What to do with 1st overall pick!!!

[kidicarius]

So I was "lucky" enough to have the lottery balls fall my way and snag the 1st overall pick in our draft this year (tomorrow afternoon). This is a reset year, where GMs are only allowed 1 keeper (Makar is mine), so there will be lots of talent available to build my team around for the next 3 years. The other keepers are McDavid, Draisaitl, Huberdeau, Barkov, Rantanen, Matthews, Marner, Fox, and Vasilevskiy.

Draft is snake-style....so I will be waiting a while before I pick again...so wanna make sure I get it right. I normally don't like picking at either end of the draft (would much rather pick somewhere in the middle like 4-6). I find that typically, when you are picking at either bookend, that you may need to reach more for a player you like.

Draft options at #1 include MacKinnon, Kucherov, Kaprizov, Panarin, Josi, Hedman, Shesterkin, Markstrom, etc.

Anyways, what should I do with my first pick? Below are some of the options that I am considering.

1. Keep #1 - and take MacKinnon (would look really good with Makar and be a great start for a playoff team).

2. Keep #1 - and take Shesterkin, as I do value position scarcity to a degree. This would solidify 1 of my 2 G spots and be a perennial playoff guy.

3. Trade down to no further than #4 - this would allow me to take whoever is left from MacK/Kuch/Kap/Pan and be in the middle of the pack when my pick comes back around. Again, I would fully expect Shesterkin to be gone by the time my 2nd pick comes around.

Per my draft list, there are 8 forwards available that I am projecting at 90+ points and there are only 2 goalies. Is Shesterkin legit at #1 and pass on MacK? Is another top-tier D a good option for my 2nd pick?

Any input would be appreciated.....really don't want to mess this up tomorrow!

Thanks in advance.

[lusshouse]

Big fan here of going with the MacKinnon and Makar combo.

[stevegamer]

3. Trade down to no further than #4 - this would allow me to take whoever is left from MacK/Kuch/Kap/Pan and be in the middle of the pack when my pick comes back around. Again, I would fully expect Shesterkin to be gone by the time my 2nd pick comes around.

Any input would be appreciated.....really don't want to mess this up tomorrow!

Thanks in advance.

To be clear, you'd be trading pick slot 1/10 in all odd/even rounds for slots 4/7 in all odd/even round? I would do that, and I would take whoever is left from MacK/Kuch/Kap/Shesterkin.

I'd also be willing to move down from 1 to pick 3 or 4, and take boosts in rounds 2,4,6, and 8.

[metaldude26]

I see no reason to chase goaltending all that hard in this format as there are only 20 getting rostered. I take MacKinnon and don't sweat it at all. A proven, young explosive skater is a far more reliable option in a points setup.

[kidicarius]

Yes….I would go from 1/10 to 4/7, which would allow me to not have to reach for a player as often.

[Wotan]

Don't overthink this: MacKinnon any day. That's a top 5 player that is better than the keeper of most other teams...

[Pengwin7]

1. Take MacKinnon.
2. The turn spot is fine, two picks in a row. There's some good goalie-tandem you could take with consecutive double picks: Ullmark-Swayman (BOS) or, two rounds later Murray-Samsonov (TOR).

[niconasr]

1. Take MacKinnon.
2. The turn spot is fine, two picks in a row. There's some good goalie-tandem you could take with consecutive double picks: Ullmark-Swayman (BOS) or, two rounds later Murray-Samsonov (TOR).

Agreed. I love being at the turn. Sure, it's a long wait between picks but you get to pick two players at once and that's huge.

Take MacKinnon and draft goalies later if no elite ones drop to you.

[Belexus75]

Another vote for Mac

[Caps Crazy]

I'd take Mackinnon for sure and go with the turn position in the draft.

[Invictus]

Easy pick McKinnon for me and no trading down.

[RizzeeDizzee]

I toyed with KK for a brief moment, but with Makar already you just slam MacKinnon

[Sawch]

I love that Makar/MacK stack.

[Axeman33]

MacKinnon for me.