So, How's That Rebuild Going?

Lots of chatter about who the Oilers are imitating to get the rebuild of the ground. The Detroit model, the Chicago model, the Pittsburgh model, yada yada yada. One model that is starting to look eerily similar, is the Washington model.

Take a look at these draft picks over a 5 year span, in order:

2002 - WSH takes Alenander Semin 13th overall, a winger
(They took Steve Eminger 12th overall but we'll ignore that)
2008 - EDM takes Jordan Eberle 22nd overall, a winger


2003 - WSH takes Eric Fehr 18th overall, a winger
2009 - WSH takes Magnus Paajarvi 10th overall, a winger

2004 - WSH takes Alexander Ovechkin 1st overall, a winger
2010 - EDM takes Taylor Hall 1st overall, a winger

Bypassing 2005 because that was the "draw your name out of the hat" lottery.

2006 - WSH takes Niklas Backstrom 4th overall, a center
2011 - EDM takes Ryan Nugent-Hopkins 1st overall, a center

2007 - WSH takes Karl Alzner 5th overall, a defenseman.
2012 - EDM takes ?????

It just goes to show what happens when you put the cart before the horse. Most teams preach defense while trying to enhance the offense. The Capitals and the Oilers are preaching offense while trying to enhance the defense. The Capitals are trying deperately to change their ways but its a difficult stripe to change. Essentially, Ovechkin, Semin and Backstrom were waiting for Alzner and 2008 draftee defensemen John Carlson to emerge as top notch defensemen. Alzner and Carlson may have finally made it to that level as shown by this years playoff run, but it comes at the expense of the years taken off of Ovechkin, Backstrom and Semin. Capitals are fortunate to have locked up Ovechkin and Backstrom to long term deals, Semin on the other hand, will likely be moving along. Washington's rebuild is a roundabout rebuild. There will likely be some fruition to it, but there will be a lot of wasted years in the middle of that, waiting for the Dmen to come to form. This is the stage where the Oilers are. Waiting for an Alzner or Carlson type to emerge. It's either that or a miracle in the form of Shea Weber or even a Justin Schultz, could cut off some of these wasted years away. Ryan Murray could be the Oilers Karl Alzner.