Quote:
Originally Posted by Table 5
Jesus Jones, are you serious? When's the last time a team has traded their way to a Stanley Cup? The Colorado Avalanche in the 90s?
Drafting high is not a sure thing, and never will be, but drafting well is still the best, and almost only, way to build a Stanley cup winner. Just look at the last decade of Stanley Cup winners, and see who those teams have build around. Pretty much all of them are high draft picks, and almost always their own.
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Between 2000 and 2011 I only see 5 players who were drafted in the top 5 that were critical rebuilding elements which subsequently led the team to win a Stanley Cup (M-A Fleury, Crosby, Toews, Kane and Doughty.) Spezza was close but they lost in the Stanley Cup finals.
I would say that the last team that traded their way to a Stanley Cup were the Boston Bruins in 2011. They added necessary key components to their team in 2008, 2009 and 2010 which led them to win the cup.