Quoting: GiggywithGibby
The fanbase won't support being intentionally bad, and small market teams can't afford to tank like big markets can (Looking at you Toronto). We expected not to make the playoffs, but not be in the Bedard hunt at start of the season. Now that the mercenaries are gone, the team is starting to come together and is playing better hockey. Adding competent defensemen, allowing the kids time to develop, but overall doing better next year is the goal. We still finish bottom half of standings in 2024, but we need to set the stage to do better, not leave the guys we need to carry is in a loosing environment then decide to snap our fingers one day and suddenly they do well. There's a mental aspect of development we need to consider.
Quoting: CHAR
This is where we disagree. The Ducks don't need to try to be bad again, they need to take a small step forward and a competent defense would be that step.
There is genuinely no good UFA dmen in this pool, other than maybe Dumba or Severson, who will probably both end up going to contenders for term, neither would be a good fit for the Ducks.
Sure, they don't need to "try", but this team is still a good 2-3 years out before having a genuine shot at making the playoffs (and that's not even talking about being serious contenders). You have the cap space, but you still have to
pay the players.
That's why I signed two dmen you can just move at the TDL and call up Zellweger and Mits after a bit of conditioning.
You don't need to throw the money just because you have it, and at the same time, you can still have the mental fortitude to want to do better. I don't see why they have to be mutually exclusive lmao.