I am curious to know others thoughts on the season that was and what should have been.
Here is my list of major mistakes. There is more but these were the key ones that come to mind.
1. Trading for Walker - Walker is a great guy and a good player but he is not what the team needed.
2. Stripping the C - Stripping the C from a 4 yr Blade and handing it to the new guy and allowing him to pick his alternates is mind boggling at best going into a HUGE year for the club.
3. Trading for Adam Kambeitz - How do you trade a promising 17 yr old (stockl) and a 3rd only to turn around 3 months later and trade him for a 3rd. 3 months of Kambeitz cost a promising 17 yr old.
4. Release of Cox - Mistake 3 led to this mistake and would prove to be costly. Cox would have put up more points from the blue line this season than Kambeitz did all of his career damn near (slightly extreme but you get the point.) One of the biggest issues for the Blades was lack of production from the point aside from Dietz. Cox developed into a good passing dman over the past 2 seasons and would have helped a great deal. BIGGEST MISTAKE IMO is #3 and #4 combined.
5. Burns trade - Love the aquisition of Burns. Just overpaid.
6. Gwinner trade - How do you give up a 5th round pick for a guy and no play him. When he did play he put up points. No wonder the kid was upset over sitting in the stands. He is having the last laugh now though isnt he. Lorne messed this one up big time.
7. Valcourt - Much like walker very nice guy and a good player but not what was needed. How many big tough guys do you need. 1 or 2 tops. You need guys that can put the puck in the net. Gross overpayment too unless they can get a big return for him in offseason.
8. Ferland - Well much like Schenn just didn't pan out to what anyone expected. Did contribute at times but underachieved and it really brought it to the front in the tie breaker game when the team is down and he spends half a period trying to get the other teams meathead to go instead of trying to put the puck in the net. Ask him once or twice....he declines move on. Don't keep trying as obviously it isn't happening.
In the end the personel decisions are made by Lorne and much like previous years he gets an F. His apparent inability to adapt in game to other teams play also gets him an F in coaching.