You’re welcome! I think this kind of pattern-matching is especially interesting.
For an older example of a similar pattern, both the Washington Capitals and the Pittsburgh Penguins come to mind. The Penguins were terrible in the late 90s and early 2000s, to the point where they owed their best-ever player Mario Lemieux so much money that he literally just took over the team instead.
The Penguins selected Evgeni Malkin as the #2 pick in 2004; right behind Alex Ovechkin, who was the #1 pick for the Washington Capitals. In 2005, the Penguins selected Sidney Crosby as the #1 pick.
Malkin and Crosby won three Stanley Cups together but it took a few years to jell as a team.
Similarly, it took several years to get a team around Alex Ovechkin that could win a cup.
It’s actually been really interesting to see the previously-mentioned Oilers see success, with their three top-three picks!
I actually forgot that the Penguins drafted their goalie Marc-Andre Fleury as their #1 pick in 2003 too! He was instrumental to their four final appearances (they won three).
So the Penguins picked Fleury as #1 in 2003, Malkin as #2 in 2004, and Crosby as #1 in 2005.
I also forgot that the Blackhawks had success in a similar way! Jonathan Toews was #3 in 2006 and Patrick Kane was #1 in 2007. They won three cups in 2010, 2013, and 2015 after decades of not winning.
You’re welcome! I think this kind of pattern-matching is especially interesting.
For an older example of a similar pattern, both the Washington Capitals and the Pittsburgh Penguins come to mind. The Penguins were terrible in the late 90s and early 2000s, to the point where they owed their best-ever player Mario Lemieux so much money that he literally just took over the team instead.
The Penguins selected Evgeni Malkin as the #2 pick in 2004; right behind Alex Ovechkin, who was the #1 pick for the Washington Capitals. In 2005, the Penguins selected Sidney Crosby as the #1 pick.
Malkin and Crosby won three Stanley Cups together but it took a few years to jell as a team.
Similarly, it took several years to get a team around Alex Ovechkin that could win a cup.
It’s actually been really interesting to see the previously-mentioned Oilers see success, with their three top-three picks!
Crikey I didn’t know that! So that’s Crosby’s origin story
I actually forgot that the Penguins drafted their goalie Marc-Andre Fleury as their #1 pick in 2003 too! He was instrumental to their four final appearances (they won three).
So the Penguins picked Fleury as #1 in 2003, Malkin as #2 in 2004, and Crosby as #1 in 2005.
I also forgot that the Blackhawks had success in a similar way! Jonathan Toews was #3 in 2006 and Patrick Kane was #1 in 2007. They won three cups in 2010, 2013, and 2015 after decades of not winning.