Just 100% disagree on Chara play last year. He was excellent. Unless you think Boychuk was 1990 Ray Bourque, I'd like to hear your reasoning on why the team was so much better defensively last year if not for the difference in the health of Charas knee.
Chicago has more NTCs than Boston and LA has all their guys signed until like 2022. the market is what it is. Show me one team with nothing but smart team friendly deals.
To answer your last inquiry: the Montreal Canadiens. All of their long term contracts are to young, rising players they plan on keeping in the organization. If CapGeek was still a thing, I'd find some other ones too. Their GM has also made "thinking-ahead" moves like moving Moen for Gonchar which do not give them a decided advantage currently, but do in the future. This is what PC is not doing.
And, Chara certainly has gone down further this year. The team was good defensively because their system as a whole was working much more efficiently. Sure, losing Boychuk hurt...but the offense and goaltending both being significantly better is a huge factor in good defensive play. Even though I was fine with him not coming back, I'm sure a guy like Iginla on the first line made a difference when it came to defense, instead of the revolving door of young, inexperienced players.
I still fail to understand how people can't see my questions relating to Chara as ultimate questions on the GM's handling of the situation, and not some accusating of "Chara failing the team". Oh right, it's because people refuse to separate what is from what was.
If things were my way, I'd dump Seidenberg for even minimal value over Chara. I don't have something out for Chara. I just think we have to move away from the old core at some point. We're not going to get anywhere until we do. And these people that are clamoring for moves yet refuse to even give a thought to touching one of these aging core pieces, are in my opinion, out to a very long lunch.