Jets, Capitals were built around first-round talent

The two teams that took the first steps toward a berth in the Stanley Cup Final were built in a similar fashion — around their own firstround picks.

Both the Winnipeg Jets and Washington Capitals had seven of their own first-rounders in the lineup when they grabbed the early leads in their respective conference finals.

The Tampa Bay Lightning had three players they picked in the opening round, while the firstyear Vegas Golden Knights have five players who were selected in the first round ( by other teams).

For that matter, more than half of the Jets lineup is made up of first-round picks. Along with their own — Mark Scheifele (seventh overall, 2011), Patrik Laine (second overall, 2016), Kyle Connor (17th overall, 2015), Nikolaj Ehlers (ninth overall, 2014), Jacob Trouba (ninth overall, 2012), Jack Roslovic (25th overall, 2015) and Josh Morrissey (13th overall, 2013) — they also have five firstround selections of other teams: Blake Wheeler (Coyotes, fifth overall, 2004), Tyler Myers (Sabres, 12th overall, 2008), Bryan Little (Thrashers, 12th overall, 2006), Joel Armia (Sabres, 16th overall, 2011) and Joe Morrow (Penguins, 23rd overall, 2011).

The Capitals selected their top four playoff scorers with a firstround pick — Alex Ovechkin (first overall, 2004), Evgeny Kuznetsov (26th overall, 2010), John Carlson (27th overall, 2008) and Nicklas Backstrom (fourth overall, 2006) as well as Tom Wilson (16th overall, 2012), Jakub Vrana (13th overall, 2014) and Andre Burakovsky (23rd overall, 2013). They ’ve added firstrounders in Lars Eller (Blues, 13th overall, 2007), T.J. Oshie (Blues, 24th overall, 2005), Brett Connolly (Lightning, sixth overall, 2010), Matt Niskanen (Stars, 28th overall, 2005) and Brooks Orpik (Penguins, 18th overall, 2000).

Along with their own three first-rounders — Steven Stamkos (first overall, 2008), Victor Hedman (second overall, 2009) and Andrei Vasilevskiy (19th overall, 2012), — the Lightning have a pair of Canadiens first-rounders (Ryan McDonagh, 12th overall, 2007 and Mikhail Sergachev, ninth overall, 2016), one from the Rangers (J.T. Miller, 15th overall, 2011) and one from the Thrashers (Braydon Coburn, eighth overall, 2003).

Heading the Knights’ first-rounders is Marc-Andre Fleury (first overall, 2003). Also included is Alex Tuch (Wild, 18th overall, 2003), David Perron (Blues, 26th overall, 2007), Shea Theodore (Ducks, 26th overall, 2013) and Luca Sbisa (Flyers, 19th overall, 2008).