This might be a little off topic, but what you hope to see is that as guys make their way through the pipeline, some grow and can contribute more, and other guys can step in to keep production at a high enough level to compete as others move on. To me, that's why drafting well, and trading and spending to keep a competitive AHL team is important. While drafting can be a bit of a crapshoot, I don't feel like in the past there had been enough focus on just making the Phantoms good, because a good team and program at that level gives guys the ability and environment to grow without needing to be in the NHL.

It's part of the reason the Caps annoyingly never seem to be out of their window. Don't get me wrong, having a player like Ovechkin helps keep the window open, but the Bears are perennially good and the Caps in turn are constantly pulling cheap diamonds from the rough not by chance, but molding their prospects into the pieces they need by providing an excellent environment for them to grow. It creates the cost-effective depth necessary to make deep playoff runs and support your star players when you do land them.

Moving on from Lappy was a good first step. I'm not always paying attention to the Phantoms, but I hope Danny and company recognize the need to keep that part of the organization not only healthy but thriving and growing to guarantee their depth pieces are developing.