I had a cheeky response earlier but I figured I would make a serious post now.
I still think this franchise potential was at its highest after the Monsters won the Calder Cup and we were about to take like 3 or 4 of their guys onto the active roster and start the youth movement. That was (to date) our most successful regular season ever, and yeah it was buoyed by an unsustainable 16 game win streak, but that team was pretty good all year until the final month or so.
I don't think we're quite at that level but I do like the make up of this team right now. The biggest questions remain the same from previous years, center and goalie. But we've got lots of interesting options at center and the current guys aren't awful, just not 1C caliber. As for goalie, its a complete mystery box. Aiden Hill was barely an NHL goal this time last year and now he's a Cup champion as a starter and making around 5 million per year. Weird position. Elvis and Tarasov have talent, and the defense should be way better, but we'll see.
I'm optimistic. I do think we're headed in the right direction. The East/Metro is so wide open aside from, like, Tampa, Toronto, Carolina, and New Jersey. After that anything is game. I would not be shocked if we made it next year but I doubt it.
As far as the long term future? Yeah, I think we're looking pretty good. KJ, Sillinger, Marchenko, Fantilli, etc. That's an elite young core. Developing them properly and getting them signed long term is important. Some teams still have better long term outlooks than us in the East (namely Jersey, Buffalo, maybe Ottawa/Detroit?) But we're right there.
