I mean, they're obviously not the majority, but I do believe there's a decent-sized contingent in every fanbase that thinks EA NHL is applicable to real life, and that you can just go from tanking to contender, there's no real progression. Hell, I'm pretty sure that's kinda what Buffalo was going for when they ran aground on purpose then tried to build back up in a hurry. So by that rationale, you should tank as long as possible, acquire as many top-end players as you can, then and only then do you start hitting it. I might be heading into straw man territory here though so I don't want to make too fine a point on this.