The NHL trade deadline is almost here, and with every hour that passes, the ranks of nervous fans itching for their favorite team to pull the trigger will grow. And although there are organizations that would do well to shake things up, there’s something to be said for exhibiting patience in the face of challenging times and disappointment.
To see why, all you have to do is check out the turnarounds of the New York Islanders and Florida Panthers.
The two Eastern Conference franchises were in dire straits early this season, but rather than making major moves they might regret for the current and/or future competitive cycles, both the Isles and Panthers made coaching changes and roster tweaks. And both teams have since come on strong, and now have 66 points apiece while challenging for a wild card playoff berth (in the case of the Islanders) or a top-three position in their division (in the Panthers’ case).
Again, it should be stressed that patience isn’t always a virtue – this year, there’s good arguments to be made for the Colorado Avalanche, Vancouver Canucks and Detroit Red Wings all to make significant alterations to their roster – but sometimes, it makes much more sense to inhale and exhale deeply, let a few weeks pass, and let matters sort themselves out rather than forcing the issue.
This is especially true in the age of social media, which can at once speed everything up with the instantaneous modern nature of breaking news, and at the same time make pain and struggling appear as if they’re dragging on interminably. People ache for results sooner than later, even when you can put things into context right before their eyes: the Montreal Canadiens fired coach Michel Therrien and replaced him with Claude Julien while they were in first place in the Atlantic Division, and after Julien’s first game behind the bench, some were clamoring for more moves to be made. That’s not to say Habs GM Marc Bergevin shouldn’t be pursuing any and all deals that would deepen and strengthen Montreal’s attack, but this is hardly a disaster of a season for that club.
Though the Panthers and Islanders didn’t start the year anywhere close to as strongly as the Canadiens did, both organizations experienced a notable degree of change in the off-season. Florida beefed up their netminding and reshaped their blueline; the Isles allowed veterans Frans Nielsen and Kyle Okposo to leave as unrestricted free agents. These are not unsubstantial changes, and players can’t be expected to absorb them and adapt in a matter of days or weeks. And when the Islanders dismissed head coach Jack Capuano and the Panthers let go Gerard Gallant after neither could pull their team out of its malaise, management effectively was putting players on notice: switching bench bosses is one of the last steps that usually precede big-time trades, and the timer began to tick.
In both cases, the players responded well to the de facto ultimatum. Since Capuano was fired Jan. 17, the Isles have posted an 11-4-2 record. And since Gallant was sent packing Nov. 28, the Panthers have amassed a 17-11-9 mark. Of course, coaching wasn’t the only thing that each franchise needed to address – the Islanders had to do away with their three-headed goaltending hydra, and Florida needed key players including Jonathan Huberdeau and Aleksander Barkov to heal from injuries and return to the lineup – but it was crucial that their respective management groups didn’t get jittery and start throwing bodies overboard when rival GMs could smell blood.
Whether it’s in the summer or during the season, change almost always makes for great optics to a large portion of any team’s fans. It stimulates the senses and creates the appearance that ownership and management find losing unacceptable. But when you have a solid base of talent to build on and a decent amount of balance (as both the Isles and Panthers do), taking a jackhammer to it can often lead to little more than rubble and regret. Some of us recognized
the Isles didn’t need to bring in the wrecking ball and that Florida’s increased use of analytics
wasn’t a one-way street to Disaster City. Sometimes all you need is a little more square footage to roll out your plan on.
With the trade deadline looming, that’s something to bear in mind and a solace source for supporters of stand-pat teams. It isn’t always the right decision, but there’s a reason why GMs don’t allow a bad stretch to dictate the trajectory of their long-term future.
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