Last I looked a few days ago Tampa had the Caps on the ropes up 3 games to 2--having won 3 in a row. Then they let them come off the ropes instead of beating them down.
So am I to infer here over the last several pages that the reason why Tampa lost the series was because of McDonagh and Miller?---because it seems to me that you win as a team and you lose as one and when you're getting your ass shut out two games in a row and you're looking where to apportion the blame IMO the best place to start would be with your leaders. McDonagh as a Tampa player may be construed as a leader I suppose but not really the same way as Victor Hedman and Miller certainly as a player is capable of adding offense but he's not really Stamkos or Kucherov is he? Just saying. Shut completely down two games in a row reflects on them too and even more so.
It's what it is now. A missed opportunity. And McD was probably playing hurt anyway.
As far as the deal looks now--WTF--Tampa has control over Miller if they want to exercise it. He's an RFA--long term deal, short term deal, move him--Stevie Y's call on that. McDonagh after next season I suspect is going to want a better contract than Yzerman will be willing to give him. We shall see. To me Tampa made the deal simply to accentuate their chances of winning the Cup this year and next year. It was a short term--give it your best shot deal and Yzerman stepped up like so many others wouldn't. I'll give him respect for that. IMO Toronto didn't take a shot---maybe they will next year--maybe not---maybe Toronto will always be too afraid. I don't care---not my team and neither is Tampa. I would have preferred Tampa win just to get their 2019 1st. I like all of McDonagh, Girardi, Stralman, Miller and Callahan but not enough that I actually root or watch them play for another team.
We're in the process of doing something else--some of the players we got out of the deal will probably work out very well and some of them maybe not. IMO it was the right time for us to be doing that though--you're not going to stay on top forever and if you keep on stringing things out further and further sooner or later you'll have a major collapse. The Rangers pulled up short of the major collapse. It might take them a few years to become a real contender again but IMO they're not going to hit rock bottom and IMO they're going to be a lot more competitive team next year even if it doesn't reflect that way in the standings. So as a Rangers fan I'm upbeat. As for Tampa--win it next year then--we need that first....and stop whining about the deal.