This line of thinking needs to stop, it doesn't make sense. It's like believing your order from Amazon will be at your front door mere moments after you place it (cue the idiots with the "well, with drones and disty centers in every major metro, it could happen...! Err, dheerrr").
Let's be realistic: trades and deals take time and don't just happen, usually. This is fine and absolutely not an excuse for Botterill, just a reality fans need to accept. You don't just roll up to the NHL Trade Drive-Thru and get yourself a trade. Well, you can, but you wind up with Frolik.
I don't think Botterill wrote this season off, I think Botterill made three mistakes this season:
He thought this team would compete for a playoff spot. The moves he has made and not made since the summer strongly indicate this, which are tied to point number two.
He is seriously challenged at talent evaluation.
He thought his D acquisitions would turn into instant trade capital.
Now he is stuck and the rest of the GMs in the league know it. The lack of activity presently is not a reflection of some long-term vision, it's the result of being incompetent at his job.