Have to say that I am thinking things are not going to go well tbis offseason.
It does not have to be that way, but my no.1 concern ( no.2 being MB has messed about too many times and combined with his arrogance I have no faith in him ) is that Molson not only wants play off money next season, but has pretty clearly tied MBs job to that goal. As such, moves will largely be made to try to get us into the post season next season, even if they do not really bring us closer to a Cup.
Example, say the only centre we get is Stastny. Makes us better for now sure, maybe helps us squee into a play off spot, but that's it. The cost of that is tying up money for X amount of years in a declining ( my guess ) 2C, but also keeps us from having better picks in the upcoming drafts.
Patches trade. MB trades him for yet another no. 4 D man to play on the first pairing. Or trades for a veteran 3C to play as a top 6 , possibly even turning down deals for prospect Cs with real top 6 potential because they can't help now. That is one of the reasons I am so fixated on Borgstrom, because not only does he look like he has 1C potential, but if MB thinks he can help now, he is a guy he might be willing to try to get, as opposed to a Bonino equivalent ( tried to sign him as a UFA ).
People are worried about our picks being thrown away for help now, especially for pukers ( attitude I guess means guys who hate losing to the point they get physically sick ), and I think we should be worried. Even our 3rd IS, does it get used on say, Tkachuk ,because MB likes his game but also because there is a good chance Tkachuk can help now ? Or does he trade that pick for help now ?
The consequences of making short term/ sighted moves is burying us in mediocrity for years to come, and leaving a mess that will take years to untangle.
Dumb luck may be our only salvation. Tallon offering Borgstrom for Patches, signing Tavares as a UFA etc.
Sorry to be a downer, but Molson is setting the stage for this by not setting a longer term plan to get us into Cup contention, like the Rangers and Blues have.
This team made the 2nd most money in 2016-17 with $92M, and the 3rd most valuable at $1.25B. I get that Molson likely really has no interest in firing MB and paying him his $20M or whatever it is over the next 4 years and likely other personnel costs, but he is jeopardizing this money making machine if you look at it from a business standpoint. Already, no post season for 2 out of 3 years, and no ticket price increases.
We need competent people everywhere , and the money is there, no Cap . As people have said, why do we not have a lot more scouts, especially in Quebec, but for sure elsewhere also. Drafting And development is absolute key, and you need people to walk the walk ( notice how Chucky's game improved for the first time in 6 years under a coach who actually communicates and sees development as being part of his job ) And a plan for a Cup, with the time to implement it.
I so hope I am wrong about the teams plan. If I am not, hopefully we are at the right place at the right time for the right players.