First overall pick, keep or trade?

[dmvincent]

Alright, I won the draft lottery in one of my keeper leagues and I have the first overall pick.

12 team H2H league.

G, A, Plus/Minus, PIM, PPP, SHP, SOG, W, GAA, SV%, SHO.

Here are my keepers.

C- Toews, E. Staal, Giroux
LW- E. Kane, Zetterberg, Benn
RW- Wheeler, Voracek
D- Karlsson, Edler, J. Schultz
G- Lehtonen, Pavelec

Farm Team
C/LW- Tomas Hertl (SJ)
C- Mark Jankowski (CGY)
LW- Matthew Nieto (SJ)
LW- John Gaudreau (CGY)
C/RW- Evgeny Kuznetsov (WAS)
D- Joe Morrow (DAL)
D- Adam Larsson (NJ)
G - Jack Campbell (DAL)


If you were me, would you keep the pick and take Drouin or MacKinnon? Or trade the pick to improve my current roster?

All opinions welcome.

[cdubb]

Daily rosters? Your F/D is pretty stacked, doubt a rookie would produce more than your current players.

To me you are in win now mode.

I would target a goalie upgrade (maybe some underachievers like Quick, Schneider or Rinne) over Pavelec.

[bigbabybuda]

I would draft Nathan MacKinnon sir! I would not trade the first overall pick unless it was a stupid offer... to bad u can't draft Mcdavid

[Shake]

Daily rosters? Your F/D is pretty stacked, doubt a rookie would produce more than your current players.

To me you are in win now mode.

I would target a goalie upgrade (maybe some underachievers like Quick, Schneider or Rinne) over Pavelec.

I am with cdubb.

Your team is legit solid with scoring, you need help in goal. I'd make a deal with the 1st pick to produce a goalie upgrade.

[Axeman33]

I think you should look at upgrading your backup goalie situation as the others have mentioned but in a 12 team league, it shouldnt be as hard to do as if you were in a 20+ team league. You should be able to do that without having to move your #1 pick but as in any league, goalies are always worth more then a skater.

I am fortunate to live just outside of Halifax so I have had the luxury of seeing the Mooseheads play fairly frequently the past couple years. I feel both MacKinnon or Drouin are worthy of your first overall pick. They play a different style of game with similar results. Both will have very good NHL careers. If it was me making the pick, I would probably go with Drouin. MacKinnon seems to be more of a power scorer (he gets a lot of dirty goals in front, isnt afraid to drive the net) while Drouin gets the slicker goals. Its hard to explain unless you see them play a lot but MacKinnon is like a freight train; he drives hard and is very skilled with the puck. Drouin tends to stay outside more and gets his opportunities by playing a smarter, smoother game. Both are not afraid to throw their bodies around even though both are under 6'0 and 200lbs (actually both are almost identical in size at 5'11" and around 175lbs).

As much as I would enjoy owning the first overall pick, i dont envy your position having to make that choice. That being said, you really cant go wrong with either guy. Maybe where they actually end up going in the NHL draft will aid in making your choice a little easier.

[mister_mcgoo]

Are you allowed to keep farm players indefinitely or what? How many can you keep at once? You might wanna consider a deal that upgrades your goaltending but still gives you a top tier pick. For example, identify the GMs in your league with man crushes on MacKinnon and see what you've got to work with. People will often make crazy deals to get their hands on the #1...like maybe you move down to pick 3rd overall and you upgrade Lehtonen to a Rask or a Price or something like that? 3rd overall is a still a great player and you improve your goaltending significantly

[HockeyProphet]

Prospects can be risky! And while there are some sexy names out there for early picks this draft, I like your team a lot... Upgrade your goalie position and your a contender for the foreseeable future! Let somebody else gamble..

[Call of Doughty]

I'd land Jon Drouin with that 1st pick. And if his youtube highlights don't get you drooling even after watching them, I'd entertain offers for him this summer. And yada yada yada, upgrade your goalie situation.....

good luck Mac

[dmvincent]

Thanks for the feedback so far guys, prospect rules are as follows.

Skaters - 100 NHL games and under.
Goalies - 50 NHL games and under.

Basically as long as they are under those limits, we can call them up or send them down as much as we want.

Yes, daily rosters for the league.

[DerekReese]

I would trade the pick or package the pick to get a legit number 1 goalie. You have a good team and you should be looking at getting a goalie to put you over the top.

[gainerama]

I would keep the pick and take the drafted forward that plays with either Matt Duchene or Stamkos if it works out that way. I'd trade some of your existing prospects in a package for an upgrade on goaltending

[4horsemen]

I couldn't begin to give an answer to this question without knowing who you might land in a trade.

Who would you target? Have you dangled the pick yet?

The bottom line is that I wouldn't move a potential franchise player for a shot at the win next year....I'd rather hold out for the dynasty

[dmvincent]

What I've decided to do is dangle the pick to see if I can get a big goalie upgrade over Lehtonen (I'm pretty content with Pavelec), but if not I'll simply use the pick and take Drouin.

Thanks for all the replies guys, I really appreciate it.

[TheZamboniGuy]

I think it's a great advice by using it to get an upgrade at goaltender position, if you can t, draft Drouin and try again. With Drouin in perspective ppl will sold their mother to get it :P

[bigbabybuda]

I would just like to reiterate my stance on not trading this pick unless you get a kings ransom. This bird in the hand shit is exactly that HORSE shit. Everyone of the last 10 first overall picks are Super Stars or well on there way to becoming such (Goalies don't count). You do not build Dynasty's by trading away young SuperStars that's how you build my Toronto Maple Leafs.