Quote:
Originally Posted by blankall
Either way...putting up with 12 years of missing the playoffs to be maybe good next year is far from something the Flames should try to emulate. The Sabres have gone 16 seasons without a series win. The Sabres 12 season drought is the longest in NHL history by two seasons and counting.
Detroit's now at 7 seasons without playoffs and 10 without a series win.
I'm also not sure I'd call what Chicago did tanking. They held onto their core until they were straight up old. They sold Kane off after he had almost no value. It was more of a forced/natural tank after they'd already driven everything into the ground.
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That's correct, they only rebuilt when they had absolutely no choice.
But once they decided to rebuild, they embraced it with a full tank mode.
They are in spectacular shape now with a great prospect pool, Bedard, tons of drafts picks over the next 3 years and tons of cap room. Even though they have horrible existing players.
Plus they knocked Calgary out of the playoffs and Pittsburgh too, allowing Florida to sneak in. So while the owners were tanking at the end, the players were obviously trying hard, knocking the Hawks from #1 to #3 in the reverse standings, and getting Bedard for their troubles.
Just think, ex-Flame's Buddy Robinson is responsible for Chicago getting Bedard and Florida being in the final.