I know losing in the playoffs is super frustrating, but people seem to forget our old core. Remember when we held our hopes on Kessel, Phaneuf, Bozak and JVR as a core.
This team is routinely getting 100pts and a lock for the playoff before the season starts. We have the longest streak making the playoffs currently.
Bottom line as infuriating as his play can be in the playoffs, Marner is an all-star level player who flirts with 100 pts and has insane vision on the ice. Unless his salary demands are just insane or a blockbuster trade, he will be here for the foreseeable future. The core isn't as dire as it is made out and JT is slowly fading to the background as everyone expected the day he signed. Which frees up money for more moves.
My issue has been every year we change 7-9 players all across the lineup but people act like we are "running it back with the same group" go actually look at the lineups year to year, our D corps is never the same except Rielly. I want this team to actually build a group and run it back so they can build as a group instead of spending half of every year learning to play with new teammates. Top teams make very few moves and the ones they do are meant to be that final piece. Casting Marner aside like trash in any capacity isn't making us better as a team. Those 100ish points have to be replaced from somewhere. Our crop of youngsters are decent but there's no one close to a Marner except a tiny chance Cowan if he can build on last year.
