Written by Jibblescribbits | 12 May 2009

As Avs fans sit here and lament the fact that the second round of the playoffs has been one amazing game after another (really, I can't remember a round of playoffs better than the current one) it's understandable that Avs fans might be a little disappointed and dejected that the Burgundy and Blue unipron isn't one of the last 8 left standing. It's even more disheartening when you look at how Pierre Lacroix promised to make wholesale changes to the franchise and create a "new management structure" which can best be called "Integrated Clusterfuck Management" or ACM for short. I'm open to other names though.

Yes it's easy to be depressed about the state of the Avs, but good news.. the avs have a top-3 draft pick coming on one of the deepest drafts in years. Let's take a look at the top-3 draft picks since 2003:

2003:
1- Marc André Fleury - PIT
2- Eric Staal - CAR
3- Nathan Horton - FLA

2004:
1- Alexander Ovechkin - WSH
2- Evgeni Malkin - PIT
3- Cam Barker - CHI

2005:
1- Sydney Crosby - PIT
2 -Bobby Ryan - ANH
3- Jack Johnson - CAR
(later traded to LA Kings for Tim Gleason and Eric Belanger. Gleason still with CAR)

2006:
1- Eric Johnson STL
2- Jordan Staal - PIT
3- Jonathon Toews - CHI

2007:
1- Patrick Kane - CHI
2- James vanRiemsdick - PHI
3- Kyle Turris - PHX


2008 rookies haven't been around long enough to make too much of an impact.

So of the 15 rookies taken 1-3 in the draft since 2003 a whopping 10 have made the final 8 (and the guy traded for Jack Johnson is still playing in Carolina). 12 made the playoffs this season. And by my count (and its a quick count, I could be wrong) 3 have playoff hat tricks (Kane, Crosby and Ovechkin) while Eric Staal and Jonathon Toews are having solid playoffs as well.

So take solace Avs fans. The Avs were bad this season, and might be bad again next season, but sunny skies are on the way. Les Ailes may have gotten lucky with Datsyuk and Zetterberg, but the real key to success in the new NHL looks to be high draft picks, with solid role players.

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