Six years later people are still trying to hold Sam to expectations of his draft position. IDK. Once drafted they are all just players and have to be developed from where they are to where their effort and skill can take them. Sam has been slow, but very steady in his continued improvement in all aspects, from building his body, improving his shot, improving his hockey sense, and all that improving his on ice production. This last year he has made great progress in becoming a man vs the boy he was drafted as. He has gotten more engaged with being a leader and star on and off the ice, and is starting to take a greater role in the leadership on the team.
I watched Sam's press interaction after the game and I was very happy with the growth in the man I saw there. Yes we have heard some things like this from past team leaders, but not so much from Sam. Yesterday he stepped up and took his turn taking hits from the media so Eichel and Jeff didn't have to do it. I thought he did well, and showed how he really felt when he said some guys need to "step the hell up." For Sam, that is a strong statement.
Two thirds of the lineup, almost all the middle to bottom half, are set to become UFA's. They should all have tremendous incentive in a contract year and should be driving a narrative of the team out performing their talent, yet almost all look resigned to the idea that it has already gone bad and there is no point putting in the effort. Hogwash! It shows you though, why teams were willing to trade them away in the first place. The purge that will be happening this offseason needs to be complately to the bone, including long term Sabre RFA's like McCabe and Risto. You can't replace Sam very eaisily or at a reasonable cost. So sign him long term, but all the rest got to go.
