IWantSakicAsMyGM
Registered User
I think GMs and scouts do a lot more than simply “look at the stats” whenever they’re targeting a player. Anyone that watched enough SJ games last year and then into this year knows that Mac was playing far better than his stats indicated.
I totally agree with you, but I think it's possible to both recognize that he had been playing far better than his stats would indicate and also to not trust that he's definitely an upgrade over a guy that has been putting up better numbers on a better team until recently. In a situation like that when there's no clear answer, it takes time to discuss it with the staff and weigh the options. There's also the temptation to see if the guy who has been better until recently can turn it around, especially if he's at least good enough to keep you in a playoff position, which can delay the decision even more.
The Avs didn't need to discuss anything and any temptation to give Georgiev another chance was long dead, allowing them to make the trade weeks or months before anyone else could even decide if they needed to be in the market.