He got good assets in the Miller trade. He maneuvered the roster to get Eichel, a side effect of the Kane trade (by sending Staffort the other way, while Kane was injured for the rest of the season). Drafted a likely 30 goal guy VO in the 7th round. But yeah, it's a short list.
This has always been one of the more detached from reality talking points.
Drafting Eichel (And Sam) was the end product of the organization deciding to tank well before Murray was hired. Regier had already torn the bulk of the roster down. It was to the point we were the worst team in 13-14 and already in last place when Murray was hired (Jan 2014).
All Murray had to do was to keep the worst team in hockey at the bottom of the standings. Which isn’t all that difficult to accomplish. All it required was trading the few decent players left at the 2014 deadline (like the Miller trade you referenced). Then don;t build it back up in the offseason.
Which brings us to the 2015 deadline when we were again in last place. There is little evidence, based on our record pre and post deadline, that Stafford had to be traded to ensure finishing last. But let’s assume for the sake of discussion he did. All that was required was to trade him for a picks and/or prospects to get him off the roster.
Instead we got one of Murray’s idiotic overpayment trades that cost us in the long run. He gave up good assets like Myers, Armia, Lemieux and a 2015 1st for a bad dman on a bad deal (Bogo) and a top 6 winger with baggage (Kane) who contributed to the dysfunctional lockerroom.
Its amazing to me any one would look at this trade was anything other than a mistake. It sure as hell didn’t need to happen to ensure us bottoming out. It get you're trying to contort logic to give Murray credit for Eichel. But think it through a bit.
