It's more about who may be available. Firing Housely for another 1st time coach makes little sense. Firing him for a coach with multiple successful teams on his resume is different.
Well, I don't think firing Housley is a requirement for a good offseason. Personally.
C'mon, don't get all hyperbolic. Scandella and Wilson elevate Botts above "absolutely pathetic". Several years of Scandella is a FAR bigger asset, than a couple low-risk Josefson/Pouliot/Nolan/Beaulieu pickups are problems. You only have so many options when your replacing half your team in one offseason (your first offseason as an NHL GM no less).
EDIT: I think some folks had way too much of an attachment to this season. From Day 0 last offseason, after Murray and Bylsma were canned, expectations should've been tempered knowing a) this would be an evaluation year for the new management regardless of who they hired and b) there'd be growing pains on top of the fact this wasn't a very good team last year either.
Yet people act like we were one or two cunning moves away from contending or something, and dumb dumb Botts ruined everything and we hate him now.
I don't think Housley was as much of a detriment this year, as most people do. So not really. But ask me again if the right guy becomes available.
And the Sam Reinhart center experiment ended shortly after we realized we don't have the winger depth to support more than one scoring line. I suppose your answer is "hey, go get lots and lots of quality NHL winger depth without draining Rochester, easy right?" but not everyone can be so cunning.Not really... and **** Wilson. The fact that he's viewed as a positive acquisition just goes to show how bad Botts roster management. Wilson is a #12-13 forward, playing regularly in our top 6.
And it's not about asset value... it's about constructing a roster that can play NHL hockey while the core develops.
There is nothing dumber than having an "evaluation year" where you play your most important players with Adam Mairs and Eric Boultons for an entire season.
You almost have to actively try to be this dumb:
"Hey let's evaluate Sam Reinhart at center... i've got Seth Griffith on a 2 way contract, and I claimed Nolan off waivers.... that should give him some speed and power to work with"....
Heck of a hill to die on.
And the Sam Reinhart center experiment ended shortly after we realized we don't have the winger depth to support more than one scoring line. I suppose your answer is "hey, go get lots and lots of winger depth without touching Rochester, easy right?" but not everyone can be so cunning.
Damned if you do, damned if you don't. If they don't try Sam at center, even lacking the depth to support it, they're crucified for "not evaluating enough" in an evaluation year. They try Sam at center, and now they're so outstandingly stupid for not realizing it was a stupid idea before they stupidly tried it.
Were you hoping for another big Okposo signing?
When literally everyone in the lineup is playing tougher minutes than their peers because Jordan Nolan has no ES or special teams value, it’s a huge f***ing problem that a competent GM doesn’t entertain for one second.
Which doesn't explain why just that wasn't done during the season. Watching Nolan in the line up night after night when other, better options were on waivers is not confidence inspiring. I'm rooting for Botterill. But this summer is make or break for him as far as I'm concerned. His work up till this point is questionable at best.
Not sure if you're agreeing or disagreeing with me. When I said he picked up one or two guys, I meant mid-season. As that's what the post I quoted was referring to.
Were you hoping for another big Okposo signing?
As much as I'm not a Vanek fan this was so easy for Botterill. All Vanek does score goals year after year. This team desperately needs finishing wingers. Vanek isn't a perfect fit but he is a short term plug. And a better option than Pouliot.
