I wouldn't do it if I were OTT

They also have a ton of picks in this draft.

I strongly believe whichever playoff loser gets to select 1st Overall will end up trading it, by doing so it'll help the playoff pretender to become a playoff contender. The Sens (7 picks in the first two Rd's), Kings & Wings (desperate for a franchise player) and Habs (hometown hero) will probably try really hard to land Laffy.

I think that highly depends on which team it is, there is a very very good chance Laffy is a franchise level talent. He will also be on an ELC for 3 years, the cost to acquire him from whoever wins will be substantial. Laffy won't be as good as McDavid/Crosby/Ovechkin but I would bet he ends up in the same caliber as Matthews/Tavares/Kane/Dahlin when you consider the hype.

I think most teams will stick with him due to his elite potential, however I would not be surprised if Ottawa and LA receive phone calls on draft days from teams more in need of a top end center like Byfield/Stutzle

Sens don't do that trade. If anything they trade pick 3 or 5 and the Islanders' 1st along with some roster players/prospects not named Chabot or Tkachuk.

Maybe the 5th overall pick, the Islanders pick (#18?) and Brannstrom for pick #1.

Ottawa shouldn't do it IMO. What about New Jersey giving up the #7, #11, and #13 Vancouver's first round pick should they beat Minnesota? The #7, #11, and #13 pick I could understand why Jersey does it and understand why the Hawks give up Laffy for that. However, the Hawks will have Keith, Toews and Kane contracts all up in 3 years plus the cap will jump by then with Seattle revenues on the books, this would be a great opportunity to sign Laffy coming off his ELC and locking him up for $10M long term (or thereabouts).

Not in a million years is Lafreniere worth 3+5. Getting an elite 1C + another elite forward/ RD is so much more valuable, especially to a rebuilding team that needs to add multiple elite pieces if they are ever going to become serious contenders.

Lafreniere is a winger, and there's just a limit to how significantly he will be able to impact the game. If he's a center it's a different conversation entirely, but I don't think you bet the Sun and the Moon to acquire a left winger.

I wouldn't even consider doing that. At most I'm offering 5+NYI 1st, take it or leave it, and I don't even really love that.

I love Lafreniere, but he's not Erik Brannstrom + a Noel Gunler better than say, Cole Perfetti or Lucas Raymond.

I'm not sure I bet on Laffy not being as good as the greats the era (Crosby, Ovy, Kane) and the newer ones in McDavid, Eichel and Matthews. I do think he has the ability IMO but he's not a shoe in. Yes, Kane is one of the greats so the Crosy, Ovy era.

Yes he is. He's two steps above even Byfield and Stutzle who are a step above everyone else in this draft.

I probably overpaid but 5OA + Brannstrom and maybe a low 2nd would be a fair price for Lafreniere.

I think there's a chance he could be a great but more likely he's a very solid top line player... think Kovalchuk or Tavares.

I kind of see a little bit of Marian Hossa in him

Kane is a Franchise level player, like Malkin of that era. Ovi and Crosby are definitely a step above as generational talents. McDavid is also a generational talent, Eichel and Matthews are Franchise players. I would also include Kucherov, Barkov and Draisaitl in that category as well. MacKinnon is pretty close to the generational level but I consider him somewhere in between. There is little to no doubt in my mind that Laffy will reach franchise level caliber. The amount of hype he receives is on a similar level to the #1's I said above.

Both Kovalchuk and Tavares got lots of hype as prospects and earned it. IMO that is the baseline of where Laffy will end up

Maybe stylistically but I think he'll have better production.



Nail Yakupov, Tavares and Hall also had a LOT of hype... Basically almost every #1 pick gets a tonne of hype.

Personally I think he'll be a 70-80 point player. But he could be anywhere from a 50-100+ point player

That's quite the baseline.

I recommend you watch this video That is not an accurate description of those draft years.

I disagree Entirely. I'm of the opinion that the gap between Lafreniere and Byfield is less significant than the gap between Byfield and Stutzle.

I just look at what he is, and have a hard time justifying him as being worth trading up for. I think he is less valuable than the '1st overall' tag that's been put on him. I

Kane is not just a franchise player in my opinion and others, you are talking about the best american to ever play the game and a guy who woke the league up again to the fact that a small kid can beat the best with speed and puck handling. He was the leading point producer of the last decade....not just a few years the entire decade at 807 beating Crosby next (788) and Ovy following (783). Additionally, he just came off a 110 point season last year and the only player in the top 5 in goals, assists and points and this year was on pace before the play stoppage for 99 points at age 31. Crosby is a better all around player sure, but scoring it's pretty darn close. Ovy one of the best if not best goal scorer all time but playmaker not so much. Kane is a better player then Malkin IMO, albeit Malkin is awesome so not to take away from him but Kane will change a game on his own taking it into his own hands over and over many times like Crosy has done many times. I also wonder what Kane would have done had he played most of his career next to a center like Crosby or Matthews or even Toews. Remember, Kane has had a cast of characters as his center Anisimov, Richards, Schamtlz, Strome, Handzus, Kruger, Bolland....absolutely insane when I stop and think about this, very similar to Crosby having a cast of characters for linemates. Not to take away from Mathews who's amazing, but having a guy as good as Marner on your wing is a big difference in what he can do.

There is a good article in The Athletic from this past January 27th talking about why Kane is a generational talent...great read if you're a subscriber. https://theathletic.com/1560284/2020/01/27/for-an-entire-generation-of-nhl-talent-patrick-kane-was-and-remains-the-star-of-stars/?redirected=1

Stylistically very similar in that he's tough on the puck, against the boards, plays all 3 zones, and obviously sores. If he puts up over 1100 points in his career like Hossa, I think he and the team will be quite pleased and definitely can see him breaking 1200 points.

The difference between Lafreniere and Raymond you must admit is pretty huge.



Yes it is. I agree with the ones with the red star but Tyler and Taylor had pretty massive hype (maybe because the Leafs traded their pick?). Tavares he had a star next to.

Yakupov actually had a LOT of hype. People just don't recognize that now because he was a bust.

Stamkos was also very hyped up.

Agreed. Especially CHI. They need the low cap. Its not that the value is there...its the cap. Also I don't think OTT should do this trade from a value standpoint. They have more than just one area of need.

IMO Laf is closer to Crosby than Byfield Stutzle. Go look at their accomplishments. The ONLY two....2x CHL MVPs in history and Laff actually got a point higher in WJC this past year. Sure winger. I get that, but track record is huge too.

I like everyone else's comps. Hes not quite Crosby, McDavid, but he can be Matthews/Kane/MacKinnon which the Hawks should keep. Can't get this guys anywhere else except the draft.

Lafrienere isn’t McDavid or Crosby as a prospect and he isn’t a C. OTT isn’t doing that. Maybe for 5, NYI pick and something else. Also when was the last time a top 10 pick was even traded like 10 yrs ago?

Ottowa would be stupid to do that

Ottawa accepts instantly. Laffy is the best prospect since McDavid and i dont think it is even that close of an argument. If this was LA sitting with 2 and guaranteed Byfield its a different story. But trading 3 & 5 for Laffy is a no brainer. Two elite prospects dont equal a franchise/generational prospect. Laffy is that.