With the NHL Trade Deadline in full swing, 2017 draft picks become key assets in acquiring players for a post-season run. The more draft picks a team has, the more it can offer in return. Moreover, draft picks that pan out early offer GMs cost-certainty by tying productive players to cheap contracts. A team cannot succeed in the NHL under the salary cap without some cheap talented prospects.
The Carolina Hurricanes leads the league in 2017 draft picks with ten, followed closely by the Philadelphia Flyers with nine. Technically Philadelphia has 10, but its 7th round pick—acquired from NJ—is conditional on either being a 2017 or 2018 pick. Given how GMs believe that teams will improve every year, this post assumes that the New Jersey Devils chooses that Philadelphia receives New Jersey’s 2018 pick instead.
On the other end of the spectrum, the Ottawa Senators has a league-least four draft picks. That may hamstring Ottawa’s ability to acquire players at the deadline because they cannot afford to lose any more picks this year. Another surprising tally is the Arizona Coyotes with six picks. The Coyotes will most likely pick up a few more before the trade deadline passes, but seven may not be enough for a lottery team with a modern analytical GM.
Teams
10 Carolina Hurricanes
9 Philadelphia Flyers
9 Chicago Blackhawks
9 Detroit Red Wings
9 New Jersey Devils
8 Buffalo Sabres
8 Edmonton Oilers
8 San Jose Sharks
8 Tampa Bay Lightning
8 Winnipeg Jets
7 Arizona Coyotes
7 Colorado Avalanche
7 Columbus Blue Jackets
7 Dallas Stars
7 Los Angeles Kings
7 Nashville Predators
7 Pittsburgh Penguins
7 Toronto Maple Leafs
6 Boston Bruins
6 Calgary Flames
6 Florida Panthers
6 Minnesota Wild
6 Montreal Canadiens
6 New York Rangers
6 St. Louis Blues
5 Anaheim Ducks
5 New York Islanders
5 Vancouver Canucks
5 Washington Capitals
4 Ottawa Senators