2nd overall

It is certainly an idea, I'd have to take a look at draft tables again to see who I'd like a 9 and 12, but its damned tempting.

Actually really interesting ngl but I think one of the picks would have to be top ~7 for Anaheim to truly consider

Stevie Yzerman isn't trading out of 9th overall for Kyle Connor -- it's not in his DNA -- let alone adding the 17th overall for him, too, so your plan stumbles at the last hurdle before Anaheim has to make that decision. But if history is any guide, Anaheim would decline: would you rather have Jack Eichel, or Timo Meier, Jakob Zboril, Kyle Connor (himself) and Joel Eriksson Ek?

Franchise players are hard to come by, and every time you trade one draft pick for two, you double the chance that you might strike out. (See Olli Juolevi, Alex Nylander, etc.) In this draft, it's pretty clear that there are two prospects at the top, and then a tier of three players next, but after #5 overall, you'd be taking a lot of chances that three of those four selections would turn out to be as impactful as #2.

Detroit passes, The 9th and the 17th aren't up for debate for Kyle Connor. Detroit just needs to stay on its current path. Detroit has 5 picks in the top 43 if our scouts do their job. We'll get some sweet prospects.

I'm not gonna lie, I'd do it if I was Steve. The #1 thing they lack is a pure goal scorer and Connor only scored under 30 once and that was the COVID short year. Can you imagine how much this would open up for Larkin and Raymond having a guy like that on their other wing. Who knows if 9 or 17 will ever hit let alone make an impact. Connor is grossly underrated and I'd give these picks up to get him in a heartbeat