While reading some comments in another fan forum, it was pointed out that we now have (or had in one case) the rights to several prospects that were drafted in the third round of the 2016 draft which caused me to take a look at that draft:
2016 Draft
That happened to be a draft where we had three picks from previous trades:
#67 (from Winnipeg as a result of the Tlusty trade) -> Matt Filipe (LW) who is currently a rising junior at Northeastern University
#74 (our pick) -> Hudson Elynuik (LW) who was with the Spokane Chiefs in the WHL but did not sign with us this summer and is now with the Toronto Marlies
#75 (from Boston as a result of the Liles trade) -> Jack LaFontaine (G) who had a couple of seasons as the back-up goalie at Michigan but is currently signed with the Penticton Vees of the BCHL to get some ice time with the announced intent of returning to Michigan afterward
But since the draft we happened to have also acquired via trades the rights to:
#66 (from Calgary as a result of the Lindholm/Hanifin trade) -> Adam Fox (RD) who is currently at Harvard
#69 (from Buffalo as a result of the Skinner trade) -> Cliff Pu (RW) who is currently with the Kingston Frontenacs
Could just be coincidence that we have so many prospects from such a tight grouping in the 2016 draft.
But also could be that because we had three picks in that round that the scouts spent quite a bit of time studying those that might be available and are just now circling back to some that were of interest but not available when we did pick in that round.
Hence the focus on making sure both Adam Fox and Cliff Pu were assets of interest when trade talks began with the orgs that did acquire them.
