I did the research about how many teams drafted in the top 3 in the last little while, or have players playing for them that were drafted in the top 3. You might find it interesting. I looked at all the drafts from 2003, with a couple of HMs.
Spoiler!
2003
- Fleury - PIT -> VGK
- Staal - CAR -> MTL
- Horton - FLA -> Done
2004
- Ovechkin - WSH
- Malkin - PIT
- Barker - CHI -> Done
2005
- Crosby - PIT
- Ryan - ANA -> DET
- Johnson - CAR -> NYR
2006
- Johnson - STL -> COL
- Staal - PIT - CAR
- Towes - CHI
2007
- Kane - CHI
- van Riemsdyk - PHI
- Turris - ARI -> EDM
2008
1. Stamkos - TBL
2. Doughty - LAK
3. Bogosian – ATL(WPG) -> TOR
2009
1. Tavares – NYI -> TOR
2. Hedman – TBL
3. Duchene – COL -> NSH
2010
1. Hall – EDM -> BOS
2. Seguin – BOS -> DAL
3. Gudbranson – FLA – NSH
2011
1. Nugent-Hopkins – EDM
2. Landeskog – COL
3. Huberdeau – FLA
2012
1. Yakupov – EDM -> Done
2. Murray – CBJ -> NJD
3. Galchenyuk – MTL -> TOR
2013
1. MacKinnon – COL
2. Barkov – FLA
3. Drouin – TBL – MTL
2014
1. Ekblad – FLA
2. Reinhart – BUF
3. Draisaitl – EDM
2015
1. McDavid – EDM
2. Eichel – BUF
3. Strome – ARI – CHI
2016
1. Matthews – TOR
2. Laine – WPG -> CBJ
3. Dubois – CBJ -> WPG
2017
1. Hischier – NJD
2. Patrick – PHI
3. Heiskanen – DAL
2018
1. Dahlin – BUF
2. Svechnikov – CAR
3. Kotkaniemi – MTL
2019
1. Hughes – NJD
2. Kakko – NYR
3. Dach – CHI
2020
1. Lafreniere – NYR
2. Byfield – LAK
3. Stutzle – OTT
HM:
2001.2 Spezza – OTT -> TOR
1997.1 Thorton – BOS -> TOR
1997.2 Marleau – SJS
Just drafted in the top 3 - 26/31 teams.
Currently have a player that was drafted in the top 3 – 24/31 teams.
Either or –
29/31 teams.
As a result I don't think you can quantify that having a top 3 pick is a requirement. Chances are that one random team with a top 3 draft pick winning are 84%. Chances for a team that either has a top 3 pick or acquired one are 94%.