If there were no other options and the Sens had "no leverage" in your words, why didn't the Panthers just offer a 7th round pick for Tarasenko?
Presumably if it's the only option and the best return available, we should have pulled the trigger on that, correct?
Answer is obvious - Staios had some leverage. He was holding onto a good player that the Panthers desired and therefore had some room to negotiate a better return.
You have to establish that you'll walk if the opposing party is trying to screw you over. Staios took the dog**** offer well before the deadline bell.
At the very least I would have preferred he made Zito sweat a bit by holding onto him longer and bluffing that he'd keep him past the deadline if he didn't get a more reasonable return.
