As we head into the stretch run of the 2021-22 season, PHR is excited to announce a new feature aimed at encouraging discourse between reader and writer. On Friday mornings (and perhaps even more often than that), we’ll post a topic of discussion that we think will draw out varied and interesting perspectives from both our commenters and the other staff writers.
For too long there has only been a couple of outlets for our readers to interact with the PHR staff. Live chats and mailbags offer a chance at some discussion, but also run the risk of being too crowded or even outdated by the time the answer arrives. With this new feature, we’re hoping to get weekly chatter going on a topic that normally would have to be brought into the spotlight by a reader before even being discussed.
Last week, the discussion centered around the playoff structure and how it could be improved moving forward. This time, let’s discuss the idea of a “scorched earth” rebuild, and whether embracing a “tank” season to secure a higher draft position is really the best way forward.
Is it worth it to add a few points of lottery points to your chart, at the cost of playing terrible hockey in front of your fans for months (if not years)? What about the “culture of losing” which is referenced so often when a team fails to live up to expectations? Does it make a difference whether the team is a small market or classic hockey powerhouse? This will be a free-flowing discussion that doesn’t have a lot of guidelines, so make sure you chime in and check regularly to continue the conversation.