I expected TO to either sign or trade Rielly by this time, I'm disappointed neither has happened.
I think having a potential lame duck GM will be a very bad situation going forward, TO has allowed too many players to leave without being compensated and losing Rielly for nothing will not be worthwhile in any way except of course TO winning the Cup, unlikely but possible.
Dubie has probably only one goal for the team and that's immediate success, that goal probably means keeping Rielly this year no matter what, hoping that with Rielly TO's chances of progressing further in the playoffs are greater. He's probably right but being a lame duck GM also means that if TO doesn't progress, his tenure will end.
Dubie showed signs of panic last year by trading a 1st for Foligno who is an aged vet who has been obviously declining, for me it seemed a nonsensical move. Pretty well all of Dubie's moves have made sense but his tenuous grasp of his GM position might force him into even more desperate/dubious maneuvers, TO and we don't need that.
I would love to see TO win the Cup but I don't want the Cup at the expense of a sound future when even the now isn't assured.
At this time I see TO being in a position that might be very positive, TB has lost it's entire 3rd line from last year, Boston is weaker, Florida is well who knows, so TO's immediate future has perhaps never looked better but there's no guarantees. We need a GM who wants to build a sound team going forward rather than one who feels, probably realistically, that he must produce, now.