Cmon Hawks!!! 1 more win. And at home no less. Would be so incredible. It's been a while alright
i still think a consistent 30+ goal scorer w/salary retained should've returned a lot more. tbh the toronto media shot itself in the foot by basically saying "kessel had to go," rather than keeping it lowkey and probably getting a higher return. arguably lucic got a better return than kessel, which is ridiculous since lucic isn't anywhere near the type of player kessel is.I was disappointed with the return but the realities of the market meant that this was the best we were going to get. Two highly rated prospects (behind Maata and Pouliot) and a first is pretty similar to the deal we made when we acquired him, and his age and contract should theoretically decrease his return. I'm fine with the trade from the perspective that our prospect cupboard is getting increasingly stocked and by acquiring a first we have another weapon to sue to move up or back to a lottery position in next years draft.
I totally agree that in a vacuum he should have returned more, unfortunately his contract situation, no-movement clause, and the Toronto media limited his value.i still think a consistent 30+ goal scorer w/salary retained should've returned a lot more. tbh the toronto media shot itself in the foot by basically saying "kessel had to go," rather than keeping it lowkey and probably getting a higher return. arguably lucic got a better return than kessel, which is ridiculous since lucic isn't anywhere near the type of player kessel is.
that's really why i hate no trade clauses, you never know what's going to happen over the course of a long contract and to be stuck with minimal returns is just.... yuck. i just don't really think he needed to be traded at all if that was the only value. i feel like more could've been gotten at the trade deadline after seeing how he performed under babcock and with teams more desperate as they gear up for the playoffs. i mean, vermette got a guaranteed first round pick + a prospect at the trade deadline, and kessel is a million times better.I totally agree that in a vacuum he should have returned more, unfortunately his contract situation, no-movement clause, and the Toronto media limited his value.
Lamoriello cited his age as the reason for leaving power in Jersey. He's on a 3 year deal. The very, very, distinct feeling here in Toronto is that Lou is here to basically be Ken Holland to Babcock, act as a sounding board for ideas and to work with the management team in an advisory capacity. He'd likely have a role in the trading process and can use his lengthy experience to have lines of conversation available that would otherwise be inaccessible. It seems very likely that he'll be grooming Dubas to take over from his at the end of his contract, that the management team will continue to be by committee, and that Lou gives us a big name to fill the GM title without sacrificing our goals. In the media interview today Lou even stated that he was fully on board with our rebuild and that Shanahan sold him on his vision. Given Shanahan's personnel moves so far I can't imagine him bringing in Lou if he thought Lou would try and run his own ship. Especially not with so many strong personalities in authority positions.Babs is definitely an improvement.
Pretty good draft.
Kessel trade was lackluster, but what are ya gonna do.
They were going pretty steadily, but I can't see a 72 year old stuck in the 90's helping them move into the new age. This being even more concerning because of how much power and control he had in NJ, he's going to be forced to work in a team environment with very conflicting views on how a team should be operated. I can only see it working if they put him on a very short leash as well as restricting his involvement to being solely a wingman or advisor, and then make Dubas the GM in a year or two. Just seems like an overall step back after they were making progress.
Also, is there plans to continue smogon league in the same format as last year?