Agreed, the overall asset management looks even more heinous when laid out over all associated deals, but that is also just the nature of trades in general. It is still bad, but I have more interest and ire in the micro aspects of the deal over the macro. Getting rid of PLD for Keumper is a fantastic win any way you slice it, no matter how PLD or Keumper performs the rest of their careers. Getting out from that contract without retention for another that is cheaper and expires in 3 seasons at a very needed position was a no-brainer for LA.
Everybody needs to take risks and everybody loses trades. The primary issue was that that cap dump was needed and that this management group had literally scouted and wanted PLD for years. There was smoke for many years that BLuc had interest in PLD all throughout Columbus and Winnipeg, even before Marc Bergeron had anything to do with LA. The sheer fact that they watched him for so long and still wanted him and thought he was the missing piece is incredibly damning.
This last season was identical to his play throughout his entire career, there was literally nothing he did differently than when he was with either previous team. To stand there and be like he didn't live up to expectation or underperformed is straight incompetence. I went back and watched older Columbus and Winnipeg games and it is the exact same player doing the exact same things.
Losing Vilardi hurts, would have loved to have kept him, he wasn't perfect and there are definitely some red flags with him. But losing out on the high pick Iafallo would have garnered and having to throw in the 2nd is sort of extra kidney shot that makes the deal so sour. They really wanted him and were willing to blowout Montreal's offer to get him. It should have cost both Blake and Luc their jobs.
