If I had to make a sweeping generalization, I think the franchise has fallen into somewhat of an inevitable trap that they managed to avoid for a long time.
Years of consistently good regular seasons have led many players on the roster to deserve long term commitments/contracts. But what happens when the staples of those consistently good teams either retire or begin falling off (Bergeron, Marchand, etc). You’re left with players that are merely okay in the absence of higher talent that still are tied into long term commitments. I like Pastrnak, McAvoy, Coyle, etc. But it also just seems to be assumed that they’re going to be able to take over a “cultural”/driving role that they just may not be suited for. It’s not that they didn’t earn those contracts. But their earning them didn’t happen in a vacuum.
I think, quite honestly, the franchise is due for some serious mediocrity. I’m not talking great regular season, early playoff exit mediocrity. I’m talking serious possibility of missing playoffs for multiple years mediocrity. It’s what I grew up seeing in the mid to late 90s (okay, hopefully it doesn’t get that bad) and I kind of feel like it’s “due”.
I’ll take the good with the bad. It’s been many, many years since I could log on to second hand ticket sites on a weekday and see balcony seats for around 40 bucks. I’ve got a new son that I want to introduce to hockey ASAP and I’d rather do it at that price than what was required a few years back.
