Doughty, Ekman-Larsson, Pietrangelo, Weber, Suter, Keith, Subban, Hedman, McDonagh are all guys I would rather have than Gio. I am not sure how you get away with paying a guy who is probably bottom tier of the top 10 dmen in the league right now (my list would be 10, I have a hardtime seeing how you put him higher than 6 in any event) at the age of 32 top 3 dmen in the league money. If he even slips to top 20 status it is an atrocious contract.
Tampa signed Ohlund at around the same age to be a top 50 guy in the league (which he was at the time of signing). He quickly disappeared and was buyout fodder within 2 years. There is way too much risk signing a guy that age for term. Short of your Joe Sakic's I am not sure of many instances where it worked out.
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