[gvitaly]

Originally Posted by GioforPM

I agree high picks are nice. This discussion started though, with the observation that while all those winning teams had high picks, so do almost all the other teams that didn’t. So it’s not the clear analysis some think it is.

Here's some more data I found:

• There are currently 79 top 5 picks playing in the NHL. (I included guys like Landeskog that might return and P. Kane, but not Price that's on LTIRetierment).
  • 20 first overall
  • 16 second overall
  • 16 third overall
  • 14 fourth overall
  • 13 fifth overall
• The picks range from 2003 (Fleury) to 2023 (Bedard)
• Team percentages:
  • 13/32 teams have first overall picks on their rosters - 40.6%.
  • 21/32 teams have first or second overall picks - 65.6%
  • 24/32 teams have a third overall pick or higher(including CGY) - 75%
  • 25/32 teams have a fourth overall pick or higher - 78.1%
  • 29/32 teams have a fifth overall pick or higher - 90.6%
  • The three teams without a top 5 pick in the NHL: Islanders, Flyers, Sharks
  • 6 teams with only 1 top 5 pick: Bruins, Red Wings, Predators, Blues, Canucks, Jets.
• One team stands out with 7 top 5 picks in Colorado - I have a hard time classifying 3 of them as difference makers: Johnson, Drouin, Johansen, and Landeskog is on LTIR.
• It is followed by Columbus, Edmonton, Florida, LA, and Toronto with 4 picks each.