I don't blame Dean 100% for failing to keep the team competitive. The Voynov scandal was out of his control. And yeah, he could have CBOed Richards, but you're still losing a second line C and leader for nothing. Maybe some of you wanted Dean to be prescient about the off ice issues the team had, but he wasn't.
He deserves blame for the things he COULD control, though, in which he didn't need prescience. Like breaking his own golden rules of overvaluing and overpaying wingers, and making deadline deals for players who he knew wouldn't stick around.
If Dean doesn't hand out a combined 9 million AAV to Brown and Gaborik, and of course CBOs Richards, he has a lot more wiggle room to fix the Voynov hole early on, and perhaps keep the team competitive.
I still don't have a problem with the Kopitar contract. Every competitive team is going to pay dearly to hold on to #1 centers and defensemen (hello, Toews). That's just the way the league works. Unless Dean can trade Kopitar for McDavid or someone like him, you're screwed either way there.
I'm of the opinion that albatross contracts in superfluous positions killed the team more than anything else. But I'm sure some will disagree because omg 14 million dollars.