When you're trying to win a 3rd cup in a row and you have a very good bottom tandem (as they were playing at the time) it makes very little sense to break that pairing up. Oleksiak since has been less than stellar. I think there were other ways around it. That's certainly not the only reason we lost, but it was the start of a bad trend.
Unless you're getting someone who should be an elite 3C. You have to give to get, and there's no guarantee that we could have substituted Cole for something else. JR also did try to replace him, he just couldn't pull it off. One of the reasons why I think people over simplify some aspects of making deals and finding players.
I think we could have moved someone else instead and still got Brassard. Sully wanted Cole gone, it's that simple.
Not really...
Who is this center, tho? I am asking cause I am not sure who fits for us at C on the 3rd line.
Personally I'd be less worried about 'fits for us' vs just finding a quality center.
Off the top of my head, I don't know who. Calgary would be worth talking to. They're playing Jankowski on L4 right now (12th in EV TOI and 4th in FOs). Although I think they'd be more willing to move Ryan instead just due to age and cost.
Brassard at 50% + Sprong for Jankowski? IDK.