The question isn't if they can do it, but how can they do it. It is one thing to say a competent dev team could it. It is a completely different story to do it in a way that will make for good game play.

Remember that for an mmo you need content that is going give the players incentive to play. How are you going to make each station fun to play, active at all times of the game, and not a mini-game? Some stations are very easy to think of in terms of content for the station. The helm and tactical comes to mind. Others would not be that easy.

Remember that in the tv shows the characters were only needed at their stations in order to advance the plot lines. They didn't have to show Geordi grinding engineering skills. They didn't have to show what the characters do during times that have no effect on the plot of the story. A game like STO is different, because the characters are player controlled. They need to have content that will encourage them to continue playing. Being a captain is the easiest way to go as it lets you have complete control over all of your actions.

I personally like that they haven't completely ruled out player crews. I would love to see it in the game in the future, if the dev team can make it meaning full. I would hate to see a half-baked player crew system.