I still don't think the Oilers can be considered a classic rebuild. What depreciating assets did they trade away? Smyth? As recently as 2009 we saw the Oilers trade a 2nd round pick for a 31 year old Ales Kotalik. What about signing Khabibulin? Accidental rebuild maybe, but I think they were just bad enough for consecutive years that people are starting to think it was their plan all along.
Have there been any examples of teams rebuilding in the sense of what many are asking the Flames to do? Chicago and Pittsburgh? Again, my memory is fuzzy but I feel that was just pure luck of having a few bad years in a row. I can't remember them trading away any big pieces/franchise players for draft picks. You could say Boston maybe, but then again they got killed in the Joe Thornton trade. The only time I can remember teams trading away potential franchises stars have been the Florida's and Atlanta's of the league, and I really don't think that has worked out for them too well.
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