ChibiPooky
Yay hockey!
I think its a good idea to see the Nashville connection to all this rather than seeing it thru a Pittsburgh spectrum.
Shero has a Nashville connection with Trotz. You can make a case that Shero was recommending Rierden and Orpik and Niskanen. Meanwhile its very likely Poile had input that reflected at the least on Orpik.
Meanwhile Niskanen may have had input on Rierden as well as Oprik. Was Rierden hired before Orpik got his in person interview with Leonsis and company?
I am banking that Shero, Poile, Trotz, and Rierden painted a picture that the Caps very young group of defensemen needed that particular guy in the locker room, on the ice, on the practice ice, on the charter and so on.
I don't at all see this as Rierden calling the shots
I'm not quite sure what to say about some of these theories, but Reirden said in an interview that Orpik and Niskanen were targeted before he came on board.