He keeps saying that, but he's saying that it was literally the Hanzal deal and no other bad deals in the past 5 years? That doesn't really make any sense. Hanzal wasn't even bad for us.
The Hanzal trade didn't stop 1sts from being traded at the TDL, they hadn't been that common in recent TDLs.
-Statsny was a pure rental for a 1st+.
-The other rental 1st+ was Nash, but he was had half his salary retained and NYR took on the multi year cap dumps of Spooner and Beleskey.
-1st+ for McDonagh (rental+1) and Miller (rental)
-Kane was a conditional 1st for re-signing.
-1st+ for Tatar, multiyear deal
-1st+ Hartman (RFA)
-1st+ for Brassard (rental+1). breakdown the 3 team deal however.
The theme seemed to shift away from ~20 games+ Playoffs (outside of Statsny) to at having another season of control over the player they received. They get 2 Playoff runs or at least a chance to recoup their losses if things don't work out.
Teams are still feeling the effects of the last expansion draft by giving up draft picks, and there is another expansion draft around the corner. Fill the cupboards now so they aren't empty when that storm hits could be in the backs of their minds. The lost 1st for Hanzal + lost 1st in Tuch was a double whammy that no other GM wants to happen to them.
