i completely get where you're coming from. i don't think its unreasonable at all to be willing to part with nils or krav to acquire larkin. i'm not sure larkin is a 1, its possible, but i'm not sold on that. again though don't think its unreasonable to think that way, mine view is just that i haven't seen that in him yet. i also haven't watched much detroit hockey the last few years too so haven't caught a ton of him recently. i think having a 1/2 of mika / larkin the next few years is as good as anyones gonna have it, thats not lost on me. i try to make that happen - 1st rounder and jones, and i'd be fine adding maybe a robertson or berard - though would hate to part with him, barron even, next years first. but id have a hard stop on laf/kakko/krav/nils/fox/chytil in any deals. i just also think we have the talent to create a great second line with or without him. and on the other side, its my personal view on lundkvist that he is going to be unreal, and that krav/laf will be special together. lundkvist ultimately gets moved, but i wouldn't part with him in this deal - i wanna see him here. who knoows how it all plays out with our d prospects / who we target. but if/when that day comes, i'd prefer to get full value. just my personal take on things, totally get why someone would be ok moving one of them.
re drury i didnt mean to come off as bashing him. i was just saying we don't know what we don't know re how he operates being his first time in this role. and it is entirely possible as he came along here he was identifying things he'd change if it were his call and not at all impulsive. i was surprised by it, but he may be in total control. as you said, others valued him, he's well thought of, he's been around the role long enough to understand how he'll go about things. its just until we have a track record to go off of i'm not sure what to expect with him - don't mean that in a bad way, or a good way, just that its genuinely hard to have a feel for whats going to play out the next few months.