I'm not talking about winning the cup... 6 1/2 years on the job... Should have a strong playoff team
Are you dumb or just intellectually dishonest (trolling)? I have been asking that for several years. But sincerely, I still don't see any other option. But I know which one it is as I know you're not dumb.
So, you're saying that the Sens have been trying to become a strong playoffs team in the last 6.5 years?
Man, if you don't even understand the whole context, why are you even discussing?
Do you think I go to random conferences and start about arguing with the experts?
* To be clear : I'm not saying I'm an expert or anything, I'm saying that when you want to talk about something, you have to understand the context.
Sens went to the Stanley Cup Finals in 2007, which was the peak of the maturity phase (and 6.5 years ago)
The Sens tried to stay in that maturity phase for a few more years (understandably), but (for a lot of various reasons), problems arose and they started to decline the following years.
In 2008-09, it would have been a good time to rebuild but the ownership/management decided to try and extend that maturity phase and "win it for Alfie" (chances were heavily against them).
They somewhat delivered in 2009-10, finishing 5th in conference, but faced the rising Penguins with weak goaltending and some key injuries
In 2010-11, it was now inevitable, it was time to rebuild and go on a massive youth movement, which is really the case when you look at the roster. Some veterans are still here, and are now more stop gaps than anything (Neil, Phillips, Corvo...) but this franchise wants to build around young players (Karlsson, Cowen, Ceci, Wiercioch, Lehner, Ryan, Turris, Zibanejad, Lazar...)
And well, of course it doesn't pay off overnight. Patience is needed but this fanbase is fair-weather at best, like Clarke MacArthur said.
Sens are still in their growth phase and that implies bumps and bruises. In real life, there's always some adversity but you can't know that if you stay in your grand parents basement.
Muckler gets crap on for not having prospects when BM took over...
But BM gave away young assets all the time when he first took over... This is a guy who traded a 1st for Chris
Campoli
Which he used for 2.5 years on very cheap cap hits for decent production. Oh and he also got a marginally worse pick and Potulny, which was key in the Bingo Calder Cup.
Facts :
- Paid a 26th overall pick for a young PMD with potential
- Campoli scored 45 points in 150 games for the Sens (on cheap cap hits)
- 2011/02/28 Ottawa Senators traded Chris Campoli and a conditional 7th round selection in 2012 to the Chicago Blackhawks for Ryan Potulny and a 2nd round selection in 2011.
The difference in chances of success between a 26th overall pick and a mid-2nd round pick is historically not that big. Stop making it sound like we gave away a 1st round pick.