[AC]

The cognitive dissonance as a fan is spot on. It's perfectly reasonable to be frustrated the team might worsen their potentially best draft pick ever with some moral victories down the stretch but at the same time recognize that instilling a winning culture is important.

Just like it's clear that while Conroy and his staff have done an impressive job in drafting recently (by finding many diamonds in the rough so to speak), this team is desperately in need of elite franchise players. These are almost exclusively found at the very top of the draft.

Almost all of the star players this franchise has had over its history have been underdog players who overcame adversity, or were overlooked by other teams, etc. Iginla, Gio, Johnny, Kipper, Fleury, etc. These types of players have shaped the team's identity for as long as I've been a fan.

No doubt our scouts will come away with some great pieces this draft regardless, but boy would it be nice to get some lottery luck for once and nab an elite player that singlehandedly changes the next 10-15 years of this team's trajectory. That feels like McKenna this year.

I will never cheer for losses, but it's also fair to be frustrated. If we pass Chicago and they end up winning the lottery adding McKenna to play with Bedard for example... these late season moral victories won't mean much. Hoping we get some lottery luck for once regardless, this franchise deserves it more than anyone.