What about Thomas Hickey?
When he was picked up for waivers, instead of traded, what do you think you could have gotten back for him? Realistically?
So in the middle of all this success, you would rather deal Martinez who is proven, than let a player go to waivers?
Really? I thought the goal of all this was to win.
Where in all that did I even say Martinez. Stay on target Porkins.
I said waiver eligibility should be considered in managing your assets going forward and to fail to do so is bad asset management, I never said you should start choosing between waiving someone and trading a proven player.
Let me break down why I said Hickey. Hickey was a player who was sitting in the minors despite the fact he was NHL ready. The Islanders knew he was, it's why he was one of only a handful of players (like Richard Clune, who Nashville took) to be claimed off waivers during the 2013 training camp session. It's rare to see players claimed there, this year I think only three guys in total were picked out of the likely 200 or so that were waived.
DL shoud have recognized the fact he had a stocked blueline a year earlier, had a guy like Jake Muzzin, who was also waiver eligible, coming along at the same pace, and been proactive in dealing Hickey or Muzzin a year earlier. He may not have received much, but likely could have netted a 2nd or a 3rd for Hickey if he had dealt him say at the 2012 trade deadline. Instead he sat on him, and when the team was forced into a Hickey or Muzzin decision and elected to go with Muzzin, he couldn't get much because A) teams knew they could just grab him off waivers and get him for free and B) those who were further down the waiver priority list were likely already deep and set on defense since those are the teams that finished in the playoffs the year before.
It has zilch to do with Martinez, it has everything to do with managing your next crop of assets. Overall LA has done a very good job, but on Hickey they were piss poor.
Now in relation to your original post I quoted, I asked what to do about the crop of guys like Forbort, LaDue, etc. that are coming along since you have posted a blueline that is six deep in young and/or long-term signed players, implying there is next to no room for those young kids. Greene is the oldest and he's far from done his career.
If you think waivers means 'nothing' then I guess we are just going to watch as Forbort is claimed? Or would it perhaps be wise to look at dealing him this season, instead of holding onto him until he has to clear waivers. Holden Caufield would know best, but I believe due to his age, Forbort might be waiver eligible as soon as the beginning of next season. To me, using the blueline you posted, it is certainly bad asset management to just hold onto Forbort until he's waiver eligible.