It's not a short window. Just opened up last season. Should be open fr 5 or 6 years yet. Enjoy it if it's possible for you.
Yep a core past their prime will be ... mushy middle? A 40 yr old Miller will still be the #2 center, 43 yr old Myers patrolling the right side? For Dmen mid 30's is not s bad but for forwards unless elite it doesn't bode well
Boeser at 33, Garland at 33, Demko at 34, EP at 32, Hughes - 30.
Tocchet is not playing any high skill players that can't be boards guys as he has shown, none can play for him if they aren't "boards guys". Now another sniper, with defence issues I will agree, is gone. But he kept the other team on their heels just in case he got the puck. A good coach builds lines, not all are the same, but Tocchet only has one type of line.
So no replacements for QH or EP because those are drafted very early in the draft and will be a couple of years before showing up unless very early, like top 3 picks.
And that's if Hughes even decides to stay and play his career out on a dysfunctional team. Some players do want to win the cup and not just collect a paycheck.
Lekkerimaki can't play for Tocchet, EP might not either forcing a trade, Hughes really wants to play with his brothers and Demko might be finished or be a backup goalie due to injuries. Miller is already slowing down as many 32 yr old player do.
Just for you, after making the surprise 2015 playoffs they followed up with a less than quality 2016. I have stated many times that is what I expect this year,
in 2016 after 13 games they were second in the division, scored more goals, had fewer against and were a single point less than this year playing a tougher schedule.
I do think Lekkerimaki is toast under Tocchet, not big enough, not strong enough and never a forechecker in his short career that isn't what got him into the first round of the draft.
I have been involved in hockey for decades and seen and heard all the rhetoric, it is the repetition that becomes obvious to decades old fans.
I WANT the team to win, not just on a single night but for a season. I think that is lost on Allvin as it was on Bumbling Benning. Selling one nights entertainment, competitive while losing, a shiny sparkly to hold up to watch, a player. A purchased media to sell any thing positive in a huge loss.
This crew can be criticized, it is allowed, it is only the trauma of the Benning years that has many people in denial that it could be happening again. Only this time the fan's leash might be much shorter.