It doesn't matter the current core would be better than a rebuilt core five years from now if the current core is never going to win another cup. I don't know for sure this group will never win another cup but it looks increasingly unlikely every year as we continue to lose key players and some of the most important ones we still have (Hedman, Stamkos) get closer to the downside of their careers. There's no blue chip prospects in the system and the cap situation forces JBB to make bargain basement free agent additions - right now may be as good as it'll get for what's left of the cup teams.
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The core can win a cup, and it has. It's the surrounding pieces that are giving us the biggest issues, outside of possibly Vasy turning into a post-contract pumpkin. You can never know "for sure" if a team is going to win a cup, but good luck ever getting Kucherov, Point, Hedman, and (if he gets back to form) Vasy on the same squad again. If they can age like Bruins or Penguins, we have a few more kicks at the can when the cap goes up. Even if Hedman is basically an offensive weapon now, it's still a better 4 than we could possibly hope for again.
But really, without draft picks, the benefit of tanking is destroyed. This year might turn into a punt, and then see if the core can make a run next year, with possibly a better supporting cast. And I think it's still possible we might spend Stamkos's money to plug roster holes.
This is why if the team doesn't have a dramatic turn around by the trade deadline we trade Stamkos and probably Hedman for all the first round picks and blue chip prospects we can get. I'd say Serge too, but that contract would probably limit the returns.
What would be the point of puttering around in mediocrity for several seasons with the current group if intact they have no shot? Better to trade the ones that fetch a worthwhile return while they still have value.
Stamkos is not likely worth either a good first rounder or a blue chip prospect in the current market. Hedman is, but I don't see us burning it down like that until we have draft picks to take advantage of.
I think it's a stretch to say the current group has "no shot," although this year is likely to be pretty bad. Next year we should have a little bit more money to play with. And a lot of our better players are still in their primes. Kucherov is probably gonna be the 2nd best player on planet earth for another couple of years. The big question is Vasilevksiy, although it would be shocking if management lose faith in him and try to move him. I mean, if he doesn't get dramatically better, then I agree with having no shot. If he can be a top-5 goalie again, we need to rebuild the non-core portion of the roster, which is easier.
John Cooper and Tampa will have a mutual parting of ways before he gets fired. Just my suspicion. And it won't be this season. If we miss this year and next year is more of the same, I could definitely see that happening in the off-season. There is not one coach in the league with as much of a leash - still -as Cooper. He's earned that. I still trust him. Every coach has his flaws and I think his tendencies have adapted to mask a lot of that. Whatever this new defensive system thing is, that's a head scratcher. That's definitely the kind of mistake that burns you, but the personnel isn't there and that's on Brisebois so that's a shared load.
I think the moment we realize the only option is a rebuild, Cooper will step down and immediately sign with a contender. He's more/less universally regarded as the best coach in hockey at this point, and I don't see how he doesn't spend the rest of his career chasing cups.
