The Caveman
We are all the goat
Those teams you mentioned had a massive infusion of assets over a few short years through the draft.
I don't look at is as a case of just adding top 5 picks.
LA: Doughty, Schenn, Voynov over 2 drafts
Anahiem: Lupul, Perry, Getzlaf, Smid, Ryan over 4 drafts or more recently 2010 draft Fowler, Etem, Smith-Pelly in one draft than Lindholm two years later
Chicago: Have had extra picks in almost draft. 17 picks in 04 alone. Picks outside the first like Bickell, Buff, Saad, Shaw, etc. coming in on cheap contracts has given them amazing depth. They've been able to afford stars and recycle high end depth and win 2 cups cause of it.
Pittsburgh: Goligoski, Letang Kennedy over 2 drafts in addition to Crosby, Malkin in those drafts
We need to increase our asset base with a top pick this year but just as importantly if we're finishing out of the playoffs we simply need to be drafting way more frequently to increase our odds of hitting a homerun or to simply have cheaper good depth to allow us to afford more high end talent and not just bringing back the same middle to bottom of the lineup players like Franson, Kulemin, McClement who will soon be well or even over compensated for what they bring.
We are in complete agreement. My point is that tanking and drafting high is not a guarantee of success. They have to know when to cut the chord on certain players in order to get maximum value from them, which includes getting more draft picks. They have to draft better as well. We'll see how well Biggs, Gauthier and the rest of the recent picks pan out.