The Athletic Hockey Show - NHL Franchise Draft: Which team is No. 1?

Episode Date: October 2, 2026

As the 2026-27 NHL season gets underway this week, the Prospect Series crew looks at the health of every franchise, including current rosters, who’s coming up in the prospect pipelines, and potential to win the Stanley Cup in the future, and drafts them from No. 1 all the way to No. 32.Hosts: Max Bultman, Corey Pronman, and Scott WheelerWith: FloHockey’s Chris PetersExecutive Producer: Chris FlanneryProducer: Chris FlanneryWatch full episodes on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@theathletichockeyshowSubscribe to The Athletic: https://theathletic.com/hockeyshow Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This is the Athletic Hockey Show Prospect Series. Hey, everybody, Max Bulbin here, alongside the athletics, Corey Prondman and Scott Wheeler and Flohaw Hockey's, Chris Peters, for another episode of the Athletic Hockey Show Prospect Series. We are going to try something new today, guys. We do a lot of different forms of drafting on this show. Today, we're going to go a little bit bigger picture, and we are going to draft franchises. More specifically, franchise outlooks here. So there's a little bit of a free form to this. We're not setting a specific time.

time range. We're not just including this year. We're not just including farm systems. It's kind of the full outlook of going forward, which franchise would you want to be? And this was an idea Corey had. You could probably tell us a little bit more about some of the context, the background of it. Yeah, I was at a game and I was talking to a manager and we were just, you know, spitballing. And he asked just thought exercise. He's like, you know, if you could think of one team that you think would be best positioned, to win for the long term. Like, you know, who would you as a GM want to take over,

pick one team in the NHL? And I'm like, I'm going to think about that. But in the meantime, that's a great idea for an article, and I might steal that. So I think we're going to turn this into an article, but we're also going to do a podcast show on this idea and try to give our, I guess, projections and our overall thoughts on which NHL franchises are best.

up, which are kind of in the mushy middle, and which we're not sure has the best outlook to compete for a Stanley Cup. There's a lot of different factors that are going to go into this. And I, like, I've made my own list, as I imagine you guys have. I might scrap it within the first six or seven picks based on how you guys are drafting, because I kind of know what I intend to prioritize. But if it starts going another way, I might need to pivot on this. Well, and it's important to highlight for people, too.

Like, this is everything. So you're getting all of their current players, their current cap situation, their prospect pool, their head coach, their general manager, that you're plucking the entire franchise. And so there are a number of different ways and different franchises in the league that you could prioritize with that in mind. I would say, if the premise is which would you want to take over, do we want to take front office out of the, like, like, I don't think you can get their GM if you're going to, in theory, be taking it over, right? Fair? You could say you're the president of hockey ops or whatever kind of thing, but I get what you're saying. Yeah.

All right. So I can get the brain. So if I want Julian Breezebois, I can keep Julian Breisbois, you know. I think that's a part of the equation. Okay. Yeah, I think so, too. All right. Yeah.

I just want to let everyone know right off the hop. I have no strategy. I am going to, I am going completely off of vibes at this point. but I think it's going to be, I think I can still do it. So we're looking at vibes on top of managers and salary cap situations. So if you're a low vibes team, I'm just not, you're on my no draft list. All right. Well, we've got a draft order here.

It's going to be a snake draft as always when we do these things. So it's going to start with Scott. Then it'll be me, Corey, and Chris. Chris will then start the snake back the other way. Scott, you've had a long time to think about it. Who's number one? I have. I've had a week to think of.

about it. There were two teams that I seriously considered, but I'm going to take the San Jose Sharks with the first overall pick here. I just think the combination of Celebrini, Stenberg, Misa, Chernyshav, Smith, what's coming on the blue line now in Ryan Lynn, Keaton Verhoff, Joshua Ravensburg, Bergen coming in net. I don't love that we've saddled ourselves and complicated the process, I think maybe a little bit more than we needed to with the additions of Jacob Truba and Darnell Nurse. But we can figure that. those two out when the time comes. And I think outside of the cap figures that those two are on, this team is a rocket ship. You've got the best young player in the world and you've got all of the

young pieces around him to really grow together into something special. Do we all think the sharks make the playoffs this year? In the Pacific Division, anything is possible. I think after the Big Two in the Pacific Division, I'll be interested to see who the third team is there. I wouldn't be surprised if the sharks were better than the LA Kings, for example. Yeah, I think they do. The third team in the Pacific. They're not going to catch any one by surprise this year is the one thing. I think last year that was a little bit of a factor in this.

I think everyone kind of knows exactly what they're in for with the sharks this year. They may just be up for that challenge. I mean, Celebrating is going to keep taking steps forward, the other young guys around him. I certainly think we're going to see a better Michael Mesa this year. I put it at about a coin flip for the sharks to make the playoffs. I think that's fair. They were still like a bottom five possession team last year. I know really young teams that you're hoping there's significant steps forward,

but there was a lot of one goal games. And I mean, what was the gap between celebrating to the next highest score? It was like 30, 40 points, something like that. So that's just my, I would probably take no one too. But I think it's kind of funny that we're taking a team out one that I think is not a, you know, a presumptive playoff team this current season. Is it too much bias in our front on the,

the fact that we look to the future, like, as opposed to taking maybe a little bit more for a proven team? It could be. At number two, I am going to take a little bit of a bit more proven team. It won't be as proven as it gets, but the Montreal Canadiens went to the Eastern Conference final last year. I think they got the best looking cap sheet in the league. Nick Suzuki, four more seasons, 7.875 million.

Cole Cofield, five more seasons, just a shade under that. Yerai Slavkovsky, long-term deal, just on shade under that. and Lane Hudson at 8.85 is a steal of a contract when you look at what Kail McCar just signed for. They have prospects that they can either wait for to develop or to fill what I saw as kind of the big hole at second line center. They have the pieces to do that. I really love how Montreal is positioned today and going forward.

They were my second team for what it's worth. Those were the two teams I spitball. All right. Out of curiosity, were those the top two teams for everybody? Yes. Yes. Yeah. Yeah, me too. I figured so. I had a tier of three, so I was happy to get the third pick. And it was those two in the Utah mammoth who go here at the third pick. I also think they have a good cap situation. I think they've got a really, you know, talented team, both in terms of veteran talent, guys like Clayton

Keller or Nick Schmalth, they will also have a tremendous youth led by Logan Cooley, led by young players like Caleb Dinoje, Tija, Dijiglin, Dmitri Simbachev, Daniel Bout. I think there's a lot to like with this team. You know, we'll see how their goaltending goes long-term, whether it is Sebastian Kosa, whether it is Michael Robo, whether it's somebody else. But I think just, I mean, there's so much talent here

that it was tough for a guy like Gingler, Denaulte to even make the team this season. And ultimately, they had to go to the American League, which I think speaks to the depth they have, and not an old team by any means. And so I think there are a really good, long-term position not only to win now, but win in the future. I do love the quality of their youth.

My one worry when I was putting together my own little draft board with Utah was, is there that true top dog at any of the three major positions? Like, do they have? And maybe there's a case to be made that the Carolina Hurricanes didn't have that. But certainly there are, the Colorado Avalanche and you go around the league, the teams that have won recently,

most teams do have that, like, superstar player. And I don't think any of those guys are going to be that. So it's going to, they're just going to have to be a four-line, three pairings, two good goalies team, which is a winning formula. Yeah, they have to be the way Carolina won, the way St. Louis won. Like, that's, I think, the way they're trying to be built. And obviously St. Louis won when Bill Armstrong was there. All right.

Peter's number four pick and you'll have the number five as well. Yeah, you know, I think I'm going to get this one out of the way early. You know, I don't know how much higher your vibes can get when you just won the Stanley Cup. So I'm going to take the Carolina Hurricanes here. There's a couple of reasons for that. One, obviously, the recent competitive success, I think that they have some cost certainty down the road, too, with some of the contracts that they have. A lot of the deals that they have for long term are on the lower dollar figure compared to what

we've seen in the last little while, which is going to position them very well, if they ever decide they want to spend more. I think if there's a position that I'm, you know, kind of concerned about long term, it's probably goal tending because they do have some pieces beneath the NHL. But I, I think that that's, you know, that's going to be, remains to be seen. The Chicago Wolves did go to the Calder Cup final last year. And so that's a team that, you know, that they're starting to build a little bit more. They have some younger guys that I think are going to, you know, be able to matriculate to the NHL roster here in the next little while, you know, Bradley Nadeau being one of those guys, a former first rounder for them. So, you know, I think that when you look at the coaching staff,

the front office, the way that they're set up, the way that they've been able to do business, I do think that having Carolina has some opportunities for long-term success, even though they do have an older roster than I think I would normally pick in a draft like this. But I just think that they've proven time and again, they can stay competitive. Yeah, I got no issue with that. Like you said, they have young pieces too there. Logan Stankovine is going to, and Jackson Blake are going to make sure that this is not a short window here for the Carolina Hurricanes. No, no, not at all, not at all.

And so now I'm just going to go ahead and just make a little bit of a villain pick here then, because I'm going to go with the Florida Panthers on my next one. So I'm going old again. And I think you look at the other things that they have. at their disposal. Obviously, they've built some star power into their lineup. I think the goaltending question is going to be there. I think that they've got to find a way, you know, to continue to build for the future because they've been in such a win now mode that it doesn't leave a lot for futures picks.

But I think for the short-term success, the tax advantages that they have, I think Bill Zito is one of the best executives in the sport right now just with the way that he has made some of these decisions. So if I'm moving in, I'm certainly not moving him out. Um, you know, so I, I think for me, you know, while, while we are typically looking for the prospects, you know, flags fly forever. So this is a team that continues to look like it's going to compete. And the fact that you have ownership that is willing to do what's necessary to win, I think is another big, a big key. I considered them as high as two because I feel like the certainty that you have going in here. Like we can project forward with even teams like Montreal and Utah that are already good.

There is another step that needs to be made. Whereas Florida and Carolina both have already shown exactly what the top end looks like. They don't lose really anyone from their cores from when they've won the cup. And Florida has actually added to it. They do lose Bobrovsky. And that's kind of the big question. Markstrom's the only real question mark there for me. Yeah.

I just think over the next three years, if you told me over under 0.5 cups for Florida, it's over. and they're probably the only team in the league that I think you can really confidently say that about. Yeah. And so now, now, from the Atlantic, we've seen Montreal and Florida go, but the team that actually won the Atlantic last season was the Buffalo Sabres.

And that's who I'm going to go with at this pick. A really young, talented team, team with a lot of guys who have proven it at the NHL level now and have shown they can have good seasons at the NHL level. I think their cap situation is solid. I think their prospect situation is not incredible, but it's good.

I think they're going to have some competition coming here at Ford for the coming years in terms of the young guys jostling for spots. I think, you know, the blue line isn't as high end outside of Rasmus Dahlene and Owen Power. But, you know, still good blue line. Samuelson's a good player. When Daxon Rudolph gets there, it's going to be a really good blue line, I think, long term. And I just like the way that. their position for the next decade. They were a team that I'd kind of

zeroed in on for when it gets back to me at the eighth and ninth pick. I just like the internal growth. Like, Austin's going to get better. Benson's going to get better. Holanius is going to get better. I think there's a path for Jack Quinn and others to get better. So, yeah.

Josh Don't had a great year. Like, it's a forward group is excellent. Yeah. Missing maybe that true, true premium guy, like Tage Thompson's, best player there and he's not a top 10, top 15 forward in the league, but the way their team's built that they should have really strong depth moving forward. All right.

I'm a little torn here on which way I want to go, but I think I'm going to change my list up from the way I wrote it. And I'm going to take the Dallas Stars here. The Dallas Stars have been around it for quite some time. One of the top teams in the league, I do like their cap sheet generally. They still have a couple of big questions that are going to. be coming up Jason Robertson, chief among them. But when you have a young young young number one defenseman like Mirro Hayskin,

and not too far behind him, Thomas Harley, there is a lot of ways, a lot of good ways to go forward. From there, you have Star Power and Rattan, and we'll see what happens with Robertson. They're a contender now, and I think the ages of those guys are young enough that they're going to sustain a pretty good window for the next little run here. And also just really good management with Jim Nill, really good drafting with Joe McDonnell. I'll go with the Dallas stars at number seven. That's the two teams that I had zeroed in for eight, nine taken directly in front of me here. I love the stars.

I love the way they've bridged from the sort of Sag and Ben era into this new era with Wyatt and Harley, and they're not going anywhere. All right, Corey. So, Scott, two picks to you. Yeah, and with the first one, I'll adjust on the fly here, but this is another team that I was sort of had zeroed in here. I'm going to take the Colorado Avalanche. I mean, you've got two of the three, four, five, however many you want to put them in that bucket, two of the elite players in the game, two of the world-class talents in the game. Don't love their prospect pool, but between Nathan McKinnon and Kail McCar,

it's a team that like the Florida Panthers, I think, is just positioned to continue to win. Martin Nietzsche's, I think, is a brilliant talent. I like Scott Wedgwood and net. there's even without sort of maybe the glossy prospect pool, I like Bednar as a coach. I think he's one of the better coaches in the league. They're a team that I think could win a Stanley Cup in the next two or three years here. So I'll take the Colorado Avalanche. All right.

So that's our first eight picks here. So let's just go through these in order here. We got number one, the San Jose Sharks. Number two, the Montreal Canadiens. Number three, the Utah mammoth. Four, the Carolina Hurricanes. Five, the Florida Panthers. six the Buffalo Sabres,

seven the Dallas Stars, and eight the Colorado Avalanche. Let's take a quick break right there. Scott will give you a second to think about who you want to take at number nine. Here's a wild story for you. Mario Lemieux saved the Penguins from bankruptcy by becoming the league's only player owner,

then played a game on the same day he finished cancer treatment. It's one of a hundred stories in the Hockey 100, the new book from the Athletics Hockey Staff. That is out October 27th, wherever you get your books. Make sure you get a copy. All right, guys, we're back. We're through eight picks of our franchise draft.

Number nine is to Scott Wheeler. And number nine is going to be the Anaheim Ducks. I don't love the way they've handicapped themselves in the last few months here through the summer and into the fall with some of the contracts for some of the big boys. But the big boys are still the big boys. And I expect that Leo Carlson's got another level. I know that Beckett Seneca has another level. I think Cutter-Gote might even have another level.

I think Lucas Dostal is one of the best young goalies in the game. There's the makings of a really, really exciting team there. I liked what they did at the draft last year with Nikita Klepov, and there's another wave of players coming with Solberg, and you go down the list. It's a really, really exciting young group. They're going to have to maneuver some cap complications moving here, but if the cap continues to rise,

I think this team, once you get past the San Jose's and the Montreal's that went very early. From a pure youth talent standpoint, I think it's one of, amongst the most talented teams in the league moving forward here. Where are you out on the blue line? Because Jackson Lecombe,

I think, has elevated himself into that number one defenseman category, but I don't know that around it, it's quite as robust as some of the blue lines around the league, especially this high. Yeah,

still some interesting young players in Mintyukov and Luno in Solberg. In Solberg, but of question marks with each of those players. But there were, and we'll get to some teams here, I think, shortly in the next few picks. I think we're now at the stage of the draft where the true sort of cream of the crop teams in the league that are best positioned for success have all been taken.

And I think we're going to have nitpicks about a lot of the picks here. With the ducks, I think it's the cap situation and maybe a little bit of uncertainty around just what those young defensemen could be. Now, if they all become top four players, like if Solberg, Luno and Mintyukov all become top 4D and you pair that with Lacom, you've got something really interesting. But if a couple of those guys are fringe third pairing guys, then you've got some work to do on the blue line. And you may have some cap constraints while you do that. But I mean, if Leo Carlson becomes a hundred point guy and Beckett Seneca becomes a point per game guy and cutter scores 40 goals every year and Dustow's excellent, I think you can kind of live with some flaws elsewhere in the lineup. Yeah. All right.

That sends it to me at number 10. And I'm going to take the Vegas Golden Knights here. I think Vegas is another one kind of in that mold, maybe slightly below Florida and Carolina, but I don't think too far behind them in terms of the now talent that's there. They also have some future capital on the horizon with two first round picks in 2028 to deal from. Yes, there's some older players here. Like Mark Stone's really getting up there. William Carlson's starting to get up there, although he just signed the extension.

But I will take a prime age, Jack Eichael, Mitch Marner combination all day, especially when you have Shay Theodore Noah Hanofin on the back end. I think the Vegas Golden Knights are still very well positioned on the horizon. All right, so that goes to me, although I guess, when do we think the Vegas drop-off happens? Because it feels like...

I worry that it would be around the corner. Yeah, it feels like it could be around the corner. It's got to happen soon, given the age of their roster, right? You would think, but again, 29-year-old, Marner, 29-year-old Eichol, I don't, I think they got at least another two or three years at kind of peak prime there.

They also play in the Pillow Soft Division. And we know that, we know what a destination it is. I know it's not supposed to be kind of how we're picking it, but it is something that if I was taking over a franchise, how would I not factor in how desirable of an organization I am? And Vegas is as desirable as it gets for players. Yeah, I mean,

we've gotten to almost all the zero income tax ones here except for Tampa. And Tampa is among the teams of considering with the next pick. the issue with me with this pick is I feel like the teams I'm debating have some contract issues like I like Tampa but Kutrov is pending free agent and it's an old team and it seems like Kutrov's going to resign but it's not done yet I like Minnesota's team but in case you guys weren't aware Quinn Hughes hadn't been resigned yet I'm not touching Minnesota at this point I'm not sure if that's made the rounds in recent recent days but the team I'm going to pick does have their star player not currently resign and that's

Toronto. I am worried about Austin Matthews contract, but I feel like with the way they're building there, with McKenna, with Marchenko, being added. Like I feel like they'll have a good better year. He'll be convinced to resign. And yes, the blue line is scary. Darren Radish, apparently is not a good skater. This was the first I'm learning about this when people were watching him

on opening week. But obviously he's a great offensive player and good on the power play and whatnot. But I mean, Matthews is obviously a knee lead player. Neelander's a great player. Marchenko, I love. I've always been a big Marchenko fan, as you guys well know. And I think he's going to be impactful for them.

And I think, you know, Easton Cowan is a good young player. there are definitely concerns here, but as you guys are noted, I think we're at the point in the list now where there are concerns. I think you still have Prime Age Matthews, Prime Age Neelander, Prime Age Marchenko, I think this is a group, and you have a really young McKenna. I think this is a good enough group to build around. If they don't land McKenna in the draft, I think they're in a completely different range here. But I think this is where they belong now, because McKenna gives them different paths, different optionality. that kind of gives them some some weight old room.

My fear with Toronto is I don't know that I see a championship kind of ceiling to this group at this point. And maybe that can change. And I don't know, you know, if McKenna truly is like a hundred point player, then I think that does change it. But I wonder if this isn't a team that kind of tops out in the second or third round, even two or three years from now in time for McKenna to hit his prime and Matthews to stay in his, I think is a pretty short window there.

I would say It would give it away, I guess, but like who we talk about here That is a Stanley Cup contender right now Among their remaining teams I think there's at least a couple teams on the list At least that I have That I can see a path to a Stanley Cup

Yeah Tampa was the one I debated between And it's just because of their age I went towards Toronto But Tampa was between them or Tampa For me, I think All right, well, I won't tip my hand But there's a team that I think may get back to me

And if not then I'll say it then that I think, I think there's actually two teams that I would go ahead here of the Toronto Maple Leafs. So, Chris, your pick is up next. Yeah. So now after going with two sure things at the, or what I would presume are sure things at the, at the beginning, I'm going to go a little bit further off the board to take a look at the future. And I think any, any time you need to build, you need to have a centerpiece. And so I am going to go with the Chicago Blackhawks here.

And I believe that Connor Bedard is that centerpiece. I believe that the young group that they have is starting to matriculate. They're not going to be good this year. And that is, I mean, just watching them attempt to defend was hard for me physically after my 10-U hockey practice that night because I saw a lot of similarities. But either way, there's a lot to look forward to with that group. I think Frondale, Cancerov. You know, I think we're seeing development from Sam Renzel. I want to still see more from Levshanov, but I still believe in Levshanov.

I think, you know, Spencer Knight has the potential to be a good long-term solution there. I thought he was solid despite the fact that he was getting shelled. And there was odd man breaks all over the place. So, you know, I think that they have pieces. I do think that there is pain points still left to resolve. Their stopgap veterans are going to, you know, need. to eventually become guys that are longer-term players. You know, you think you have that with Bowen Byram.

You'll see you there. But I do think that ultimately, there are still holes to fill. But when you have a centerpiece as good as I think Bedard can and will be, that gives you a lot. That is one of the two teams that I would have taken ahead of Toronto there for that reason. Chris, I just think like the young centerpiece is there. It's much more volatile. Like it could definitely go the other direction on them. Yeah.

But there's a lot of, there's a lot of upside case here. Yeah, it's a lot. It's a runway. They're on a runway right now and that they have a lot in front of them, which is what I like about that. So yeah. And it's back to you for another pick here. This is pick number 13. And again, it's, it's all about the centerpiece.

It's all about the player that I, that I can conceivably build around. And that's Matthew Schaefer. So I'm going with the New York Islanders here with my next pick. And I do, you know, I think Matthew Schaefer is proven that he is. is going to be, you know, one of the elite defensemen in this game. There is, you know, a long-term path to keeping that player and building around him. I look at Victor Eklund. I look at Kishon.

Um, you know, I think there are other players that have a chance to, to matriculate there. I do still believe strongly in Ilya Serochen. Um, you know, I just think that there is a, uh, again, it's all about runway. So I took two teams on a win now pattern and I'm taking two teams on a much more longer term view. The other thing that I think is an X factor in this is I'm a big believer in what Matthew Darsh is going to be as it's too early to judge him on everything. But I think that there have been some really significant steps taken for that franchise

with him in the GM chair. When do you think is the next season Chicago and the Islanders make the playoffs? Individually. individually, I would say for Chicago, if they don't make it next year, they're going to have to have a complete changeover. And I don't believe that I'm not confident that they will. I think New York is probably two more years away. I could see Chicago making it.

I mean, in our staff predictions, like they make you pick like one of the six bottom feeders and I took Chicago over the islanders out of that field. Don't feel good about that after watching opening night. But I think I could see Chicago making it a year from now. Yeah. Well, I kind of tipped my pick earlier, but I'm going to go with Tampa here. I thought about stealing them. Yeah, I was debating between them and another older going for a team in Edmonton.

But I feel like when you look at how they looked last year, like Edmonton has a lot more holes. And I think Tampa, they haven't had the playoff success over the last few years. but, you know, I mean, they're a manager, Julian Breezebaud, I talked about it, like, you know, by all underlying base metrics, everything you want to evaluate a team's play,

like they've been among the league's elite for the last few years, the core is still mostly in place. I think if they have a successful year, you know, just given their income tax situation, given the familiarity, I feel confident they can get Kutrovri signed. And I,

in five, six, seven years or now, I don't love their team. But for the next five years, I still think they're pretty well positioned to win. And you're pretty high on Sam O'Reilly there in terms of the young guys that are the next one. I like Sam O'Reilly. I like Connor Geeky. I like Benjamin and Routian. And I don't think any of them are like premium, premium prospects. But I think they could help provide a little bit of depth there, just help them when some of those guys age out or become too expensive, at least for the next couple of years.

Like I said, I don't know if, you know, in 60s. years from now, if they're going to be as well positioned, you know, you already kind of see someone like a Victor Hedman get to the other side of his progression and eventually it's going to happen for some of their other core players. But I think they've got a number of years left still to try and make a run with this core. Yeah. All right. Well, I'm going to take the Washington Capitals. I did not expect to have them as an option at number 15. I think they are not that far behind. I mean, they haven't proven it in the way that the Carolinas of the world have. But that's the kind of build you have here and you have some young pieces as part of that. There is still room for a Cole Hudson

or an Ilyaprodis or even a Ryan Leonard to explode. And I think Hudson probably is the best chance to be the game breaking type there. But this has the makings of a real four-line team that I think is a force as soon as this year and has some runway because of the young prospects. Yeah, I wouldn't, I wouldn't disagree with you there. Washington was definitely a team that I consider. I think the work that they did in the offseason is really, you know, it makes a huge difference. And then you do at in those young players, Ilya Protois on top of that, you know, like having having those guys that that are going to be there for a little bit longer term, it feels like there's now a bit more of a pathway post-Obechkin, which is, you know, a credit to their staff and their

ability to continue to find ways. But yeah, I mean, I think this is a year where they should absolutely be considered a contender. I think they're a real threat to Carolina for that division. Big time, big time. All right, Scott. That's to you at number 16. And you'll also get number 17. Yeah, with the two-pack, I've already got it lined up. I'm going to take the Ottawa senators and the Edmonton Oilers here. You look at the teams that are less, but there isn't a better young duo than Tim Stutzla and Jake Sanderson amongst the remaining teams. I think Shane Pinto is absolutely a Stanley Cup caliber to see in the league. I think he's one of the best two-way players in the league could see him being consistently in the Selke conversation moving forward.

And I'm not sure they're going to take the step back this year that you would maybe anticipate when a team loses a star player and the captain and Brady Kachuk. They were one of the better possession teams in the league last year. They got poor, poor goal-tending. I think Allmark will be better. They were still a 99-point team a year ago. And I think that's a team that you can continue to sort of build around. I'm a noted skeptic maybe of Carter Yakum-Chuk,

and that was a factor in sort of some hesitancy here maybe. There isn't a lot coming there, even after they had two first-round picks in this year's draft. I thought took some interesting swings on Lagerberg-Hohen and Jackson-Cover, but just really like what Sanderson and Stutzla and Pinto and even William Meckland kind of represent for just a sustainable quality playoff team here moving forward. And then with the Oilers, I mean, there's a ton of risk there, but at this point, I mean, that's the 17th pick that the Edmonton Oilers go. You've got two of the three or four best forwards in the game.

You've got a defenseman who just scored a hat-trick on opening night, albeit, in a very poor performance against the worst team in the league and the Vancouver Canucks. So that was a little worrisome. But, I mean, McDavid is McDavid. Drysidal is dry sidle. If you can convince those guys to stick around, if you can convince McDavid to stick around, you've got a chance to win a Stanley Cup here at some point in the future. And I'm a big believer in Bouchard.

Why do we think Evanton, though, lasted this long, given that they seem to be some people's pick to, like, make the Stanley Cup final out of the West right now? for me, my hesitation was that if it does, I don't think it's going to go well this year. I don't think it's going to go as well as the upside case this year. And I think it can become like a radioactive disaster if that happens. And so it's like a pure probably risk aversion thing. But you're right.

Like they should be in the top 10 on odds to win this year. But given that I don't think they will and given what I think the consequence for not doing so is, I wanted to stay away. I don't think I was going to ever get it. The Pacific is also so poor, though, that even if they're a bad team, like, who can realistically finish ahead of Edmonton and Vegas for one, two, in that division? As we were recording this, who picked Anaheim? I picked Anaheim.

All right, well, you just inherited Tristan Lunoz for six years and seven million just now. Congratulations. Did I? Wow, that's it. Good for them. Good for Tristan, given all he's been through with the injuries. Wow. How many H.L games does he have?

He played like 30 a couple seasons ago and then or a few, at least a couple dozen. He has 14 NHL games. Last year he didn't, last year he didn't play at all. He was in the H.L. all year. Scott, I want to go back to your Ottawa pick. I want to ask Corey and Chris, like how many center trios in the league would you take above Stutzla, cousins, Pinto? Like I think Florida with Barkov, Bennett, Lundel, I think you. can make a case for Utah, but I don't know that it's a lock of a case.

Who does Dallas have behind Johnston and hints? Is it St. Is it Steele? Yeah. Yeah. And then I just think like having. There's not many. Depending on if you're going to call dry sidel center.

Right. You know, like, yeah. Like I mean, like, McDavid. Carolina has a good, has a good center situation. Yeah. But I think if you look long, like, yeah, I mean, it's good. It's good.

It's good. Just a reminder, Shane Pentel is American. Jake Sanderson is American. Good luck keeping them. I see what you're saying. Sanderson is signed. Sanderson is signed, but beyond that, that's it. No American would ever be signed and then not stay with their team long term.

That would never happen. Or you could be a Michigan-born captain who still wants out of an American market. Yes, that's true. That can happen to. Yep. We'll see when they go. All right.

It's to me at number 18. I think if the oilers are off the board, I think that's my cue that I can also take the Minnesota wild. I think it's kind of a similarly volatile situation where you're looking at if things don't go well this year, what happens from there? But I think that at least the wild, they're a little more secure in their stars sticking around. It may not be the high, high end level that the Edmonton Oilers have.

But Caprice off. And Brock Faber and Matt Boldy gives me three pieces that I'm really confident are going to be there. And if you keep Quinn Hughes and maybe add something in the near future, maybe Dylan Larkin, then I think Minnesota could become a steal in this in like three months time. You know what doesn't make me confident about the Minnesota Wild? We were just talking about the center depth of the Ottawa centers. And the Minnesota Wild have Joel Erick and Dinawa Yurov as their top two centers to start the season. For today, absolutely, for today.

But let's see where it goes. Yeah. I mean, that's the thing. With the cap commitments to the weight to Boldie and Caprazov and potentially Hughes, it's going to be hard for them to add a premium center. Well, for now they have the way of the cap is rising. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. And the thing is like, here's the thing.

Like Craig Leapold, I thought there was probably a 2% chance they were going to resign Caprazov. I figured Caprazov was as good as gone, but they found a way to get it done. Now they have to pay Quinn Hughes like whatever, $22.2.5 million dollars. annually on top or or more and Craig Leopold will probably do that and that's what's going to be required so I I they were going to be they were going to be my next pick max um because of that because it's like I'm taking I'm rolling the dice that we bring Quinn Hughes back because again it's all about building around centerpieces and then you have boldie you have you know I I like Walsstead I like a lot of the things that they have so um you know I think there's there's more there

than meets the eye, but it really hinges on Hugh staying. So out of curiosity, before Corey picks at 19, I have one more team in a tier before I start to get real uneasy. Where are all of you standing on that? I don't have a team in the same tier as I had Edmonton and Ottawa with pick 16, 17, so I've got a drop off now. I've got two that I like still. Chris?

My vibes are dwindling, and I'm just hoping that Corey doesn't pick the team. that I want to take with my next pick now that the vibes are leaving me. All right. So it sounds like you have one then. And Corey's got two. Scott's got zero. Corey? Well, you know, you take Minnesota there and they have Quinn Hughes.

And I'm going to take the New Jersey Devils here who has my two, who have at least two hues. Maybe they get one more. Maybe. Time will tell. But, you know, I think there is some concern there on will be. will they be among the league's elite? I think they have a good young group of players. I think they have a good team.

Is it a great team? You know, there are some holes there, but I think you like building around the Hughes Brothers, you know, Nico Hesier there. You know, I think their prospect pool is okay enough. You know, I think it's a, you know, it's a good team. I could also see them miss the playoffs this year, quite frankly. But I think there's enough talent here,

pack talent here to get excited about them at this spot. How many years in a row have they been like the breakout team? Like I feel like two or three years now I've been saying like the devil's. I'm looking at them on paper. Oh yeah. The right couple of developments break their way. Well, I'm not calling them a breakout team. I think I'm hedging my bets here.

You know, we're at 19. I know. I'm just saying like that this is like how I keep looking at it. They're with my last team. I wanted them too. I'm just saying like I'm waiting for it to actualize. You know, like I feel like we've been waiting on it for a while. I think there is some concern on, you know,

how will they play in harder games with the way, with the way they're built. But I still think they're, they're very talented. And at this spot in the draft, I think it's a very nice bet. All right. That brings us to Chris.

Chris will have number 20 and 21. Chris, we'll take a break after 20, but why don't you lead us in with the 20th pick in this draft? Yeah. So with the 20th pick, I was honestly, like this team was the team that I was hoping would be there.

still at this point, and it's the St. Louis Blues. And I think there's a lot of intrigue around, you know, like there's things that have to, you know, get figured out, goaltending being one of them. But I look at some of the young players they have and also some of the cost certainty that they have with Robert Thomas, with Dylan Holloway. You know, you're going to have to resign Jimmy Snuggaroo, but I mean, I think that's going to be fine. Then you look at kind of what's next, Adam Urechek being there, Dallabor Dvorisky, all these young players that I do feel. like are going to make an impact. Do you also have pieces that you could potentially trade to get a little bit more on the future side of things? Do you, you know, try to figure out things,

goaltending long term? But I just think like of the teams that are remaining, I feel like there's a foundation towards like a path towards competitiveness for this team. I, you know, I think it's going to be a little, a bit of a rocky road initially, but I think that there's plenty that I have still like about that roster and feel very comfortable picking them at number 20. I worry that that Rocky Road ends with them as like a seven third like a wild card team. And that's just the ceiling. Yeah. This collective group.

The danger of. Yeah. Yeah. Sorry. I would say the danger of the mushy middle is absolutely there. And that is like that's where the wild war for forever. And what did it take to get them out of it? Paying lots and lots of money.

So I feel like everybody at this draft, you're probably saying about that to some extent. at this point. Well, there are teams, though, that are just true bottom out. I think that's where Scott's going, right? This is the point in the draft where you're going to start, maybe not quite yet, but I'm right on the doorstep of these kind of decisions where it's like, do I just want a team that I think is going to have top three picks the next five years as opposed to some of these teams that I think are kind of stuck?

And I think that's going to define the last segment of this show is that kind of decision. Yeah, we had this conversation last week when we were talking about this constantly. like Seattle versus Vancouver, for example, because Vancouver's bottoming out. Seattle has bottomed out, although I think they're not, you know, I think they're trying to win a little bit more right now.

And I made the argument for Seattle, and I think Scott made the argument for Vancouver. And I was like thinking to myself, like, wouldn't you want Malhotra to be Baneers essentially? But then the argument's going to be, you think Vancouver might pick Landon DuPont this year. Like, those are the, those are kind of the different,

those are kind of the tough distinctions you make at that part of the draft. Yeah. That's what you got to look forward to one segment from now. I'll be right back. All right, we are back. Quick recap here before we get into our final 12 picks. Number one, Scott picked the San Jose Sharks. Number two, I took the Montreal Canadiens.

Corey took the Utah Mammoth at number three. Chris took the Carolina Hurricanes and Florida Panthers, owners of the last three Stanley Cups at numbers four and five. Corey took the Buffalo Sabres at six. I took the Dallas Stars at seven. Scott took the Colorado Avalanche and Anaheim Ducks at numbers eight and nine. I took the Golden Knights at 10. Corey took the Leafs at 11. Chris took the Blackhawks and Islanders at 12 and 13. Corey took the Lightning at 14. I took the Washington Capitals at 15. Scott took the Senators and Oilers at 16 and 17. I took the Wild at 18. Corey took the Devils at 19 and Chris took the St. Louis Blues at number 20.

Chris Peters, will you take it to number 21? Yeah, I mean, this is where things just really start to feel not so good. However, I do think that there is a team here that is in turmoil at the moment, but it is not necessarily, it is not lost. And that is, I say this with much trepidation, the Detroit Red Wings. I'm going to take the Detroit Red Wings here. Now here's the deal. Lucas Raymond, good.

Moritz, cider, good. They'll eventually get Simon Edmondson signed. It would probably be good to get that sooner than later. I think there are some young pieces here, Nate Danielson, Michael Branson, Neegard, you know, Axel Sandin Pelica will still kind of see Trey Augustine is the goalie of the future. I have a lot of belief in. There's a lot of room to play with. There's whatever Dylan Larkin trade brings back, I think at this point,

you probably have to You didn't mention the Hobie Baker winner Well Max Plant Yeah exactly Max and Victor Plant So you got you got You have maximum plant In your you know you can trade for Zam

Or size maxing Carter Bear Yeah you can Carter Bear who's you know You got pieces The thing is that The Red Wings have pieces They have no direction

And that is the problem at the moment And that if you're saying, hey, you know, you're drafting a team. Well, now I have an opportunity with that foundation to potentially build some, you know, build a path forward. And it starts with trading Dylan Larkin. And it's, well, actually, it starts with signing Simon Edmondson. And then it gets to, you know, trading Dylan Larkin. So is it like, I look at teams like, and what are the other teams you're kind of thinking about? You're thinking about Philly and New York and you're like, okay. But do they have as many foundational pieces right now as what I think Detroit has to build a competitive team.

And my argument would be no at this point. So is the analogy basically you think this is like the Jack Geckle situation in Buffalo where they have to reset, take a step back for a few years and then you hope they're back, they're good in like five years from now? Yeah. I mean, there's no question that this is like a hurdle that they are going to have to get over by probably taking a few steps back. before jumping over it. Like it really is kind of one of those situations where, you know, you're in a losing position, but you have other pieces around it that are salvageable. And so it's not a tear down. It's not a complete studs tear down. But, you know, you've got a piece. I think Larkin should be an asset that you should, you got to try to win the trade. But I also think

that you can't, like if you're looking for help for right now, good luck. I mean, like, I don't know. Like, that's not happening. I don't think this would have been a controversial pick on June 15th. I think it's the malaise of like nothing happening and how the Edvinson's situation has gone awry that makes this seem kind of shocking. This is earlier than I expected to hear him called, but it wouldn't have been if we had done this in June. I think that there's a, there's a real situation where you're looking at the ownership right now and you're saying what is the plan. And what do I actually have to work with? And what are what are, what are the assets you're going to give me or the resources you're going to give me to do the job? And that is a is is an

unknowable thing right now from the position that we're sitting in. And so for me, that's, that's the, that's the biggest risk I'm taking right now is that I don't know what ownership is doing. And that, that is abundantly clear at this point. Yeah. All right. That's back to Corey. Chris mentioned the Rangers.

He mentioned, uh, the flyers. Those are like among the teams I was considering here. Um, with one, one other team in there. We'll see if they get back to me or not. But, uh, also. go with the flyers here. I know it's, they're probably not making the playoffs this year.

You know, you're being realistic at this point in the draft, that there's work to be done with a lot of the teams that you're picking. But I think you look at the young group there. You know, Porter Martone, Mitchcoff, Zedris, you know, Forrester,

Tippett, Cam York, Jamie Drysdale. Like, it's not, there's some flaws in how they've been built here. I think you're still worried about the center depth. I think you're even worried about the blue line a little bit right now. Like where's the elite players on this team outside of on the wings? But I think they actually do have elite talent, which I think, you know, that's what you're looking for right now at this point in the draft.

Who has elite talent? Who has people you can build around like Sider and Raymond for Detroit? So I'll take the flyers here. Yep. That was a team. That was my next team on my list. I think for all the reasons you laid out. I think it's a good bones team that was in the playoffs last year.

but I still think we view as on the rebuilding side of the arc. And there's work to do. But I like the pick. I'm going to take the Nashville Predators. And I really debated this one. I think the National Predators, I'm worried that in the Western Conference, the National Predators might be a little too good for what I want to do with them. But I think they have the bones for a good rebuild and a good tear down here where you have some valuable assets in Philip Forsberg,

Steven Stamcoast, Jonathan Marches-Soe, UC Soros, even Roald. Mniosi. I think if the Nashville predators want to kickstart or rebuild here, they have the NHL pieces to do it, and they've started to kind of build up the farm system that is already there, so that when you make those high, high picks, I don't think you have to wait forever to be good after that. So I will take the National Predators on those grounds. Is that a crazy approach, Scott? I don't think the Preds here is crazy. I think they're in this group, and you've got Wyatt Colin, you've got some interesting young players there, Brady Martin, obviously, maybe isn't the fifth overall pick of your dreams,

but Brady Martin's an identity guy who's going to be a good player for them. And I like the idea of a hard pivot for them, though. They need to make that decision sooner rather than later because they're not a realistic playoff team, I don't think. All right. That is two picks to you then, Scott. I'm going complete blank slate here,

and I'm going to take the Calgary Flames. I like what they've got in net in Dustin Wolf. I like what they've got, frankly, on the blue line in Zane Perrek, Simon Nemich now, Carson Carl's, who they just picked at the very top of the draft, even think Hunter Bruce Davich is a potential top 60 of the future on a solid contending playoff team. That's four defensemen that I think are a part of their top six moving forward here. And they've got to find now in the next two or three drafts the elite elite game changing forward. And then you've got to convince them to stay in Calgary. and there's major long-term risk in that.

But from a bare bones, starting from scratch standpoint, I really like what they've got in some of the most important positions. And I even like Cole Reshny and Matt Vigridden, and I like that they're committed to sitting in it. Like some of these teams that we're picking here are not committed to a rebuild. And we know exactly what the flames are going to be for the next two, three, four years here.

And I think at this point, they're one of the only teams with any real upside because of that. If they get a first or a second overall pick in the next couple of drafts consecutively, I think you could have something interesting there in Calgary to build around. They've got the new arena coming. There's reason for optimism there, at least relative to some of the other teams that are left.

And then with the other team, I'm going to take a team that is absolutely in the mushy middle and needs to pivot, but I'm going to take the New York Rangers, who we kind of discussed already. I think you, in guys like Adam Fox, you have pieces. I know Fox isn't viewed maybe the way around the league. that someone like myself views him,

but I think you've got some very good players that you could potentially parlay into assets there. We all know how I feel about Gabe Perot and some of the young guys they have there. Albert Smith has just made the NHL club and I think is a really important piece of the blue line moving forward. I think they've got,

if they play their cards right, there's a potential pivot here into something better than where they're currently at. I'm really torn now here for how to handle this. Because I have a couple teams that I think could make the playoffs this year. But I really just think that they're in for, it really just means they're farther away from starting what needs to be started. And so I'm going to go like Scott did for the true blank slate,

and I'll take the Vancouver Canucks in the years of pain that I know we're on the horizon. But I guess better to start them now than start them three or four years from now, like my other candidate teams, we're going to have to do. Yeah, like just for what I said, like, before the break, like, to me, if, unless, like, they just have so little there to work with. Like, I feel like you're looking at other teams and hoping you're going to get some of those players into Vancouver in the next couple of years. Yes, and I think, like, I debated Seattle. They were the team I was most debating them against. But, like, the other conversations I was having with myself were, like, Boston, Pittsburgh.

Like, I can see those teams making the playoffs. But I can't really see them making a run. And I think it's going to be, they're going to end up in a Vancouver-like position years from now. So I would rather just be in Vancouver's position, I think, now. But what's tough is if you talk, if you thought like an actual NHL general manager, you probably would do it differently than I did because the odds of you being even with the same team in six or seven years. Yeah, you're fighting the odds just to be that coming into a zero situation. And we talked about it with Chicago, like what could happen if they're not in the playoffs a year from now.

So I don't know. Maybe a real manager would approach it a little bit differently. But I think I'm just getting the hard stuff out of the way with the Pittsburghs, the Boston's, even the L.A.'s. So that's me now, right? Yes. Well, you know, there's a Norris trophy winner still on the board here. So I'm going with Columbus. And you got Rewinsky, you got Adam Fantilli, you've got Matthew.

unise. I'm not saying it gets extremely exciting after I'd rattle off those first couple of names, but I feel like they have those first couple of names that a lot of those other teams left here don't have. You know, I have elite players now in Columbus. But I know I got some more work to do, but I feel like they have at least enough of a foundation here that you can build off it, and potentially turn it into a good NHL team, although I know people in Columbus have heard that one before. Yes, definitely. I like Jack Graves.

Yeah. Yeah. I mean, we'll see long term how that works out. Like I just, yeah, it's, it's a tough one. Like Columbus, you're always kind of looking over your shoulder. I feel like if you're the blue jackets and they did have some missteps. I mean, we'll see if the Caden Lindstrom thing doesn't, you know, blow up. Like, they obviously got Van Tilly and they've got other players.

But like that, that pick is going to, that could, that one could sting for a while if he doesn't kind of turn it around here really soon. So KJ needs to too, too. Yeah, exactly. I mean, like they've got, they just, you know, you have to, they're one of those teams where you just simply have to hit. And, you know, that's, that's where it is. But I, I, Columbus was actually next on my list, Corey.

So I think that was a fine pick where, where you got them. And it is two picks now to you, Chris. Yeah. Man, what, you know. That's not a threat, but, you know. I know. I'm done making picks now. I just get whoever is left at 32 at this point.

It feels, it feels, I mean, it feels, it feels tough now. Definitely. But I know where I'm going for this first one. This first one, I will finally take the Seattle Cracken here with this pick. I do like their most recent draft. I think getting Chase Reed adds something that they've desperately needed. They have been chasing centers. and it feels a little futile at the moment with how it has gone so far.

But Jake O'Brien is, you know, turning pro here. We've got an opportunity to see what the next wave looks like. I still have belief in Maddie Baneers. You know, is he a number one center? I'm probably not on a good team, but at the same time, he's a guy that I still have some faith in. You know, I think the situation is Seattle, I think it is difficult for them. As we saw with the Jason Robertson situation last year,

it is difficult for them to attract players for whatever reason, whether it's the location, whether it is things. I do think that some of it has to do with general feeling about the organization and where their priorities might lie in terms of overall competitiveness and other things like that. That's the feedback that I continue to hear is like what is, like, it doesn't feel like there's a plan. Now, I think Jason Botterall, who inherited a kind of a tough situation, I don't think front of Francis did a particularly good job. as a general manager there.

You know, I think that he inherited a very difficult situation. I think that in, he has never, he's never had it easy as in the GM chair. You know, he had a great run in as an assistant GM in Pittsburgh and everything was going great. I still think that that's a person that has some vision. And I think they're drafting and other things like, you're going to have to build through the draft. You're after to find some college free agents.

You're going to have to convince a few more free agents and overpay for a few guys to get there. But ultimately, they've got a great facility. They've got a good setup. They have the tools necessary. But it's getting to the point now where you've got to put a winning product on the ice. Otherwise, that fan interest is really going to start to wane. And if you don't do it before the NBA comes back, then you're in real trouble. So that's another factor is like, how long does the Cracken have to be the big dog in the winter sports outside of the NFL, obviously. On the bright side, Chase Reed was a gift, I think. I do too. I think that's going to be a big, a big boost for them. How do you view, like Vince Dunn's contract is up after this year. Jared McCann's up, like these are some of their best players. And I guess he could say you could trade them, but as rentals, like, I just worry about the whole like retention and attraction component to this. And there's another team that we're, I'm sure going to talk about that with at some point.

Yeah, yeah. I mean, there. There's a lot. There's not so good. That's not so good. We're at the end of the draft. Again, there's not ideal situations here. Is Houston a candidate for this exercise here?

Yeah, yeah, give me an expansion team because now I feel good. That's actually, that's a great question. Where here would an expansion team have fallen? I think Houston are you taking the expansion team?

Houston would have already gone maybe pretty low, but maybe ahead of some, like I would have taken them over the Rangers. Yeah, I think. I think Yeah, I think there's I think it's

That was pick 25 for me Okay If you look at what like Seattle's expansion draft Went which I think is how Hussons or this next team is probably going to go Like are we as are you just like I don't know I think the Rangers or at least have like a decent

NHL team like I don't think it's a guarantee That whoever you draft In an expansion draft is even going to like You know be a pushing I don't know man Tax Free State You're not going to have the best goalie in the world That's for sure.

Tax-free state, though, carte blanche, in theory. In a rising cap. Talk about a blank slate. Yeah. In theory, wealthy owners,

like it's, yeah. It's going to be a destination for people. Okay. I would think. All right, so, Chris,

that was Seattle. That was at 28. Who was you taking at 29? I think this is, I understand why they're this low, but I'm going to, to go with the Boston Bruins here. I'm going to take Boston. I love Charlie McAvoy, David Pasternak, obviously, but of course, you know, they're continuing to get older. You know, I think they, I like the move of adding J.J. Petrka. I like that they have, you know, some futures there. Fraser Minton, of course, you know, got a big extension there. Not necessarily a piece that I would, you know, kind of like say that's a cornerstone of my franchise. You know, I, I do wonder,

long term, you know, swayman, what, there's not much coming from behind him at this point in terms of the next phase. I do think that the prospect system is incredibly light. So there is some pain points there, but it's not, you know, as I, as I look here and I'm making my final pick, I'm like, I don't really see any other real viable options for me at this point. my final pick is going to be the Kings, and I'm just giving like a collective shrug while I do it. Like, yeah, like, five feels good. Brian Clark is good.

They have some other decent pieces. Probably not built to win, but it was, you know, it's them or, for me, it would have been them or Pittsburgh. And it's just like which one is in the worst position in long term. Now, Pittsburgh made the playoffs. last year and never never doubt sydney crosbie but it would take quite a miracle from sydney crosbie also just in a stanley cup also just beat the philadelphia flyers who you took

like 10 picks ago seven nothing on opening night oh absolutely like i mean if i ask you ask you who's the more more likely to have more points this season and be pittsburgh yeah because again don't doubt yeah philadelphia is a better setup i'm i'm just giving you a yeah and i i i think like and i consider Pittsburgh here too in this last phase but the the I know I know like you know with Corey taking the Kings I think that I'm pretty sure I know where Max is going with this next but like you look at that and you when you say you know Sydney Crosby Chris Letang and and Evgeny Malcon have now won more games as a trio than anybody in the history of the sport that's a lot to replace like three big pieces that you're going to have to replace in the next you know handful of years because I

I think Crosby will probably play until the wheels fall off. And honestly, they don't look like they're falling off soon. But that's a, there's some pain points coming. And because of what they represent, you may not get back for them. Like you may not get the premium pieces back for them. You may never get a real opportunity to trade them. Yeah, right. And that's who I was talking about when I said, like, teams that I think are in for the groundup rebuild eventually.

I think you have to look at Pittsburgh. I think Dubas is doing his damnedest to, to, get them in a position. When that happens, they have supporting cast, so you only have to win it, you know, once or once or twice, you know, be in the top three for the lottery. But I do think there's pain coming there. And I think Crosby kind of, in a way, exacerbates it because he's stopping you. You're not getting a lot of like seventh, eighth picks right now.

What was Kendall? 10th or 11th? 11th, right? And that's like, you felt like they should have been one of the worst teams that year. And it's just when you have Crosby, it's hard to be. But yeah, I'll take Sidney Crosby especially over the alternative here. I genuinely considered him eight picks ago.

So here's an interesting thought exercise. Given how this draft has gone, and given we've done 31 teams and there's only one left. 30, we've got two left. No, I just took Pittsburgh. Oh, right, right, right. Is it fair to say,

if we were all Connor Hellebuck, we would feel a very particular way right now. Yeah. Yeah. It does make it make sense. We're going to sell Vigo, baby. Yeah. So Scott has the pleasure of picking 32nd.

Yeah. Did everyone have Winnipeg 32 on their personal list? Yeah. Yeah. I, there's, yeah. There's just no path, I don't think, for the organization. in the city. It's just a hard, it's a really, really hard path for them that the way the league seems to be going financially. They don't, as the cap rises, they're going to find it

harder and harder to spend to it with the size of that barn and the realities of their corporate revenue. It's, and marketplace, we know how it's viewed. I'm not trying to beat up on Winnipeg, but it's, it's tough. And you wonder, like, really beyond your rebuild. Like, beyond, can they just, can they sustain that if they have to do like a full rebuild in the way Vancouver has? Like, I don't know in that market if it's viable. Well, remember when they moved in there after coming in from Atlanta, like Batman famously said, like this barn has to be full every night. Every night.

To sustain this. Yeah. And it hasn't been that way. And if it gets really not that way, then it becomes really concerning. Yeah. Yeah. And it's the issue is, is the revenue continues to pump into the league. And not just in terms of it, creating the salary cap situation.

the viability situation of a league with that market in its, you know, in its roster of teams suddenly becomes less and less tenable. So, you know, I think the window that that Winnipeg had was open for, and you have to give Kevin Shevall Day off a ton of credit for adding Connor and Shifley and all these guys through the draft mostly and Eilers and all that, but that was it. that was the that was the shot now it's going to be studs down you have to hope ego pans out you're going to have to probably start moving some of those assets out that that were guys that will still sell tickets so it's a dark it's the the whole hellabuck thing creates a real

dark ages kind of situation here for winnipeg if they can't manage it properly and and to your point earlier about the Columbus blue jackets missing potentially on a kj or a kaden lindstrom they're a team that you can't miss on a Colby Barlow. You can't miss on a, and Lucius was obviously an early retirement, but you can't miss on Lucius. You can't have Cole Perfetti just become a good player. Like you need to find the next Kyle Conner,

the next Mark Schifley constantly. Yeah. Yeah, it's possible, but that's the path. I think Vigo could rise to that level of player. Like, I think Vigo has a chance to be a top of the lineup player, but you need five or six of those. Like you, yeah. And yeah, it's tough.

Yeah. All right, so let me go through and read everybody's portfolios here. So we should all have eight teams here. So Scott's got the San Jose Sharks, the Colorado Avalanche, the Anaheim Ducks, the Edmonton Oilers, the Ottawa Senators, the Calgary Flames, the New York Rangers, and the Winnipeg Jets. I have the Montreal Canadiens, the Dallas Stars, the Vegas Golden Knights, the Washington Capitals, the Minnesota Wild, Nashville Predators, Vancouver Canucks, and Pittsburgh Penguins. Corey's got the Utah mammoth, the Buffalo Sabres,

the Toronto Maple Leafs, Tampa Bay Lightning, the New Jersey Devils, Philadelphia Flyers, Columbus Blue Jackets, and Los Angeles Kings, and Chris Peters has the Carolina Hurricanes, Florida Panthers, Chicago Blackhawks, New York Islanders, St. Louis Blues, Detroit Red Wings, Seattle Cracken, and Boston Bruins. That feels pretty evenly distributed here, guys.

I don't know that there's a clear winner. And I think we all kind of took similar tax here. Maybe give or take some on who valued the win now a little bit more. Yeah, I wasn't as like I thought we'd go into this and there be like, what the heck was that guy? I think we all, you know, with a plus or minus a couple of decisions there where we would go a different way. Like I think it went generally the way we expected it to. And I think, you know, kind of paints the picture, I think, for the listeners on which, organizations are in a good position to win, which are in our so-so, and which we have some

questions about their direction currently. What would love to hear from the listeners on this, not just in terms of which of us you think did the best, although we'll certainly take that, but which teams do you think their placement was the most off by? Is there any teams here that you would have taken way earlier than us? Any teams that you think we took way too early? Would love to hear from you guys about all of that in the comments. But that is going to do it for us today.

Thanks for listening to this episode of the Athletic Hockey Show, You can catch more of Chris over at flow hockey and on his podcast called up. I'm back on Monday with Las and Jesse. We'll talk to you soon.