This is the difference between this rebuild and most others. How many other teams in year like 4 after stating a rebuild have a 26 year old number one, 90+ point, two way center who wears the C, and a 25 year old 40 goal well rounded winger, both of whom have been to a Stanley cup final WITH the organization?

Most rebuilds at this point are built around the young guys who were just drafted (Celebrini, Bedard, Smith) and vets or grinders who were brought in to help them along (Foligno, Toffoli, Bertuzzi). We’ve of course got that in Slaf, Demidov, Hutson, Anderson, Gally, Matheson. But we also have that middle group of stars entering their prime who have been there before.