There was a time I loved him laying people out even if his defense was average. Then last year he got all into this painting stuff and I think he threw one big hit all season. Intimidation is his game. I don't know what the hell happened to him. Marriage I suppose.
This had to happen. It is one thing to block a trade to a team on the NTC list. It is entirely a different story to have your agent running around making it known you do not want to be traded, in a concerted effort to scare teams away. But even that wasn't enough. This guy takes it one step farther and completely mails in the season. He goes from a heart and soul guy to simply not giving a fuck. Take a look at the stats. His hits/60 are not even close to his career numbers. He has had zero bite to his game. He is not battling in the corners as we are used to seeing. Not even doing his moronic pinch at the point anymore. He checked out. Anybody who has been in a locker room knows when leadership doesnt give a fuck it can become contagious. This team already had too many passive followers who won't grab a game by the balls. When you see the one guy who had that trait just give it up, everyone notices. I have no doubt the guys in the room all love him, but that does not mean it isn't a problem. I was a big Trouba supporter for years but this was just too much. Good riddance. Now it's on Drury to fix it. It did not have to come to this, but here we are. He has no more do-overs left. Whatever comes next better be correct. If it's me, I am emptying the entire clip for Brady Tkachuk.
Going for B. Tkachuk would be amazing and a total show of intent by Drury and the team. Have no idea what it would take, but at 25yo it would be an amazing get.
As Larry Brooks mentioned in his latest, and correctly I think, it would cost Lafreniere. Tkachuk only 2 years older, and the money is pretty similar.
It makes no sense to get any elite wingers when you don’t have any young centers to grow with them.
It would gut things too much, as they'd probably have to give up a 1st, plus 2 of Perreault/Othmann/Emery, plus Kakko or Miller to help the cap. The farm isn't all that great to begin with and they are very depleted in draft capital. Plus, you'd have to hope these main cogs got it together enough in the 2nd half of the year. The defense is still going to be an issue too. I'd keep our top prospects and try adding around the fringes for now, hoping the top guys play better.
