If I was a GM I today’s NHL. I would trade my first round pick every year. The only exception would be if I knew I was getting superstar Player like Sidney Crosby. With the new salary cap system there is always going to be high end talent available on the free agent market for a team to pick up. This is different then what it was before. The reason for this is that it does not matter who has the most money to spend but rather who has the most cap room to spend. Where teams are going to be successful is going to be in the scouting and drafting of their young players. Okay you are probably thinking this guy just contradicted himself with the last statement. Drafting is the most important thing going forward. The key here is that just because a player is drafted in the first round does not guarantee him success in the NHL. For every player selected in the first round there is one from the later rounds that becomes a better NHL player. Last year when the Hurricanes won the Stanley cup Ray Whitney was a part of their team. Whitney played junior in Spokane. His line mate Pat Falloon was drafted high in the first round. Falloon lasted about five years in the NHL and was nothing more than an average player. Whitney was overlooked because of his size and was selected in a later round. He has moved around the NHL but has been a very effective player in his career.
With a first rounder you are going to spend a lot of money developing them. When they make the NHL they are also going to make more money on their first year contract than a second or third round selection. A good example would be here in Vancouver. Next season Luc Bourdon may make the Canucks team. He was a high first round pick by the Canucks. If he makes the team he may be getting paid more money than Kevin Bieksa who at this point in their careers is a better defenceman. There is an age difference here and when bourdon is Bieksa age there may be better comparable.
I heard Ken Holland the GM of the Red Wings talking about their philosophy on the draft. He said they select the most skilled player available. This is how they selected Hendrik Zetterberg and Pavel Datsyuk in later rounds when people had passed over them.
Teams need to use the draft to find those gem players that will be less expensive early in their careers. You can then use free agents to supplement the high end talent you need.
With a first rounder you are going to spend a lot of money developing them. When they make the NHL they are also going to make more money on their first year contract than a second or third round selection. A good example would be here in Vancouver. Next season Luc Bourdon may make the Canucks team. He was a high first round pick by the Canucks. If he makes the team he may be getting paid more money than Kevin Bieksa who at this point in their careers is a better defenceman. There is an age difference here and when bourdon is Bieksa age there may be better comparable.
I heard Ken Holland the GM of the Red Wings talking about their philosophy on the draft. He said they select the most skilled player available. This is how they selected Hendrik Zetterberg and Pavel Datsyuk in later rounds when people had passed over them.
Teams need to use the draft to find those gem players that will be less expensive early in their careers. You can then use free agents to supplement the high end talent you need.
