Quote:
Originally Posted by Jiri Hrdina
But you would bank on a tank and hoping you get a high pick AND during a year with a game changing player?
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I would bank on building through the draft over any other strategy, yes.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Jiri Hrdina
There is no sure thing strategy and no one way to build a contender.
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Seems like drafting impactful players in the top 5 of the draft is nearing a requirement.
Stamkos, Hedman, Drouin (Sergachev)
Pietrangelo
Ovechkin, Backstrom
Crosby, Malkin, Staal, Fleury
Kane, Toews
Doughty, Schenn (Richards)
Potentially Mackinnon, Landeskog, Makar, Byram
The only Cup winner to not have a super impactful player drafted by them in the top 5 since 2009 was Boston. (They had Kessel drafted fifth who was traded for Seguin though I think it's obvious they win without rookie Seguin.)
It may, usually does, take more than one bullet. If the Kings grabbed Hickey at 4 then decided to go for it, they don't get Doughty. The Hawks don't have Kane if they're happy building around Barker and signing a bunch of UFAs in 2004-2006. So the idea that the Flames (or any team) tanks and drafts top 2 this year then instantly becomes contender is not reasonable, but a real multi-year rebuild.