Injuries hit (oh yeah, we're not allowed to use that excuse).1/3 of the rebuilding team is injured..It happens..Canucks now are tied in the league for most man games lost.
I would say a consensus bottom 5 team would have to overpay for a 'decent' (not a scrub) UFA..and 'decent' UFA's generally get overpaid in UFA.
A consensus bottom 5 team shouldn't even be a in any playoff conversation...Who cares if the West is weak, and Markstrom is playing well?..The poster I was speaking to was obviously not happy at the time (that the Canuck were flirting with a playoff spot).
Well, when you bring back the group of players that is constantly getting injured every year and do almost nothing to address organizational depth issues year after year to help handle predictable injury issues, then no you don't get to use that excuse. This is the 4th year in a row where Benning has played the injury excuse, which in itself is a total self own as it's his direct responsibility to build organizational depth to overcome inevitable injuries.
4 of the 5 top man games lost teams made the playoffs last year. Good teams have enough good players to overcome injuries.
Ok well the Oilers, a definitive bottom 5 team, were able to sign Kyle Brodziak, a more effective 4th liner than Beagle for $1.15MM for only 2 years. Brad Richardson with Arizona, $1.25MM. I don't buy it.
We gave Beagle the "thank you for your service" contract that Washington would have if they weren't so tight to the cap. He solidered for them, fought in the trenches and wore himself down, and now we're the one's pinning the medal on him for some reason.