Quoting: wabit
Staal was a rental too and better than every center currently on the team.
You know the difference in cap from all of Guerin's trades next year? $2.3m, Kunin's contract and he's a deal at that price. Plus he has a lot of cap space (and assets) this year to make a trade for a PLD or a Barkov. Or he could have gone after Cirelli with an OS. Tieing your own hands with the cap and making the team worse in the process for a couple of picks that might be something or not in 3 years when there is $28m (35% of the cap) in 4 boat anchor contract killing any chance the team might of had.
Staal has looked horrendous for Buffalo this year. He had already lost a step and a half by years end last year even if he was still somewhat productive. I've tuned into the Sabers games this year to check things out with them and Staal. Staal's now lost 2-3 steps to his game, this isn't a slow start for him as far as I can tell. He's cooked. We're better off without him.
Kunin got exactly what he was expected to get for his next contract. Whether he was still with us or now with Nashville. Doesn't matter, still the same. Furthermore his ceiling is exactly that of Bonino's, a middle sixer. Poile literally traded the older, trusty, more reliable model for the shiney new, younger variant one. At an excessive premium no less.
Offersheets aren't as much of a thing as much as fans want and whish and pray and hope they are. Besides, they destroy whatever relationship a GM might have with that organization that just got offersheeted. There's a reason why GM's who use them get blacklisted by the rest of the league or have to overpay to get a trade done after the fact. See Bergevin, Marc.
Donato was blocked from getting the minutes and quality of linemates he needed to truly succeed with Minnesota. Especially because Zuccarello is currently on the roster. The best GM's are those that tend to look after their players and are willing to move them and do them a solid if it means they get a legitimate shot to play somewhere else. Especially if they're going into a contract year or are currently playing during one.
The Pateryn for Cole trade is the perfect example of this. The Aves clear cap space, but more importantly make room for their young guys whom Sakic feels are ready. Cole blocks them from doing that, because he's too good of a player not to play him. The Wild benefit thanks to the fact we're getting the better player out of the deal, and Cole is guaranteed playing time with us. Cole could also command more at the TDL than Pateryn ever would have.
Ultimately, Guerin moved Donato to someplace where he'd get a better opportunity to play and did the kid a solid, and got fair market value for him while he was at it.
It's a miracle Guerin was able to move Dubnyk at all. Let alone got a 5th back for him. Even with retention.
This year is a wash, and was always intended to be. Guerin is setting us up to become contenders after the ED, when he'll be better able to build the roster to contend.