The Avs are a great example of lucky failure.
They spend 3 years out of the playoffs from 2011 to 2013, getting Mackinnon first overall in 2013. The next year they rebound to a 112 point season, before falling back to 90 and 82 point seasons. But heading into that next season they have a roster that includes Nathan Mackinnon, Matt Duchene, Mikko Rantanen, and Landeskog. They are supposed to be turning the corner.
Instead they fall all the way down to 48 points. Dead last.
But they have a disaster of a lottery as NJD jumps from 5 to 1, the Flyers jump from 13 to 2nd and the Stars jump from 8th to 3rd.
NJD picks Hiscier, Philly Patrick and Dallas Heiskanen.
That drops Makar to the Avs - and changes their history completely.
Would Colorado have picked Makar 1st overall if they had the pick? No one knows but most had him at #4 including Bob.
So yeah you need some things to go your way.
In this case the Avs needed to have a shockingly bad season, and a horrible draft lottery to have the right guy fall to them.
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