Quote:
Originally Posted by Oil Stain
Vermette was a healthy scratch during the Hawks playoff run a couple of times as well I think.
Obviously the GMs still probably didn't regret making those trades.
You can compare that to Pittsburgh who used a 1st to pick up Kessel in the offseason. He was a big part of their last Cup and is a leading scorer in these playoffs as well. That is exceptional value for a first rounder and some other spare parts.
The Pittsburgh example shows you can get much better value for a 1st rounder coming up to the trade, but that trade isn't always there for a GM. So much timing, and luck plays into things.
Kessel was coming off a poor season before the trade and verbal surrounding him was awful. Rutherford was assuming some risk. In hindsight it looks like a no brainer, but if we dug up the thread on the trade, we might see a lot of negative opinions on Kessel and his ability to be a winner.
I guess the point of this rambling post is that GMs should avoid dogmatically following any rules of thumb and evaluate each situation on its own merit, and be willing to make a risky move if a GM believes it will add value to the team. Even trading good assets at the deadline for a rental.
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Most Flames fans in particular were a hard pass on Kessel when the trade rumors started. Like not even "he may be too expensive to acquire" just straight up "he's a not a player you win with, avoid at all costs".
Imagine what our top line would like now with Gaudreau - Monahan - Kessel?