Dabura

I really hope so, cuz he clearly has nothing left to learn or prove in the SHL from a development standpoint. He needs to be learning the small-ice game ASAP and I need the closure of knowing whether his game translates to the NA killbox. I'm fairly certain it does, because he's just that good - but I've been wrong before. To be clear, I think he's got legit superstar potential and he's looking like a home-run pick by Not Kris Draper. But I've lost my patience with this rebuild and I'm all-in on cutthroat acceleration now.

Let's hope so.

I hate that I'm saying this, because this is the one thing I really didn't want to be saying at season's end... ...but... ...Carley Johnston really is not aging well. ...I fear this rebuild still has a long, long way to go. Larkin's a good 1C. Raymond could be an 80-point scorer next season. Seider's Seider. Edvinsson can, at the very least, log big minutes (which, if nothing else, should help Seider). DeBrincat proved his critics right this season, which blows, and I'm just glad Yzerman inisisted on a short deal for him. DeBrincat aside, these are positives. But...is that all we have in terms of tangible right-here-right-now Cup window core talent? Because...uhh...it's kinda feeling like it is, no? At least for the next two or three or four or five years. (So - the rest of Larkin's prime.) I've joked about Kasper and Danielson being ten years away, but, honestly, they might as well be. I don't see anyone in our pipeline being a big-time impact NHLer within the next two years. "ASP's going to be an absolute monster, bro." Yeah OK but when? He'll be in the SHL for another season and then he'll spend two seasons in the AHL learning the NA game and then he'll spend three years learning the NHL game and by then we'll all be dead. I'm dooming, I know. Apologies. I'm actually not even all that worked up about what happened tonight and how this season went to hell. And you know what? Maybe that's the real reason I'm dooming. It's upsetting to me that I'm not upset. That I don't actually care all that much. Because it means we've been adrift for too long. I don't want Lalonde back next season, but he'll be back next season. Getting 91 points out of this flawed roster is a respectable accomplishment. But I do think he kinda sucks. There's not a single thing I can point to and say "Now that's one area he's really improved, and I don't think another coach could do that the way he's done that." And there's lots of things I can point to and say "That's a bad habit that was there all season and still there in Game 82." Larkin, Raymond, Seider are golden. Jury's out on whether Edvinsson really lives up to his potential. We won't know for - wait for it - another two or three or more seasons. Perron can stay as a player-coach fourth-liner, I guess. Sprong showed why he's Sprong; I wouldn't miss him. The D group is just sad. It really is. We don't have a legit starting goaltender. The Patrick Kane Experience was fun, but I've kinda done a 180 on him over the past couple weeks. He took a lotta penalties in these last few must-win games. His hip may be OK now, but he's old and slow and if he's not scoring clutch goals in must-win games, then give the minutes and money to someone who can do that. I have to poop, so that's all for now.

I'll take it. On to the next one.

Gentlemen, start your clenchings.

We want the Cup.

That's probably our season right there. Cool.

Outshot 4-13 in the 3rd period of a must-win game. Outstanding.

Franchises on my s*** list: Carolina Winnipeg

SAY THAT TO MY FACE, YOU SACK OF OATMEAL RAISIN TAPIOCA

With the Caps winning tonight, this is now pretty much a must-win.

We are so back.

I know no one wants to hear it, but if we can just hold on and be patient for another few years then we'll be able to roll Nate Danielson as our 4C and then we'll finally be ready to contend. But not a second before then. Look, we gotta be patient. This is not a playoff team. Yzerman told me so. And he's right. We gotta keep saying that the teams he assembles aren't good teams and that every year is not our year because the team is not good enough because Yzerman hasn't had enough draft picks and cap space to work with. We need to trust the Yzerplan. Brady Cleveland, we feel, is gonna be a player.

This is a great example of how difficult it is to leapfrog your way into the playoffs with a late-season miracle run. We collected 0 (zero!) points in 7 (seven!) straight games; we should be dead in the water. Yet here we are. Crazy.

A win?! In THIS economy?!!!