What all did Ottawa give up for Duchene? Why give away futures and then turn around to get futures back? I can't imagine there would be anyone bigger out there available they could target in return for EK. Seems to me if they were that close to tanking, they'd have stayed out of the Duchene sweepstakes.
Their management didn't somehow know how shit their team was.
They're run last year was certainly fluke, all the numbers in the book displayed it.
Then they go out and trade a 1st, 3rd and decent prospect for a lesser player with an extra year on his contract (yes, I believe Turris is better).
Their puck luck runs out, they got a worse lineup and their goaltending has been really bad (whereas it was magical last year).
They were never that good to begin with. Karlsson should be playing a lot better and that obviously makes them as a team a lot better, but regardless that team I never believed would make the playoffs this year.
Karlsson apparently won't take a discount, so he's almost assuredly gone unless he either changes his mind or the team can shape up and put up better numbers, I don't think he stays.