Quote:
Originally Posted by ComixZone
I don’t understand the apprehension when it comes to tanking anymore.
18 of the past 20 Stanley cup winners have players drafted in the top-3 developed internally.
Tanking to me is an absolute requirement.
It is 100% not the be all end all solution, but it gives you a shot. You need those foundational top-3 pieces - and from there what you do determines if you build a contending team, but you cannot reasonably expect to win a Stanley Cup without top-3 picks.
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Exactly.
Teams are built through drafting, trading and free agency signings.
Signing free agents is difficult as most small market Canadian teams aren't the first choice and have to overpay.
Winning trades is hard when many players have you on their no-trade list. GMs end up having to settle for something else. (The NHL really needs to fix that IMO as it's a major issue. I know the NBA has a much more strict policy to prevent nearly every player from getting one as soon as they are eligible).
The draft is really the only place the a team like the Flames can expect to find elite topline talent and it shouldn't a secret that those types tend to appear more in the top 3-5 in most drafts.
If your plan is to hopefully find Zetterberg or Datsyuk in the later rounds, prepare to be disappointed.