I'm not sure there was ever a thought with any of the guys on the Cuda now that they'd become cornerstone types. Like PF said, the bigger ticket guys are the ones still in the CHL. Merkley, Checkhovich, and Chmelevski mostly. Lower tier chance (like topping out as a 2nd liner) for Blichfeld.
But that's not to say there aren't interesting pieces on the Cuda still. Perron could be a middle six guy. Ditto Suomela. True looks like a quality 4C in the making. All have issues that hold them back from pushing higher (consistency, skating, etc), but while it's flashy prospects that get all the press, quality teams are usually the ones that manage to turn out a fairly constant stream of homegrown guys to fill out the roster with talent so that you're not doing something dumb like paying $2m for a guy to patrol your 4th line or being forced to keep a struggling guy in the lineup without someone nipping at his heels.
And who knows. There's still always hope for the likes of Cuda guys such as Halbgewachs and Letunov, or future Cuda like Gregor and Leonard to continue developing upwards and pulling a (lesser) Pavelski, finding that hidden unlock of potential that lets them take a big, unexpected step forward.
There's also hope that the last couple years of changes at the draft table will continue this plan. While there are still some very Tim Burke picks (Reedy, Shoemaker, basically everyone in the back half of the 2015 draft, save Balcers), it seems like they're moving away from the grit'n'grind "safe" guys who get buy with scouting platitudes like "playing the game the right way" and "does the little things" that generally mean "coaches like them, but scouts don't" and taking guys like Leonard, Chmelevski, Chekhovich, and Blichfeld who show the skill you can't teach and just need to polish the physical trades you can.
