I understand the concern. The way the organization is set up, they have everything *but* a truly elite franchise talent. Getzlaf isn't that guy anymore. Kase, Terry, Steel, Comtois, I love them all, but they aren't quite on the level of recent Cup winners' top guy: Crosby, Ovechkin or even Kane.
You *can* win it all without one of those guys, but it sure is easier with one, and it's awfully hard to get one without a top pick.
You realize that Getzlaf wasn't a top pick. You realize that Perry isn't a top pick. You do realize that Gibson isn't a top pick, let alone a first round pick - are you telling me that Gibson isn't a "truly elite franchise talent"? The Ducks are too good to get a top overall pick nowadays. This year was bad and it was aided with a rash of injuries, but also took a good turn at the end of the season as the young forwards began stepping up as well as the re-unification of Magnus and Manson.
Kase, Terry, Steel, Jones, and Comtois aren't one elite player, but that should also be a boon for the Ducks because you can't stop all five if all five are producing, especially if they're playing on different lines.
Maybe I'm a fan of long term planning and not living in "what should be", but rather of what is. "What should be" is a mentality I chose not to subscribe to because it strips reality, scouting, and planning. We did own #2 overall pick and landed Bobby Ryan. We traded Ryan and the Ducks got similar or better results for far cheaper with Silf alone. We still don't know what's up with Ritchie. Does having a top pick automatically mean you're a success? How many top-5 picks have the Oil had in recent years and where did they finish this year?
Oil first round picks
Year - Round - Overall... Player
2011..... 1st.......... 1st...... Nug
2012.... 1st........... 1st..... Nail
2013.... 1st........... 7th.... Nurse
2014.... 1st........... 3rd.... Draisaitl
2015.... 1st........... 1st..... McDavid
2016.... 1st........... 4th.... Puljujarvi
2017.... 1st........... 22nd.. Yamamoto
2018.... 1st.......... 10th... Bouchard
2019.... 1st.......... 8th.... ???
It seems as though the Oil has made the playoffs once since 2011? They've hit on the #1 overall three times out of eight years. Have they won the Cup already? Is this "tanking" idea a viable, winning prescription?
I don't think you give the Ducks' draft scouting staff much credit about today and the future. Kase, Terry, Comtois, Jones, and Steel will be here next season as possible mainstays, but all that happened many years ago. Kase, Terry, and Comtois are not first round selections, they were drafted in the seventh, fifth, and second rounds, respectively. Jones and Steel were drafted in 2016, 24th and 30th respectively. The 30th pick was acquired (along with a 2nd rounder in 2017 - Comtois) when the Ducks traded G Andersen to the Leafs. Andersen was a 3rd round pick in 2012 for the Ducks, a year after Gibby was drafted.
We have two 1st round picks going into 2019 NHL draft (hopefully the 9th and 20th). We took D Montour (a 2nd round pick) for prospect D Guhle and a late round first rounder in 2019.
Having more first round picks improves a team's chances of landing NHL players. The further away from the first round, the smaller the chances of a prospect reaching the NHL level. The Ducks scouting staff has been bucking that trend, though.
We have a franchise goalie. We went to the Stanley Cup Finals with barely a bit more than a franchise goalie in 2003. Winning the Cup is an arduous road and sometimes you need luck. Hopefully, both Kesler and Eaves retire so we can flex in our youth to help the team become faster and more dangerous offensively. All we need is a ticket to the playoffs. Afterwards, who knows. Or do you want to follow the "Oil path to success"?