I think you're confusing negativity with objectivity. It's ok not to be thrilled about every move your team makes or every player on your team. You have to be realistic at times. Now I'm not saying that this isn't a negative place most of the time, but when you have 2 of the best players in their league at the top of their game, it's also fair to be impatient when management has made some questionable decisions and made the team worse over the years.
Seth Jones was a unique opportunity that was whiffed on. It's not often that a player of Jones caliber becomes available, and even less so that the potential destinations are limited and your team is one of those options. Now, I get that they got Lindgren for 5M less on the cap, so clearly they are saving space for another move and I'll reserve full judgement there.
On Manson, most of his 'sucking' comes from poor decision-making, so it's not injury related. I agree he doesn't suck, but he probably also isn't at the level of being the 4th best defenseman on a Cup winner anymore.
It's clear Parssinen wasn't favored. You say he played on the '2nd line' but that line was given 4th line minutes. He wasn't used well (or at his natural position) and was the first to see the press box. Just a missed opportunity to explore what we had in a young guy with size and clear talent.
I don't mind Lindgren as a target, but it's just a weird target to overpay for. I don't mind overpaying for a guy who we know will work out. I like Lindgren for all the reasons you mentioned but he's as injury prone as Manson (if not more) so it's a risky use of one of our best deadline assets.
I think others have already said most of what I wanted to in response to this, but I'll add on a few things.
It's honestly pretty funny that you argue that it's not negativity but rather objectivity, but then describe the Avs not getting Seth Jones as a "whiff". As has been pointed out, we don't have a Spencer Knight equivalent to offer, and we don't even know for sure if Jones wanted to come here.
With regards to Manson, are you not aware that an injury can affect your decision-making? Overall though I'm just going to have to disagree, because when he is playing well, he brings something this team desperately needs. Big guys who can skate, move the puck, and play physical are very rare - it's insane how much he is undervalued here by some people.
Also, okay, I'll give you Parssinen's minutes were low, but who exactly was he outplaying to earn more minutes? And why is scratching him evidence of his low favor rather than because he was going to be traded? Could it just be that Bednar likes Drury and Kelly better as bottom six centers, and Parssinen doesn't really work as a winger? I just don't get why people assume when a guy doesn't fit, it's because Bednar
hates him.
Yeah it's a steep price for Lindgren, but you never know if a new player is going to work out, and every acquisition is a risk. Yes, he might get injured, but who is the non-injury-prone player available we could have acquired instead who isn't named Seth Jones?
Also, one last example of something totally objective, not negative at all (emphasis added):
De Haan was objectively bad. He can't handle the puck and consistently got outbattled on defense. And Mitts has played better but he's still not a fit for this team, and it's wasting the year if he goes into the playoffs as our 2C option. I know there's not many upgrades but at this point we just need to try a different option.
Wasted year? Really? Mitts is so bad he's going to single-handedly cost us our chance at the cup? And even though there's no one better available, we should just make a change because somehow replacing him with a worse player will solve the problem?