You absolutely need an elite #1D to win a cup. Hedman, Keith, Pietrangelo, Doughty, Chara, Pronger... none of these guys are a vanilla AF Noah Hanifin. They're guys who were scoring 55+ pts while logging 30+ minutes and shutting down stars at the other end.
Yeah, you need a #1C too. That comes next year
Look at the Panthers, probably the most dangerous cup contender out there
#1 Defenseman - Aaron Ekblad is probably having a Norris Caliber year. First overall.
#1 Center - Sasha Barkov is looking like a Selke version of prime Evgeni Malkin. Second overall.
#1 Winger - Jonathan Huberdeau is looking like a 6'2 version of prime Patrick Kane. Third overall.
#2 Center - Sam Bennett is fitting in like a glove. Fourth overall.
That's how you build a contender.
Here are the top-four overall picks on the Calgary Flames:
Not to be a stick in the mud, but in the championship seasons of those franchises you mentioned only half of those guys were having those massive 55+ point years. The rest of them were consistently hitting 40 points, but, providing elite level defensive use while still helping out on the scoresheet.
In Calgary this year, the highest scoring D would be Mark Giordano... giving about 40-42 points in a regular 82 game season... but also being an absolute liability defensively for the majority of the season. You see glimpses of Hanifin, but clearly a 25-30 point season isn't what you'd consider 1D production, unless you're aiming for a prime MEV type player, and Hanifin while he has dramatically improved his defensive prowess... is not that.
Calgary has that next step. Like, they have the guys where if you had the big pieces it'd be a scary thing.
Like, imagine having Lindholm... AFTER a top 10 centre plays.
Imagine having Hanifin... AFTER a top 10 defenseman plays.
Imagine having Tkachuk OR Gaudreau on seperate lines and able to produce.
Imagine having Monahan or Backlund lined up as your 3C, and not being concerned about 'is this line going to give me a goal this game, so I have a chance to win.'
Flames are a bottom 7 team in Point %, but aren't in the bottom 10 for goal differences.... also factoring in us having been blown out about a million times... you see that this team, especially under Sutter, has been losing games by 1 goal (then empty netters) for the most part. Imagine having a Dman that could prevent a goal every two games from being on the ice... then imagine having a centre that is worth at least a point every night.
You could see how this team could actually be really good. The only problem is... those players don't fall in your lap. Calgary will have to embrace a tank here pretty bad.
