I think we took a side-step, but i'm not a pessimistic like some saying this team is flawed at the core.
I actually really like the first line on this team, it's dynamic(net crasher, elite winger, solid two-way centre). Kadri will 100% get better next year, probably leveling out at a 60 point pace player(he's 50 points this year, fell off a bit).
However a few things NEED to happen to bring back some of what we got last year and improve on what we have this year:
1. Komarov needs to return, he brings grit, PK ability, agitating, speed and just solid bottom 6 play, he's a heart and soul, better than Clarkson IMO.
2. Problem: Two-way forwards. Lupul and/or Raymond need to be replaced by a more cycle friendly two way player. Personally I find Lupul and Raymond's game so damn repitive and similar to the rest of the team, we have far too many one-way forwards essentially who play little defense, are soft on the boards and dissapear. Lupul's having an off-year offsenively, but still, too many of our wingers are similar to the kessel mold, keep kessel, upgrade the second line(A Tarasenko, Perron, RoR if you consider him a winger, Andrew Ladd, Dupuis are great examples of what we need, some may be available in a trade for cheap).
Solution: Trade Lupul+ for one of these players above, would instantly help the breakout, cycle and chemistry of our team. The first line can be our rush line, the 2nd+3rd line can be the cycle lines. As of now our whole team plays too much of a counter-rush game.
3. Problem: Defense experience. We have a mix of solid D-men in Phaneuf and Gunnar who are largely in their prime and very inexperienced or poor d-men(Rielly is a couple seasons away, Gardiner is getting closer, Franson is just garbage). We are either mobile and inexperienced with one pairing(gards/rielly) or slow and stupid(Franson/sometimes fraser). We badly need a little bit of mobility on the backend, and franson 100% is the guy that needs to go in the short-term.
Solution: Trade Franson 100% this summer for a pick, sign a solid UFA d-man(Fayne?) and replace franson's minutes with his and a solid prospect like Grannberg.
4. Coaching: Carlyle's system simply may not work. I'll extend this problem for another season though as we definitely dont have good enough players either, give him actual two-way players(which are necessary to win a cup) and see how we do.