When Fletcher was hired, it was with a clear mandate to "win now," Holmgren and Scott were adamant about that.
Fletcher did not sell the house doing so, 2nd and 3rd for Braun (recouped the 3rd last TDL), got a 6th for Weal, gave a 5th for Hayes' rights, 4th and 5th at the TDL for Grant and Thompson. So net cost of making the playofs, 2nd, 4th, (2) 5ths.
The problem came last summer, when it was either fire AV, eat $15M and start a rebuild or double down. Let's say Fletcher had pushed for a rebuild, think he would have been given the green light by Scott? In what universe?
Basically, all the damage came on one transaction, Ghost/Risto, 1st, 2 2nd rd picks, Atkinson/Voracek was a wash.
Tippett, a 1st and 3rd was about all they were getting for G, Colorado wasn't offering Newhook or Byram, so it would have been Barron, 2023 1st (late 20s?), and another asset.
End up with Tippett, 2024 1st, (2) 2023 3rd and 2023 4th at the TDL.
Traded their own 2023 3rd and 2024 2nd for TDA (27).
The cap ramifications of Hayes and Ellis won't matter b/c they're rebuilding (they'll be dumping salary the next few years, not signing big name FAs). They were stuck with Voracek's $8.25M next year if they don't make the Atkinson trade, so a lower cap hit and then an extra year when they have dumped JVR's salary.
They don't suck b/c of Fletcher's transactions, Patrick and Myers were damaged goods - they suck because they blew too many draft picks and haven't drafted an elite player for a decade. Couts in 2011. TK is probably the best player since then. Fletcher is just the icing on the shit pie (The Help).
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