Joined: Feb. 2017
Posts: 458
Likes: 80
How can they get into playoff contention next year?
First, better coaching with a full training camp.
Second, a strong, healthy season for Thatcher Demko with a full season from Silovs as his backup. They need Demko, and they need him healthy.
Third, a better blueline. Hronek is a good start.
And fourth, a deeper group of prospects pushing the NHL roster.
And things like a full healthy season from Mikheyev, a better PK, and a better start to the season will help. They never recovered from that 0-5-2 start, and don't underestimate the effect that had. They had to play must-win hockey from December on last season to get back into the playoff push. The start they had this year put them right back in that grind, and they didn't have the fight left in them to do it all over again.
We're not talking about Cup contention next season, that comes later. We're talking about being in the wild card hunt in the Pacific Division.
On another note, Allvin all but screamed that buy outs were coming in that press conference. They can clear cap space. In fact, they've already cleared enough space in the last year to extend Miller and add guys like Mikheyev, Beauvillier, Kuzmenko and Hronek. They clear space when they need it, they just fill that space right away. This market kills me sometimes. If they were 27th and were sitting on 10 or 12 million of open cap space, the media and the fans would be screaming and moaning about how they aren't spending to the cap to help the team win. Jesus wept.
For someone who has been in this for 5 decades, the last thing I want to see after 10 years of losing is another 5 years of bottom feeding. Those of you who joined the party during the West Coast Express run don't fully appreciate just how bad this organization has been. I've seen enough losing, thanks very much. They are taking this future HOF core of Pettersson, Hughes and Demko and retooling around it whether you like it or not, and it suits some of us just fine. You can stop whining and get on board with it, or you can keep being miserable. YOU CHOOSE!