No, I don't think Mitts/McLeod are like for like. I just got done saying how much more valuable Mitts is. Why would I think that? I think Mitts was getting the most TOI through last season and that any one of TT/Cozens/Mitts could be slotted anywhere on the depth chart. However it worked out, Mitts and McLeod are different players. Losing him didn't necessitate getting a player similar to him, but Krebs sure as hell wasn't the right guy to get worked in at 3C (which was the only spot he could possibly fill). Knowing that KA would never go big enough to sign/trade for a legit top-six C, the conversation on the boards shifted to who KA can get for 3C/bottom-six C...however you want to phrase it. He was never going to pay for a better player. Saying KA didn't want to invest in a player like Mitts is a poor assumption as well. If he really thought that he's just dumb, because a guy that works the boards, wins puck battles and back checks, and makes all his linemates better with his hands and passing is worth investing in no matter who the GM is. Tell me a Cup winner like Colorado was dumb for wanting to invest in him. KA just thought Byram was the top-4 guy he needed, and that Mitts was worth trading based on two guys he already paid and prospect depth. I don't agree but that was the logic, not that Mitts wasn't worth keeping.
So my argument is that there was depth and flexibility among the C position and the roles among them, and worth having them all at 21 mil for six years. Having that hole on the roster necessitated another move (that had to be filled with a different/lesser player), and ultimately was worth filling for an overpay. That hole wouldn't have been there with Mitts on the roster, but it could have easily been TT or Cozens at 3C if they were all still here. Or, if Ruff insisted on having a traditional top-6/bottom-6 set-up, and/or wanted Mitts up on the top line to demote or buy-out Skinner, there would be a hole that none of TT/Cozens/Mitts could fill. At the least, it would make more sense to still have Mitts in Skinner's spot, JPP down, and no need to sign Zucker, but big decisions weren't made in an order where that would end up the result.