So four years isnt long enough to find an adequate enough goalie or group of defenseman that are at least decent to go along with a forward core like that? The constant excuses and Hextall ass kissing from you is laughable.
Better yet, how about Hextall doesnt make a terrible hire at coach and then stand by him after this season when its obvious to everyone he is in over his head. Arent you one of the people extremely outspoken against Hakstol. Guess who hired him and gave him a public vote of confidence after the season.
You can't just "find" a playoff caliber group of defensemen and starting goalie. Drafting/developing is how you're going to get the majority of those players, which is exactly what's happening right now... and it takes time.
Sure, you can make a trade to fill a hole, but that costs assets (which obviously scales up with the quality of the player you get back) and no team is going to give us a legit #1D unless it's for an overpayment or the player has some kind of baggage (health/attitude/contract). Even if you somehow manage to make a trade for a #1D... then what are you trading for the rest of the D core? It's just not a realistic way to build a team... drafting and developing is essential. And before you misinterpret that, I don't mean that's the only thing you're supposed to do, as if I'm against any trade or signing. The point is that the majority of the core of a contender is very very likely acquired through the draft.
Crosby/Malkin/Letang/MAF/Murray for the Pens
Toews/Kane/Keith/Crawford for the Hawks
Kopitar/Brown/Doughty/Quick for the Kings
You get the idea.
They got the main part of their cores from the draft.... and that takes time. Yes, they added guys through trades, but not until the rest of the core was in place. For us, we obviously weren't set up the last four years so making a Kessel/Richards/Carter-type trade would have been premature.
As for the coach, yeah, that turned out awful and I don't like that hes kept him. I never said Hextall is perfect and I've criticized him plenty. I just have an issue with the specific complaints about the drafting/developing and timeline that are a constant all over this board lately. There are legitimate criticisms to be made, but many of the ones I'm seeing are ridiculous.