I get why some people are worried of fan expectations. The "signing watch thread" was one of the most cringeworthy things I've seen on CP over the years.
That said, one thing that brings me comfort is that our organization has guys who have their heads on straight. Take this quote for example:
Quote:
Originally Posted by sureLoss
@KristenOdlandCH: Asked Brian Burke what he plans to see from both Arnold and Gaudreau: “I don’t expect much. I won’t be surprised if they’re standing around
@KristenOdlandCH: looking at traffic and trying to figure out how to merge. It’s not unusual for a kid to be starstruck in his first game"
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It's pretty clear Burke wants to take the pressure off the players, which I think is exactly what he should be doing right now.
Burke and Hartley (and Ward if Gaudreau sees time in the Heat, which I think is likely) seem to be very aware that young players need support in many other things than just transitioning their hockey skills to a new level. Even Conroy, behind all that chatter, has always seemed like a very level-headed guy to me. I'm sure his job is in part teaching Gaudreau and Arnold to laugh off some of the stuff they're hearing
It's also good that Hartley is probably right now more popular with the fans than any coach since Darryl Sutter. That should help tone down the second-guessing among the fans and media, which in turn should bring some peace to the dressing room.
This might not have been the case a few years back (and it's kind of too soon to say how it will play out in the long run), but right now we're looking like a pretty good organization for young players.