It happens around this time every year. Teams out of the playoffs, either officially or for all practical purposes, start to play more relaxed hockey and start winning games their fan base at large complains about.
Who can forget the not so distant cries of "TankNation" coming from Ontario. I hated those cries then and I hate them now. In fact, one of the reason I loved the Phil Kessel trade by Burke was by giving away two consecutive first round picks Leaf fans HAD to cheer for victories.
Yet there is a certain solace that comes from your teams demise. The potential of a young superstar in the draft is a comfort....but a risk as well...
At the end of the day losing games is losing games. It's a disease the perpetuates a franchise. Whenever I am asked if I think a team is tanking I usually think to myself, "If anyone could just hang around the offices and practices of last place teams they would certainly realize that no matter how bad things are, losing NEVER makes it better for those holding down the fort."
While a fan, whose job and livelihood have nothing to do with the team, can see the long term picture of losing games and then drafting future stars, those who work and play for these teams live and die by every game played. They might not be around to see that young superstar the team is going to draft. They usually aren't around to see it.
Players at this level simply don't play to lose. They are incapable of the mindset. The only way a team can tank is by ridding themselves of all their players and fielding a team that is "NHL" in name only...(see: The Philadelphia 76ers)
And yet...from a fan's side of this, winning these games is short term happiness and long-term sorrow.
Take last year's Flyers for example. How many out there recall the final four games of last season?
*On a Saturday afternoon the Flyers went into Carolina and Wayne Simmonds played out of his mind, notching a hat trick and the Flyers won 5-3.
*The next Tuesday a Bruins team, that would later come two wins from a Cup, came into Philly and outplayed and outshot the Flyers badly, but Steve Mason stood on his head and the Flyers got another victory.
*Two night later, the Islanders came to town and the Flyers won a 2-1 game on a late goal..Oliver Lauridsen from Brandon Manning. Danny Briere scored the other goal in his final home game as a Flyer and Ilya Bryzgalov made several late saves in his final game as a Flyer. Both players would be bought out later that summer.
*For the season finale the Flyers traveled to Ottawa for a big game for the Sens and the Flyers won 2-1, while getting outshot 44-24. Steve Mason once again was outstanding and the Flyers got a goal from Jason Akeson (1), his first NHL goal.
So those four games were all played hard and probably also were a factor in saving Peter Laviolette's job in Philly...albeit for a VERY short time.
But also if those four games are losses....and they could have been easily were it not for Mason and some big plays late, the Flyers would have finished with the fourth pick in the draft and Nashville to the 5th....and this year we would have all been talking about how Seth Jones somehow slid to the Flyers....
So yes...it's a complicated question...
Jimmy Rutherford Stepping Down.
The Hurricanes earlier today inked Justin Faulk to a new long term contract. This is the kind of brilliant, albeit quiet move, that has made Jimmy Rutherford one of my favorite GMs in this league...and yet after that signing was announced news has come out that JR is stepping down as Hurricanes GM. Very sad day for hockey. He was one of the best. One of the main reasons I loved him was his ability to make "old-time" player for player trades...He didn't only dump or pick up pending UFAs for draft picks. He made actual player trades and was really, REALLY good at it. Early speculation points to Ron Francis as a possible replacement.
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