I'll speak for myself on this one.
I worked for the Rangers for 7 years. I've worked for the NHL, or with the NHL on projects, in some capacity for a good chink of the last 17 years.
As a result, you start to see a difference between what fans perceive, and what actually takes place. This includes scouting, trades, player personalities, etc.
Sometimes I agree with the Rangers, sometimes I don't.
The problem often is that people don't like a case-by-case approach. We live in a world where people want definitive, unwavering points of view that either predominately "for" or "against" a particular issue. As a result, sometimes you find yourself in a situation where you don't "dislike" something enough for the people who've made it their cross to bear, but you also don't "like" something enough for the people who are "all-in" on the concept.
So applying this to the McD trade, I find that depending on how the question is framed, my answer changes with it.
Do I believe the Rangers received fair market value for McD in 2018? Yes, I do. I think they got a good return for what McD was at that point, and the circumstances surrounding him.
Do I believe the trade assets will be a "win" for the Rangers long-term? Maybe/maybe not. I don't know the answer to that because the parts are still moving. There's an entire spectrum of grades this can fall upon based on what happens to any of the near half-dozen pieces the Rangers acquired as part of the deal. This includes their progress, how they're utilized (on the ice or via trade), etc. etc. That's a sliding scale based on results that haven't fully come in yet.
There are many topics to which this approach can apply.
For example, do I think Kakko was the right pick at second overall? Yes, I do. I can't say with a straight face that there was a more obvious choice there.
Will Kakko become the star player he was projected to be? Maybe/maybe not. I don't know the answer to that. I certainly think he will, but I can't say that with certainty. What if Dach turns out better? Does that mean we screwed up? What if Kakko is the fifth most successful player in the 2019 draft? That's still a success, but was it ultimately the right choice with the second pick?
Filip Chytil was a good pick at 21. But how does that change if he never takes the next step? What happens if Kailer Yamamoto picks up right where he left off this season?
Point being, there are different variables and framing mechanisms at work that can give you completely different answers.
It's not a matter of endorsing everything the Rangers do. It's a matter of trying to look at things objectively without having to embellish points to make them stick. And yes, I try really hard to avoid doing that.
There are plenty of other people who can provide hot takes, or make questionable accusations, or make bold proclamations that may or may not fully utilize proper context. But I really try not to duplicate those efforts.
