - Yup, worth it! But I just don't see any team willing to take that risk.

They may trade their first for our first at 6 this year and our first (at god knows where but likely top 5) next year.

[browna]

In the end, all the Flames can do is try, but again, I don't think anything's off the table for FLA or COL, given the state of the Flames franchise right now. The addition of MacKinnon is ultimately a marked upgrade on paper than even a good player at #6. The Flames are in the dumps, and anyone should be available and really no price is too high when you consider where the Flames are now and the off ice and on ice boost of hope/talent etc the franchise and its fans need at this point in time.

Let's put aside the actual impact Mackinnon may or may not have...the perception is that he is as much of a franchise type player as there has been the last 5+ years, and that's all you can go on with 18-20 year old kids...that's all you can ask for. For Feaster, who has tried hard to make his stamp/legacy on this team, through doing unconventional things...minor things like bringing in Ryan Smyth, Cervenka, and pumping the tires of the Euro goalies, but also with the big things like almost getting Richards and then the ROR offer sheet (which he loused up) this is his chance to regain some credibility. He's also the GM who traded Iginla, and has egg on his face for that too, and that's going to be his "legacy" if he doesn't do anything to right the ship...it was leaking when he took it, sure, but under his watch, he's took a sledgehammer to the hull with his roster moves, lack of roster moves and coaching selection.

So a coup in getting MacKinnon would be that move for her personal ego/legacy with the Flames, never mind how the player turns out, by far. It's also a sign to the rest of the league that last years upper management fumbles and unrest was a blip, and that the Flames will continue to be a destination for players around the league (though that growing bad reputation needs to have some other Flames changes to show that its turned around completely), and for the fans, that last year was more of an anomoly than a trend as far as results go.

And as a I said, Feaster dealing with a full deck and no untouchables on the roster, with money to spend (taking on FLA or COL's bad contracts) and high draft picks to burn, he will never have as a good a chance as right now in this draft to make that legacy impact he wants, certainly as a long term legacy...but can he pull it off with COL or FLA? And will we ever really know, if he doesn't pull it off, how hard the Flames tried? Outside of a FLA or COL representative leaking that, we won't hear what really happened from the Flames side if it doesn't happen.

[PlayfulGenius]

^^^ I don't agree Mackinnon is as highly regarded as you suggest...he's not even the consensus #1... And he's certainly no higher regarded than Stamkis was... Nor Hall, Seguin...enemy RNH and Yakupov (maybe a little higher than them)

[GirlySports]

Originally Posted by Johnny Rotten

I have no problem with the Flames keeping their picks, but having just watched Espn's 30 for 30:Elway to Marino, I couldn't help but notice that San Diego had three first round picks that year-picking in about the same places the Flames will be this year- and picked the immortal Billy Ray Smith, Gary Anderson, and Gill Byrd. I wonder if now the Chargers would have traded those three picks for John Elway?

Of course Marino went 27th overall to Miami though, so maybe the Flames keeping their picks will turn out

Yes I saw that last night too. San Diego wouldn't give up the 5th choice. They offered the 20th, 22th, next year's first round and a player and the Colts didn't go for it. But QB is different, there is only one. The Chargers had re-newed Dan Founts that morning so Elway wouldn't be a backup in San Diego, he'd go play baseball. MacKinnon isn't playing baseball

[Flames Draft Watcher]

Originally Posted by Mean Mr. Mustard

I think I hear that same thing every year where it is going to be an above average year. The sexy, unknown element always boosts up peoples expectations of the young kids.

Disagree. Some years the scouts express disappointment. They don't say every year that this will be the best draft in a decade. We are hearing that this year with many scouts saying this is the deepest draft since 2003.

[Sylvanfan]

I think the worst thing that the Flames can do is use those three picks in their current spots. They have to try and move up once, failing that move back and get multiple 2nd round picks.

[Enoch Root]

Originally Posted by PlayfulGenius

^^^ I don't agree Mackinnon is as highly regarded as you suggest...he's not even the consensus #1... And he's certainly no higher regarded than Stamkis was... Nor Hall, Seguin...enemy RNH and Yakupov (maybe a little higher than them)

Don't agree at all. MacKinnon is at least as highly touted as Stamkos, above Hall, and well above RNH and Yakupov. Yakupov, if he were in this year's draft, would be after the big three, somewhere in the Barkov, Nichushkin, Lindholm and Monahan argument.

I don't agree with trading our 3 picks for MacKinnon, but he is clearly above the 'average' first overall pick. The consensus seems to be similar to Tavares, and some (at least a few) think he is between Tavares and Crosby. Cleary ahead of Hall and Seguin.

[Stay Golden]

Personally i think Feaster should have seperate offers in place to attempt to get the 1st, 2nd, or 3rd pick.

If his trade packages are not successful in making that deal then you take the 6th pick.
Hopefully Monahan or Lindholm. There is a strong possibility Barkov slips to 6th based on team needs.

I still am not convinced about taking Nysh i think the lure of the KHL $ is far too risky even after a year he could just say nope i want more from the KHL and jump if he doesn't like Calgary.

[BlueLine]

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.

Your friend is a God damn genius. Buy that man a white rum n coke...or 12!

[korzym12]

My gut says Colorado will ask for Baertschi, 1st in 2014, and our 6th overall in 2013...or any combination of 2 of the 3

[Poe969]

I would do Baertschi and our first next year in a heart beat for him.... If we could somehow keep the #6 pick and get the #1 pick (or #2 from Florida) we would be doing pretty amazing.

[djsFlames]

Keep in mind next year's pick could be in that Nate MacKinnon territory (1-5 overall) easily.

Although he is as close to a lock for a future top NHL center as you can find...

But if this truly is 2003 reincarnate, we might have our own Perry and Getzlaf waiting to get picked at 22 and 28, and could turn out to be as great or better players than most of the top 10 picks, cause that's exactly what happened in '03. In fact I'd argue that the bottom half of the 1st round was stronger. This bodes well for us having 3 throws of the dart, as one would say. If we don't get it this year with our 6,22,28 picks, it's very possible we'll get that true 'franchise player' next draft, and as we know they don't usually need much time to step in and make an impact anyways.

[indes]

I think we should do it for the sole reason that we can get a better player with 1 first overall than Edmonton can get with 3...and didn't even have to come in last place to do it.

[spuzzum]

Is Mackinnon an absolute lock to be a star 1st line center? Nothing in life is certain except when I remember the name Alexander Daigle. 3 first round picks can turn out to be very little as well.

What about offering for Alexander Pietrangelo these 3 first rounders? It's a pretty sure thing. Obviously the offer would not be accepted, and then threaten to submit an RFA proposal in the range of $6,728,781 To $8,410,976.

St. Louis is then strapped and you can go after the other RFAs on their team.

It is about taking risk and reward. Draft picks are certainly an excellent way to build a new core team but it takes years and could end up following the Islanders or Oilers model.

If the chance is there to get a 'sure' thing in Jones or Mackinnon, go for it.