The kids played 4 seasons, 252 games and has scored 111 points.

He played on a poop team, with no direction and still put up good numbers. What did you expect from him?
- bloatedmosquito

I expected nothing from him at all in fact I was team Murray at the draft so you can say I have not been a fan since day one....if you consider less then .5 ppg to be good numbers for a 1OA then we will just have to agree to disagree

LOL...that doesn't take away from the fact drafting is important. Every successful team drafted well but all you ever say is it didn't work for the Oilers...it's just getting a bit tiresome.

It doesn't matter two-(frank)s when you drafted well, 30-20-10 years ago, what matters is it's still the most effective way to build your franchise into a competitive team.
- LeftCoaster

Stop living in the past gramps. You just come in preaching about drafting is the most important thing and a team that has had 4 of the top number one picks plus multiple top 10 picks are no closer to winning a cup than we are.

There is more than that to win a cup otherwise Buffalo Leafs Hurricanes Coyotes would have already been celebrating.

Building a team wins a cup not finishing bottom 10

If I am Price, I take Weber > PK any day.
- Codes1087

For now, yes.

I think if you have a young superstar then yes it makes it easier but if you dont thats where a good GM comes in and is able to work around that through drafting/UFA/trades
- RatedR80

This is my take as well. There is absolutely nothing wrong with having the first overall pick, its a blessing after what is usually a bad season and a beacon of hope. If injuries strike the Canucks this year, the production stalls, or last season begins to replicate itself then I hope they get it. I just dont hope my team bottoms out and aims for it

Did anybody say that a 1st overall pick is a bad thing?
- CanuckDon

Yes. Many times. Page 4 as an example...

1st OAs suck. Meaningless. Much like my contribution to this site.
- CanuckDon

Yes. Many times. Page 4 as an example...
- bloatedmosquito

Stop living in the past gramps. You just come in preaching about drafting is the most important thing and a team that has had 4 of the top number one picks plus multiple top 10 picks are no closer to winning a cup than we are.

There is more than that to win a cup otherwise Buffalo Leafs Hurricanes Coyotes would have already been celebrating.

Building a team wins a cup not finishing bottom 10
- VANTEL

Exactly......I should know considering who I cheer for

For now, yes.
- golfingsince

Weber's window is similar to Price's. Canadiens want a cup within the next 3 or 4 years. Weber is a mean ass defenseman with a canon of a shot. Subban is a offensive defenseman who is a defensive liability. If I am Price, I know Weber is going to clear my crease every night and not let Kreider get away with his cheap shot falling crap. I have never understood the hate behind the Weber/Subban trade. I thought Montreal won short term big time. Obviously NSH will see the benefits later on.

LOL...that doesn't take away from the fact drafting is important. Every successful team drafted well but all you ever say is it didn't work for the Oilers...it's just getting a bit tiresome.

It doesn't matter two-(frank)s when you drafted well, 30-20-10 years ago, what matters is it's still the most effective, proven way to build your franchise into a competitive team.
- LeftCoaster

I think that what gets lost is the definition of "drafting well".

Some think that the only way to "draft well" is getting the opportunity to draft in the top 5. I think it is undeniable that is where the most talent comes from but you can't win on top 5 talent alone.

"Drafting well" is more about acquiring depth through many opportunities IMO. The teams that win the cup are teams that have Depth, Hot goal-tending and Luck. Sometimes the best player in the league happens to be on the winning team but "Correlation does not imply causation".

This is why the myth that Toews is a better hockey player the Crosby gets thrown around.

- golfingsince

it was mean I know.

I think that what gets lost is the definition of "drafting well".

Some think that the only way to "draft well" is getting the opportunity to draft in the top 5. I think it is undeniable that is where the most talent comes from but you can't win on top 5 talent alone.

"Drafting well" is more about acquiring depth through many opportunities IMO. The teams that win the cup are teams that have Depth, Hot goal-tending and Luck. Sometimes the best player in the league happens to be on the winning team but "Correlation does not imply causation".

This is why the myth that Toews is a better hockey player the Crosby gets thrown around.
- belcherbd

I would sooner see Toews compared to Kopitar than I would Crosby. Two very different players with different skill sets.

This is my take as well. There is absolutely nothing wrong with having the first overall pick, its a blessing after what is usually a bad season and a beacon of hope. If injuries strike the Canucks this year, the production stalls, or last season begins to replicate itself then I hope they get it. I just dont hope my team bottoms out and aims for it
- WhiteLie

I cant even say we tanked because we were just terrible but im not a fan of tanking at all.....its hard to cheer for a team (I wont point fingers) whose GM says they "earned it" after getting the #1 selection...somewhat embarassing

https://twitter.com/Canuc...status/789573239131348993

Henriks leadership on display

I would sooner see Toews compared to Kopitar than I would Crosby. Two very different players with different skill sets.
- Codes1087

I think the greatest thing they have in common is that they are not close to being better players than Crosby. And yet how many times have we heard, especially before this past season that their cups wins somehow made them better players.

Ovechkin is likely another example, he is the greatest goal scorer to ever play the game and IMO should be considered a generational talent with Orr, Gretzky, Mario, Crosby and unfortunately probably McDavid.

Yet there will always be people that say he can't be if he can't win a cup. Winning a cup has nothing to do with how good a player you are.

Yes. Many times. Page 4 as an example...
- bloatedmosquito

The only thing that sucks more than first overall picks is your continual crying on here I am sorry Benning and Linden have wronged you

https://twitter.com/Canucks/status/789573239131348993

Henriks leadership on display
- NorthNuck

Thanks, good find

Stop living in the past gramps. You just come in preaching about drafting is the most important thing and a team that has had 4 of the top number one picks plus multiple top 10 picks are no closer to winning a cup than we are.

There is more than that to win a cup otherwise Buffalo Leafs Hurricanes Coyotes would have already been celebrating.

Building a team wins a cup not finishing bottom 10
- VANTEL

Living in the past? How the (frank) do you think Pittsburgh, LA, Chicago, Detroit, Colorado, Anaheim, Carolina, Boston got their best young players? They drafted them genius. That's the list of the last ten Cup winning teams.

It goes without saying you need to surround the core with trades, signings and depth, but foundations start with drafting. Furthermore, it takes years of drafting well before you even start to compete, it doesn't happen overnight like you for whatever reason believe.

Weber's window is similar to Price's. Canadiens want a cup within the next 3 or 4 years. Weber is a mean ass defenseman with a canon of a shot. Subban is a offensive defenseman who is a defensive liability. If I am Price, I know Weber is going to clear my crease every night and not let Kreider get away with his cheap shot falling crap. I have never understood the hate behind the Weber/Subban trade. I thought Montreal won short term big time. Obviously NSH will see the benefits later on.
- Codes1087

I don't agree with this. They are different players, and aside from both having cannons for shots I think their strengths are different. I also think Price benefits short term, but in the long run it could hurt.

I think much of the hate (in the MTL market) stems from the fact that PK is not only a dynamic player but also a huge personality that people enjoy.

For now, yes.
- golfingsince

Living in the past? How the (frank) do you think Pittsburgh, LA, Chicago, Detroit, Colorado, Anaheim, Carolina, Boston got their best young players? They drafted them genius. That's the list of the last ten Cup winning teams.

It goes without saying you need to surround the core with trades, signings and depth, but foundations start with drafting. Furthermore, it takes years of drafting well before you even start to compete, it doesn't happen overnight like you for whatever reason believe.
- LeftCoaster

Leafs Oilers Flames Islanders Hurricanes Buffalo have been drafting high for most of the decade genius . How they doing?

Speaking of draft picks, i wonder what the future holds for Olli Juolevi. Sucks to see Mikhail Sergachev and Jakob Chychrun playing already. Chychrun got his first last night too. I think in the long run Olli will probably become our elite dman we've been missing
- bigpetar

HES got the better upside and hockey IQ then them just his body wasn't NHL ready yet....

Leafs Oilers Flames Islanders Hurricanes Buffalo have been drafting high for most of the decade genius . How they doing?
- VANTEL

Fantastic

Stop living in the past gramps. You just come in preaching about drafting is the most important thing and a team that has had 4 of the top number one picks plus multiple top 10 picks are no closer to winning a cup than we are.

There is more than that to win a cup otherwise Buffalo Leafs Hurricanes Coyotes would have already been celebrating.

Building a team wins a cup not finishing bottom 10
- VANTEL

Oil are a good example of why it takes a lot more than just simply drafting high. There has to be a lot of things setup properly beforehand and some smart moves need to be made afterwards to streamline the turn-around. The Oil had/did neither of those things.

However, you and Lefty need to find some middle ground, all of your 'current' examples are still in the process of turning things around, so it's no wonder they aren't contenders yet (e.g., Oil, Sabres, Leafs, Canes, Yotes). So your 'current' examples are actually 'premature' examples that you have already deemed failures, although some of those teams could definitely find success in the not so distant future.

The true current examples would be the Pens, Hawks, Bolts... etc. Whereas teams like the Sharks, Kings, Ducks, Blues are probably the current examples of teams that didn't need to tank to become contenders.

Oil are a good example of why it takes a lot more than just simply drafting high. There has to be a lot of things setup properly beforehand and some smart moves need to be made afterwards to streamline the turn-around. The Oil had/did neither of those things.

However, you and Lefty need to find some middle ground, all of your 'current' examples are still in the process of turning things around, so it's no wonder they aren't contenders yet (e.g., Oil, Sabres, Leafs, Canes, Yotes). So your 'current' examples are actually 'premature' examples that you have already deemed failures, although some of those teams could definitely find success in the not so distant future.

The true current examples would be the Pens, Hawks, Bolts... etc. Whereas teams like the Sharks, Kings, Ducks, Blues are probably the current examples of teams that didn't need to tank to become contenders.
- RonPielep

The Blues were bad for a long, long time......as were the Kings.

I think that what gets lost is the definition of "drafting well".

Some think that the only way to "draft well" is getting the opportunity to draft in the top 5. I think it is undeniable that is where the most talent comes from but you can't win on top 5 talent alone.

"Drafting well" is more about acquiring depth through many opportunities IMO. The teams that win the cup are teams that have Depth, Hot goal-tending and Luck. Sometimes the best player in the league happens to be on the winning team but "Correlation does not imply causation".

This is why the myth that Toews is a better hockey player the Crosby gets thrown around.
- belcherbd

You don't HAVE to draft in the top five, but history shows it certainly increases your odds of finding an elite talent.

Boston just drafted well and surrounded those guys with great players when they won in 2011. They drafted Bergeron in 2003 high in the second round, that draft is a bit of an outlier though, they drafted Krejci in the second round, Lucic in the second round, Marchand in the third round, they traded their first round pick for Nathan Horton, they drafted Seguin second overall.

Krejci won the Conn Smythe for leading the playoffs in scoring in 2011 and their top point scorers in the playoffs were;

Krejci - 23
Bergeron - 20
Marchand - 19
Horton - 17
Ryder - 17
Reechi - 14
Lucic - 12