After yesterday's game, I think we can safely conclude they're not.
It's just Tanev and Stolarz that mask the underlying issues. This team is still coasting on it's talent as it was 2 years ago, 4 years ago, 6 years.
5 straight games giving up 3 unanswered (guess only 2 vs the worst team in the league).
After Pitt, they should've said "awful game, let's pump San Jose next to be #1 in the division," nope they're beating SJ until they're not as they fall asleep at the wheel like they always do. Chance for redemption vs two cup champs, horrendous showing in Vegas, can blame goaltending all you want but the team owes the goaltending after all the wins they've given them, nada. Ok onto the Avs, same thing as always another blown lead in the 3rd. And top it off with another blown 3 goal lead vs a mediocre Utah team.
This year: 6th in the league 82 points in 63 games
Last year , 9th in the league 82 points 64 games
2 years ago, 4th in the league 84 points 64 games
3 years ago, 7th in the league 83 points in 62 games
6 years ago (for simplicity sake), 4th in the league 82 points in 64 games
7 years ago, 6th in league 81 points in 63 games
Basically this team stalled in progress after their first year. Endless coaches/goalies/gms and literally the exact same result and they're still trying the same formula and talking about how we need to bring everyone back. The core is rotten and all of it should be open to be moved/changed, for all it's talent it won 2 more games in a single playoff run than Kessel's Leafs, says it all really.
This team wins the cup if Stolarz/Tanev/Knies (NOT the core) play out of their minds, otherwise expecting the core to do anything other than what they've done is insane.