There’s a real rule for fans of rebuilding teams, and it should be placed somewhere near the team store, frankly.
“There’s going to be a lot of roster turnover as your team rebuilds, so don’t spend all your money on the team’s current roster players. If you’re considering spending a lot of money on an authentic jersey with authentic name and numbering, purchase an alumni jersey, with only one or two exceptions.”
When Dylan Larkin was at the heart of the Red Wings’ rebuild in his mid-20’s, Detroit was a team that surrounded Larkin with a core of players like Tyler Bertuzzi, Anthony Mantha and Andreas Athanasiou, and, slowly but surely, the Lucas Raymonds and Moritz Seiders of the world.
But just about everyone not named Larkin, Raymond or Seider has been traded, allowed to “walk” or retired, regardless of whether they’ve been players or members of the coaching staff.
That’s supposed to be the way of the world for all sports teams, but rebuilding teams specifically, and as the teams begin to exit their rebuilds, the rosters are supposed to slowly but surely stabilize. No more Bert-Ehn-Erne lines, no more Nedeljkovics or Berniers in net, no more Ben Chiarot as your first or second-pair defensema…Okay, maybe there are some exceptions to the rule.
But the young players who the team drafted are supposed to remain as building blocks, as the real cornerstones of the franchise. Maybe only two or three will remain over time, but the whole idea is that they’ll provide the foundation upon which the team is built.
Continue reading The logo on the front vs. the name and number on the back, or why Dylan Larkin’s jersey’s going on clearance soon