Quote:
Originally Posted by Drunk Uncle
I see that it took me so long to write this a bunch of folks noted the same thing I did.
Here’s a look at notable picks from cup winning teams from 2010 until now:
Tampa: Hedman (2nd OA), Stamkos (1st OA), Drouin (3rd OA)
LA: Doughty (2nd OA), Kopitar (11th OA)
Washington: Ovechkin (1st OA), Backstrom (4th OA)
Pittsburgh: Crosby (1st OA), Malkin (2nd OA), Flurey (1st OA)
Chicago: Kane (1st OA), Toews (3rd OA)
Boston: Bergeron (45th OA), Marchand (71st OA), Seguin (2nd OA)
What’s interesting to me is that it appears you need multiple top 3 draft picks or to luck out on your picks to become a perennial contender/cup winner. The only teams bucking that trend are Boston and to a lesser degree LA. I would say those 2 teams got super lucky on a couple of their picks in that that got top 3 draft pick talent later in the draft.
In the last 10 years St. Louis is the only team that has won a cup that’d I’d argue was not a perennial contender.
How this pertains to the flames: for me it means going all in on a guy like Eichel while keeping Gaudreau; if that doesn’t work, take a swing and see if we can be a St. Louis under Sutter (longshot but worth a try IMO); and if that fails, blow it up for Bedard.
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I think the reason LA and Boston won cups, despite being slight exceptions to the top 3 rule, is because they both had utterly ridiculous goaltending (Thomas 94% in 2011, Quick 94.6% in 2012).
So we agree that teams don't win cups without top 3 picks. It doesn't happen.
You also don't win a cup without elite center depth. St. Louis is a slight exception.
Teams also don't win cups with UFA signed goalies. That hasn't happened in 50 years.
While we're at it, Canadian teams just don't win cups. That hasn't happened in 28 years.
None of these things look good for Calgary.