2014 Draft - what's after the top 5?

[mounD]

To be honest, I agree that Ekblad is a solid piece, but I still think they should take Reinhart if he's there. They need that big solid #2 center and Reinhart is a piece they need. Everyone forgets the youth they have in the system for D. Marincin and Klefbom are already starting to show their potential this year. Nurse is solid too. What they dont have in the system is depth down the middle.

Especially with how risky it is drafting "franchise" Dmen. Don't get me wrong, Eklad is a very talented player and has shown amazing offensive development this season (in addition to his great size and defensive ability), but I think you have to go with Reinhart - or Bennett - if he's available here. You're totally spot on with guys like Marincin and Klefbom being pretty close at this point, and if they're looking to ship out Sam Gagner in the offseason, it makes perfect sense to draft Reinhart.

[Big Ev]

I'd go with ekblad 100% if I was Edmonton. Build from the net out. If you value ekblad and e others similarity you always go gotta go with the d in my opinion. Just too hard to find. They'll be able to snag a #2 c through trade or at next years draft if they are bad again. Ekblad would be their best d.

[mounD]

It's a tough call, honestly. EDM is a team with a lot of needs right now.

[Shift Disturber]

To me it looks like Ekblad is too tempting to pass on. Their top centre needs to be more physical than Reinhart to deal with the likes of Getzlaf, Kopitar, etc. Calgary is up-sizing in the middle for the future. Drafting Ekblad gives the Oil even more strength on the blueline for the future, and maybe they lottery themselves into CMcD in 2015. They could always dip into their now-deep bucket of defence prospects to trade for a big C as well.

[metaldude26]

You take the best player regardless of need. Ekblad is better than any of these forwards if you ask me. Please let the Oilers get Ekblad or trade the pick for a top defenseman/center.

[Shift Disturber]

You take the best player regardless of need. Ekblad is better than any of these forwards if you ask me. Please let the Oilers get Ekblad or trade the pick for a top defenseman/center.

So they were still correct in taking Yakupov over Galchenyuk?

[metaldude26]

So they were still correct in taking Yakupov over Galchenyuk?

Nope. I always thought Galchenyuk was the better player.

[Shift Disturber]

Nope. I always thought Galchenyuk was the better player.

Maybe you did, but Yak was the consensus no.1. There was a discussion as to whether the Oil should fill a need and take Galchenyuk but they opted to take the consensus no. 1 overall (i.e., best player available) instead.

[Big Ev]

You take the best player regardless of need. Ekblad is better than any of these forwards if you ask me. Please let the Oilers get Ekblad or trade the pick for a top defenseman/center.

You take the best player but if you rank two guys the same you should take the d.

- - - Updated - - -

Maybe you did, but Yak was the consensus no.1. There was a discussion as to whether the Oil should fill a need and take Galchenyuk but they opted to take the consensus no. 1 overall (i.e., best player available) instead.

Im not sure either were the right option looking back. But that's hindsight.

[mounD]

Maybe you did, but Yak was the consensus no.1. There was a discussion as to whether the Oil should fill a need and take Galchenyuk but they opted to take the consensus no. 1 overall (i.e., best player available) instead.

It's a shame that Galchenyuk was dealing with so many injuries leading up to the NHL draft; he really could've made the discussion for #1 overall a bit more interesting. But you know what they say, hindsight is 20/20.

[metaldude26]

Maybe you did, but Yak was the consensus no.1. There was a discussion as to whether the Oil should fill a need and take Galchenyuk but they opted to take the consensus no. 1 overall (i.e., best player available) instead.

The consensus was wrong. And this was a case where Galchenyuk simply wasn't visible enough in his draft year. No injury and he'd have been the #1 guy.

[Axeman33]

The problem is, who we think is the best player and who Stu MacGregor thinks is the best player is sometimes two different things.

I totally agree that Ekblad is going to be a horse but I still think their biggest need is down the middle, more so then on the back end. Ya ya, I know, their D is weak but at least they have help coming down the pipe to help there. What they seriously lack is a that big bodied center. You can say they can draft one of them next year, but last year they drafted what they felt was their anchor in Nurse.

I have little doubt that Ekblad will be their choice should he be available to them when their pick comes around, but I wish they would get that big body down the middle. It seems no one wants to trade a big center any more then they want to trade that franchise Dman either. Both are hard finds, either in trade or FA.

[Shift Disturber]

You take the best player but if you rank two guys the same you should take the d.

Conventional wisdom says you take the F as there is less developmental risk.

[mounD]

The consensus was wrong. And this was a case where Galchenyuk simply wasn't visible enough in his draft year. No injury and he'd have been the #1 guy.

Exactly. It's a shame.

[Shift Disturber]

Im not sure either were the right option looking back. But that's hindsight.

Who was? Trouba? Murray? I think it's too early to tell.