Quote:
Originally Posted by Enoch Root
Right, because contenders rarely have many players older than 26
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Most contenders are primarily composed of players that they drafted themselves, or acquired otherwise before they turned 26.
Significant team changing UFAs in the cap era to win a cup:
Niedermayer
Hossa
Chara
(I think there may have been one other)
I've never gone through trades, but I'd wager that the vast majority of 'core players' on cup winning teams were acquired as RFAs. Real teams put a cherry on top of their sundae with a trade or UFA. These are often more specialist players who shore up an area of need on an otherwise well-rounded team: Kessel, Gaborik, Oshie, B Campbell, etc. Calgary has never had particular trouble acquiring these kinds of players. ROR would be a pretty big exception, maybe there are a few others like him (but not off the top of my head).
It's pretty rare to alter your core via trade for an older player and go on to sustained success. age 26 Thornton to SJ in cap era year 1 (not sure if he had a looming NTC?)...CGY had every opportunity to be in on that. Maybe there are a few examples of actual UFA age players being traded, but none come to my mind at the moment...
What are some foundational opportunities that Calgary missed out on specifically because of NTC or UFA going elsewhere? Scott Niedermayer? Pretty hard to say he made the
wrong choice...