Seriously, this long and people still use the same talking points and seemingly ignoring or not understanding what he tried to accomplish, as well as not understanding why those players cost what they did and why he needed to use those assets.
Sure it’s valid to say he targeted the wrong players. But I’d like to know, how others would’ve accomplished what needed to be done 2014-2015. Our roster lacked leadership, top 6 players, longer term starting goaltending, and any players worth any value(the majority were still in development). He accomplished all this.
Right now, Lehner and hiring Bylsma were his black eyes, but getting Lehner allowed goaltenders like Ullmark and Petersen to develop, two goalies who had the best chances in our organization to become starters.
Kane, was a top 6 goal scorer, who was locked into a long term deal, we gave up a 1st round pick (seems plausiable considering term and age of player) and then you had UFA to be Stafford who was not going to re-sign for us. Kane, at the time, was either going to be a longer term player or be a valuable asset at a later time...cue 3 years later and Kane is traded for what could be a 1st round pick...Thanks Botts, but there seems to be silence on thanking Murray for bringing a player that could bring that type of asset.
But I don’t want to talk too much on past management, just don’t think the hyperbolic rhetoric people have his tenure is and how it ruined our organization is from far from the truth.
