I agree that taking a 2 years "step back" was never an option because our owner is the most short sighted person ever. It doesn't mean a step back was the wrong move, it just means we were locked into doing another "retool on the fly" because the guy that signs the cheques can't look more than 12 months into the future.
It's his team so he can do as he pleases, but it doesn't mean it's the right path if the end goal is a chance to compete for the cup.
You fell for the Bruce-bump hard. The team was winning and playing entertaining hockey, but they were not playing a good system and their success was not sustainable. Just look at the hesitation to extend Bruce long term in the summer of 2022, the constant criticism about a lack of structure during training camp, and the very uncharacteristic public bashing of Bruce from JR. Management were not sold on Brodreau even with said 40-games stretch the previous season. They knew it was a mirage, that 40-games stretch means very little.
You look at the lack of structure, the horrific blueline, the underwhelming depth all around and the lack of prospects and cap space, and it is really hard to see how anybody believed the Nucks could be competitive last season. Demko injury became an excuse, but that roster would need everything, and I mean EVERYTHING, to go right just to sneak into the playoff. Even with Hughes and Petterson taking huge leaps, the team was still nowhere close to the playoff. It was not a competitive roster last season, I think most people can see that. Continuing to throw assets to prop up this shakey foundation is ill-advised, but it's the path we must take because of the owner (and I guess because of Petterson now).