Stajan is a good guy to have to help to develop the kids IMO. If you are worried about his uselessness, then maybe you can say he's helpful to for a shot for the top 3 for next year (McDavid, Eichel and Hanifin).
But the road looks open too. If Vets and Co lights it up this year, then maybe we won't get a good draft pick, but maybe we could attract a few young guns to take us the rest of the way to playoff contention via trading the vets. If vets and co suck, we get draft picks and the kids can learn what not to do from watching someone else rather than doing it themselves the hard way (like Edmonton).
I don't see Hartley as a "play the vets and bench the kids for a higher win ratio" sort of guy. I see him as a guy who wants the kids to develop. I personally feel like if our win% exceeds .500 he will puts the kids in with less sheltering for difficult challenges so they learn faster with less hit to their self confidence.
Wishful thinking?
|