At this year's tdl KA was a seller. An admission his team that he put together wasn't good enough. The team of extensions to TT and Cozens and Power wasn't good enough. He sold the only true C on the roster to acquire a redundant D of no notable distinction because he did not want 3 centers at 7mm aav.
He ends the season on a rant that the team wasn't good enough. Steps will ne taken. He fires the coach, that he extended for no obvious reason, conducts no search because " he had the type of coach " in mind. Turns out the type of coach was one being paid by another NHL team with nostalgia value in the local market. Said coach is nut allowed to clean house of assistants and is handed a staff largely under contract in one form or another.
He an new coach state they will be harder to play against.
Announces they will be willing to trade a first round pick for the right deal. Announces that a veteran with suspect 200 ft game skills will be bought out.
Hmmm...if you are willing to buyout a contract why nor keep your only true C? But I digress.
He trades down to acquire an additional pick to be used to address the hole made by trading their 2C or the seemingly imminent top 6 w buyout. No it is traded for a 4th RFA, that you could have offer sheeted w/o comp and effectively handed a team that finished ahead of you. A free middle 6 w addition.
You get the guy you targeted at 3 spots lower. Kudos. But no mention of moving up..hmmm
On to FA as nothing of substance acquired in the draft will address "being tougher to play against" this year. After 34 picks in the previous 4 years and no space in the AHL or NHL for all the bodies, there are no trades of significance. You stand pat. You buy out a 50 60 point player to save cap. You add bottom line players to replace the bottom line players you jettisoned for roughly the same cost and sign a declining bottom 6 w to replace the one you bought. No 2C no 3C.
By all accounts the acquisitions are younger and faster. Kudos. But they will be playing 10 12 minutes a night.
But let us return to the top. You didn't add at the deadline bc you KNEW your top players weren't good enough. Not even with a short term acquisition to bolster them. They were nit good enough.
And after the dust settles after the first week, you say how you love the group and explain how hard it is to do your job?
Bitch please, spare us. You are from WNY and know it gets cold. But you are from Clarence and know how lovely the area is and how far a dollar goes and you can't sell someone on the charms of the area?
I am sure everyone on this board has a hard job. But most seem forthright and honest. Do what you must but don't piss down my back and tell me it's raining.
So the top teams in the league got it.
No the top 16