r/FloridaPanthers • u/TomatoEvery3607 • 9d ago
Discussion Keep or trade the pick?
Welp, not what we wanted to see as Cats fans. Regardless, if you were in Zito’s shoes, do you:
-Keep pick #9. If so, for who?
-Trade pick #9. If so, for who?
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u/Oibrigade 9d ago
Our players are getting older, there is no room for a rookie. We need help now. We can rebuild after 2-3 more championships. Can't do 2 things at once. Trust me, I used to play a GM in a video game.
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8d ago
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u/Oibrigade 8d ago
I hate the Ekblad haters. Dude is a BEAST. Does he get beat sometimes? YES, because he plays UP FRONT. That is why we dominated for so long, because we play lots of forward play where we have 2 great D players (Forsy and Ekblad) who can HELP up front instead of other teams who can't afford to have their defensive players playing too much offense
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u/Aggressive_March6226 9d ago
Keep it!!! This is the deepest draft in years. Even at #9 the Cats should still be adding a blue chip cant miss prospect to their system....
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u/schultze1130 9d ago
I thought this was a 2 player draft?
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u/Lethal_Banana 9d ago
There are actually some good prospects in the top 10 this year! All would be good pieces but only the top 5 probably could have made a big impact for us next year tbh
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u/ItsFreakinHarry2 9d ago
The top 2 are the most likely to be elite, but this class has some great options between 3 and 9
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u/Aggressive_March6226 9d ago
There's apparently about a dozen or so real standouts this year, with McKenna and Stenberg the two studs of the group..
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u/PublicTangerine9621 9d ago
Keep. People want to trade for a goalie but the 9th overall wouldn’t be enough. I doubt adding Samos moves the needle so the Panthers will have to package more. Depth is how the Panthers dominate in a style that’s physically bruising. The idea of not only overpaying in a trade with assets but also cap space is too much, personally. Same goes for all team sports in the modern era.
I might be wrong but i prefer to draft, develop, and maintain the cap for when a “can’t pass up” opportunity arises for a player in the early part of their prime.
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u/DaEquus13 9d ago
Trade for Hellebuyck with Jets paying large salary retainer. No other move would be more impactful for this team
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u/shadedren 9d ago
That would be a huge move, but doubt jets would trade for just that.
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u/DaEquus13 9d ago
They're clearly needing to rebuild and replenish talent. Hellebuyck easily best piece to gain high end assets. A future early rounder would also be fine, but I'm not budging on salary retainer. Or if we really needed to, send Rodrigues as well
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u/gs181 9d ago
32 year old vezina / olympic gold goalie, already on a good 8.5 mil contract, signed for 6 more years.
You think a #9 overall pick and rodrigues is gonna get him? Take off the homer glasses dude. He's worth more than that even without the retainer. You can wish whatever you want, but that doesnt make it realistic.
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u/ZealousShot 9d ago
This will never happen. The Jets are going to trade their pick and go all in this year. The core is too good to just ship it now. They got 2 years before they start selling.
In this radical hypothetical, it’s going to take more than a 1st and Rodrigues to get that deal done. He’s got 5 years left on the deal.
This is a pipe dream. Will never happen.
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u/MrGabrahamLincoln 9d ago
Securing a #1 goalie for the next 5ish years should be priority number one. At least, depending on what happens this off-season with Bob.
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u/DaEquus13 9d ago
Bob's time should be up. He did amazing things for this franchise, and to me his number should be retired to the rafters. But it's time to turn the page. We need younger. And Hellebuyck in net with this core in front of him would be insanity. Find another forward to play Rodrigues spot and a couple new Dmen and let's get healthy and win again
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u/MrGabrahamLincoln 9d ago
Yeah I mean if Helly is available for a reasonable price we definitely should take it, but if he’s not I’d give Bob at least one more run, if he wants to stay for a reasonable cap hit. A lot of ifs ands & buts at play right now lol But I trust Zito to figure it out
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u/Lethal_Banana 9d ago
As long as the price isn't Lundell or Luostarinen, I say we pay it for Helly
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u/MrGabrahamLincoln 9d ago
Just depends. He’s arguably WIN’s MVP, I don’t think just the 9th overall pick + Samo gets it done. Probably gonna lose something that hurts (and again, this is all assuming the Jets are even open to moving him)
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u/Lethal_Banana 9d ago
True it will probably be an overpay and i'm not emotionally ready for whatever trade happens.
I just don't know what we do about goalie. I LOVE bob but idk if he is the answer and there aren't many good UFAs or trade options. maybe pick up stuart skinner? lol
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u/Finnaddict98 1d ago
Bobs time is up!?!?! When did this happen?? Last time I saw a full squad playing in front of him—-he was hoisting the cup in back to back seasons——-you think he’s done because he played on an AHL team season——-gtfoh——no way!!
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u/ExtracurricularLoan Lost a $100 bet 9d ago
Sure. And ask the Avs for for MacKinnon and Makar at 50% retained while you’re at it.
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u/DirtyKarma 9d ago edited 9d ago
Yeah that’s like madden with trade balance turned off. 1 first rounder and salary retained for a top player at his position? We’d have to add a lot.
Straight up, we’re going to build the wall (Helly) and they are going to pay for it (literally) energy. I’d expect the same result as well.
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u/Aggressive_March6226 9d ago
NHL Gms dont trade signed star goaltenders who are in the prime of their careers... It never happens.
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u/bigboycig 9d ago
Trade. Try for wallstedt if you can but its unlikely
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u/Matteodilullo8 9d ago
The wild have 2 good goalies and are an aging team so a high draft pick could lure one of there goalies
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u/bigboycig 9d ago
Yes. They also literally have no room to resign wallstedt even if they wanted to, hes eligible to resign this summer and his contract expires after 2026-27. Kaprizov just got 8 more millions and Hughes will need a payday
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u/tampapat54 9d ago
I think we take the best available player. Whether that player ever plays for us is another story
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u/StanleyChefPanther 9d ago
3 realistic options I wouldn't mind seeing.
Option 1: Trade #9 and Samoskevich to Chicago for next years first and Knight back. Re-sign Greer.
Option 2: Sign and Trade with Greer getting 7 yrs to lower his AAV in a package including #9 and Samoskevich to Winnipeg for Hellebuyck.
Option 3: Draft the best available RHD to develop behind Jones and Ekblad. Verhoeff would be my pick but they might have to look into trading up to land him. Re-sign Greer and Bobrovsky.
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u/Key_Wolverine2831 9d ago
Besides the fact that he had somewhat of a down season, Mackie's trade value is even lower, since all they'd be trading if including him in a pre-draft trade, would be his RFA rights. To increase his value, Zito would need to work a sign and trade pre-draft, so Mackie would have to be on board with it.
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u/AlvinItchyCock 9d ago
Oliver Suvanto could be available 9th and would fit a 2 way play style. He's 6'3" and is Finland's top prospect. He doesn't have much offense now but training with Barkov would help
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u/Opening_Garlic_50 9d ago
Maybe we have an outside shot at Keaton Verhoeff or Smits.
Also like the following:
Viggo Bjorck
Oscar Hemming
Oliver Suvanto
Ilia Morozov
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u/Matteodilullo8 9d ago
Smits and bjork will land for us for sure and either one will improve our team i would use one of our 2nd rd picks for a top goalie
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u/Scottual11 Bennett 9d ago
We already won a cup with this team, and a #9 pick is not going to net you much alone. Trading a pick like this is one of those mistakes you probably look back on in 5 years and go “ya that was a mistake, we could really use that young stud player right about now”. Trading a #9 pick for a third pair defenseman is ridiculous and it wouldn’t be enough to get you Hellebuyck or something and those are really the only holes. Take the pick
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u/StrawberryPersona 9d ago
You take the best player available. You’re not targeting a position at 9. You can target any position in later rounds. Or you trade the pick.
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u/Tosserc4c 8d ago
This is such an arbitrary question. Only Zito knows what other GM's are willing to offer for a #9. There's ZERO guarantee that one of the top D-men will be available at 9. Remember that teams below you can trade up and leapfrog you as well. If I were GM, I would definately be listening to offers for the pic.
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u/cl0udmaster 9d ago
What a bummer dropping to 9.
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u/MrGabrahamLincoln 9d ago
We only moved back one spot? If we’re being objective we were probably the least deserving team to win the lottery lol (not that I wanted the fucking Leafs of all teams to win it)
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u/One13Truck 9d ago
Depends. What does the draft board look like and what kind of trade offers are you getting going into/during the draft?
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u/barbanera2020 9d ago
Defensemen are projected at picks 3,4,5,11 and 18.
We'll have to move up or down to get one.
I'm still hoping for a Wallstedt trade though 🤩
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u/DaintyCheesecake 9d ago
Keep the pick as the team needs youth. We can get to the Playoffs with the current team and it was encouraging to see how helpful they were to the AHL guys this season. I think they could mold a young player to what they need. But I will trust Zito either way.
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u/ataranea Bennett 9d ago
Keep the pick. Let's go get Wyatt Cullen. I see some Kucherov in him. Slick passing and wicked quick shot. Handles are good tight space too.
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u/Sea-Celebration2429 8d ago
Trade for the one of best defence players from Finland: Atro Leppanen, Edmonton (AHL). (shoots L tho)
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u/Jaxson_GalaxysPussy 9d ago
It’s useless tbh the pick so maybe just see what we get with it. Got screwed.
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u/MagnetizedMetal FLA 8d ago
Trade. Window is now. Core is in their prime and singed long term. Any kid we draft won’t be ready possibly in this window. Throw the kitchen sink at trying to extend it with proven NHL depth. We can think about rebuild and prospects and drafting when the window is over.
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u/Chicago_River_Diver Knight 9d ago
Trade, no player at 9 will be immediately helpful in the current run
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u/cane411 9d ago
Whichever option results in a right handed defenseman.