Quote:
Originally Posted by PepsiFree
6 years is just too long to be stockpiling talent. Even 5 years is too long. At that point you should already be adding through trade and free agency to build around the core you drafted. If you aren’t, you’re likely looking at another rebuild or retool.
By that point, you’re in danger of ruining players, whether by developing them in a losing system or by making them want out. You’re also flirting with cap hell as the core you presumably drafted is out of their ELCs and making the vast majority of your cap. It’s really no surprise that as soon as teams have to pay their star players full ride they start to struggle and fall off. The rare exception is having franchise/generational players as part of that mix.
How many teams were garbage for 6 years from the point they made their first high pick and went on to win the cup or even become contenders with the core they drafted? Genuine question, but my guess is few if any.
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If we go by the Gaudreau/Monahan rebuild, Johnny was drafted in 2011. Tkachuk was drafted in 2016.
In between, they drafted Monahan, Bennett, Fox, Andersson, and Kylington.
They added Hamilton in 2015 and finally made their last major addition with the Lindholm/Hanifin trade in 2018.
That’s seven years right there.
Calgary’s “stockpiling of talent” should factor everyone from the Zary draft onward.