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GDT #71 Caps at Wild @ 2pm
alta:
I look at Dumba’s hit on Kuzy like this.. if Wilson made that exact same hit and the rest of the league lost their shit over it, it was a bad hit. And we all know damn well what would’ve happened if Wilson made that exact hit.
BlackIce:
Rich, I don't believe that this franchise has anything resembling "a concept of playing to lose." I think they are doing what they can, and given their age, injury situation, and the players they are asking more of right now, "what they can" is not good enough to win on a lot of nights. But they are still winning about half the time, and it may be good - or bad - enough to keep them ahead of the teams close behind them, who are playing crappy at this point.
My understanding of the draft lottery is that all non-playoff teams are in the lottery, and every team in the lottery has a chance to move up in the draft order (except for the worst team, who cannot improve their "natural" draft standing, but can only move down). However, I think there is a constraint built into the lottery now that a team cannot move up more than 10 places in the order -- so the team with the 14th worst record, for example, cannot move up higher than the 4th pick. IF I am right, that is why finishing with the 10th or 11th worst record is at least moderately important. Beyond the natural benefit of having earlier draft choices whatever the results of the lottery, finishing no worse than 11 means there is a chance - very small for sure, but it IS there - of winning the lottery AND moving up to the number one slot. Because the consensus #1 pick this summer, Bedard, is supposed to be the most dynamic forward since McDavid.
richkrt99:
Yeah, I didn't mean "playing to lose" as an organizational concept or as what our team mentality currently is, but more as a personal-player mentality. Even with no hope of playoffs, as a player, I would have a hard time going out and not competing at my best - so that we can get better next year...even though in reality it would be better for the team in the long run. As a player, I'm just not sure you can make that happen - especially with professional athletes who have strived their entire lives for success and to reach this level have the most competitive nature as it was the only way they could get to this level, even with some God-given talent. Some of these guys (including coaches) are fighting for jobs or better contracts (or new teams) next year, so I'm not sure how you make losses happen.
I would like to see more young guys get a shot as the season winds down so you can evaluate them for next year, and to just get them some real NHL playing time. I am sure the NHL frowns upon putting a sub-par team on the ice - even for evaluating talent.
I'm not arguing the concept and the NEED for better draft pics, but how do you intentionally lose games to make it happen?
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