PLD is not the type of player you want during a rebuild, anyway. His shit attitude and effort are horrible examples for younger players breaking into the league.
Just one of the most incompetent trades in the history of hockey. Jesus.
Yup it’s the intangibles.
You can maybe live with just his shitty play if he’s giving 100%.
You can jettison him easily if he’s just a shitty human.
But he’s the rare combo of hype over substance, an actually really nice guy, but a terrible on ice work ethic/“effort”/whatever nebulous definition of “looks like he’s working, doesn’t lose every puck battle, and doesn’t get bitch slapped by any player with a pulse” you choose.
You don’t want that around a young and growing team. See you too kids can nkt work hard and get no results and get paid 8.5! …but you Akil, thanks for producing great for your role and ice time and working the system hard, throwing your body around, and setting a great example…now go back and make 5 figures kid, we have dead weight to pay.