Snapshots: First Round Picks, Pouliot, Stoll, Streit

With more and more teams getting tighter to the salary cap, draft picks have become quite an important commodity.  In recent years, most teams have been unwilling to part with their first rounders as those picks are expected to serve as cheap talent before too long.  As a result of what’s expected to be a weaker draft class, that may not be the case this season, suggests ESPN’s Craig Custance (Insider required).

A pair of executives suggested to Custance that they’d be willing to part with their first round pick this year but only if they’re getting someone under contract or team control beyond this season.

Last year, only one first rounder was dealt at the trade deadline when Chicago dealt theirs to Winnipeg as part of the return for rental forward Andrew Ladd, a move that didn’t exactly pan out well for them.  If some players with term left on their deal get moved by the deadline, we could see more first rounders changing hands over the next month or so.

Other tidbits from around the league:

• In a reader chat, Dave Molinari of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette notes that the Penguins would be willing to move young blueliner Derrick Pouliot in a trade, something that wasn’t the case earlier. The former first round pick has not yet progressed to the point where he can be called a regular NHL defender and is in the final year of his entry level contract.  He has eight points in 18 AHL games this season and has been held off the scoresheet in seven NHL contests.
• Although center Jarret Stoll is currently working in a player development capacity with the Kings, he emphasized to Puck Daddy’s Josh Cooper that he has not retired. The 34 year old split last season between the Rangers and Wild and attended training camp with the Blue Jackets on a PTO but was unable to secure a deal.  However, given his prowess on the penalty kill and at the faceoff dot, he could be a serviceable replacement forward should a team get hit with some injuries up front.
• The Flyers have not made any decisions regarding their pending unrestricted free agents, GM Ron Hextall told Wayne Fish of the Burlington County Times. If Philadelphia falls out of the playoff race between now and the trade deadline, a potential rental option would be blueliner Mark Streit.  While he agrees there’s not much point in opening extension talks at the moment, he indicated that he’s hoping to remain with the team: “At this point, I just want to play and I want to make it into the playoffs with the Flyers.  That’s on my mind. I love it here, love playing for the Flyers.”  Streit carries a cap hit of $5.25MM and has a list of ten teams that he would accept a trade to as part of his modified no-trade clause.