Bali Sports: Frank Serravalle and Pete Blackburn on whether the Detroit Red Wings should trade one of their first-round picks for immediate assistance. They currently have picks number 9 and 17.
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Serravalle: “The Detroit Red Wings made some solid steps forward last year on Yzerplan. We didn’t quite make it to the finish line making the Stanley Cup playoffs.
Pete, this year the Red Wings picked 9th and 17th overall. We know that other teams around them that have multiple picks will take advantage of those for more immediate help. Should the Red Wings do the same if given the chance?
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Blackburn: “Yeah, I totally think so. I think they’re in a great place here not just to maybe add them to the draft. I mean the top 10 in this year’s draft is great. So if they want to keep the pick nine, they’ll be able to get a good player.”
But if they also want to take advantage of that on another team that’s hungry for one of those picks, they’re allowed to have a very good player who helps them right away.
I guess if you’re in Detroit, you have to make your move at some point, right? I know Stevie Yzerman, the most important thing he has is patience, in seeing a long range vision. But at some point it has to come into focus and you really have to do the push. And I think we’re at a point where maybe Atlantic is seeing a power shift where a team like Buffalo, where a team like Ottawa, maybe a team like Detroit can start to move up in that standings where a team like Tampa maybe slip. A team like Boston is starting to slip.
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So there might be an opportunity here for them to grab some power and finally start moving. Whether it’s through the draft or whether it’s moves nine or seventeen. I think any of those would give them options.”