I have no problems with us ‘fighting for a playoff spot’ of the GM saying that he wants us to be contending for a playoff spot.
It doesn’t mean a whole lot given that the entire league is trying to contend for the playoffs, and as a GM of a young team, you also have to say the right things and set high expectations.
The reality may be that PD doesn’t expect to anywhere close to the playoffs, and the coaches are tasked with development over wins, but neither group can really come out and say that if they want the kids to at least feel the pressure to try their best to win at the NHL level every game.
It’s not expected to pile up wins, but the effort has to be there every night, and while losing a ton with this squad is expected, if we end up wining more than losing, it would have to be celebrated given how well the kids would have to be playing.
I mean, it’s like extolling the virtues of a particular disliked high school class to my oldest daughter. I may not feel that it’s important in the grand scheme of things, but I don’t want to tell her that because I want her to get comfortable working hard and getting good grades, regardless, because THOSE are important skills in the grand scheme of things.
Our kids are too young for the most part this year, but I expect next season to be one where enough of the kids will be comfortable enough for us to perhaps be picking top ten or teens instead of top 5. If we get a couple of big developments, we could even sneak in to a WC.
This is the first ground up rebuild that I have experienced as a grown up, and I want to fully enjoy it as they don’t happen to this level too often. There is a difference between being a team that perpetually sucks, and a team
That is rebuilding. We started into the league as a team that perpetually sucks, but since the late 90’s we’ve never look back.
Morning discombobulated thoughts from Tray....