Your second point is spot on. What Regier was more than happy to shoot for every year was vanilla in terms of icing a competitive team regardless of the fact that we came close a couple of times. Building through the draft and adding to that mix with tactful trades and the odd addition through free agency will be much more enjoyable once this ahem cough cough tank is over.
I agree. Bad officiating sucks. It went both ways for every team in the playoffs. Its unfortunate you feel the refs handed game 5 to the Kings. I didn't see it that way.
A better example would be the Kessel trade to Toronta. But that worked out swell for Beantown. I'd still pull the trigger on an interconference trade in todays N.H.L.
Its going to be a very interesting season watching Buf/Isles and ones race to the bottom and the others race or attempted race away from the bottom. Garth Snow in in survival mode.