In his final months as general manager of the New Jersey Devils, Lou Lamoriello insisted his team was not in need of a rebuild.
Rebuild is a dangerous word in sports. Though it indicates an important focus on a team's future, its subtext suggests that a team's present is going to be unpleasant, if not downright unwatchable at times.
Are rebuilds sometimes necessary for certain clubs? Absolutely. Are they ever enjoyable for fans and players while they are taking place? Probably not.
But Lamoriello insisted the Devils were in the midst of a period of transition, not rebuilding.