As I'm sure you all know, the Devils are hosting the draft this year and there is a pretty good chance we wont have many picks. The 3rd, 5th and 7th round picks have been traded away. Of course, there is the matter of the 1st rd pick we must forfeit either this year or next. My thinking is that if the Devils make the playoffs - and it looks now like they will make the playoffs - they really will be forced to give up that pick this year. In my view it's simply to risky to chance that the team could flop next year and it will cost a top ten pick. Who knows with Lou, but I'm resigned to the idea we wont have our 1st round pick in the year we host the draft. Indeed, we wont have very many picks at all. Bummer. Why does this seam like a unsurprising turn of events for this franchise? Does anyone believe that the fact that we are hosting should influence the decision to keep the pick? Does anyone believe LL will allow this to influence his decision to keep the pick? Any other thoughts on this situation?