I still just can’t fathom how people prefer our most significant rival of the past fifteen years winning the Cup to an upstart cocky franchise in their second season. But whatever.
Speaking for myself, I don't prefer that. I prefer that neither team wins. I wasn't rooting for or against either one in the 1st round. If the Sharks get to Game 7 of the Final and lose in OT, that will be great. Rip the heart out even more, and stuff it down their throat. If they get swept by the Blues, it'll be even better.
I would think, at worst, people will shrug if the Sharks win. Who, or how many, are actually pulling for them to win?
You guy do realize that Boston flipped Jones back into our division when DL wanted him moved to the east to prevent sj from getting him, right? Sj success has been because of that deal. **** Boston!
If that was DL's idea, he traded Jones to the wrong team. They already had their own big money #1, like the Kings did, with little or no room to actually sign Jones, who wanted to actually play. DL just wanted Lucic when he became available. Throwing Jones into the deal might've been what got Boston to retain 50%, I have no idea.
NHL trades for 2015-16 - NHL Trade Tracker
Here are the other goalie trades after the 14-15 season. Buffalo picked up Lehner/Legwand for a 1st. Lack went to Carolina for some mid to late round picks. Niemi to Dallas for a 7th. Khudobin to Anaheim. Talbot to Edmonton for picks. That's it for goalie trades until December 2015, when Scrivens got dealt.
Carolina didn't spend too much to get a goalie. Maybe Buffalo would've wanted Jones. The other teams were in the West, and Edm/Ana(although that was a backup move)/SJ specifically in the Pacific. So that's the goalie market at the time, with Jones having leverage, as he was a RFA, and wasn't going to re-sign with the Kings with Quick firmly in place as the #1 guy. Have to keep in mind that DL was trying to win in 15-16, so getting a 1st from Buffalo wouldn't have helped with what DL was trying to do.
Given the lack of teams looking for goaltending, or most of the teams that were looking for a goalie being in the West, and that DL still had winning in mind before Kopitar had to get his raise, what were the options? Jones wasn't going to re-sign, could've taken a $3m offer sheet from SJ, and the Kings couldn't match it since it would've put them at an even greater disadvantage trying to get value for Jones. The Kings would've gotten one random 2nd round pick out of it, as I believe that was the compensation for a $3m RFA offer sheet at the time.