Purely speculative on my part based on Lou's history, but those are not "Lou" players. Lou prefers the old school type of players like Pageau, Palmieri, Greene, Chara, Parise, etc. He prefers guys that play a two way game. It doesn't always matter if they play it well, as long as they are known to play "two way."
Once upon a time he acquired Kovalchuk for a different organization. Since then, his track record has been trading for and acquiring players on the wrong side of the aging curve. Fiala and Debrincat are new age guys. Lou has no time for guys like that.
Lou has been instrumental at bringing the right type of professionalism to the organization. Him and Trotz both did. However, Lou's lack of self awareness and inability to grow with the new NHL is staggering. Overpayment after overpayment for players who don't move the needle while not saving enough cap space for difference makers will be the undoing. The window will close faster than many of us think because Lou does not have the creativity to resurrect what has become an old, and slow team.
The worst thing that happened this offseason was not signing JG. The best thing to happen this offseason was not signing Kadri. There is still time to be creative, but that's not Lou's strong suit.
I'd like nothing more than to be wrong.
