Last year it was battling through injuries, and upping the compete level to compensate for guys like Malkin & Letang going down that defined this team.
Our real problems are some lazy satisfied players, and coaching.
You're missing the big thing:
Last year, four things hit . . . coaching change, Geno injury, the young callups, fear of missing the playoffs. Add it all up, and it was the 'oh ****, every one of us needs to step up, because this **** we've been doing isn't cutting it'.
Then, JR didn't have to do a damn thing at the deadline beyond adding a depth defenseman, because getting a (albeit one armed) Geno back for the playoffs was the biggest deadline acquisition any team made last year.
JR took a gamble. He stood pat and figured they could cruise control their way to another cup. It's not working that way. The trick now isn't just to make a splash at the deadline. It's to make sure a sacred cow or two or three get their walking papers.
End of the day, magic formulas aren't magical forever. They're magical for a moment in time. And last year's team's moment is well past its time.