Still pick best player available. I’m not a big fan of selecting strictly on need.

Yes absolutely deffo draft byfield and let us in detroit get that terrible french kid , thats the best thing for both of us

Flames have both Tkachuk and Gaudreau, Hawks had Kane and Hossa. There is absolutely nothing wrong with having 2 #1 wingers spread across your 1st and 2nd line.

While your correct all those teams also have a 1C

Lmao ?

To answer your question, no. The other first-rounder may still get you a #1 C (Bo Horvat went #9, for example), but won't get you LaFreniere.

Very true

Best point of this thread!

. . . Monahan 6, Larkin 15, Barzal 16, Hertl 17 . . .

LaFreniere is as automatic as can be.

Yes but Ottawa also has Logan Brown, Colin White, Joshua Norris, and Shane Pinto that could all shape into 1C's not to mention they have likely 2 top 10 picks this year and could grab any of Marco Rossi, Dylan Holloway, Cole Parfetti, Anton Lundell, Noel Gunler, Jan Mysak and more. A teams 1C doesnt always have to be drafted in the top 2. Ottawa also has the assets to trade for a future 1C.

To add on, O'Reilly 33rd, Point 79th, Kopitar 11th, Getzlaf 19th, Bergeron 45th

Yeah, but with the exception of Point (and don't forget Aho!), those were all from a different scouting age. I think that today's scouting is much more likely to turn up a high-quality center in the first 20 picks and particularly the first 10. Even so, I see that Mysak didn't make the first tier of the NHL's initial scouting survey.

No draft Lafreniere. Ottawa has depth at C for prospects. White, Batherson, L Brown, Pinto and Norris who all have top 6 potential. Don’t forget you still have a 2nd pick and current both are set up to be guaranteed in the top 10. Let’s say everything stays the same it is now come draft time. At 3 I’m taking Raymond. And at 7 I’m taking either Stutzle or Rossi. Also Ottawa currently has 3 2nd round picks ( not even including what they get at the TDL) and a stack of great prospects that can be made available. If I’m Ottawa and come 12-14 picks in and Askarov is still available I’m giving what it takes to get him.

No. You get a chance to take Lafreniere you take him and don't look back.

I think they could honestly move Brady to Centre. He already takes a big chunk of draws.

You go Laf 100/100 times

If you have the #1, draft Lafreniere. Ottawa does need a #1 centre and this is the off-season to find him moving forward. So whether it be trading the other 1st in a package to move up and select Byfield taking #1 and #2 (which would be huge and Ottawa does have the assets to part with depending on the team's asking price). Or trading the other pick in a package for a younger true #1 centre with the term/and or extension in place would also be great. Either way, Sens have a great group of future middle 6 centreman or 1B type guys, but no one will become the true elite #1C.