On the No. 1 draft pick …
Mark Spector of Sportsnet: Speculation that is that the Coyotes will look to trade up in the draft if they don’t win the draft lottery to select Scottsdale native Auston Matthews.
Thinking is they will try to trade their first round pick and a very good player to the team that wins the lottery. Teams will ask for Oliver Ekman-Larsson. GM Don Maloney will wonder if they would be better by trading a No. 1 defenseman, and ownership may counter by saying they’ve missed the playoff for four consecutive teams with that No. 1 defenseman. Why not rebuild around Matthews?
Looking at some teams that could win the lottery and if they would consider trading with Coyotes.
Toronto Maple Leafs – don’t think the Leafs would do it as they need centers to build around. The Coyotes will hope the Leafs don’t win.
Winnipeg Jets – would likely want to hold on Matthews. Start him in the wing with Mark Scheifele, and then eventually trade Bryan Little.
Edmonton Oilers – the Oilers have enough centers and GM Peter Chiarelli could be looking to make a big deal. The Oilers will definitely be asking for Ekman-Larsson. The Coyotes would need to get a defenseman back in a deal if they were to do something like that. Maybe Darnell Nurse or Oscar Klefbom and the swapping of first round picks. If the Oilers win the lottery, they’d also be shopping the pick to the Wild and Maple Leafs.
Columbus Blue Jackets – After trading No. 1 Ryan Johansson, the Blue Jackets would likely be keeping the pick. Blue Jackets GM Jarmo Kekalainen is Finnish and has eyes for Finnish wingers Patrik Laine and Jesse Puljajarvi.
Vancouver Canucks – would likely keep Matthews and could eventually run Matthews, Brandon Sutter and Bo Horvat down the middle.
Buffalo Sabres – Jack Eichel and Matthews as their No. 1 and 2 centers.
Calgary Flames – a one-two punch of Sean Monahan and Matthews. They are not trading the pick.
