Is it?
I can't remember a time where a team missed playoffs who were expected to be a shoe-in at the beginning of the season. Generally speaking, I can't really remember off the top of my head a team who missed playoffs who even wanted to be there.
It seems like there is a definitive cycle for rebuilds, and teams/GM's are super self aware and realistic with their season's expectations. The lotto adjustment which gave every team who missed playoffs an equal 25% chance to win, is certainly eliminating the incentive to be the worst team in the league - but it has also eliminated the chase to get into playoffs.
There is no doubt, the VHL still suffers from a form of tanking. With the way the next draft is looking, I'm going to predict we have this same issue going forward. It feels like there are always two teams in each conference who feel their window of opportunity is shortened, and enter a rebuild.
Is there a solution? I don't think, I think it's a product of our system. Teams are only able to build around 3-4 players, who really only get 2-3 prime years. It makes the window to be competitive very small and very fragile.. It is the safer route to tank, and that's why I doubt we will ever see a good Playoff race in the foreseeable future, with the current structure of our league.