All sports fans go through this, especially ones like me. These are fans that don’t come from winning backgrounds. This may be because they are not from a “sports town”. Meaning a town that has a lot of history and has been allowed enough time to go through winning periods while enduring the losing times. Or this may simply be because they root for the underdog. Either way we have all been in this situation.A team can only get better if change is brought upon its makeup. A lineup of players is not going to go from the worst in the league to the best in the league simply because it’s another year, a brand new season. They all need change, and the governing boards for each sport have tried to accommodate these losing teams. It only makes sense that a losing team gets the privilege of eyeing talent and recruiting new players to play for their team by way of each organizations annual entry draft.
For example take the Pittsburgh Penguins, a team that has a strong tradition and is considered to be one of these storied sports towns. They obviously have had their winning ways capturing the Stanley Cup in 1991, 1992, and most recently in 2009 but they have also gone through their low periods. With three losing seasons and a league wide lockout under their belt the Penguins were able to come about the number one draft pick of the 2005 NHL Entry Draft (also popularly known as “the Sidney Crosby Sweepstakes”). These drafts are where teams begin to rebuild their lineups.
Sidney Crosby is arguably the best player in the National Hockey League, but if you look at the drafting history of the Penguins, he was simply the climax of a span of 5 years of drafting within the top 5 overall picks (2002 Ryan Whitney, 2003 Marc-Andre Fleury, 2004 Evgeni Malkin, 2005 Sidney Crosby, 2006 Jordan Staal). This is one side of the NHL that is hardly seen. These drafts will be the deciding factor in whether these losing teams get better or continue to waddle in mediocrity.
But in every losing season comes a question that is never mentioned aloud. (Foreshadowing: http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/09351/1021485-125.stm) What is it worth to a team to finish out a season at full steam? Does there come a point in a GM’s mind where he says, “Well we can’t win a game this year but at least we know there are a few NHL ready stars to be drafted at this June’s draft.” Obviously GM’s would never admit to having this thought but as a fan I know it has crossed my mind.
I know that my team is currently sitting in 25th in the entire league, with more games played than every team. I’ve heard the talking heads gossip about teams that have a chance to make a run and my team is never mentioned. Amongst the fans on internet message boards we have sayings such as “Fall for Hall” and “Bust for Burmistrov” but what brings these thoughts about and is it proper to wish this upon your supposed favorite team?
I would never switch alliances or fully support any other team than my current favorite team, I consider myself a true fan. I live out of market and still go out of my way to watch every single game no matter if they have lost 5 in a row or even won 3. But with 19 games left in the season I am almost giddy with excitement, even though it is a sick and twisted excitement as a sports fan.
In my mind good times are ahead, first, the trade deadline. This deadline is our chance to get rid of deadweight that other teams see as gold or rentals for a push to the Cup. Hopefully after collecting our rewards for giving away these talents we will be able to end the season and move on in a new direction.
So does it really matter how we play in our last 19 games? Whether we win them or not? If we lose them we have a chance of getting our own Sidney Crosby (meaning a number one, NHL ready, draft pick, clearly Crosby does not come along every draft). Although the pessimist in me says I bet we go .500 the rest of the year and end up with a draft pick anywhere above the 4th and below 10th. These are the players that organizations take a chance on (look at Alexandre Picard as an example), and they don’t always work out. Just ask any fan of my favorite team.
The choice isn’t up to the GM obviously but sometimes you have to wonder if the thought doesn’t cross their mind.
Enjoy the rest of the NHL season, to the good teams best of luck and to the fans that are hoping for a top 3 draft pick may Fredrik Modin be with you.
