-DeMo-
Registered User
IMO the difference between the leafs vs Sens/Sabres/Wings/Devils was goaltending.
Starting in 06/07 (post Belfour) it was Raycroft, Toskala, Reimer, Bernier. No playoffs (other than the shortened season). Then in Babcock year #2 (16/17) they acquired Frederik Andersen and never looked back.
For some odd reason these rebuilding teams are dumb enough to wait around for a drafted goalie to develop and/or sign/trade for goaltenders on the cheap.
difference is it's not easy, we acquired Raycroft/Toskala/Bernier thinking they were going to be good for us and they weren't. just like Ottawa acquired a two time stanley cup champ starting goalie in Murray who didn't work out. they then signed Korpisalo this summer who didn't work out.
NJ had a young Goalie in Blackwood who had 911 and 917 save percentages in his rookie and sophmore season's who never got better and therefore didn't worked out and then they went out and traded for Vanecek who had a couple decent season's in Washington as a young goalie who didn't work out.
Buffalo had Ullmark at one point who left via UFA not sure if that happened because he wouldn't sign or Buffalo wasn't willing to pay him. but they haven't really tried to acquire an NHL goalie since.
Detriot again signed Nedeljkovic coming off a 932 sv percentage, and traded for Husso coming off a 919 sv percentage, neither have worked out
to say these teams sat on there hands and waited for a good goalie to develop just isn't true. just the goalie's they've traded for or signed haven't worked out for variety of reason's. it also goes to show you how difficult it can be to fill the goalie role. in the case of Ottawa atleast some of these teams are so poor defensively I think they've made some of there goalie's look much worse then they are.