Kevyn Adams basically undid their first scorched Earth rebuild. They picked 12th and 8th in the first 2 seasons of the playoff drought. Good picks, but not the 'bottom of the league' style rebuild. Then they really tanked and drafted 2nd overall in 2014 and 2015. Then they slightly improved and picked 8th overall in 2016 and 2017.
Now, there was plenty of mismanagement before Adams became GM in 2020. Bad picks, bad development, alienating players, etc. Those 8th overalls haven't panned out as hoped either and that isn't all his fault.
But the fact of the matter is that in 2021 Adams traded both of those #2 overall picks. Those trades are now 3 years old and none of the assets returned have become true difference makers. Tuch has been a good fit, but isn't a star. Krebs hasn't developed as hoped and is on their 4th line. I believe that Levi will be a stud, but he's still growing and likely won't be one this season. The picks they got in the deals are still developing. Both the guys have since won Cups playing top line minutes on their new teams.
This is the 5th season under Adams and I have a hard time believing that there is much more patience for his plan of essentially re-starting the rebuild around the Dahlin/Powers picks. I can't see him lasting beyond this season if the are bad again. That is a team that views itself as ready to make the playoffs and their season is already staring down 'must win' games in the 2nd week of the season. They are 0-3 while two-thirds of the league has played 0 or 1 game. They have the Panthers tomorrow night and then their next game is a national TNT broadcast on the road. What will the panic level be if they lose to Florida tomorrow and enter that game already in a 5 point hole from the playoff cut line?
