Neither a Failure Nor Success

The cold hard fact is that in hockey, success is achieved only by playoff series victories.

This season featured a lot of nice moments:

– A great summer of vet signings
– A new GM who knows how to win
– An amazing Frozen Frontier event
– A visit to The Spengler Cup
– A great run to get into the playoffs
– A fun series against Chicago

But it’s not enough. The bottom line is that for the 10th season in a row the Amerks did not win a playoff series.

Why? There are several reasons to discuss:

– Injuries to veterans Bagnall, Tardif and Zigomanis hurt big time in the series against Chicago.
– Lots of injuries and recalls throughout the season hurt seeding and the chance to get momentum against a lesser foe.
– It was 5 game series rather than 7.
– The choke in game 1.
– The lost battles throughout game 5.
– The over-officious October penalty calling didn’t favor a team like the Amerks vs. a team like Chicago.

None of these really matter in the end. 10 seasons without a series victory is unacceptable.

It’s nearly 5 months till the puck drops on season #59…

Chris and I plan to have an end of the year Amerks report card coming soon. Stay tuned.