The set of transactions between the 2015 trade deadline and the summer of 2016 is the worst year or so of transactions for any GM in the history of the NHL, and it isn't particularly close.
- Sutter trade
- Gudbranson trade
- Eriksson signing
- Juolevi draft pick
- Sbisa extension
- Forsling trade
- bungled Hamhuis trade
Plus a whole lot of other smaller screw-ups. It was insane that he lasted another 6 years after that.
Looking at that is just so sad. Like going in order:
Sutter trade: Penguins got the better player in Bonino, and a 2nd round pick that turned into Jordan Kyrou for the Blues (I can't remember if it was this one or the Gudbranson trade that led to it).
Gudbranson trade: Gave up a future top 6 winger who put up 40 goals for a bottom pairing dman.
Eriksson signing: Led to not signing Toffoli or Tanev, and resulted in the OEL deal which lost us Guenther and tons of cap space to this day.
Juolevi: I told my brother before the draft we're going to hear London Knights, get excited for Matthew, and then draft a bust in Juolevi. It happened, I threw some stuff at the couch, and he still laughs at me to this day for being right
Sbisa: Imagine targeting this guy in the Kesler deal to begin with.
Forsling: Lost a future #1 dman for a player who became a throwaway in the Sutter trade.
So we gave up a cup caliber middle six center, a future 40 goal scorer, a future #1 dman, a future franchise caliber winger, and a future top line player, for a bunch of below replacement value guys & a cap nightmare that haunted us then and still does to this day. Obviously the draft picks are a bit of a hit/miss thing and are being used to prove a point, but holy moly.
I wish I could be this incompetent and get paid millions for it, like you said it was easily the biggest fumble I've ever seen from any of our management teams in my lifetime. Wasted what should've been great years watching this team in my 20s to actively hating everything about it until Alvin came onboard.