Are we even sure that Snow
can fire Capuano? Would Snow be allowed to fire Doug Weight? What about the conflict of having an "Assistant to the GM" that is also an "Assistant Coach"?
Is Capuano staying here a GM decision or a budgetary decision? We know we've cut Hockey Operations overall staff, so where does that aspect of it end? These are rhetorical questions, but does anyone really know the answers to them?
Just to be clear, if we ended up with a new owner who then cleaned out the entire front office, it's not like I don't think that would be a good idea. I also would hope that included fully funding the hockey team from top to bottom. No GM worth their salt is going to come into this situation and stay long if they're not given the proper tools to do the job.
Doesn't that seem the most likely reason why we've had a bunch of "NHL rookies" in the coach and GM positions?
Quite frankly, we can do better from top to bottom. I think Snow has done a good job in a ****** situation. Not great, not awesome, just good. However, is Snow's fear to overpay in salary or assets a symptom of the financial situation we're in? Is it not even a fear, but a mandate from above?
I also don't know the answers to those last questions. All I know is that we've gone for budget signings whenever possible across the board. We've tried shortcuts and tricks to try and build a roster. All of the signs point towards a tight budget over everything else. This doesn't exonerate Snow from not fixing a thing here and there that he could have, but you have got to be ******** me if you think we were allowed to sign two defenders this past offseason.
Look at the current payroll and its history. At least we're legitimately near the lower limit instead of far below it as we have been in the past. Mind you, that is almost exclusively through retaining our own players.
Until we spend above the minimum, there is no reason to believe we're allowed to.
,
Mitch