It seems like you are exaggerating the situation to the people who don't like to hear anything negative. That's fun as well...

- boonerbuck

I bet you McCaw's kicking his ass now just for the land value alone.
- bloatedmosquito

Good! Mccaw was a total frank

That's a fuken big testicle
- VANTEL

It could have been used for a successful brain transplant for a few on here.

The problem becomes that once you start losing, it just never stops no matter how much you draft. See the Oilers, Islanders, Calgary, Buffalo, Winnipeg, etc. Short term pain becomes long term pain because now that you've installed a culture of losing, changing it becomes impossible because no owner unless they really don't care about money aren't going to take the years of losing. Not to mention you'll end up having to rebuild from your previous rebuild after inevitably your GM gets fired after 4 years of no playoffs and the new GM will want to put in his own ideas.
- DariusKnight

Nothing could be further from the truth, in fact, the Oilers, Islanders and Flames all won Stanley Cups building through the draft.

Pittsburgh went through years of being at the bottom and they're still reaping the rewards with the guys they picked.

Doesn't have to be a continual top three draft, building through the draft means building through the entirety of the draft. 1st 2nd and 3rd picks that hit are so important.

The problem becomes that once you start losing, it just never stops no matter how much you draft. See the Oilers, Islanders, Calgary, Buffalo, Winnipeg, etc. Short term pain becomes long term pain because now that you've installed a culture of losing, changing it becomes impossible because no owner unless they really don't care about money aren't going to take the years of losing. Not to mention you'll end up having to rebuild from your previous rebuild after inevitably your GM gets fired after 4 years of no playoffs and the new GM will want to put in his own ideas.
- DariusKnight

Logic and common sense once again in a post.
Will this be tolerated on HB

It could have been used for a successful brain transplant for a few on here.

- boonerbuck

Nut4U

That's as offensive to these hard working players as calling the Sedins Sisters. The only time this club was a Country Club was under the Messier era. Sorry but you misuse the term and apply it as if they are vastly underachieving or not applying themselves. Remember, the style of play and choice of deployment for WD is to be safe and conservative. Play defensive first. This limits offensive production.
- Nuck4U

It's still a Country Club whether you understand it or not. Sedins...Edler...Burrows...Even Tanev and Hansen have been tainted by it. Torts also touched on it when Kesler and Lou were still here with hamhuis and Bieksa as well...takes years to rid yourself of that atmosphere. It's there.

Nut4U
- VANTEL

I wouldn't want to stand in the way of your progress.

It's still a Country Club whether you understand it or not. Sedins...Edler...Burrows...Even Tanev and Hansen have been tainted by it. Torts also touched on it when Kesler and Lou were still here with hamhuis and Bieksa as well...takes years to rid yourself of that atmosphere. It's there.
- LordHumungous

Really, so enlighten me on how to see it?

Lets not lump everyone who is not here now into the this is a country club team at present.

What are you basing the team is a CC on?

What are the players doing or not doing that you can label that?

Tainted how? You believe everyone one of them is underperforming? Taking days off and playing lazy?

https://twitter.com/BiIIM...status/827267921869017088

Any of you guys looking to join a keeper league?

Nothing could be further from the truth, in fact, the Oilers, Islanders and Flames all won Stanley Cups building through the draft.

Pittsburgh went through years of being at the bottom and they're still reaping the rewards with the guys they picked.

Doesn't have to be a continual top three draft, building through the draft means building through the entirety of the draft. 1st 2nd and 3rd picks that hit are so important.
- LeftCoaster

Drafting is great Lefty but there is no perfect way to become a championship club...it takes a multitude of facets including trades/acquisitions/coaching/goaltending etc etc etc to get there.

I followed the Flames pretty closely in the late 80's and they don't win that cup without these players that weren't drafted by Calgary:

Mullen
Gilmour
Hunter
Mcrimmon
Murzyn
McDonald
Ramage
Natress
Wamsley

Undrafted:
Otto
Patterson
Macoun
Maclellan

'Just' drafting well doesn't guarantee championships. So many intangibles.

just sayin'

Drafting is great Lefty but there is no perfect way to become a championship club...it takes a multitude of facets including trades/acquisitions/coaching/goaltending etc etc etc to get there.

I followed the Flames pretty closely in the late 80's and they don't win that cup without these players that weren't drafted by Calgary:

Mullen
Gilmour
Hunter
Mcrimmon
Murzyn
McDonald
Ramage
Natress
Wamsley

Undrafted:
Otto
Patterson
Macoun
Maclellan

'Just' drafting well doesn't guarantee championships. So many intangibles.

just sayin'
- LordHumungous

Drafting is great Lefty but there is no perfect way to become a championship club...it takes a multitude of facets including trades/acquisitions/coaching/goaltending etc etc etc to get there.

I followed the Flames pretty closely in the late 80's and they don't win that cup without these players that weren't drafted by Calgary:

Mullen
Gilmour
Hunter
Mcrimmon
Murzyn
McDonald
Ramage
Natress
Wamsley

Undrafted:
Otto
Patterson
Macoun
Maclellan

'Just' drafting well doesn't guarantee championships. So many intangibles.

just sayin'
- LordHumungous

Of course, it goes without saying, there's a lot of ways to win, drafting is just a part of that....it's a good place to start though!!

That's as offensive to these hard working players as calling the Sedins Sisters. The only time this club was a Country Club was under the Messier era. Sorry but you misuse the term and apply it as if they are vastly underachieving or not applying themselves. Remember, the style of play and choice of deployment for WD is to be safe and conservative. Play defensive first. This limits offensive production.
- Nuck4U

1) how is it offensive? They may work hard but the culture isnt the same as having Captain Serious on your squad

2) How is this anything to do with Willie or coaching for that matter? Comparing this team to AV is a stretch, but Torts is only a few seasons ago and his take was that the team needed a shake up. He said they were stale and clinging to 2011. He then listed the core thats been around but said they needed to change and get players with enthusiasm. They moved Kesler, Bieksa, Garrison since then, but changing the culture of the team hasnt happened yet (and I dont think it will until this becomes Bo's team)

Drafting is great Lefty but there is no perfect way to become a championship club...it takes a multitude of facets including trades/acquisitions/coaching/goaltending etc etc etc to get there.

I followed the Flames pretty closely in the late 80's and they don't win that cup without these players that weren't drafted by Calgary:

Mullen
Gilmour
Hunter
Mcrimmon
Murzyn
McDonald
Ramage
Natress
Wamsley

Undrafted:
Otto
Patterson
Macoun
Maclellan

'Just' drafting well doesn't guarantee championships. So many intangibles.

just sayin'
- LordHumungous

Endorsed message for the masses

Of course, it goes without saying, there's a lot of ways to win, drafting is just a part of that....it's a good place to start though!!
- LeftCoaster

Point have been making to you from day one yet it goes ignored in over embellishments of making drafting the only point of how to start. Quality drafting in all rounds builds a team. It's a core tool but used in unison with the others.

Nothing could be further from the truth, in fact, the Oilers, Islanders and Flames all won Stanley Cups building through the draft.

Pittsburgh went through years of being at the bottom and they're still reaping the rewards with the guys they picked.

Doesn't have to be a continual top three draft, building through the draft means building through the entirety of the draft. 1st 2nd and 3rd picks that hit are so important.
- LeftCoaster

Yes, but at some point, you have to give up some of those assets to try and make a run. Your window is so narrow that if you aren't willing to trade some of those young assets for players who've been there and done that you just aren't going to be able to get there.

Chicago didn't win their first Cup until they added Ladd and Hossa to their core of Keith, Seabrook, Kane and Toews.

Pittsburg didn't win until they added Kunitz and even then, it took them 7 years to win another Cup after they added Kessel and Hagelin (as well as changed coaches in the middle of the year and Murray got hot)

Point have been making to you from day one yet it goes ignored in over embellishments of making drafting the only point of how to start. Quality drafting in all rounds builds a team. It's a core tool but used in unison with the others.
- Nuck4U

Naw...that's just how you take it. When you don't draft in the second round, and you're a poopty team, for a couple years in a row, that's what annoys me. I guess you'd have to be able to read between the lines though, because unlike your former self, I'm not into posting novels on here.

Another thing that annoys me, is trying to make the playoffs when you should be trying to pick in a good draft position. Things that I'm pointing to when I discuss drafting.

Point have been making to you from day one yet it goes ignored in over embellishments of making drafting the only point of how to start. Quality drafting in all rounds builds a team. It's a core tool but used in unison with the others.
- Nuck4U

Lefty just doesn't understand that his isn't a rebuild, it's a retool.
He just can't see that this team is already competitive, mission accomplished.
Retool over, we have the one of the NHL's best young cores, a top goal tending duo and high caliber prospects about to burst onto the scene.

Obviously the current standings don't accurately reflect our success but we had injuries, something that is impossible to predict and plan for.

1) how is it offensive? They may work hard but the culture isnt the same as having Captain Serious on your squad

2) How is this anything to do with Willie or coaching for that matter? Comparing this team to AV is a stretch, but Torts is only a few seasons ago and his take was that the team needed a shake up. He said they were stale and clinging to 2011. He then listed the core thats been around but said they needed to change and get players with enthusiasm. They moved Kesler, Bieksa, Garrison since then, but changing the culture of the team hasnt happened yet (and I dont think it will until this becomes Bo's team)
- WhiteLie

1) you mean being positive and optimistic is what makes you Country Club? Please explain cause the term just is getting stretched to something meaningless. AS in if you don't win you are a Country club.

2) They moved more players. Only referred to coaching for style of play that may not favor production which may be nock for term being used. The team has had significant player changes and is transitioning into more.

Lefty just doesn't understand that his isn't a rebuild, it's a retool.
He just can't see that this team is already competitive, mission accomplished.
Retool over, we have the one of the NHL's best young cores, a top goal tending duo and high caliber prospects about to burst onto the scene.

Obviously the current standings don't accurately reflect our success but we had injuries, something that is impossible to predict and plan for.
- belcherbd

Oh boy. Brace yourself.

Lefty just doesn't understand that his isn't a rebuild, it's a retool.
He just can't see that this team is already competitive, mission accomplished.
Retool over, we have the one of the NHL's best young cores, a top goal tending duo and high caliber prospects about to burst onto the scene.

Obviously the current standings don't accurately reflect our success but we had injuries, something that is impossible to predict and plan for.
- belcherbd

Yes, but at some point, you have to give up some of those assets to try and make a run. Your window is so narrow that if you aren't willing to trade some of those young assets for players who've been there and done that you just aren't going to be able to get there.

Chicago didn't win their first Cup until they added Ladd and Hossa to their core of Keith, Seabrook, Kane and Toews.

Pittsburg didn't win until they added Kunitz and even then, it took them 7 years to win another Cup after they added Kessel and Hagelin (as well as changed coaches in the middle of the year and Murray got hot)
- DariusKnight

Of course, also a very important part of building, but, you need bullets to go get those guys. That comes in the form of good young players or picks from managing your assets properly.

Oh boy. Brace yourself.
- dbot

That was sarcasm at it's purest. Only folks who have their ears stuffed with rainbow coloured pom-poms, like NuckFU, who can't hear it.