"Remember no Russian"

Can't see the wings giving up a first for this guy even a future one.

Do wonder about Billy trying to move up. I have a feeling he wants to do something moderately splashy this summer, but since he really can't do anything with the roster, I think it'll be draft related.

Exactly. Feel bad for the guy with the health problems derailing him, and he looks like he's back on track to at least be an NHLer, but I don't think he'll ever be the top tier player he was once expected to be. I'd trade Zadina for him, but that's about it.

Rossi does not look like the A+ prospect to garner a 1st round pick

I actually thought the same, wild need young players on cheap contracts like zadina and we can take a whirl on Rossi for that

Wings laugh their way off the phone

If I were a betting man, I’d put money in him gathering up some early 2nds rather than moving up in the 1st. That 3rd tier of quality is really deep this year so 22 probably gets you a good prospect. However, if Dvorsky falls to 12 I think I’d iso on BG.

I could see that too yeah - kinda go the other direction with it. Not move up, but accumulate a few extra later picks. I think in some fashion, he'll try to be active, but not really sure what that will look like.

It'll be interesting to see where Dvorsky ends up going. He had somewhat of a tough year, but no denying that he checks a lot of the right boxes.

He looks like a lock to go before Arizona at 12. Vancouver has done nothing but moan about how they need young Cs and are the kind of team that will plop a 19 yo into the NHL to show off a new toy. Dvorsky is probs closer to ready than most guys.

But as for pick strategy, I think Addison brings back a couple of 2nds that could be enough to move into the late 20s. I think you pick whichever of Danielson/Yager/Ritchie at 22 then go after Edstrom/Heidt/Gulyayev in the early 2nd by sacrificing the late 2nds if need be.

I'd be fine with any of those names for 22. And obviously it's board dependent on what else is there. Does a guy like Cristall fall? Honzek is intriguing too. But ND/BY/CR would all be a great options.

For the 2nd rounders, I really hope they take a swing. Gotta learn to be a little riskier for upside in that range, IMO. We had 2 2nds last year and went Haight/Lorenz, which....ok sure? But also not really when Hutson was still on board for both. TBH I really don't like the Lorenz pick over LH there - and that's not even just hindsight. It was a draft day scratcher for me.

It is what it is, but personally would prefer they bias towards upside a little more than they have.

Really? They laugh their way off the phone? You must have a crystal ball. This is 12-18 months out and I'm assuming obviously more than you are that this pick will be in the 20-30 range unless you plan on the Edmonton/Montreal rebuild which puts you in the lottery another 5-7 years.

I'm assuming Rossi comes to camp quicker and ready to contribute and the Wings 2025 pick is in the 20-25 range. I'm sure in that scenario Yzerman laughs and hangs up. Wow.

Not every player taken in the 1st round is an A+ prospect. You think the guy taken 30th is bound for 40 goals? You must be assuming the Wings will pick top 5 in the 2025 draft apparently.

No but I also do not feel like Rossi will be an impact player like he was projected. Not even sure he will ever be an NHL player. Yzerman has in the past traded for players who need a chance, but he has never given up good draft capital. lastly that 1st in two years could be dealt for a proven player if Wings are in the hunt, why deal it for a player who has proven nothing?

I’m actually fine with their 2nd rd last year. I think both Haight and Lorenz are high upside guys. And as for Hutson, I still think there’s a lot more risk being 5’8” than people are admitting. He’s been great but he’s by no means a lock.

Cristall doesn’t get me going. Combine his skating with his size and the risk is just too high to use a top 60 pick. Honzek will be interesting too. If people think he can play C, he’s gone before the Wild pick but if he’s a W I don’t think that makes sense for the Wild. I really do think they need at least 2 bonafide C prospects out of their first 3 picks.

But consider this:
To DET - Addison, 22, 54
To MIN - 17, 41, 43

Which boils down to Addison for 41 and 2 3rds on a value basis.

Hutson is certainly not a lock, but that's kinda my point. His upside is huge. Much greater than that of Haight/Lorenz. Same with Cristall - risky pick, but if he hits the ceiling, it's amazing. Not saying I'm right or you're wrong, but when you say "the risk is just too high to use on a top 60 pick," that's where we disagree. With where our prospect pool is and where the overall franchise is, I think we need to start loosen the risk tolerance. I am a gambling man though, so I am more biased to try and roll the dice on that stuff.

As for the DET package, I'm not sure they'd go for it, but it is interesting. I do think it's a smart way to try and parlay those assets. Would not be upset if something along those lines materialized.

Stoked for the draft regardless - such a fun year for prospects.

The risk thing is weird because we’re both saying the same thing, that we want high upside guys. Hutson is always gonna be a Rorschach test, regardless of what happens to him. IMO he’s Addison at his peak, which is a great outcome.

I do think we’ve red pilled ourselves on small guys, re Cristall and Hutson, by ignoring size and almost using the fact that they’re small as a booster somehow.

You’re also talking to a die hard Spurg defender so it’s not like I’m anti small guy. Just a bit of a realist. It’s a fools errand to chase after outliers. But yeah. Really like what I see in this draft class.

Yeah sounds like we probably agree on the larger point, with small differences on how to go about it, but ultimately on the same page.

I do agree about the small guy red pill point. Sorta similar to the phenomena around larger framed two-way C's, where the default assumption/typecast is that you sacrifice offensive upside when making those picks. I think it was on one of the recent PDOcast episodes where Filipovic and Cam Robinson were talking about how the narrative seems to be shaping up where people think Will Smith has a higher offensive ceiling than Carlsson just because Carlsson is more mature in the other aspects of his game. Not really doing it justice, but sure you get what I'm trying to say.

I'm amazed by how many of these Wild Armchair-GM simulations include the Wild trading away Rossi. I feel like the best (maybe only) scenario whereby the Wild are competitive in 2023-24 is if Rossi (and/or guys like Beckman, Walker, Giroux, etc) take a big step forward. They need those guys to be the cheap, young talent BG mentioned after the season ended. I still think there's a good chance that breakout is coming for Rossi, and Guerin would be selling super low if they got rid of him now.