This tank chatter is so out of touch.
Ok - we know. I'm sure everyone in all hockey organizations know. You can look at the draft board and see the team slipping down with every win. Barring a lottery, we're only getting a worse draft spot with no playoffs.
That doesn't make it a priority above winning games and playing the right way. If a fan's priority for the team is the draft now that playoffs aren't possible, that's understandable. But it's important to remember that the organization's priority and player's priority will always be to win games - and for good reason. If you let up, it's an excuse and there's no buts about it. That slide towards accepting failure or even mediocrity lets people off the hook. It's much more important that it remains a square examination of, "Can you do what it takes?" and that the message remain consistent.
It's ok to have a different priority than the players and coaches and so on, but it's no good begrudging them the good ethic that their jobs entail.