Free washer | To advance or not to the first round of the draft?

Before drafting defender David Reinbacher fifth in June 2023, the Canadian received at least two offers to move back a few places in return for an additional choice that we guess is in the second round. Montreal said no. A year earlier, CH tried unsuccessfully to climb a few ranks at the end of the first round. He drafted Filip Mesar at 26^e rank.

Every year, a team or two, sometimes three, use strategy to get their hands on a favorite or accumulate additional picks. Opinions are divided on this method. It sometimes gives rise to spectacular strokes of brilliance, but also resounding failures.

The previous administration, under Marc Bergevin, was not very fond of sacrificing choices to move forward. Under Bob Gainey and Pierre Gauthier, in 2010, the Canadian offered his 27^e pick at the end of the first round and a pick at the end of the second round, at 57^e rank, to get your hands on Jarred Tinordi at 22^e.

The strategy was not costly as the Coyotes inherited two marginal players with these picks. The Canadian just didn’t bet on the right horse: Kevin Hayes (24^e), Charlie Coyle (28^e), Brock Nelson (30^e) and Justin Faulk (37^e) were still available. *Evgeny Kuznetsov (26^e) as well, but we were at the height of fears with the KHL players and the Capitals, with a leader like Alex Ovechkin, were ready to take the risk.

In two vintages, the new administration has not yet had the opportunity to reveal to us which strategy it favored. But we can guess which one given his efforts to advance to the end of the first round in 2022.

VP of hockey operations Jeff Gorton and his accomplice Nick Bobrov have also done the trick twice with the Rangers. In 2018, New York traded its second-round pick, 48^e overall, to the Ottawa Senators to move up four spots and draft defenseman K’Andre Miller at 22^e rank.

The Senators drafted defenseman Jacob Bernard-Docker at 26^e rank and Jonny Tychonick at 48^e. At almost 24 years old, Bernard-Docker remains a marginal defender in Ottawa. Tychonick plays in the ECHL. Miller, 6-foot-5 and 210 pounds, is one of the pillars on defense in New York. Only Adam Fox plays more in the playoffs among the backs.

Two years later, same strategy. Gorton surrenders to the Calgary Flames on 71^e choice, ninth in the third round, to move from 22^e at 19^e rank and draft another defenseman, Braden Schneider. This 6-foot-3, 211-pound right-handed guard isn’t known for his offensive prowess, but he’s already been a regular in New York for two seasons, at just 22 years old.

The Flames fell back again in the 22nd^e rank. They received another third round pick to move up to 24^e rank. The Capitals drafted Hendrix Lapierre in 22^e place, Calgary Connor Zary at 24^e Ranking, defenders Jérémie Poirier and Jake Boltmann with third-round picks. Time will tell who will come out on top.

Consider this hypothetical scenario. After being drafted in fifth place, the Canadian benefits from another choice, at 26^e rank, that of the Winnipeg Jets obtained for Sean Monahan. Los Angeles prepares to speak on 21^e rank. The Kings are more or less packed with available players and don’t have any second or third round picks. Montreal realizes that at this rank there is always among the competing hopes a player classified in the top 10 on his list. Should he take the chance and give up the 57^e choice in total, at the end of the second round, to advance five places and get your hands on your favorite?

However, you need to have flair to pull off such shots. In 2019, the Arizona Coyotes, under GM John Chayka, traded their 14^e choice and the 45^e to the Philadelphia Flyers to move to 11^e rank and draft defenseman Victor Soderstrom. Philadelphia drafted Cam York at 14th^e rank and used the second-round pick to move up and get his hands on forward Bobby Brink early in the second round. York is already at the heart of the Flyers’ success, with Soderstrom still in the American League.

Among the best moves, the Dallas Stars trade 29^e choice in 2017, and the 70^e to the Chicago Blackhawks to draft goaltender Jake Oettinger at 26^e rank. Oettinger quickly became one of the best goalies in the NHL. Henri Jokiharju, the Hawks’ choice at 29^e rank, is not a bad defender, but he was probably traded too quickly to Buffalo for Alexander Nylander. The choice at 70^e rank, a certain Andrei Altybarmakyan, will never play in the National League.

In 2016, the Coyotes advanced for the first time under Chayka. This one exchanges his 20^e and 53^e choice to draft defender Jakob Chychrun at 16^e rank. The Red Wings are not making the right decision in 20^e place with Dennis Cholowski but catch up at 53^e rank with Filip Hronek.

That same year, the Blues traded the 28^e and 87^e (in the third round) to draft Tage Thompson at 26^e rank. Thompson served as bait a few years later to get Ryan O’Reilly from the Sabers and became a premier center in Buffalo. The Capitals drafted Lucas Johansen and Garrett Pilon with the St. Louis picks. Both are American League players.

In 2015, the Flyers gave a second round pick to the Maple Leafs, at 61^e rank, to move from 29^e at 24^e rank. Travis Konecny ​​is still their best striker today. Toronto fell back again and ended up with Travis Dermott, Martins Dzierkals and Jeremy Bracco. Only Dermott reached the NHL, in a supporting role.

A year earlier, Chicago this time gave its 27^e and 61^e choice (third round) to draft Nick Schmaltz at 20^e rank. Schmaltz has since been traded to the Coyotes for Dylan Strome, but he is a premier forward in the National League.

Rare example of failure, in 2013, San Jose gave up its choices at 20^e and 58^e rank to draft defender Mirco Mueller at 18^e rank. The Red Wings get their hands on Anthony Mantha and Tyler Bertuzzi with these picks. Mueller has been playing in Switzerland for three years after 185 lackluster games in San Jose and New Jersey.

If given the opportunity, Montreal will undoubtedly try to improve its position at the end of the first round.

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