The Red Wings were excellent defensively. What's your point? They were also excellent offensively.
You can talk about the underlying numbers for the Kings and Bruins all you want but let's just keep this simple. They were at most above average offensive teams, the Kings being closer to average. It's their goalies who won them their Cups.
I think people are missing my point anyway. I'm not saying that the Bruins and Kings didn't also have good offenses. I'm saying that the Red Wings, Penguins and Blackhawks won Cups with elite talent up front and the Bruins and Kings were exceptions who won on the backs of outstanding goalies who both won Conn Smythes for their efforts. I think it bodes well for longer term success when you have a team built in the mold of the Red Wings, Penguins or Blackhawks, rather than the Kings or Bruins.
I think you're wrong.
The Red Wings were a puck possession team that played with Tomas Holmstrom, Johan Franzen, and Tomas Kopecky in their top 9. All large PWF type guys.
I also think you're crediting those teams goaltending when it was pretty much what was happening outside the crease that made those guys jobs easier.
The Conn Smythe has lost its luster for me....when they gave it to Toews in 2010 there was no way he deserved it. Giving it to the goalie is just a cop out IMO. Thomas deserved it for the finals maybe, but we made him look good. Doughty and Kopitar were better for me during their runs.
Also, players like Datsyuk, Zetterberg, Hossa, Toews, Kreijci, are all top level talents who are also very good two way players. Sure Chicago has Kane, but Detroit's ONE WAY offensive guy was Jiri Hudler.
I didn't see any PURE skill, dangler only's on that team. Yes Zetts and Datsyuk are insane talents, but they're as highly regarded as they are because they play 200'.
Back to the draft.....no reason not to take an elite finisher because he's not a fancy dangler.
1st line upside is a crock....think of James Neal.