1 – Fans understand that this is a business and you are out to make money, but what separates the fan with no stake in the company from the owner with a stake in it is that we want a dynasty reborn and we do not care how long it takes, whereas ownership has to turn a profit. We get it, you need to do what needs to be done to ice a competitive team and still reap the profits of playoff hockey and merchandising. However, it feels like the need for profits in the short term completely neglects the potential of bigger profits down the line, i.e. if a real plan was put in place to build a dynasty. Basically that plan is suck for a few years, draft high and draft big. You will still sell out every game because fans understand, we really do.
2- Of the above, we have pieces of it, hell we may even have all the pieces, however what we are severely lacking is a coaching group that has the capability to tie it all together and get our kids to perform in a way that allows them to grow. Many of us truly did not understand bringing back MT, he accomplished nothing here the first time and failed when given a ready built dynasty in Pittsburgh. It made no sense at the time, still makes no sense and has potentially caused the regression and stunting of the development of our core for the future. It was a fatal mistake and has yet to be corrected and will not result in a cup parade, EVER. It is obvious to every single fan, yet somehow loyalty and stubbornness seem to be winning out. If you are in this to make money AND ice a team that goes deep into the playoffs you need to consider a coaching change.
3- If you change coaches now, you need to hire a coach that has the right skill set to nurture and create a dynamic, puck possession team that is not constrained by an old world mentality. This is the 21st century; we need a coach and a staff that realizes creativity should not be punished (i.e. instead of wasting time trying to neuter and tame PK, hire a staff that will encourage and nurture him, instead of favoring unproductive veterans, distribute ice time based on merit and performance, etc.) These are all things that every single fan identifies with, why is it so bloody hard for the coaching staff and management to not see it and do it as well?
4 – Language matters. It is important that whoever you hire to steer this team at least has the curiosity to learn French. So hire the best mind available, and put it in the contract that they need to learn French. Publicize that fact to neutralize any barbs, and again make it part of the contract. Have your new coach try to answer in French as he comes along. Marc Crawford did it in Quebec, and no one (from what I recall) had any issues, heck he won the Jack Adams and took his team to the conference finals in his first year, and he answered questions in French as best as he could.
5 – Lower your ticket prices to encourage families to come to games. Ok I was reaching on the 5th one.. but come on, can you not do this, you make so much god damn money, I love the habs, and it kills me that if I want to take my wife and 2 kids to the game it will cost a ridiculous sum of money that I just cannot justify to watch grown men playing a game.
