Meandering complaining.
Say what you want about Dubas, but he went out and found pieces that fit together. He found guys who could work with Kampf, and maximize what that line could do. He found Hyman and Bunting, who worked with, and helped make Marner and Matthews better. He found Brodie, and Muzzin, brought in Schenn... all good pieces, that helped us play together better. Most often, the pieces he added, fit with what he had, and worked.
I'm not saying he was great, or perfect, clearly we didn't achieve the goals we set out to, and gave away a lot of picks and futures.. particularly for failing to achieve the goals.... But, the parts he had, he founds ways to bring in new parts that helped. Sure, plenty of flaws too, and goals not achieved... There was a plan.
But this guy, he's just assembled people. He paid Kampf probably too much, and then gave the team players that don't particularly work with Kampf... I mean... if you are going to pay a 3rd/4th line C like that, at least find some complimentary pieces, that maximize your investment....
Reaves... ah... F it... that's been done to death... we all know.
There is no plan here.... none... Ok, Acciari and Schenn got overpaid... but they were two guys, we probably should have tried to sign before UFA... tried to get back... they had some identity, and made the team better. It just felt like we didn't even try to bring them back.
I honestly have no idea what this guy is doing... and I look at Calgary, and the mess they are in... and that's his mess too.
Ultimately it speaks to Shanahan.... and it also speaks to our core. There is just a lack of fight here... I don't mean just "fighting"... but these guys... they don't show up when they are needed the most, they don't support each other, no pushback, no fight to win... whatever the costs are. For a time... you go, well, they are young it's taken others years to learn, but I don't see any learning either...
We can criticize Dubas, Keefe and Treliving and Shanahan... and there are good reasons for each of them to be criticized.. but at the end of the day, you play the cards you are dealt with, and try to make the best of it. If your cards are guys who just don't have the full winning mentality, then you aren't going to win... and that's just kind of that. It doesn't matter who you surround them with, which coach, which GM, which supporting players... and it isn't even about the contracts either.. give them slightly better supporting cast, and they still are the guys who aren't there when it counts, in any way, shape or form.
The players are the guys on the ice.... scoring when they need to, supporting each other when they need to... and winners win, and losers don't.... At some point, our losses aren't because Reaves was a bad signing... Our playoff losses aren't because Holl and Kerfoot weren't good enough.... It's the same every single game, every single season, and every single playoffs... we lost, because the core wasn't good enough, or didn't show up that day. I think I'd keep Nylander, but Matthews and Marner... I don't think we win with them... Your leaders and best players set the tone... what tone exactly are they setting?
