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Originally Posted by GranteedEV
2011 Blackhawks were the defending champs who had just lost a bit of depth due to a cap crunch but still had their core intact. Instead of adding bodies to fill out their depth they hoarded draft picks, in particular Andrew Shaw, Brandon Saad, and Teuvo Teravainen. You don't think those guys extended their cup window? They also had another 1st in 2010, Kevin Hayes @ 24th overall, who might have furthered that window had he not elected to sign in New York as a UFA.
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CHI traded away 2 of their top 10 scorers after that first cup to recoup draft picks. Saad was a 2nd rd pick (thanks in part to the Flames) and Shaw was a fifth. The CHI 2011 1st (McNeill) played a total of 2 NHL games. Don't tell me CHI would rather have a SC vs that first rounder.
Quote:
Originally Posted by GranteedEV
2010 Capitals won the President's Trophy. Instead of a rental they kept their pick. That pick was Evgeni Kuznetsov, their leading scorer in the 2018 playoffs en route to the cup. You don't think they extended their cup window?
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Hindsight is 20/20 - they could have just as easily ended up with a Jared Knight (0 NHL games).
Quote:
Originally Posted by GranteedEV
2014 Bruins won the President's Trophy. Instead of a rental they also kept their pick. That pick was David Pastrnak, their current leading scorer. Bergeron has had some injuries, but when healthy they have shown an ability to dominate games in every way. You don't think their Cup Window is still open come April? Would it be open without Pastrnak?
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And yet the Bruins traded away their 2011 1st for a rental (Kaberle) and went on to win the SC. Would you rather have 3 months of a 2nd pairing D-man and the SC or Jensen (31 NHL gp), Phillips (0 NHL gp), or a dozen others and no SC.
Quote:
Originally Posted by GranteedEV
I look at the Flames and I see:
A 35 year old #1 left defenseman who does it all.
A 29 year old #2 right defenseman with a year left on his deal.
A 29 year old #3 right defenseman with a year left on his deal
A 22 year old prospect right defenseman who seems to get hemmed in all the time whether he is playing 2nd pair or 3rd.
Three young left D
A looming expansion draft.
So yeah, picking up a RD, for example, in the first round of the draft, could be a difference maker especially if you are not willing to go all in on Rasmus Andersson as a future top pairing right defenseman, and that future rop pairing won't even have Giordano in his prime. That could extend our window, especially if we luck out and our first rounder is a PK Subban or a John Carlson.
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Again, to my mind, the question is what kind of player will you get at #20-30 vs the player you get for what seems to be a great shot at the SC right now.
We are just as likely to get a McNeill as a Kuznetzov.