Habs fan here again. Sorry to get here without invitation. First of all, PLD will not retired as an HOF. He's not quite "elite" but he's not a boring player without any drive and skills. He's not a savior and I hope none of you expect that. No way he equals Kopitar in his prime. But he makes your team better by making the center line stronger. Your team is still making sparks of life, unlike other depressing teams. Don't misunderstand what's happening, 3/4 of the league are jealous of you. Even the most vicious and mean comments from other teams posters are jealousy. Well, you know it, right?
My advice is don't get depress or influenced by the negative of the trade. Think about the combos of lines with PLD and figure what could happen. I think your team will be in the PO next spring, well, for sure. PLD is maybe what it takes to beat the Oilers, if you meet them again. Now, it doesn't solve your huge problem of Ds but it's something that can be adressed later in the next years. And what about your goalie situation? I can say you're not the only team with weakness in front of the net, if that's the case for you.