Obviously you need to build through the draft but I think there are numerous things you need to factor in when building a team. As your team progresses certain players are going to decline because of age, certain players are going to need salary increases, other players are going to leave for free agency. There are so many variables. And you need to consider how do you replace or supplement these things along the way while still trying to improve the team. So yes drafting is one way to do that but it is by no means a sure thing and it is really tough to determine when your picks will even be making an impact, if they ever do. If you just look at drafting you're not really considering the full picture of building a team. If we look at the Flames most recent drafting...
10 most recent first round picks outside the top ten:
Valimaki
Poirier
Klimchuk
Jankowski
Baertschi
Erixon
Nemisz
Backlund
Irving
Pelech
10 most recent second round picks:
Parsons
Dube
Andersson
Kylington
McDonald
Smith
Sieloff
Granlund
Wotherspoon
Wahl
Backlund is the only impact player of the bunch and it took him a decade to turn into that. Jankowski is the only other regular and it took him 5 years to make it as an inconsistent bottom 6 player. Andersson could be playing next season but it took at least 3 full seasons to make it as a 6th d-man.
Gaudreau has 4 years left on his deal. Does he re-sign? What is Gio's play like by then? What is Backlunds play like by then? Hamilton is UFA in 3 years. Does he re-sign? How much does Tkachuk ask for? Etc.
So yes drafting is important but even if you draft well how much is it going to take your team to the next level? Will the time you wait for your draft picks to develop provide more of a net gain to your team than what you lose to free agency, age, and salary increases?
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