this doesn't make sense for us

the 1st is going to likely be in the late teens in a mediocre draft

Guhle's good but we don't need more defenseman

But why sign Carter Hutton? Just inviting Sabres level futility with that signing

Doesn’t have to be him. Just need a placeholder on a 1 year

Buddy. We need young talent. Doesn’t matter where. This is the highest team on the board I see that would part with there pick for hertl. And we get a crap ton of assets. When in a reload you need quanity.

True and Guhle shouldn't be thrown in the NHL too fast (Next year is too fast), he'll be a minute muncher and seeing what he showed in is AHL stint this year this kid can play and skates like the wind for his size. I'd counter argue @KingBurns by saying that if you're looking for a year to pick late in the first it's this one as some prospect will barely play before the draft, five years from now we'll look at this draft and wonder why half a dozen players fell in the first or second round and that'll be because of the lack of scouting.

Yes we need young talent, but in the form of forwards and goaltenders. We already have enough defensemen on the left side. Vlasic is signed until the end of time and even if we buy him out, we still have enough defensemen. Ferraro and Knyzhov are both very young and should be capable NHL defensemen for many years to come. Simek is also signed for 3 more seasons and he is very solid too. This already is 3 defensemen that we could use for the next few seasons.

Our prospect pool for left defensemen is decent as well. Kniazev is a solid prospect and should be able to take on 2nd pair duties in a few seasons. Pasichnuk is decent as well.

So we already have four capable NHL defensemen on our team with two solid prospects in our pipeline. I see no reason why we should use a forward to get a defensive prospect when we already have a fine left side on defense, but not a good forward squad.

that's definitely true, but we also have no advantage on scouting. I don't think it makes sense to trade Hertl for a pick in such an unknown draft.

One thing that has always been said that makes me laugh is when people call a draft good or bad. Like obviously the McDavid draft was elite. And certain year may not have a “generational talent”. But drafting is lucky beans. You need as many beans as possible. Especially the sharks.

And Bergevin understands it now and that's why Montreal went from a trash pipeline to top 3 in the league, you need to aim and shoot as much as possible. For SJ you'd have a couple of avenues that you could follow;
1. You trust the team you have and want to keep pounding that playoff door again and again so you buy out the last two years of Jones. You trade some picks to acquire a good goaltender on a cheaper contract that maybe a team could lose to Seattle like Jake Allen (Not saying I want to trade him but he's a candidate) or a guy like Ullmark if Buffalo blows the house down (DeSmith is another name worth mentionning). You then proceed to grab Wallstedt and hopes that your problems in front of the net are solved for the next decade.
2. You retool like Montreal did by trading away valuable players today but guys that won't be performing as well in 3-4 years like Hertl, Couture or Kane (If he's still playing through a bankruptcy?). You could try to ship Burns out with lots of salary retention for the next 4 years and maybe you could get a good return, you tell yourself your new core players going forward will be Meier, Labanc, Karlson and Ferraro. In the upcoming drafts you try to gain capital by trading back here and there so you have more bullets in your gun and if you chose wisely at the table you should be a relevant team again in no time.
3. You burn the house down like the Rangers did and sell absolutely anything you can. It took the Rangers 3 weeks after their official rebuild letter to acquire 2x1st, 2x2nd, a 3rd and a 7th, they obviously had good assets to trade away but your forward group could interest a lot of teams! This way will take a longer time to get back to being competitive but gives you good odds to do so.

1 is no good lol. 2 is the most realistic. Staying “competitive” but trading some assests to reload