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Originally Posted by Calgary4LIfe
Yes, your entry-level deals and RFA contracts have to help there, but also remember that Gaudreau makes less than 7 million a year, Tkachuk is on a bridge, the Flames' top defencemen (who is aging) is less than 7.... This is the 'window' so to speak.
You can also look at other teams around the NHL like Tampa, Boston, etc., that have a number of 'star' players that you can consider elite. It is incredibly difficult to do, but the core on the team is signed for a certain window.
There is no way that Gaudreau will be returning a top 10 pick. No team in that situation is going to trade their top 10 pick for 2 years of Gaudreau. Philly is also not going to give up Konecny for Gaudreau - would you if you were Philly? I would keep the much younger player that I have way more years of control over.
Outside of getting lucky on a team that is over-aggressive and trying to contend or make a statement to their fans (Buffalo, I am looking at you!), it would be MAYBE two first round picks (low picks), and a decent roster player. Sure, they might end up being 1 Pastrnak and 1 Tarasenko, but they will more likely be 2 Jankowskis, or 1 Jankowski and 1 Bill Bumface.
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Derek Stepan+Annti Raanta package returned a top 10 pick. Jordan Staal returned a top 10 pick, Jeff Carter also did
It certainly can be done. Teams in perpetual rebuilds that need to move the needle immediately like a Buffalo, New Jersey, Chicago, Montreal are all teams that want to win sooner than later and adding a 27 year old superstar signed for less than $7M for the next 2 years and someone who can be a key piece for the next 5-7 years could easily return that value.