Way to be a good sport, haha.
First off I agree with UPL being the biggest reason for our success and that he should be OHL MVP. I also think we can go on a run and I'm starting to believe we could be a 3rd round team this year.
I think you're undercutting the rest of the squad a bit though, as well as Stillman's impact on it. I dont think UPL is the difference between us being say 2nd 9th. I think if we didnt have him we'd be in that 5-8 mix right now.
It's important to recognize how much better the guys like Bulitka, Robinson, Hutcheson, McConville, the Pilons, and Gilhula are this year compared to last and the numbers they've put up to contribute have reflected that. I think we've always had plenty players like this, but Stillman has done a better job coaching these kind of guys up to their potential better than anyone we've had since Bert Templeton. The pain we went through last year was largely to get these guys to where they are now. I expect most of them to take another step forward next year too.
That leads me to my next point. I think we'll be a top team next season except it won't be because of goaltending. I think we've had such poor goaltending for so long that we tend to get lost in the assumption that if it isnt Ukko, we'll get McGrath level goaltending. Lemaire and Weeks have shown me enough to have confidence that at least one of them can play a bigger role next year, plus I think we can always make a trade to address the goaltending if need be. The rest of the guys I mentioned above, plus the big offensive guys and the entire D core should be quite a bit better next season. Remember we're bringing back most of this core. If we fall back to mediocrity then I'll question Stillman, but he hasn't done anything IMO to suggest thay we should worry about that.
I think what UPL has done for us is beyond all expectations. Most of us were saying pre season that 2019-20 was our year. UPL is so good that he has given us a puncher's chance this season as well. Recognizing that, I think we need to revert back to the original plan and thinking, and recognize him as a luxury for this season, not his departure as a detriment next season.