I hope that isn’t what really happened. It’s the exact same mindset that has guys like Thornton, Kessel, Seguin, Hamilton being traded out of a single organization in the name of “culture change”. That stuff almost inevitable comes around to bite the organization in the ass.
IMO it’s much more likely that Skinner simply wasn’t playing ball on a below-market-value extension and the braintrust decided to go the asset management route rather than take a risk on losing him for nothing.
Kessel, Seguin, Hamilton, etc. were traded on their ELCs. Skinner was 1 year to walking as a UFA, as you state.
I’d have liked for Brind’Amour to come out early, show some confidence, and say “I can push Skinner to score 35+ again next year and help our team get into the Playoffs”. But that never seemed like an option. Instead the line from the start was “both parties are interested in making changes”. Given the trade return and HCRB/Skinner’s 7 year history it’s hard for me to read that as any way but “Skinner doesn’t want to play for Rod and/or Rod doesn’t want Skinner on his team.”
Could just be my own narrative to keep my sanity. If Brind’Amour thought he could get 2016-17 35+ goal Skinner next year but the Canes still traded him for a 2nd round pick because “We can’t lose him for nothing” then I would find that personally offensive as a paying fan. Statistically that would be a terrible gamble (odds of that pick being an impact player) and monetarily the Canes winning next year is way more valuable to the organization than a 2nd round pick and a prospect.
I can’t accept that the Canes thought “Yeah we will be worse next year but think of what this 2nd round pick will become!”. Not staring down a 10 year postseason drought in a league where 50%+ of the teams make the Playoffs.
