Draft Week 2010 Post #4: Trading Into the 1st Round

The Edmonton Oilers (despite their reputation) do in fact acquire first round picks. In 2007, the club grabbed NY Islanders first round pick in the Ryan Smyth trade and then dealt #30 and #36 to move up to #21 (which I still think was an overpay although the player is a fine prospect).

What is the required currency to move up in a draft year? Increasingly, the answer appears to be other draft picks near your target number. The Nash trade (30+36=21) shows us how the math works (sort of) and a deal from last year's draft is also helpful:

• Anaheim traded #21 to Columbus for #26 and #37. This is extremely similar to the Nash deal.

We also get some great insight on this trade from Guy Flaming and his draft review 2009 article here. Flaming details Edmonton's interest in John Moore, a player they considered at #10 overall. As the first round continued, the Oilers looked to trade into the 1st round:

• As the first round continued and defenceman John Moore continued to be available, Edmonton began kicking tires to see what it would take to move up into an area where they might be able to take him. Moore is a player that Oilers Assistant GM Rick Olczyk knew well from his days spent in the Chicago area where he actually coached the defenceman at a younger age. It's my sense that Moore was very likely 10th on Edmonton's list, just behind Glennie, so if they could have found a way to get back into the first round, they would have. As it turned out, the asking price was a later pick in round 1 and they simply didn't have one so they watched with envy as former Oiler Scott Howson came away with another player Edmonton valued.

So Guy confirms that acquiring the 21st overall pick (which became John Moore) was a pretty difficult task.

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I'm of the opinion that the Oilers will attempt to trade up in the first round of this year's draft in an effort to select defenseman Dylan McIlrath. He's an attractive option for a team in need of a rugged blueliner. Although it'll take some time for him to develop, adding McIlrath would give Edmonton a few young defenders with grit (Peckham, Plante, Petry can play it tough and Motin has a mean streak) and enough skill to project as NHL defenders.

For the sake of this discussion, lets not worry about the player Edmonton would select (speeds has suggested Kuznetsov and he follows the draft closer than i do), focusing instead on the price for such a move.

With all of the information above, what is your estimate as to the cost of a pick in the 15-20 range at this seasons draft? Would #31 and Andrew Cogliano get it done? Too much? What would #31 and #48 (the Grebs pick from NAS) get you? If the answer is "#25" is it worth it? What if McIlrath/Kuznetsov/your preference is still on the board?

What if MBS tells you McIlrath is the next Jim Dorey? Do you make it happen even if it requires #31 and next year's 2nd round pick?