I don't think you can find a roster around the league for a contending team that doesn't have some mistakes. For all that tampas doing, they still have Callahan and needed to buy out a d. It happens, it's how you get rid of those problems.

As far as drouin, there were a ton of comments from people around the league that said yzerman was making a mistake by not keeping drouin up and for how that was handled. A ton.
- Isles_since_6

I'd hate to play poker against Yzerman, that's for sure. Guy didn't even blink when faced with losing a top player in the league and a future star, in Drouin. Most GM's would have panicked and sold off Drouin for pennies on the dollar or flipped Stamkos when they thought he may not re-sign. Yzerman stood his ground in both cases and it paid off big time.

I don't think you can find a roster around the league for a contending team that doesn't have some mistakes. For all that tampas doing, they still have Callahan and needed to buy out a d. It happens, it's how you get rid of those problems.

As far as drouin, there were a ton of comments from people around the league that said yzerman was making a mistake by not keeping drouin up and for how that was handled. A ton.
- Isles_since_6

There were.

I'd hate to play poker against Yzerman, that's for sure. Guy didn't even blink when faced with losing a top player in the league and a future star, in Drouin. Most GM's would have panicked and sold off Drouin for pennies on the dollar or flipped Stamkos when they thought he may not re-sign. Yzerman stood his ground in both cases and it paid off big time.
- eichiefs9

It worked out for him. Results that's what matters.

It worked out for him. Results that's what matters.
- Cptmjl

Could have just as easily become a disaster too. But yes, both situations did happen to end favorably for the Lightning. No state income tax certainly helps, re: Stamkos, though.

Could have just as easily become a disaster too. But yes, both situations did happen to end favorably for the Lightning. No state income tax certainly helps, re: Stamkos, though.
- eichiefs9

Agreed. I don't know Yzerman well enough to have an understanding of whether it was smarts and great GM'ing skills or luck that it turned out like it did .

It did work out in Tampa's favor and that's what matters in the end...