Well...I didn’t contribute anything yesterday of substance, one because my HF was either super slow or outright not working, and two because I didn’t want to overreact to one move while more could have been out there.
We truly do have all the D now. I have no clue how they’re going to deploy them...but there are definitely enough of them. Both acquisitions, especially Vatanen, ended up being great value. I don’t care if he walks, the Canes basically gave up nothing.
“A first round pick” is great and all....but when it’s mid to high round and you get 4 years of a top 4 D in exchange for it? When you have a second 1st? All day, every day. This was something I mentioned before the deadline .... you don’t buy a 1st for $6 million with the intention to use it. I’m glad they decided to weaponize it.
The Trocheck trade I’m a little fuzzy on, simply because I just haven’t seen any of him this year. You get prime Trocheck, hell yes. I’m a little bummed to lose Wallmark, as he’s been the proverbial good soldier. But he had become a little invisible lately and, without being biased, is probably a replacement level low 3C-High 4C. I don’t think there was much more to him than we’d already seen.
Haula can pound sand. Decent player, play had dropped off, and was a dink. See ya.
Priskie...it’s just a little amusing to see the “meh” responses when he’s traded, when I recall the attitudes when he was signed. High hopes is probably putting it mildly. Anyways, it has to be hard as a player in this organization to kind of feel where you are on the depth chart - because you could be jettisoned in a flash. Yes, it’s the business...but it’s also hard to build a team this way, a true team with heart and chemistry and friendships. Keep this type of asset in-asset out mentality, and I’m a little wary of what is to come. They’re still human beings...and YES they are professionals...but there’s something to be said for group cohesiveness. I believe this is one of the factors influencing the up-and-down nature of the team’s play this season, the variance in effort (or whatever you’d call the dullest/worst games they’ve played).
Great value is great to find and acquire. It really is. But it may not be a substitute for familiarity and chemistry.
They didn’t get a goalie? f***!!!!!