[ComixZone]

Looking at those top 5 teams is pretty neat too:

1. Tampa 152 points - built on those "foundational" picks of Stamkos (#1), Hedman (#1) but then also some massive home runs throughout the draft with Vasilevskiy (#19), Point (79th), and Kucherov (58th)

2. Pittsburgh 104 points - built on those "foundational" picks of Crosby (#1), Malkin (#1), Fleury (#1) and then again some very good depth picks with Guentzel (#77), Letting (#62), Murray (#83)

3. St. Louis 93.5 points - oddball team in here. This one has a foundational pick in Pietrangelo but then a lot of the team was built through trades (O'Reilly) and catching lightning in a bottle with Binnington coming out of nowhere.

4. Washington 93 points - built on those "foundational" picks of Ovechkin (#1), Backstrom (#4) and then yet again some very good depth picks with Carlson (#27), Kuznetsov (#26), Wilson (#16), Holtby (#93)

5. Boston 79 points - built on snagging a "foundational" player at #45 all the way back in 2003 with Bergeron, Marchand at #71 in 2006, Krejci at #63 in 2004, and some big trades (Rask) and other hits like Pastrnak at #16


The Bruins were effectively built on the backs of Bergeron, Marchand, and Krejci - those are three brilliant draft picks. I think winning a Stanley Cup as younger players also helped build a true winning culture - I think that has a lot to do with how Bergeron, Krejci and Marchand developed and kept that team going. I also think that this is from an era gone by when it comes to the draft - I don't believe Bergeron drops to 2nd round in this drafting environment.

The Blues are pretty much an underdog who really shouldn't have been there. Binnington coming out of nowhere like he did just doesn't happen. Hard to replicate.

Penguins, Capitals, and Lightning all followed the typical rebuild path (and doing it in the correct years). The foundation that their top-picks built allowed them to get very aggressive throughout the years when it comes to trades as well. Fill the important positions, and everything else becomes easier to address - also worth noting that these teams really have never gone "big game hunting" in free agency thanks to those core players being drafted and grown at home.

When I look at those top teams and then look at the Flames the only real difference I see is the top-end draft picks. You shouldn't try to repeat what the Blues did, because that's just not really any sort of "plan" that you can follow, but when it comes to Treliving's Flames? They've done well on trades and depth picks, but the Flames over reliance on free agency to try and fill spots and the lack of top picks just isn't a way to build a top team.