Quoting: dzmets
Assuming Jones is traded, Risto would be in your top 4 and Pilut would be in the top 6. Reinhart is a much better player than the Jets likely get at 5. He has outproduced just about every 5 o/a pick over the last 15 years with the exception of Kessel and Elias Pettersson. A few of those chosen there have amounted to nothing in the NHL. (Dal Colle, Hayton, Juolevi) He would be your 1C at least for the next couple of years and then if you do find someone elite. He slots nicely into a 2C role
Team is rebuilding; sure, some interest in Reinhart, but you’re talking about a guy who is going to maximize production during the next several years - a period when the team around him is likely to be bad. Yes he is likely to be better than whoever is drafted at #5, but that’s also largely because he is 10 years older than whoever is going to be drafted at #5.
And the whole “Bad Players Have Been Drafted #5” argument doesn’t do much - Petersson, Hanifin, Lindholm, are also recent #5 picks. If the prospect picked there turns out to be as good as them, then awesome.
Plus, saying “he can be your 1C until you find someone better” avoids an important point - the “someone better” is likely going to be obtained via the draft, since we all know elite 1C’s otherwise hit the FA market all the time. So, not exactly going to be wanting to part with high picks.
Same principal applies to Risto, a “meh” player who I hear BUF is interested in dumping more than anything. CBJ already have younger D-Men who are going to want/need development time.
Pilut is signed in the KHL next season, and his Reserve Rights are going to expire in two years; so, if he doesn’t want to play for CBJ, he could just sit in the KHL for another year.
Elvis is a bright point on this team - a very good player who has talked about how much he wants to be here and re-sign. He’s not going anywhere absent a monster package.