I'm shocked people seem surprised he was fired, surprised about the timing. You complain that the ownership is directionless, but you fail to notice how bad that guy was. It was so long overdue it actually looks bad on ownership.
Let me put everything into perspective for you. He had 41 picks in 5 years. 2 first overalls. Let's say any of you were the GM in those 5 years. You would have Nico, and Jack, plus you would replenish the prospect pool no worse than him. Chances are you would draft some better kids in those 41 picks. I actually did not like his picks.
You all praise his trades, but I did not like 85% of them at least. He did not rob anybody in his trades. His trades were actually bad, and some pointless. Devils were and are a bottom dweller. That should speak for his trades. That means the trades were never good. Adam Larsson is a serviceable D-man. Stuff we got for Hall have to become NHLers. I don't think because you won some trade looking at the value alone is the way you build a team.
That guy failed to build anything actually. No drafted D-man for those 5 years. No goal tending (even I think they are better once the team plays better structured defensive hockey). Bad coaching choice. Holding on forever to a bad coach. Total failure to notice Tyler Hall became an accidental cancer, as no one wants to play on a team "stars" want out. Tyler Hall should have been sold at the very top. You don't build around a winger like that. Silly to assume so and cater to a single player, who never wanted to be here.
Mistakes. Lack of an overall strategy. Tons of tire spinning, by signing people, and then converting them into picks, and doing that full circle. Lack of signing anyone that would strategically be here when our prospects peak. He actually signed Ben Lovejoy. That was his best signing.
