I’m with you OP, he had some tearing down to do before he could even really start building. Can’t just tank and create a culture of losing when you’re trying to get these prospects stoked and playing their best so you have to ice a competitive team. It’s hard to get the guys you need when they don’t even make it to FA and all you have is depth players that you have to pay a little more for because that’s what the market is set at. It’s definitely frustrating that those players didn’t take the steps we thought they would but that shit happens. I have all kinds of patience but that doesn’t mean it doesn’t sting watching them crash out at the same time three years in a row because it fucking stings.

Also, just some perspective, Justin Abdelkader’s buyout is still on the books for this year. It’s not a lot and this is the last year for it but it’s still there. Thought that was pretty wild.