Lawton Rule

In poll #2 of our season-end wrap up, we've already asked fans for their opinion on Rick Tocchet.  While everything isn't peachy-keen with the Interim Head Coach, there seems to be a round about acceptance of the job that he has done while being pitted with adverse circumstances.

So now we ask about a higher-up at 401 Channelside Drive:  What's the general opinion of  the job General Manager Brian Lawton has performed?

Though Lawton wasn't given the full title of General Manager until late October, he'd been part of the brain trust since his hiring on June 25th, 2008...  So while not exactly being the guy who put together some of the (insert adjective here) moves that the Lightning had made between draft day and the start of camp, he was involved none the less.

He was also the one who ultimately made the call on the firing of former head coach Barry Melrose.  While that move seemed to have the best interest of the club at heart, there were other decisions that could either be looked at as questionable to downright baffling...  But that is also downright subjective.

With players dropping like flies due to injury (with poor conditioning as much to blame as chance), Lawton has gone public with a mandate that If you're ready to go, you're going.  There's been a revolving door of fresh bodies from AHL Norfolk for a good majority of the season, so I'd like to take this opportunity to suggest that the mandate go straight to the trash can while a sound policy is put into place in it's steed.

I can't provide a comprehensive list of transactions that have been made this season, though Sportsnet.ca has one which includes signings, promotions and demotions, trades and what not. 

So what do you think?  Is Lawton in as bad a situation as Tocchet?  Is it of his own making, leaving fans to ponder?  Or are we just not seeing the overall plan yet?