Speculation: Was the juice worth the squeeze?

[Mr Positive]

The decision to destroy the team came in 2010 as a plan to build through the draft. It has been 6, going on 7 years of futility. No one wanted it to last this long, but if you enjoy the talent currently on the squad then you have to give at least some credit to the strategy of a scorched earth rebuild, even if the pain isn't worth it to you.

But imo, it is worth it. I've been a fan for a very long time. I want a contender. This was the only way to do it. We aren't there yet, but we are closer than we've ever been since the dynasty. I really don't want a loveable loser squad like 2006-9, or 1996-2004. I didn't even want a consistent low seed. I want the cup. I want us to be the evil empire again.

 

[IamSamIam]

There is no doubt in my mind that McBenJohnson has the talent to lead us to the juice.

He is going to drag along RNH and Eberle and everyone else with him. Everyone else will get better and better because of him.

My only doubt is longevity. How long can he play that fast, driving past defenders so aggressively before getting injured again? I surely hope it doesn't happen, but I think about it a couple of times each game.

 

[Replacement*]

The decision to destroy the team came in 2010 as a plan to build through the draft. It has been 6, going on 7 years of futility. No one wanted it to last this long, but if you enjoy the talent currently on the squad then you have to give at least some credit to the strategy of a scorched earth rebuild, even if the pain isn't worth it to you.

But imo, it is worth it. I've been a fan for a very long time. I want a contender. This was the only way to do it. We aren't there yet, but we are closer than we've ever been since the dynasty. I really don't want a loveable loser squad like 2006-9, or 1996-2004. I didn't even want a consistent low seed. I want the cup. I want us to be the evil empire again.

Nah, would Spawn stated should end the thread. No circumstance in which a fanbase is exposed to a complete decade of being the worst team in the league and complete laughing stock is worth it. In most cities, in most businesses such a monumental failure would result in bankruptcy, move, insolvency.

This org didn't even know when it would be profitable to tank and picked the worst time period possible to do so. With the McDavid pick only falling to us on pure, sheer, luck.

 

[Mowzie]

The decision to destroy the team came in 2010 as a plan to build through the draft. It has been 6, going on 7 years of futility. No one wanted it to last this long, but if you enjoy the talent currently on the squad then you have to give at least some credit to the strategy of a scorched earth rebuild, even if the pain isn't worth it to you.

But imo, it is worth it. I've been a fan for a very long time. I want a contender. This was the only way to do it. We aren't there yet, but we are closer than we've ever been since the dynasty. I really don't want a loveable loser squad like 2006-9, or 1996-2004. I didn't even want a consistent low seed. I want the cup. I want us to be the evil empire again.

In hindsight, I think the 6 or 7 or 8 or 9 years of bad hockey, and the plan to fix it was all a failure. Really, what this comes down to is winning the McDavid lottery. What does this team look like if not for #97. The rebuild was great in theory but abject failure in execution.

Drafting, we are consistently bad, reflected by any non lottery pick, and the fact that Jeff Petry was the only effective player drafted outside of round one, this decade maybe? Maybe I'm exaggerating. Move on to player development which has been consistenly horrible as well. Move on to putting our few good players in positions to succeed, and insulating them properly with veterans...

You see the pattern, Even now, after a decade of building, we still don't have the depth to ice a full roster of NHL'ers, and that's after trading 2 - 1st Overall picks.

That being said, we are on the right track now, but it was more happenstance than good planning.

 

[Mr Positive]

In hindsight, I think the 6 or 7 or 8 or 9 years of bad hockey, and the plan to fix it was all a failure. Really, what this comes down to is winning the McDavid lottery. What does this team look like if not for #97. The rebuild was great in theory but abject failure in execution.

Drafting, we are consistently bad, reflected by any non lottery pick, and the fact that Jeff Petry was the only effective player drafted outside of round one, this decade maybe? Maybe I'm exaggerating. Move on to player development which has been consistenly horrible as well. Move on to putting our few good players in positions to succeed, and insulating them properly with veterans...

You see the pattern, Even now, after a decade of building, we still don't have the depth to ice a full roster of NHL'ers, and that's after trading 2 - 1st Overall picks.

That being said, we are on the right track now, but it was more happenstance than good planning.

you won't catch me saying that our rebuild was well run. It's just a fact that if you tear your team down, you will get some special players from the draft, and that's what we have. Lowe, Tambi and MacT don't get credit for that, but if I would suck up to anyone in this case it would be Katz, since it's a tough decision no doubt to destroy the team you purchased and have the fans hate you for it. He also did good things like spend a lot of money on player development. I also think he meant the best and just went with Lowe because he doesn't know any better since he's not from hockey. He eventually did reach out to Nicholson and used his connections, and I'll just say that maybe the opportunity to do a move like that just wasn't there for us earlier.

 

[Replacement*]

you won't catch me saying that our rebuild was well run. It's just a fact that if you tear your team down, you will get some special players from the draft, and that's what we have. Lowe, Tambi and MacT don't get credit for that, but if I would suck up to anyone in this case it would be Katz, since it's a tough decision no doubt to destroy the team you purchased and have the fans hate you for it. He also did good things like spend a lot of money on player development. I also think he meant the best and just went with Lowe because he doesn't know any better since he's not from hockey. He eventually did reach out to Nicholson and used his connections, and I'll just say that maybe the opportunity to do a move like that just wasn't there for us earlier.

Your avatar changes alone say that. heh, just jk, around, you know what I mean. Wasn't the first 4 the HOPE alignment? Its evolved so many times.

 

[Spawn]

Todays bump could not have been any better timed to prove that the squeeze is still going on

 

[rboomercat90]

In hindsight, I think the 6 or 7 or 8 or 9 years of bad hockey, and the plan to fix it was all a failure. Really, what this comes down to is winning the McDavid lottery. What does this team look like if not for #97. The rebuild was great in theory but abject failure in execution.

Drafting, we are consistently bad, reflected by any non lottery pick, and the fact that Jeff Petry was the only effective player drafted outside of round one, this decade maybe? Maybe I'm exaggerating. Move on to player development which has been consistenly horrible as well. Move on to putting our few good players in positions to succeed, and insulating them properly with veterans...

You see the pattern, Even now, after a decade of building, we still don't have the depth to ice a full roster of NHL'ers, and that's after trading 2 - 1st Overall picks.

That being said, we are on the right track now, but it was more happenstance than good planning.

I could never understand how a team that had a long history of being so horrifically bad at drafting and development prior to 2010 was going to put all their eggs in that basket. It turned out exactly how I thought it would. The only reason there is any reason for hope is because this team got lucky winning the draft lottery for McDavid. The first three first overalls did nothing to improve this team. Katz is damn lucky he had a new arena to hold over fans heads for the last three years or his team would have been playing in an empty building.

 

[rboomercat90]

Todays bump could not have been any better timed to prove that the squeeze is still going on

Or that the Orange is dried out.

 

[TheRebuild]

Or that the Orange is dried out.

or the Orange turned out to be a lemon.

 

[Speed220DChalavan]

Would have settled for Tropicana juice - yet the juice being served now is of the premium $9/glass at the Westin variety.