The 2017 NHL Entry Draft will be an interesting time for NHL teams coming off the heels of the expansion draft. But with two picks in the first round, do the Dallas Stars have a claim to trading before the entry draft takes place?
No. 3 and no. 29. These are the two first round picks that the Dallas Stars own in the 2017 NHL Entry Draft. That’s a pretty awesome setup.
And with two first-round picks, you certainly hold a fair amount of cards at the NHL table. The entry draft is always a good time for teams to pick up potential NHL-ready rookies to enhance their roster before the next season. But in this year’s entry draft, the value of a pick has seemingly skyrocketed.
That’s because for the first time since 2000, the NHL has an expansion draft to worry about, and 30 teams will each lose one player in 10 days. And considering they have to leave a certain number of players exposed (some that could be rather talented), a trade seems like the easiest way to go.
But if they trade a player for a player, they will be in the same position because there will still be no protected spots open. That’s where the player-for-pick idea comes into play, considering the entry draft happens after all of the expansion traffic disperses. Spending the pick and getting a player later on is a much better idea for a team in trouble in terms of protection.
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Luckily, the Stars are not in that situation. All of their crucial players can be protected with spares left over, and that’s a good thing. When Dallas loses a player to Vegas, it’s not going to be a backbreaker. After predicting the Stars’ protection list, it’s highly likely that they will lose a young player of average talent that Dallas can find an in-house replacement for. And even if they bring in a player, they still have enough breathing room to make it work on their protection list in certain cases.
But other teams aren’t so lucky. And that’s exactly why Dallas Stars general manager Jim Nill is fielding calls for his two picks. The Stars won the third pick in the Draft Lottery and received the 29th pick from the Anaheim Ducks in a trade for Patrick Eaves, and both hold significant value. But each one’s value is different, and that could affect which one Nill ends up dealing, if he even trades one at all.
With the third pick, the Stars practically have a golden ace. With Nolan Patrick and Nico Hischier being the consensus no. 1 and no. 2 picks, the third pick is wide open and could be used 10 different ways depending on the team holding the pick.
If the Dallas Stars were to offer it up for trade, it’s obvious that they would want something rather significant in return. Their offseason to-do list has a few different things on it left to be completed, but the number one necessity seems to be a top-four defender. Can that be found in the right timeframe and for the right price? Possibly.
The no. 3 pick would definitely be traded for a player (and a good one at that) straight-up. The third overall pick holds extreme value, no matter what the draft class holds. If the Stars can find a talented top-four defender or even a top-six winger to play on the right side that is worth a top pick, you could very well see Nill pull the trigger. After all, he’s open to trading it and has received plenty of offers already.
The 29th pick is where things get interesting. While this isn’t necessarily a heavily sought after pick when standing alone, it could be the perfect sweetener when packaged with a player. And if they package it with a player, they could end up close to the same value as the third overall pick. Some names that have been tossed around for trade include Cody Eakin and Jamie Oleksiak.
So if the Stars decide to package the 29th pick in a multi-asset deal, they could potentially be holding some significant value for certain teams. After all, having two first-round picks is extremely beneficial, no matter where the picks land.
How likely is it that the Dallas Stars trade either of these picks? Sure Nill is fielding calls about them, but that doesn’t mean he still isn’t prepared to use both of them.
At this point, it seems like the Stars are going to hold onto the no. 3 pick, unless there is a MASSIVE trade in the works. Nill knows the overwhelming value that the pick holds and is only prepared to trade it if he is offered the best deal. Considering there is still no rumors rolling around, it may be safe to assume that a large pick like no. 3 is going to kept.
But the no. 29 pick is still wide open. The Stars need to rid themselves of a few players, and that could be done via the 29th pick. Dallas also owns the 39th pick which is early in the second round, so they could likely deal away #29 and still get a player they are looking for in the 30-40 pick range.
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These picks each have different values and could be used in different situations, and the Dallas Stars are lucky to have control of both of them. It gives them plenty to work with.
Nill has proven that he will do just about anything to help the Stars win now, and these picks could give him another direct line to that goal.