Poll: Habs Draft Choice

[BigTed3]

What should the Habs do with their first round pick if they end up finishing somewhere between 6th and 10th last (where they in theory should finish)? Do they need to keep this pick and do the best they can with it where they are? Should they move up or down? Would you trade the pick before the lottery and try to get a team to bite on the possibility of a #1 overall choice and give up more value, but then possibly lose that chance yourself? Or do you only deal it after the lottery takes place so you know exactly what you have but then so does the team you're trading with? Lots of factors at play here. Tell us what you would do and why you think it's the best thing for the team to do.

[Habberwacky]

It appears to be a fairly deep draft and if we are anywhere in the top 6 we should have a very good prospect. Keep the pick is what I think.

[ChiLla]

I'd try to trade the pick to move into the Top 3 if we can afford the cost. Otherwise I'd try to trade the pick for an immediate upgrade that can help us right now.

[jedimaas]

What should the Habs do with their first round pick if they end up finishing somewhere between 6th and 10th last (where they in theory should finish)? Do they need to keep this pick and do the best they can with it where they are? Should they move up or down? Would you trade the pick before the lottery and try to get a team to bite on the possibility of a #1 overall choice and give up more value, but then possibly lose that chance yourself? Or do you only deal it after the lottery takes place so you know exactly what you have but then so does the team you're trading with? Lots of factors at play here. Tell us what you would do and why you think it's the best thing for the team to do.

Tough to say until we know for sure but if im GM im definitely keeping a keen eye on what is available.

The only way I dont move that pick at all is if we're top 3 - or - top 5 perhaps if one of the guys we want hasnt gone yet. So if we're say 5th I dont move that pick unless the guy I wanted is already drafted before it gets to me.

There are lots of things you could do with a high pick. I certainly wouldnt move one for a 30+ year old guy, but lets say we pick 8th and Tampa wants that choice. I would certainly consider moving our 1st + maybe a depth player for say Drouin + DeAngelo or Koekkoek They get a high pick + a player who can play right now and we get 2 prospects.

I would be hesitant to move a pick in the top 3 or 4 unless we're getting back a player who is ready to play now. All indications are that the top few guys in this year's draft will be ready to go next season. Sure there are lots of good young players in the league but i doubt we can turn that pick into a guy like Strome or Hanifin or Reinhart.

I would keep all options open but honestly I doubt there'd be a good fit for a trade. That said, I would be VERY actively shopping DD, Markov, Emelin and maybe Plekanec. If we can turn those guys into prospects who need a year or 2 more of development, im fine with that because i think the past few weeks have shown we have capable replacements for the middle of our roster.

[Guest habs1952]

We need to keep the pick because MT is wasting our present core. Gotta give our next coach something to work with.

[jedimaas]

We need to keep the pick because MT is wasting our present core. Gotta give our next coach something to work with.

Im still going with the (probably delusional) idea that MT wont be employed here in October. Even if MB is that misguided I cannot see the BOG being so.

[CANADIENS27]

Given the complaints this team has too many fourth line players, they need to go after whoever has the most potential to be a first line player.

[Born-To-Be-A-Hab]

If they trade the pick , I wouldn't trade it before the draft lottery takes place .Maybe they win the lottery. If they are picking in the 6-10 position .Make a trade to get another 1st round pick and draft the two big French forwards .If they trade the pick ,I would hope to see Ryan-Nugent Hopkins coming to the habs.

[kinot-1]

If MT is still here next season,,, I'll go with No.1., because if MB traded up for the 1-3 pick,,, MT would only waste/ruin him.

If MT is gone,,,, the I would say trade the pick (plus some bodies), only if it's 1-3 pick. That would give the new coach something to work with.

[jennifer_rocket]

It's tough. If the right deal is there, I would trade the no. 1 pick. However, I have very little faith in MB being able to make the "right" trade with such a important piece in play, so... I guess I will vote for keeping it. I trust that we can pick a future NHLer with a pick that high thanks to Timmins.

[Born-To-Be-A-Hab]

One option could be to flip 1st round picks with Tampa for Drouin and use Tampas pick to get one of the big French forwards .

[kinot-1]

Hey, guys,,, I got it all figured out. All you have to do is connect the dots.

Jan. 15th,, MB trades Tinordi and Fournier to AZ for Scott and Bartley to presumably, keep Scott out of the ASG.

Jan. 21,,,, Mb states that "I can't really tell you why I had to make that trade." (bold is mine, very important). You wouldn't make a trade like that, unless the deal is soooo good that you have to make it. Perhaps something down the road will benefit you.

Fast forward to the draft on Apr. 30th. Currently our chances of winning the 1st overall pick sit at 6%. In order to get a top 3 pick our chances might be around 10-12%. So,,,,how does the draft have anything to do with the Scott/Tinordi trade? I'm glad you asked me that. In order for MB to make that trade (that he "had" to make), perhaps Bettman whispered in his ear (at the trade time), that "we'll make sure you get a top 3 draft pick".

So, there ya go. You heard it here first.

[BigTed3]

Our odds of moving up into the top 3 is going to be in the range of 15-20%. Our odds of moving down will be much higher (likely 50% or so). But to trade the pick away before the lottery means you have a 1 in 5 chance that you're trading away Matthews, Laine, or Puljujarvi. At this point, it's a virtual certainty we won't be picking 4th or 5th, so if we don't win the lottery, we'll be picking in the 6-11 range. You can definitely get a good player there, BUT I'll come back to the point that with a better coach, we have a nucleus that can win now. If we're not getting a guy who can step in right away, I'm not sure there's much of a benefit to getting a guy who's ready to break into the NHL in 3-4 years. It doesn't help us for Carey's prime years or Max's team-friendly contract years or so on. That's why blowing this season on Therrien was such a mistake. We won't get too many chances with this nucleus on this cap, so I'd rather turn that 1st rounder into a guy who can be a top 6 forward or top 3 defenceman now. With a top 10 pick, we should be able to make a trade that accomplishes that.

[habs_93]

If we're not getting a guy who can step in right away, I'm not sure there's much of a benefit to getting a guy who's ready to break into the NHL in 3-4 years. It doesn't help us for Carey's prime years or Max's team-friendly contract years or so on. That's why blowing this season on Therrien was such a mistake. We won't get too many chances with this nucleus on this cap, so I'd rather turn that 1st rounder into a guy who can be a top 6 forward or top 3 defenceman now. With a top 10 pick, we should be able to make a trade that accomplishes that.

I'm pretty much here, as well. Despite what some might think, this is absoutely not a "blow it up" situation. You don't blow things up and start tanking with the best goalie in the league, the second best defenceman in the league, a guy who's almost scored 40 goals two years in a row, a young player like Alex Galchenyuk, and the supporting cast we have when it's healthy. This is a situation for spackling paste, not sledgehammers. We need an injection of actual NHL-quality talent onto the roster, and engaged player development. And of course, critically, Therrien and the doctrine that produced him have to be gone ASAP or none of this matters.

These are the kind of hard decisions that take real work, and time; they should've been put in motion two years ago, at the latest. You don't stand still in this league, you run backwards. The required moves probably could've been eased into and done with more security and confidence if they were done earlier. Now, if this team is to do anything with this core, it will have to be relentlessly aggressive and take extreme risks.

One thing I would seriously consider is trading down and adding more picks to facilitate an offer sheet of Kucherov or Hoffman. Ottawa, being a hobbled budget team, is ripe for the picking here. We could get a player who could step right into the top 6, or we'd hopefully structure the offer in such a way as to imperil their ability to operate on the NHL level for a season or two to strategically ruin their chances to do anything with Erik Karlsson. Either way, we could probably cross them off the Atlantic bubble race for a while. As for Tampa, they're not working on a miserly self-imposed cap, but they could stand to be squeezed a little.

[habsisme]

Keep the pick and if outside the top 3, draft a D

[Guest habs1952]

Keep the pick and draft the best player who weighs over 200 pounds.

[fnveenie]

I'd be looking at any possible way to move into the top 3. If we win the lottery and are not picking at #1, I would explore what assets could be acquired by trading it. The key word is explore. Unless the return is astronomical, I'd hold onto the pick.

Keep the pick and draft the best player who weighs over 200 pounds.

Don't worry, MB is already on it.

[habsisme]

I'd be looking at any possible way to move into the top 3. If we win the lottery and are not picking at #1, I would explore what assets could be acquired by trading it. The key word is explore. Unless the return is astronomical, I'd hold onto the pick.

Don't worry, MB is already on it.

but my understanding is that the 2 fins going 2 and 3 are both nhl ready on year 1... I don't think I'd trade it for anything realistic

[Habberwacky]

Picking in the position we are in may allow us to pick Dubois from the Q as a forward or another top defencemen as it appears there will still be a few around. I hope we use our second on a goalie as we are clearly lacking behind Carey and it is obviously not an easy position to fill.

[habsisme]

Picking in the position we are in may allow us to pick Dubois from the Q as a forward or another top defencemen as it appears there will still be a few around. I hope we use our second on a goalie as we are clearly lacking behind Carey and it is obviously not an easy position to fill.

Definitely need to draft a goalie but I wouldn't say it has to be our second. Goalies are harder to project and so you have more busts in the early rounds and more surprises in the late rounds. Plus, I think Fucale should be ready to at least compete for back up and we just signed that college goalie. I'd rather they draft one in later rounds. If I were a GM I'd draft one goalie every single draft from rounds 4-7.

[fnveenie]

Dubois has moved into the #1 spot on the North American skater rankings. We'd have to move up to get him because he won't be available at #9. I just hope that if we manage to win the lottery and move into the top 3, we take the best player available and not go after the local talent, even though he is a tremendous player regardless.

[kinot-1]

Dubois has moved into the #1 spot on the North American skater rankings. We'd have to move up to get him because he won't be available at #9. I just hope that if we manage to win the lottery and move into the top 3, we take the best player available and not go after the local talent, even though he is a tremendous player regardless.

It would be a PR nightmare if he was available and we didn't take him.

[habsisme]

Dubois has moved into the #1 spot on the North American skater rankings. We'd have to move up to get him because he won't be available at #9. I just hope that if we manage to win the lottery and move into the top 3, we take the best player available and not go after the local talent, even though he is a tremendous player regardless.

I think it would be dumb to draft him. Top 3 are clearly Matthews, Laine, and Puljujarvi. 2 and 3 are interchangeable and all are top 6 ready on the first year out. If Montreal doesn't get a top 3 pick, we're picking a player for 2-4 years from now. I would go with D and I know there will be a high end player there. Dubois doesn't make sense for us right now. In terms of youth we are lacking in defensive depth far more than we are up front. We still have McCarron and Scherbak and some others with lower ceilings. We have no one with a high ceiling on D in the minors.

Of course, I'm basing this on what scouts are saying and that is that picks 4-12 or so are basically interchangeable. All top 4, top 6 ceilings but a couple of years away. So all things being equal I go with D

It would be a PR nightmare if he was available and we didn't take him.

I certainly hope not over the top 3 who can help us right now

[habs_93]

I certainly hope not over the top 3 who can help us right now

This organization just loudly endorsed a pair of coaching staffs which objectively lack any hockey merit; they didn't do it on a whim. There's a bloc which clearly doesn't care about hockey performance, and I imagine they would be quite unhappy if we made the correct choice, because it wouldn't serve them politically.

[fnveenie]

It would be a PR nightmare if he was available and we didn't take him.

It'll be a PR nightmare no matter what. The "political agenda" side would lose their minds if we didn't pick him and the "winning is our priority" side would if we did. I say make the right decision because no matter what, you have to do damage control.