Missed the game, which in hind site I'm glad was the case.
I feel sorry for the folks that thought we'd be anywhere close to a bottom three pick. The only way that could happen would be if they didn't play Demko, had OEL and Myers eating 30 minutes a night with Stillman getting a lion's share on a second pairing. Or a series of injuries to Hughes, Pettersson and Miller. I'd love the team to win the lottery, but investing in that is just way to frustrating.
It was inevitable they'd begin winning some games, particularly after giving some of the AHL, hungry players more opportunities. Actually playing a more structured game is also having a positive effect in games, if you're only looking at the short term for the team. It's difficult to root for more losses after so many years, even though having another top seven draft pick would be a real boon.
Anyway, I was hopeful for a top 10 finish, so we'll see if they can chew through that. It's only teams that have seeded themselves in the playoff, or clubs actively trying to tank that rest their best players. I'd still like to see more minutes for Pods and company.
I recall being told in no uncertain terms that there's no way you could replace Myers this season with a depth defender and expect similar results. I have to admit that's the case, except that Myers actually made the team worse than a player like Wolanin. Nothing like letting the team prove your points.