Sustained competitiveness might be tougher than winning a single Cup. Although sustained needs to be defined. Is it 3 years, 5 years, 10 years? DL barely got 5, and less than that as a real contender. And his plan was to be the 2000's Detroit.
I agree it’s tough but that’s where the need for patience comes in. By taking our time we can start filling out the NHL roster with home grown talent and they will in a couple of years get us into the play-offs. Once we are a play-off team comprised mostly of those home grown players we’d have done so whilst maintaining depth in the system. Once that happens a significant move doesn’t gut the system, just strengthens the NHL roster. Then a year later you make another move and so on. I’m not saying we shouldn’t make moves, but we shouldn’t force it. If the right move is possible then we do it, but it has to fit the long term plan and goal.
I see sustained success as being a play-off team for something like an 8-10 year period with a 4 year window where we are in the conversation for the cup. I want us to be patient now so that we have the organisational depth to move a decent prospect and a high pick at the deadline without worrying about mortgaging the future.
I think we are nearly there BTW, in terms on becoming a play-off team we have to start making moves and using the cap space. I’m hoping for a LHD and a top 6 player to help take the pressure of the prospects so we are genuine play-off contenders. Then whatever happens next year we will have a much better idea on Vilardi, Byfield, Turcotte etc. I think then after the 21/22 season we can start thinking about a much bigger move because we will properly understand what we’ve got. Even then though we’d likely only need one or two guys as the prospects start to emerge and take ownership of the team. I know people are complaining that no one has yet stepped up, but I never felt that was realistic this season because it was too early to expect that.
