I think a lot of disappointment because some believed Karlsson was really available and McDonagh was being moved. But for the first one you have to break the bank, both in terms of cash and trading price. Honestly, if we would have lost Terry, Steel, our 1st and someone else there would be a riot. Add the fact that he will get 12m per season (especially with the SoCal tax situation) for a few years or even over the max. contract lenght. Then he has a modified no trade (10 teams list) clause. We don't know if we would even be able to land him. McDonagh also has the same clause. We don't knwo if we are on this either. From the other players dealt today. Tatar, price would have been ok but you get another player over 5m for the next years with a (modified) NTC. Evander Kane, interesting player skillwise but a cancer in the locker room. I think he would have been a interesting gamble. Hartman would have been a good addition but the price for what he is was a little high. And Nash is way too expensive imho.
The problem with our team right now, we can not afford to lose the top of our forward prospects. We are quite thin up there and only Steel, Terry and maybe Comtois will be top 6 players. That is the main difference to Tampa. Their core is signed for a few years and hitting their prime. They will also get in trouble when Kucherov, McDonagh needs to be resigned.
In the end of the day, I always want an excitement at the deadline and what is more exciting than a big trade. But we had a big one with Henrique and I did not expect them to pay heavy prices. If you can land a good player for Petterson, Larsson or Mahura + a 2nd ok. If not stay away. And I doubt there was much available for it. I would not part with Steel or Terry right now for a rental. The team went into this situation before. Burke left us in a limbo but it was worth the cup. But back then we had a team that reached the finals before, we had Scott Niedermayer and we had the chance to land Pronger, we had a top winger in Selanne who wasn't after big money and took incredible discounts. We had two incredible sophmore players with Perry and Getzlaf, who played a huge part in the run. That is a completely different and very unique situation. Imho it was right to do it back then, it would have been wrong now.
I still don't understand Chimera and Kelly because I don't see what they bring over Wags. On the other hand, the 4th line will completely be gone next year and they will accept every situation, even if they play 4 min a night. If Terry signs he will play.
And for the Gulls prospects, I believe management wants to ensure they go deep in the AHL playoffs and therefore they want to keep the their team intact.