Quote:
Originally Posted by fleury
That's the problem right now with the fan's and teams' expectations - everything has to go right for this team to be a playoff contender. There are simply too many IFs to realistically think this team truly has a solid chance.
- Sutter has to coach well
- Monahan has to come back from injury
- Johnny and Keith Jr have to bounce back
- Markstrom has to bounce back from injury
- Anderson and Valamaki have to have developed this off-season
- Dube has to have got in shape and get to the next level
They're also banking on some of the new additions changing the culture of the locker room and not being absorbed by the existing culture, which, could be a hope in the wind. Anyway, I think all combined there is a very small chance this team is substantially better than last years. I think last year everything that could've gone wrong did go wrong, but the core has more or less remained the same which is an obvious wrong that hasn't been addressed. Let's see, but I'm on the skeptical side at this point when it's been the same song and dance for about three off-seasons. |
I think some Ifs can be sorted though.
Sutter has to coach well? Can't we put a check beside that one?
Monahan ... I've heard his surgery was successful, so I think it likely he's better than when he was injured.
Tkachuk and Gaudreau had already rebounded under Sutter, so they have to keep that up.
Markstrom is less likely to be injured under a Sutter system.
But then yeah ... I think the young defense taking a step is a huge issue, and one that may be the biggest issue for the team.
I think Mangiapane will be ok, still not sure what they have in Dube.
Huntingwale's if list was long, but if it all went the right way (highly unlikely), this team wouldn't be "all right", they'd be conference contenders.
I think we see an improvement and a solid playoff team, but not a contending team. And hopefully some playoff success with a team used to playing that style.