Young, cheap, controllable, IIRC decent possession numbers, a demonstrated ability to score goals, and has been great in the shootout. I know he's hurt, but this doesn't make any sense. 28 teams refused to offer a 5th?
- Marco Estrada makes 32 starts and carries an ERA under 3.75
- Aaron Sanchez pitches 60+ games in relief with an ERA in the low 3s
- Gavin Floyd makes at least 10 effective starts
- Tulo hovers around league average offensively and spends significant time on the IR
- Edwin signs a reasonable 4 year contract before the end of the season
It's the fake parity. There shouldn't be a shootout. 2 points for a win, 1 for a tie, 0 for a loss. The shootout is the worst thing to ever happen to the NHL. The salary cap also doesn't help. There are no villains anymore.
They've ended the season top-10 in each of the last three seasons (10th, 10th, 9th). I have no idea where they project to finish 2016 right now, but the season hasn't started yet and if they're outside the top-10 it isn't by much.
The reality is that you don't have the faintest clue what payroll would be if the team was sold. You have no idea how profitable the team is, you have no idea how long the dollar will be weak, you have no idea how how the weak dollar effects business. You have no idea who would buy the team, who they would put in place to run it, or what they would be consider to be an optimal payroll. You know nothing. I know nothing. But I know enough to be content with a great front office and ~top-10 payroll despite a very weak dollar, and to not whine incessantly about how great it would be if the team was sold.