next year

Sorry to say I'm not a fan of any of these picks or UFAs, and something absolutely has to be done with the LDs that isn't adding yet another small offensive defenseman.

who do you want at 3C? also who do you want with our pick? Sale? Sandin - Pelikka?

If we do end up 9th, I'd want either Reinbacher, Dvorsky, Danielson or Moore with that pick. With the later 1sts, I'd like one of Price, Lindstein, Simashev or Molendyk and then perhaps Stramel, Honzek, Ziemmer or Heidt (depending on what transpires before then).

The 3C issue is tough. I'd love Acciari back, or even Barby or Sunny, but there's bound to be a lot of competition for those guys. I wonder if we could snag Laughton or Sturm for a decent price, but really I'd be happy with a short term stop gap player like Bjugstad for a year or two. The LDs are my top priority for this summer. I certainly hope it's also Army's.

I think this draft’s first round has a high chance at being weird:

Few defensemen in top 25.
Michkov and other Russians geopolitical challenges.
Handful of teams with multiple picks: STl 3, NSH 2, CHI 2-3, ARI 2, Habs 2, BlueJackets 2, VAN 2, SJS 2, Wings 2 - that’s 11 teams not picking in the first round as of now.

I think Doug uses one late first to add 2 seconds, uses his first to draft, and uses the last first to either move up slightly in combination with his first, or to acquire a roster player, or basically as his second round pick which was traded previously.

Ultimately I think he will leave the draft with a normal amount of players for a normal year plus an extra second round selection.

Given that StL is a smaller market team, they really cannot afford to tear down and build fresh - so I don’t think Doug keeps a pile of his assets locked up in the development of multiple new first round picks.

It will be interesting to see what he does, especially if he were fortunate enough to win the lottery. I’m guessing he chooses Leo Carlsson if he’s second pick.

What??? Nah, dude. Fantilli all the way. Not even a question.