While I agree with much of that, there still seems to be some talent gaps between all of that and what the Cup winners usually have, and without them drafting super early I'm not sure where that gap is closed.
To put it another way, if this current pool/youth already had some top potential players, like two potential cream of the crop skaters, I think all that would be far more encouraging.
As is, if this pool is only going to turn out players who at their peak are, to use past Rangers, Dubinsky, Ansimov, Callahan, Staal, Del Zotto, Stepan it is still going to leave them pretty much where they were with those players no matter how hard they work.
If that comes to pass they are going to likely repeat history, add a Panarin which is basically more or less a Gaborik, then maybe eventually trade some of those players for a Nash. Add in UFAs who are supposed to put them over the top. Rent/Buy/Repeat.
Seeing the current youth progress is great, the team overall working for it I agree that helps the culture, but without the couple top end talents I think they'll always, in the playoffs, run into some team who works just as hard but has more of that game breaking ability.
Maybe I am underestimating the ceiling of the current pool, maybe they get lucky in the lottery or just in the draft in general, maybe they have better scouting then others, maybe a lesser talented group can beat a more talented but lesser hard working group, Maybe I am overestimating the impact the leagues best players have in the playoffs? I don't know but I am concerned about this whole rebuild kind of just turning out to end up more or less a good team that has a punchers chance at a Cup rather than one going in as one of the favorites.
