This is such an unfounded statement.
Columbus got an excellent haul for a prospect with obvious issues. It is the kind of haul that is paid for an elite prospect so the only way Columbus regrets this is if 1) Jiricek becomes a legitimate star-level #1 defenseman; 2) Hunt doesn't pan out into anything at all; 3) they believe he could have become that star in Columbus organization (which the trade showed they do not believe anymore). If one of those 3 conditions isn't fulfilled, Columbus is absolutely fine with what they did.
And the time frame is so narrow on these things. When red flags appear (like they have with Jiricek) prospects value sinks rapidly. Look at Holtz's situation, 3 seasons after his draft nobody was willing to offer anything of value for him and eventually, he was traded for scraps. Jackets seized the perfect opportunity to get pretty much ALL the value you can reasonably expect back.
And the examples are ample. Holtz is one, Turcotte is another. Zadina. People always expect prospects to turn into something a draft guide told them they would 2-3 years ago but don't realize that if the player isn't progressing at an acceptable rate they are left with nothing once the hype wears off. Yes, there are miracle cases like Nichushkin but sitting and waiting for that miracle to happen is a much bigger risk than getting 5 asset return.
