That's what makes firing GMBH so tricky... bringing in a new regime likely means another 1-2 years before they put their stamp on the team, so Eich would be like 25... and then finally, maybe, possibly... the team could be competitive again?
Botts should get fired. I don't think he will.
It does not mean this at all. A good GM will have this team in the playoffs next year. We are 2 top 6 forwards away from having a bunch of guys slot down and play the roles they should have. Also Dahlin should be a true #1 from beginnning to end next year.
We really would be in the thick of things right now if Botts had actually done something significant last summer. It seems like he really thought he could just let the team suck for 3 years until the cap fixed iteself and the fans would be cool with it. It might of worked if he hadn't made the worst trade in team history.
He is a nice a guy and all but he is plain and simply out of his league. He is not good enought to be 1 of 31 soon to be 32. He is not good enough! He has had his chance and failed completely. If it was just the ROR trade it would be really tough to stomach but maybe there would be a way to keep him. The thing is Botterill has several other head scratchers in his 3 years that well educated fans thought "huh" at the time and have been proven right since.
It is not as hard as it seems, especially when you have a #1 center and defensemen gifted to you.