Jeff Patton

They certainly exceeded what most people thought.

And that's a good thing as they try to kind of rebuild and still contend.

But I think the building blocks are there.

I see them.

And I see more on the way.

So I think...

This experience for a guy like Ben Kendall all season is going to make him a really good player.

They're going to bring in Horkoff next year.

They're going to bring in Zonin probably next year.

These are young guys who I think are going to make the team.

And you'll start to see more of that and less of the older guys.

Sure, but I think the experience that they're all getting is going to help them next year.

Who all is getting this experience?

There's always going to be a couple of young guys on any team.

Right, but I think it helps them in terms of what the growth is for their teams, just as I've cited with

teams that haven't competed for stanley cup sometimes you got to go through that experience all those teams penguins once did it long ago but that was a young penguin team i get it that they went through it together this team has a couple young guys sprinkled in this is an old team again what was your thought at the beginning of the season that they weren't good that they'd be really bad and you know what if they finish in ninth i'm going to wish they were really bad

Maybe so, but I thought they had a lot more to... I mean, I thought the acquisitions of Novak, I thought their fourth line that they put together is going to be one I think that's going to be here long after this season.

They're still young enough together that there'll be a force for them moving forward.

I like Shilas.

I thought that's another guy, even though he's had some rocky moments.