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Finishing for a top 5 pick isn't even the real key, it's accumulating more draft picks and then developing them right.

The Ducks were and are being built mostly without the benefit of top 5 picks, exception being Bobby Ryan. Getzlaf was drafted 19th overall, and Perry was a 28th pick. Cam Fowler was a 12th overall pick. Guys like Bonino, Etim, Palmieri, Schultz, Smid, Gardiner, vatanen, Holland, Gibson were all drafted outside of the top 5.

The Ducks do trade veterans for draft picks when they know they are out of it because the more picks they have, the more chance they have of hitting a jackpot. The Flames always tend to go into drafts with fewer picks than every other team because throughout the year they always trade them for stop gaps.

There is no reason why guys like Babchuk, Sarich, Jackman, should be around after the deadline. If you can get even a 7th rounder for them, which you should, they should be dealt. As for the rest, Iggy should go and Tanguay along with him. I think Stempniak will bring a good return given the season he is having. One of Giordano or Bouwmeester should go for a good return.

Cammy should probably stay cause he has another year left and could likely return greater next year, plus he along with Hudler, Backlund, Cervenka, Stajan and Glencross (he's not waiving to be traded, hockey is secondary to him, chuck wagon racing is his true passion) can form a competitive forward group. Supplement that group with guys like Sven, Horak, Byron, Street and on defense with Breen and Carson and any college free agents and young prospects you acquire in trade.