Does the recent streak affect your short-term future projections?

[enthusiast]

Without getting into the realities of this season, has the strong play of several young long-term pieces affected your expectations for next season and the following year? Rome wasn't built in a day, but might the real construction have started ahead of schedule?

Click to read more...

 

[Bps21*]

I feel like they're going to end up at the bottom when all is said and done...but I also feel more confident about the young players they'll be adding next year since they'll be joining a culture of hard work and not hanging your head in silence.

As far as the young guys go...the only one who really surprises me at all is Zadorov. Girgensons you could see by the end of last season was something else. Ristolainen...I think he's the best prospect in this organization. Zadorov I thought could play here...but he's exceeded my expectations.

I still judge how far away they are by how long it takes them to find some elite offensive talent.

 

[wunderpanda]

Altered my perceptions of some players, but the playoffs still seem 3 or 4 seasons away. The group is just the foundation, there are near 20 UFA/RFA in the system after this year and it will depend on chemistry and roster additions in the coming years. If Mez, Stewie and Benoit are Murray *types*, this team could be in trouble.

Maybe it is no coincidence the team played better after Reinhart was sent back

 

[B U F F A L O]

Altered my perceptions of some players, but the playoffs still seem 3 or 4 seasons away. The group is just the foundation, there are near 20 UFA/RFA in the system after this year and it will depend on chemistry and roster additions in the coming years. If Mez, Stewie and Benoit are Murray *types*, this team could be in trouble.

Maybe it is no coincidence the team played better after Reinhart was sent back

I know you were being sarcastic, but I would say it has more to do with playing Zadarov with Risto...

 

[Jame]

Altered my perceptions of some players, but the playoffs still seem 3 or 4 seasons away. The group is just the foundation, there are near 20 UFA/RFA in the system after this year and it will depend on chemistry and roster additions in the coming years. If Mez, Stewie and Benoit are Murray *types*, this team could be in trouble.

Maybe it is no coincidence the team played better after Reinhart was sent back

Girgensons to #1 center
Mitchell to #2 center
Ennis to wing
Hodgson moved down
Zadorov and Risto together with top 4 minutes

The turnaround from awful to "scoreboard competitive" is related directly to those changes

 

[1972]

The emergence of Girgensons, Ristolainen, Zadorov might just speed things up a little bit.

 

[TehDoak]

With the team playing AS GOOD AS IT CAN and at FULL HEALTH....

we're a one line team that relies on a goalie to stand on his head night in and night out.

Project that out over a year...unless that goalie is Hasek, this is still a team mired in the bottom 10 (likely bottom 5) Everything we know points to this run being quite flukey. It's been fun, but, t he reality is, its going to end soon.

It's been nice to see the kids take a few steps forward and the team play like it gives a damn, but, we're still a ways away from being 'significant'

 

[cramdizzl]

With the team playing AS GOOD AS IT CAN and at FULL HEALTH....

we're a one line team that relies on a goalie to stand on his head night in and night out.

Project that out over a year...unless that goalie is Hasek, this is still a team mired in the bottom 10 (likely bottom 5) Everything we know points to this run being quite flukey. It's been fun, but, t he reality is, its going to end soon.

It's been nice to see the kids take a few steps forward and the team play like it gives a damn, but, we're still a ways away from being 'significant'

He's asking about after this season, though. I agree that this streak is unsustainable. They didn't suddenly become a really talented team, and Enroth will come back to earth soon.

In regards to the OP, not really. I think we could make the playoffs next year if the youth take another step forward, and Reinhart and/or Grigs can come up and add some scoring. As of right now we have one line that can really score. Thats one reason they have no chance at sniffing the playoffs this year.