When do you consider a rebuild complete?

A rebuild is completed when...


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    101
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1989

Registered User
Aug 3, 2010
10,361
3,865
Not including retool attempts, how do you define a completed rebuild?
What level of team success has to be achieved over how long a period of time?

For example - Buffalo is still in a rebuild. Arizona is still rebuilding. Is Montreal retooling? Edmonton is probably retooling. Calgary is competing, so likely considered to be "finished".
 

Taluss

Registered User
Jul 28, 2018
8,250
5,902
NYC
Leafs did a really good one. They are a good example of what I'd consider a solid rebuild.
 

ijuka

Registered User
May 14, 2016
22,162
14,650
The rebuild is complete when the team competes in playoffs with a legitimate chance to win the cup year after year.

Becoming a bubble team is NOT a goal and should be avoided. That's a limbo that'll lead to nothing good. The team needs to either be very bad or very good.
 

ThaTruth

Registered User
Mar 30, 2019
30
29
I'd say the rebuild of a team ends when you can confidently say your team has a shot at the cup instead of pondering over to the prospects section of this forum when the season begins.
 

rumrokh

THORBS
Mar 10, 2006
10,107
3,285
When a team makes the playoffs, stops selling its impending UFA's, and starts acquiring players to take them to the next level instead of as placeholders.
 
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HugginThePost

Flames Suck
Sponsor
Dec 28, 2006
3,868
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Back to the Sweat Box
I think it’s when you can confidently know that you’re making the Playoffs at the start of the season.

If on opening night you aren’t sure, you’re not done rebuilding.

Think Pittsburgh, Washington, Tampa, Calgary, Winnipeg, etc.

Another way of looking at it is this......

If you’re making big trades to improve your team, you’re not done.

If you’re a legitimate threat you’re making small trades/additions to get you over the hump. You’re not adding someone that needs to drive the bus.
 

A91

Oilers + Real Madrid
May 21, 2011
6,944
2,221
Edmonton
Well the Oilers brass decided to do a rebuild because being a bubnle team wasn't enough
So I would say when you are a top10 team in the league for 2 years straight and make some noise in the playoffs.
 

Mickey Marner

Registered User
Jul 9, 2014
19,225
20,758
Dystopia
When you successfully acquire a #1 C/W/D/G, C/C/D/G, C/W/W/D, C/D/D/G or C/W/W/D. The rest of the roster will mostly sort itself out and your team will inevitably be good.
 

Brad Marchant

Registered User
Feb 28, 2019
54
38
2 years in a row of finishing top 3 in your division. A general rule. I would say the Flames are done the rebuild even tho they don’t match this criteria.
 

CanadienShark

Registered User
Dec 18, 2012
37,361
10,616
I think it’s when you can confidently know that you’re making the Playoffs at the start of the season.

If on opening night you aren’t sure, you’re not done rebuilding.

Think Pittsburgh, Washington, Tampa, Calgary, Winnipeg, etc.

Another way of looking at it is this......

If you’re making big trades to improve your team, you’re not done.


If you’re a legitimate threat you’re making small trades/additions to get you over the hump. You’re not adding someone that needs to drive the bus.
I have to disagree. Would you say Tampa, San Jose, or Vegas were still rebuilding? Within the last year, all three have made really big trades for McDonagh, Karlsson, and Pacioretty/Stone, respectively.
 

Peiskos

Registered User
Jan 4, 2018
3,665
3,614
When a team goes from rock bottom mediocrity for years and years to consistently making the playoffs, the Leafs for example have just made the playoffs for the third straight season and not by just barely, for the past 2 seasons they've made it in quite handily with 100+ points. I would say the Leafs are done rebuilding but that doesn't mean tweaks and improvements can't be made, there is this perception that playoff teams can't also improve, every team has room to get better.

So in short, when a team is consistently making the playoffs and with ease rather than fighting to the bitter end to be a wild card, this is when a rebuild should be considered finished.
 

Meeqs

Registered User
Aug 23, 2012
9,295
1,677
USA
A rebuild is done when a team has successfully built a core of : 2 top 6 centers, 2 top 6 wingers, a solid 3 c, 3 good Dmen and a starting goalie.

Also teams being bad doesn't always mean rebuilding.

Rebuilds can take anywhere form 5-8 years depending on how much you have when you start.
 

Iceman

Registered User
Jun 9, 2014
10,640
2,024
There will always be excuses. If the Bolts got swept in round 1 they would have excuses.

Not any new ones. If fans blame Cooper for the season, it would be for like... the 4th straight year?
 

Luigi Lemieux

Registered User
Sep 26, 2003
21,440
9,062
When a team has set themselves up to be a perennial contender. Leafs for example I'd say has completed their rebuild. They're in contention mode now and are working on getting to the next level.
 

Connor McConnor

Registered User
Nov 22, 2017
5,243
6,011
Option 3. Edmonton was technically "competing" for a WC spot this year and came 2nd in the division a few years ago and this team needs another damn rebuild since the first 10 were done so poorly.
 

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