I want to say this one myself.
Joe is one of the best players we've ever had, and he's leaving us. I'm not going to dress that up. It hurts. If you're upset reading this, we're feeling the exact same thing.
The offer was one neither the org nor Joe was going to turn down. It was a good deal for the club and the right move for him, and those two don't always line up. Letting him go was on me, and I'd make the same call again. He earned a shot at the bag with how he played and how he carried himself. When a guy gives a team everything Joe gave us, you don't stand in the way. You do right by him. So that's exactly what we did.
He came to Toronto and became one of the best in the world in our colours. I got to watch it happen, and I'll never forget it.
To the fans who've been angry these last few weeks, I hear you, all of you. You've given this org your trust and we're going to keep earning it, and I don't say that lightly. I'm proud of this org through all of it, the wins and the losses both. Proud of the events we put on and the energy you bring to them, online and in the building. Your passion is what makes all of this worth doing.
This was a hard call, but it's the one that sets us up to keep delivering for you. We'll do what we've always tried to do best: find talent and grow it. But that's a conversation for another day.
Thank you for everything, Joe. Once KOI, always KOI. We'll be loud for you out there.
Adam