WarriorofTime
Registered User
- Jul 3, 2010
- 33,386
- 23,759
Rebuilds take a comically long time in the NHL because players aren't ready once they drafted. There's often a disconnect in perception because 1st overalls *are* usually ready, but the bulk of draft picks take between 3-5 years before they're even cracking the roster, then take another few years before the group of former draft picks are ready to be "winners".
Heck, look at the young guys cracking the Hawks roster this season. You got Reichel drafted 2020, Vlasic drafted 2019, Bedard drafted 2023, Soderblom undrafted but by age would have been eligible in the 2017 draft, Allan drafted 2021, Kaiser drafted 2020, Nazar drafted 2022, Slaggert drafted 2020, Dach drafted 2021, Del Mastro drafted 2021.
With the exception of Nazar and Bedard, those other guys were all picked before the Hawks decided "Screw it, let's tear this thing to the studs" mid-way through the 2021-22 season. And then even in that 2022 Draft, the Hawks didn't even have their own first round pick (the Korchinski and Nazar picks were both acquired as part of trades in connection with blowing it up). Meaning the rest were drafted (signed for Soderblom) when the Hawks were still "trying to compete". The bulk of the "core" of the team is one you hope will come from lotto territory picks - Korchinski, Nazar, Bedard, Levshunov, 2025 Draft Pick. This is really only scratching the surface. Everyone else, even 18th picks like Moore and Boisvert, were taken in Playoff Pick range and you're realistically either hoping for a depth guy or a surprise. Granted you need a few lower picks to hit, but that's amongst the sea of other picks, not tied to anyone specific.
Add in things not going smoothly and that just adds more time to it.
Florida's "rebuild" basically went on for like 20 years with a couple of first round exits scattered in there.
Edmonton missed the playoffs ten straight years and 12/13 years.
Tampa Bay missed the playoffs 5/6 years.
Atlanta/Winnipeg missed the playoffs seven straight years and 9/10 years.
Toronto missed the playoffs seven straight years and 10/11 years.
New Jersey missed the playoffs 9/10 years.
Colorado missed the playoffs 6/7 years.
Carolina missed the playoffs nine straight years.
Detroit has missed the playoffs eight straight years.
Ottawa has missed the playoffs seven straight years.
Buffalo has missed the playoffs thirteen straight years.
It's pretty rare to avoid lengthy bottom out/missed postseason/doom and gloom "why aren't we improving more?" phase. A mirage season here or there doesn't mask it too much. Hawks could get PDO luck, some vets that work out, sneak into a first round and then be back picking 8th the following year.
Heck, look at the young guys cracking the Hawks roster this season. You got Reichel drafted 2020, Vlasic drafted 2019, Bedard drafted 2023, Soderblom undrafted but by age would have been eligible in the 2017 draft, Allan drafted 2021, Kaiser drafted 2020, Nazar drafted 2022, Slaggert drafted 2020, Dach drafted 2021, Del Mastro drafted 2021.
With the exception of Nazar and Bedard, those other guys were all picked before the Hawks decided "Screw it, let's tear this thing to the studs" mid-way through the 2021-22 season. And then even in that 2022 Draft, the Hawks didn't even have their own first round pick (the Korchinski and Nazar picks were both acquired as part of trades in connection with blowing it up). Meaning the rest were drafted (signed for Soderblom) when the Hawks were still "trying to compete". The bulk of the "core" of the team is one you hope will come from lotto territory picks - Korchinski, Nazar, Bedard, Levshunov, 2025 Draft Pick. This is really only scratching the surface. Everyone else, even 18th picks like Moore and Boisvert, were taken in Playoff Pick range and you're realistically either hoping for a depth guy or a surprise. Granted you need a few lower picks to hit, but that's amongst the sea of other picks, not tied to anyone specific.
Add in things not going smoothly and that just adds more time to it.
Florida's "rebuild" basically went on for like 20 years with a couple of first round exits scattered in there.
Edmonton missed the playoffs ten straight years and 12/13 years.
Tampa Bay missed the playoffs 5/6 years.
Atlanta/Winnipeg missed the playoffs seven straight years and 9/10 years.
Toronto missed the playoffs seven straight years and 10/11 years.
New Jersey missed the playoffs 9/10 years.
Colorado missed the playoffs 6/7 years.
Carolina missed the playoffs nine straight years.
Detroit has missed the playoffs eight straight years.
Ottawa has missed the playoffs seven straight years.
Buffalo has missed the playoffs thirteen straight years.
It's pretty rare to avoid lengthy bottom out/missed postseason/doom and gloom "why aren't we improving more?" phase. A mirage season here or there doesn't mask it too much. Hawks could get PDO luck, some vets that work out, sneak into a first round and then be back picking 8th the following year.
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