I know you said your brain is fried, but this feels like a lazy strawman response. You know I didn't mean anyone can win a Cup as a passenger.
I meant they can contribute. The way Hudler did - with a style not suited for the playoffs. That was your argument, that a team can't win with that type of guy. And we had one on our team before and I enjoyed his time here as a depth player.
Zadina is a passenger, seriously dude, he's a passenger on a .500 team. He gets point when he's with the best linemates, nothing otherwise. Tell me I'm wrong. On a sub average team at that, on a Cup team he's a burden at best.
Brett Connolly has a cup ring too, scored 6 goals on the cup run. Decent parallel? hope we can get a trade package like that at least
Brett has size and decent skating. (In my judgement I would say slightly above average for NHL) With a discounted contract he wound up on a really good 3rd line. Zadina can't skate, and plays to half his listed size.
FYI, Stevie traded BC for 2 seconds, he was picked up by the Caps as a UFA for cheap, $850k which is more than what Zadina is making now. He was on a contract for $1.5M when he won the Cup which is less than what Raz gets paid.
So yeah, maybe Zadina gets picked up for what amounts to be league min somewhere along the lines like Svech did. Who cares.
Connolly's salary history so you don't have to look it up:
Brett Connolly Contract, Cap Hit, Salary and Stats - CapFriendly - NHL Salary Caps