Yeah but he got a really, really good return for both. He's never sold a top prospect cheap.
I know some aren't exactly thrilled with Drouin - myself included - but he had all the potential in the world and a lot of people were happy about that trade at the time. I still personally expect Drouin to have the better career too. And - Domi was a great return.
They were both hockey trades - never a move for a rental or anything like that.
Domi was a mediocre return who exceeded expectations while posting a 20pt personal best... That career year coupled with a middling, injury-afflicted season for Galch (where he posted 2nd worse pt output of his career, yet still surpassed Domi's previous career best in goals), allows hindsight to -for now- give the return a far more positive perceived value than at the time.
Drouin was a terrible decision at the time both BC of his pre-existing attitude/commitment red flags and BC Sergachev was a top prospect in an area of massive short & long term organization need. Bad trade at the time which has only grown worse with the benefits of hindsight.
Most of the time a GM is on the hot seat for lack of winning/making playoffs.
Columbus GM "went all in" to ensure they:
1. Made the playoffs
2. Did well there
An argument can be made that he "sacrificed the future" a bit in doing that. They traded it some top picks/prospects for guys they lost for nothing in UFA. But - GM looks good because his owner is happy about the playoffs + playoffs win. Self preservation.
A parallel would have been if Bergevin had traded Suzuki for Duchene at the TDL last year to try and help make the playoffs - even though he knew full well odds are even if we made playoffs we wouldn't go far. But playoffs = happy owner = self preservation.
Terrible analogy...
If Price & Weber were both on expiring contracts, and had made it clear they were not re-signing, than it draws closer...
But, further different context also lies in the CBJ reality that they had never won a playoff series (which actually somewhat lessened the "risk" of going for it since even 1 series win was a net positive for the franchise & ownership).
As much as MB appears bulletproof with Molson as his benefactor, I don't know that he keeps his job missing playoffs last year, while trading away prospects AND losing Price & Weber in the ensuing offseason.
What we do know is that he's consistently avoided committing to a direction, or moves, that had the reward possibility that CBJ's Duchene trade represented, content instead to muck-around with Bargainbin moves...& Likewise has refused to fully commit to a rebuild by trading away vets to obtain 1st round picks and chase high lottery selections.
Gives him the spin he seemingly needs to keep his boss, the inept president were stuck with, happy.... Self-preservation over a commitment to doing what it takes to build a winner.
Price can smell it, as his recent comments allude to...
