It's a yes or no question: did we pay a 1RP for a guy who we hadn't discussed a contract extension with yet?
We don't need to debate the outcomes. If the vast majority of people fundamentally disagreed with the concept of paying a 1RP for a guy before discussing a contract extension then it should apply to this situation too.
Could have paid to offload Joseph just like we did this year to make space. We'd still have the same cap space to start our offseason to sign Amadio on July 1st.
Another yes or no question: did we have enough cap space, with the moves that were made in free agency, to sign Pinto long term?
I'm fine with you believing that. No need to argue over who's the better player.
4 of 10 scouts had him in the top 10, which means 6 of 10 did not. 1/10 had him #20 on their list. Again, you can say the draft was tight from whatever arbitrary number you like but the majority of scouts polled my McKenzie did not have him at #7.
One second you guys say the coaching was terrible, the next you say it was the goaltending, the next you say it was the GM's fault...it doesn't change the fact that teams are always looking for young, top4 D. You don't see a lot of guys his age traded for guys in their mid-30s, do you? So why were we so quick to sell him for so little. It's this double-standard critique of the team I don't get. Years of talking about asset management and now it's fine because you want it to be.
Yes, generally speaking, old players have been around for much, much longer. Perron is 36, Tarasenko is 32. Jensen is 34, Chychrun is 26. Kastelic, Gregor and Kelly don't make any difference to me, all 4th line guys with limited roles. Cousins brings experience, we'll see if it amounts to anything. I'm already on record saying I don't believe most of these guys were the right veterans to bring in.