I’ve posted articles in the past similar to the one I’m about to write. But in the wake of another skillfully executed trade deadline where he once again boosted his team’s fortunes without paying an exorbitant price, I thought I’d take time out to sing Ron Hextall’s praises again.
It’s impossible to emphasize what a mess Hextall inherited from former GM Jim Rutherford when he was hired in February 2021. The team was jammed up against the wall, cap-wise. JR had tied up roughly 16 percent of our cap space long-term to three young defensemen of varying pedigree.