Not at the state the 2019 Wings were in, no. The roster he stepped into, the 2019-2020 Red Wings were one of the worst non-expansion (or within 2-3 years of expansion) teams of all time. Dead last in the cap era. You don't turn that around in 5 years when Larkin was the only redeemable asset on that team. I mean, he could have done some stupid shit like flipping picks for players, but that's not at all sustainable. That's a one and done playoff run which does no one any good.
He's got a mediocre team right now. But he also has 5 more 1st round picks knocking on the door.
Shanny took over the Leafs in 2014, 2 months BEFORE Nylander was drafted so he did not have any of Matthews Marner or Nylander when he got here He had Rielly going into his 2nd season I think, might have even been his 1st, in fact I think it was his 1st because I think Rielly 2nd season was Babcock's 1st.
Point is this when Shanny got here there was no Matthews, Marner, Nylander, Hyman none of them, there was a VERY young, VERY green Rielly and that's it.
Say what you want about their playoff struggles those are what they are, But just a couple years later they were in the playoffs and have been ever sense.
Reality is Shanny started with Just as little as Yzerman did, in fact he started with less because there was no Dylan Larkin to build around in Toronto like there was in Detroit.
So why is it Shanny was able to start with less because the fact is he did.
Yet he was able to do in less than 3 years what Yzerman hasn't been able to do in 5, soon to be 6?