To get back to a little more analysis of the theory of E=NG, here's what every team since the lockout has been able to achieve with only one #1 pick. Since 2004, there have been 15 drafts. Only the Oilers have had multiple #1OA. This list only includes teams who have gotten the #1 pick and had 3 years to use it.
Top 3 picks are over the 15 year period; results are only since their #1OA pick joined the team
Penguins (1x#1, 2x#2) = 3 cups, etc. (you can add a 1st OA for Fleury in 2003, too)
Capitals (1x#1) = 1 cup (albeit 14 years later), six times to the 2nd round, and only missed playoffs once since ‘07 (also, Backstrom was 4OA and Alzner a 5OA)
Blues (1x#1) = Conf. Finals once, and two 2nd round exits during 6 straight playoff appearances; 2 division titles (Pietrangelo 4OA was their only other top 12 pick)
Blackhawks (1x#1, 2x#3) = 3 cups, etc. (Cam Barker in 2004 is the #3 pick not named Toews)
Lightning (1x#1, 1x#2, 1x#3) = Cup Finals once, and three Conf. Finals (ie. 9 playoff round wins in 10 seasons with Stamkos…pretty sure only the Pens, Blackhawks & Kings have more in that span; Sharks and Caps are tied at 9)
Islanders (1x#1) = 3 times in playoffs, won 1 round (also had a 4OA and three 5OA’s)
Oilers (4x#1, 1x#3) = 1 playoff appearance, where they did manage to make it to the 7th game in the second round (have also had a 1x4OA in 2016).
Avalanche (1x1, 1x#2, 1x#3) = 2 times in playoffs, 1 division title (and 1 more playoff appearance the year after they drafted Duchene 3OA)
Panthers (1x#1, 1x#2, 2x#3) = 1 playoff appearance in the 4 years of Ekblad, though with 95 pts they were only 1 pt out last year (last year was also the closest the Oilers came to a second playoff appearance – their 78 pts saw them narrowly eliminated by a 17 pt margin)
Maple Leafs (1x#1) = I won’t even both with them since we all know what has happened and what is happening. Barring an Oiler-esque meltdown down the stretch this year, they’ve already eclipsed the Oilers.
At the most generous, you could say that the Penguins and Oilers have had the same amount of Top 2 picks. No other team has had more than three Top 3 picks, except for the Panthers (who notably picked 3rd in both ’10 and ’11 – they’ve only had 4 seasons with a 1OA on the roster, who also happens to be a defenseman, and they’ve been in or very close to playoffs 3 of those 4 seasons).
Nobody has had as many top 4 or top 5 picks as the Oilers in this period.
Every team has done soooooo much more with way less. Has any professional sports team generated a more pathetic return on even half of the draft fortune?
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