Since the Edmonton Oilers drafted consecutive 1st overall picks Taylor Hall (2010) and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins (2011), they have been considered hockey’s scapegoat anytime a rebuild is brought up.

On the flip side of things, hockey’s rebuilding legends are the Chicago Blackhawks and Pittsburgh Penguins.

Chicago drafted Jonathan Toews 3rd overall in 2006, then Patrick Kane 1st in 2007; becoming Champions of hockey within 5 years of beginning their rebuild.

Pittsburgh was almost identical, drafting Evgeni Malkin 2nd in 2004 and then Sidney Crosby 1st in 2005. They would win their first Stanley Cup in 2009, also within 5 years of their franchise changing first overall pick.

So what’s the difference? What happened with Edmonton that has kept them from making the jump? Or even a leap? Why was Pittsburgh able to make the playoffs one single year after drafting Crosby first? How was Chicago able to hoist the Cup so quickly after ending their playoff drought just one year prior?

There are a couple of factors. Continue reading