Quote:
Originally Posted by ECWHSWI
Anyone in favor of Tanking like you (I know, you'll pretend it's not tanking) should drop the Leonsis example, it makes you look completely clueless...
try to at least find someone who had success (as in win a cup) within the first 8 years of their rebuild...
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i'm not in favor of "tanking" (though I don't really buy that any team does, unless it's an internal cap issue where they sell off assets to save money), but I am in favor of a GM with the balls to look at his roster, realize it's more than 1-2 pieces away & doesn't see the solution internally (prospects near NHL ready) or have the short-term cap flexibility to dramatically improve the roster via trade/UFA, and decides to move all of the pieces he deems expendable (from the POV of not being key personnel he wants/believes in long-term) in exchange for assets that will "mature" later (ie picks/prospects).
Is there no point where you'd look at this roster, and prefer that the team forgo emphasizing just "making the playoffs" for the sake of it with the mantra that "anything can happen" (as opposed to a team that has the confidence/expectations, and results/performance to back it, that they are going for the Cup "or bust"), in favor of getting the most we can in return for UFA's to be and players who are expendable (as described above)?
I wouldn't even argue that now is the time to make that decision, it's still early, and as much as it seems impossible given how the team is playing, we could go on a run in November or December and put ourselves right back on the path to a top-4 finish/home-ice in the playoffs.
but if we do get to late november/december, and the team is still floundering below the 8th seed, how long do you wait until focusing more on next year/beyond? or do you figure that the habs simply must always push for a playoff spot this year, regardless?