I've been arguing for a minimum of 20 years now that people should stop to focus on "tanking/Buffalo/Edmonton" and start talking about assets management. A sports team is a business. You've got assets and you have to make them increase in value if you want to win a cup.
1. Elite players are drafted. Most elite players in the league are playing for the team that drafted them. Kucherov drafted, BigMAc drafted, Pasternak drafted, McJesus drafted, Rantanen drafted. Pettersson drafted, ... out of the top 20 scorers 18 were drafted by the team they are playing for. Only Panarin and Miller were not.
2. Top UFA players signing for a different team usually sign for a winning team or a tax haven team or the team giving them a ridiculous contract that will become a problem sooner than later.
3. Elite players are usually drafted in the top 10. Very very rarely outside of the top 45ish.
So if you are a bubble team in a non tax haven city the best way to improve the team and make it a contender is the draft. It's as simple as that. So if you are a bubble team 3-4 years away from contention you should trade most (not all) of your 30 years old players for picks. That's just logical imo. And if you do so then obviously the bubble team you have will become a bottom 10 team and draft in the top 10.