The humor in this is that Adam's did a lot of the things people wanted him to do last offseason. Rebuild the bottom six, get a veteran G.
Where he's failing is addressing the issue down the middle - or where we all think he's failing. At least part of that is for the same reasons he parted ways with Middlestadt - doesn't want to block cheap players on entry level or second contracts. So if we want to describe not addressing the top 6 or at least a 3rd line center as a deficiency or fault in his abilities to execute as a GM - I think at least PART of the story is he is hedging on this group as soon as this season, but certainly in 25/26:
Kulich
Savoie
Ostland
Rosen
Kozak
Kisakov
Neuchev
Helenius
Wahlberg
So even outside all the externalities that limit his ability to attract UFAs or pull off trades (NMC/NTC, payroll restriction, unable to find trading partners, etc.), I still think he is disproportionately influenced by his own optimistic thinking that a roster player will come from the farm.