Ugh, what a crap trip to Canada this is turning out to be. Man, it sometimes feels like I've got nothing to say during a winning streak, but there's always another post to discuss a few losses. Is it possible that I become a blogger just to complain? Am I really that type of person?
Well, no, not entirely. I just swing with the team. But it's really starting to look like this team really doesn't match up well against last year's group, even though the core pieces are essentially unchanged.
Yikes.
Sure, there have been a lot of injuries, and a few good cogs were replaced with inconsequential pieces. But something else is missing too. I don't know. I'm romanticizing. Last year's team, with deep cuts from injuries at forward and a completely unreliable goaltending situation for much of the year, still seemed to have the guts and charm to rack up wins by simply outscoring opponents when the net was leaky.
It was clear last year that it was worth investing in rental players because the team had a chance to really do something. Trades for guys like Dwayne Roloson and Eric Brewer were made to fix blemishes in something that was for the most part working.
I don't think Steve Yzerman will go the rental route this year to try to make the playoffs. This year's team clearly isn't going deep. They just haven't got the magic last year's team did.
Of course, having the blueline problems isn't helping. Ohlund and Hedman are missed. There's a lot of low-end equipment on the back end. It reminds me of the earlier-era OK Hockey blueline: not that deep to begin with, and then ravaged by injuries.
Ah, the bad old days.
And obviously things aren't that bad right now, but how are we trending? Are we going to end middle of the pack this season and miss the playoffs? To earn what? An early-midround pick at the draft? And Martin St. Louis a year older and still no goaltending hero in sight?
Sometimes I just don't know what I want. Trade assets to try and buy the way back into the game? Not Stevie's style. What do I expect for the rest of this year? Pushing and not quite catching up, and some astute minor trades with an eye on the future but not so much the present and a late push that results in a playoff miss.
Why does it suddenly feel like we're playing things out already?
And I don't mean the players, coaches, or front office-- I know they are going to bust nut to try and get wins, and they will get wins. Just not enough to make the playoffs. Sorry boys, you're bleeding points on the highway.
I mean the fans, you guys, here with me drinking in the Lightning bar on the weird side of the tracks: the Japanese gangsters, the lizard people, the alcoholic trophy husbands, the one-eyed bartenders, and everyone else that oozes through the door to watch the Lightning game and drink Jagerbombs with a lizard private detective.
It feels like we know where this is going already. It feels like we're watching the games and saying "Okay. Guys. You know that if you don't start winning right now, you'll soon be eliminated from playoff contention? Could you beat one of these teams, please? Toronto, Ottawa, Montreal... there are points to be had. Could you take some please? Or should we just start evaluating talent for next year's edition?"
Guys?
Guy?
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