This signing would mean that Filppula's as good as gone. So happy that Holland stood pat at the trade deadline instead of trying to get something, a pick, a rental, Miami Heat tickets, ANYTHING for Filppula at the trade deadline.
It's one thing to withhold trading a player when you know you have a legitimate opportunity to win the Stanley Cup, it's another thing entirely to withhold upcoming free agent players simply because you are too chickens*** to move them. As a GM, Kenny's responsibility, first and foremost, is the longterm success of the team; he has been piddling away potential assets of late, and it is very irritating to see.
For once, just once, I would like to see him do something progressive and try to trade up for the upcoming draft. I'd like to see some evidence that he has a pair, and that he isn't just attempting to build on some naive concept of player/franchise loyalty; now would be as good a time as any to prove that he has the cojones to ensure this teams future success, whatever the cost.
Miller might be another story, but given our recent track record of acquiring players, I wouldn't count on it.
