Quote:
Originally Posted by OptimalTates
Without Gaudreau, the hypothetically being discussed, it's not a top 5 team either.
That's pretty much the Flames M.O. over the last decade. Not embarrassing bad, but never a favourite.
The Avalanche finished bottom 3 in 2009 when there was a consensus top 3 (Tavares/Hedman then Duchene). Islanders won lottery and Avalanche got Duchene. Duchene later traded to Ottawa for 2018 or 2019 pick, Ottawa's choice. Ottawa finished second last but ended up losing the lottery, kept the pick thought and got B.Tkachuk. They then finished dead last in 2019 and Colorado/Ottawa lost all three lotteries and drafted Byram at fourth.
The Avalanche finished bottom two in 2011 when it was likely very slightly Nugent-Hopkins first, then Larsson/Landeskog/Huberdeau in that second tier. They got their pick of the litter of that second tier and grabbed Landeskog.
They finished second last in 2013 when MacKinnon and Jones draft turned into the big three with Drouin. In any case, finishing second last secured them one of the big 3 and the lottery favoured them and they got MacKinnon.
They finished last in 2017 and with the best worst luck in the world lost all three lottery drafts to pick fourth and get Makar.
The Lightning had a similar trajectory, finishing second last in 2008 but winning the Stamkos draft (though Doughty was a fine consolation prize for the last place Kings), and second last in 2009 and getting Hedman. They also finished bottom three in the 2013 draft getting the last big three in Drouin. They traded Drouin for Sergachev.
So by bottoming out those two teams have Makar (28:50), Hedman (24:24), Landeskog (23:02), Byram (22:37), Sergachev (22:07), Mackinnon (22:06) and Stamkos (17:09) to show for it. In brackets is their ice time in the first game of the finals. Six of the top eight players by ice time were acquired as a direct result of losing. And Stamkos with 106 regular points, 9 goals in 18 playoff games, isn't completely useless.
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for every Avalanche and Lightning there are teams that have been "tanking" and getting top picks that still suck.
Its not as easy as some people make it out to be...there is a ton of luck involved.
anyway this is a convo for another day (hopefully not)...Flames need to sign Gaudreau, he outscored all those players mentioned. Guy is = to a top pick without all the tanking.