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Could the Panthers trade down twice at NHL Draft?

Dale Tallon

Dale Tallon, the Florida Panthers’ Executive Vice President, during a Friday, Sept. 27, 2013 press conference in Sunrise, Fla. Vincent Viola was formally introduced as the Panthers’ principal owner, chairman and governor on Friday, after spending $250 million for the team and the operating rights to the BB&T Center, where Florida plays its home games. (AP Photo/J Pat Carter)

AP

The Florida Panthers are in the driver’s seat when it comes to the NHL Draft. Owning the No. 1 pick means they’ve got their choices of anyone they want. They also have the choice to trade down if it means getting a better haul.

The idea of Panthers GM Dale Tallon trading out of the top spot has been kicked around lately, but CBC’s Elliotte Friedman floats the idea in his 30 Thoughts the Panthers could deal down twice and still get their guy.

It would take a couple of different conditions to make it work :


  • The Buffalo Sabres are expected to take either of the top centers in Sam Reinhart or Sam Bennett at second overall. If a team like the Islanders or Flames wanted to jump to No. 1 to get either of them ahead of Buffalo, that would allow Florida to drop to fourth or fifth to change spots and get something else out of that team.
  • From there, the Panthers could deal down again if they expect one of the players they have their eye on is still available. That means Florida could slide down again slightly if there’s another player a team below them is eager to grab.

Florida has a need to fill at wing and guys like William Nylander, Nikolaj Ehlers, Kevin Fiala, Kasperi Kapanen, and Brendan Perlini could/should be Top 15 picks. That gives Florida a wide array of guys to potentially settle on.

It’s all hypothesis at this point, but the drama on draft day could be sky high for the Panthers and any of the teams (outside of Buffalo perhaps) in the top 10.

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