I understand the rebuild/reload/retool or whatever it might be called. I am just not sure if Anaheim can afford to be patient like some other teams/markets can afford to be. I could be incorrect but can they afford to wait three years to turn it around? Season ticket sales, advertising it all factors into the bottom line. Just wondering if they plan to clean house at the trade deadline or just hold the course.
Bob has a long term plan. At this moment, we're waiting for the youths (youts... sorry... My Cousin Vinny flashbacks) to develop because we're lacking prospect capital in different capacities. We do not have any top defensive prospects. We have a few forward prospects not in the NHL that are still developing. Because we don't have enough NHL players, we kinda have to hold onto most of our players for the time being.
The youth movement was pushed earlier than expected. Bob was expecting to still have Kesler, Eaves, and Perry still around. They would be a bridge for Rakell, Silf, Kase, and Ritchie. Those four would then be the bridge for Steel, Jones, Comtois, and Terry. Since not all prospects make it, Bob added Lundestrom, Groulx, Zegras, and Tracey. Defensively, Bob was always gonna rely on his three amigos of Lindholm, Manson, and Fowler. Then he gambled that a mix of veterans and either Larsson or Guhle would rise to the competition - it hasn't worked out. Yet, he was able to secure a top-4 with the addition of Gudzilla for virtually nothing.
Bob is trying to keep the youth mostly intact because there really isn't much else he can do because we lack a lot of NHL forwards on our team right now. From the next burgeoning lot of Terry, Steel, Jones, Comtois, Lundestrom, Groulx, Zegras, and Tracey, a couple of them should pan out just by the odds. There's five first rounders in that bunch, two second rounders, and a fifth rounder (Terry). I guess Bob and his scouting staff still hasn't figured out how to draft forwards yet; and I was premature on believing we turned the corner with both Steel and Terry producing in their second call-up last year as well as Comtois going mad crazy in Juniors along with Lundestrom tearing it up across the pond.
What Bob accomplished last year in 26 games was amazing. We've fallen off that path. Part of the reason why are injuries. Lost Manson, Lindholm, Kase, Ritchie, and Terry. I read an OC article that added Grant and Larsson to the infirmary recently too. Another reason is Gibby isn't playing like his old self and we need Vezina Gibby to steal a lot of games. We've been involved in 15 one-goal games, but only won 5 of those games thus far. The special teams has on both the PP and PK need to be better if we're to steal games this year, which I attribute mostly on coaching.
This past off-season, I thought we were gunning for the playoffs with GM Bob saying there's competition at the NHL level for the kids. But in the past month, GM Bob has gone on to say he really wants to develop the kids at the NHL level - which isn't what I was expecting and was disheartened. This year is a growing pains year as a few of our prospects are going through sophomore slumps in Steel, Terry, and Jones.
It's not a plan I was subscribing for, but I understand the plan. And if Gibby isn't up to his superstar old self, then we're gonna be screwed until Dostal shows up in a couple of years. LoL
