The system works just fine. The current CBA prevents teams from sucking for seven years like Pens did allowing them to hoard high picks.
Pens can still sign Crosby to max number, they can't be outbid by any other team. If Crosby wants to leave the team, it's not the fault of CBA but the team itself.
Case closed.
I'm not sure what "seven years" you are talking about...
Let's take a look back why don't we:
1988-1989: Lost in Eastern Conference Semifinals
1989-1990: Missed playoffs.
1990-1991: Won Stanley Cup
1991-1992: Won Stanley Cup
1992-1993: Lost in Eastern Conference Semifinals
1993-1994: Lost in Eastern Conference Quarterfinals
1994-1995: Lost in Eastern Conference Semifinals
1995-1996: Lost in Eastern Conference Finals
1996-1997: Lost in Eastern Conference Quarterfinals
1997-1998: Lost in Eastern Conference Quarterfinals
1998-1999: Lost in Eastern Conference Semifinals
1999-2000: Lost in Eastern Conference Semifinals
2000-2001: Lost in Eastern Conference Finals
2001-2002: 12th in Eastern Conference. Missed playoffs.
2002-2003: 14th in Eastern Conference. Missed playoffs.
2003-2004: 15th in Eastern Conference. Missed playoffs.
2004-2005: Lockout.
2005-2006: 15th in Eastern Conference. Missed playoffs.
Looks to me like 4 seasons. Wow. Someone better tell the Islanders, Rangers, Flyers, Thrashers, Panthers, Lightning, Predators, Black Hawks, Blue Jackets, Canucks, Oilers, Flames, and Kings that they were hoarding high draft picks when they all also missed the playoffs at least 4 straight years at some point between 1988 and 2006.
I love the people who try to use the logic that if you lose consistently you are hoarding high draft picks. Well, what about when you make the playoffs consistently? That must mean that you are getting pretty low draft picks, right? When you win consistently eventually the talent you draft and develop will be of a lesser quality based on draft pick (using your logic). Throw in the fact that you eventually have to pay the those players better players that you drafted and developed and who helped you make the playoffs 11 straight years. Obviously most teams could not keep them all (unless you were one of a few teams in the league). Add that to the consistently lower draft picks and... Oh wait... Yes, that's right... You end up with a pretty bad team for a while... Until... Wait again... Yes, I got it!... Your team gets better! Amazing! Works like that for every sport that has a reverse order draft. It promotes a cyclical league.
I would encourage people to revisit history a little before making ignorant posts about a team. We love our Pens and we're getting pretty sick of people who don't have a memory from prior to the year 2000 continually trashing them. We have had 4 miserable seasons in a row. Obviously (see above) we're not the only ones who have. However, not too many of those same teams also made the playoffs 11 straight years either.