The Avs are definitely a good model, because they are patient, and they retain their draft picks, and they don't spend capital every deadline on depth guys.
But the Avs are also the poster child for how much it all depends on luck. When we got a 4OA, we got Bennett. When they got one, they got Makar. Also, the one year they get the 1OA, it turns out to be MacKinnon. If you're lucky, you might time it well and get a MacKinnon, or a Makar. But to get 2 top 4 picks over 5 years, and end up with MacKinnon and Makar? Ridiculously good fortune. You can tank for a decade and never get a player as good as either of them - in fact, you probably won't (see: BUF, DET and most other rebuilds)
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