Ken Holland’s big decision to trade for Panarin has caused a lot of discussions among fans. Find out more about this talked-about trade.
The last day has been quite eventful for Ken Holland, the general manager of the Los Angeles Kings. He managed to make a trade to bring Artemi Panarin into the team. Many people think it was a smart move. However, he is facing a lot of backlash from Edmonton fans who are upset because he didn’t make similar trades when he worked with the Oilers, and now he is making better deals and signings since joining LA.
After the trade was made known, fans of the Oilers have pointed out how little Holland paid for Panarin. Many have compared this to other trades he made when he was with Edmonton. They have shown examples where he spent a lot more money and received much less in return. It’s important to note that not all those players wanted to play in Edmonton. This meant Holland had to compete with other teams to make transactions happen.
Yet, the negative comments haven’t stopped.
Holland Facing Criticism in Edmonton
As noted earlier, Holland is under fire because the amount he spent to get Panarin seems very low when compared to the trades he tried to make to win a Stanley Cup for Edmonton, which didn’t work out.
Fans from Edmonton have gone to social media to express their anger, especially since they feel he missed chances to grab a real star like Panarin when he had Connor McDavid at his best. Some of the comments have been quite straightforward:
Ken Holland when he has prime McDavid: oh sure, let’s trade for Andreas Athanasiou for two second-round picks. Ken Holland when Kopitar and Doughty are old and worn out.
– Notorious TIG via X
We had to use a first-round pick for Adam Henrique and Sam Carrick, and a second-round pick just to take Duncan Keith’s full contract during a tight salary cap situation, but now Holland decides to smarten up and take advantage of NYR to get Panarin on a lower deal? Hahaha, this is ridiculous.
– Shaedon via X
I can’t stand Ken Holland so much! Why couldn’t he have done something like this when he was with Edmonton? ? ?
– Ryan Nutzenberger via X
It’s obvious that Oilers supporters are feeling frustrated, and honestly, they have good reasons to feel this way. Many believe that Holland didn’t try hard enough while he was in charge. However, he quickly made a smart and bold choice with the Kings, similar to what he did when he was with the Detroit Red Wings.
This is something fans in Edmonton will remember for a long time. And if the Oilers and Kings face each other in the playoffs again, it wouldn’t be surprising if Holland and Panarin hear about it. This is especially true if Panarin has a tough time.
One thing is certain: the rivalry between the Oilers and Kings might have just gotten more exciting.
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