Savoir-faire means “The instinctive ability to know how to deal with any situation that arises.”

Laissez-faire means “the practice or doctrine of noninterference in the affairs of others” and seems to have become a way to describe someone who doesn’t put much effort into things.

Gotta disagree here. I’m under no illusions as to Buff’s consistency this year, but I don’t think it’s because the 3 mill went to his head, or that he cares little about his performance. I just don’t think he was ever a top-6 forward. I think the 3 million gave him the wrong impression of his role on the team, and his 19 goals last year led management into the same territory. If Buff had been paid as a 4th-liner and his role was defined as that from the start, I think I’d be happy with him on this team—and I think his work ethic would be better, too, in all honesty. It’s not a coincidence that he’s had his best games for us in a more limited skating role. When he goes out and forechecks, hits, disrupts play, screens goalies, he’s at his … ummm … “best.”

This guy was a d-man who was as surprised as anyone he scored 19 goals as a winger. He then got paid as such and then realized, holy shit, I have to score goals now. That’s just not in his game, obviously. Pay him 1.5 a year to beat up the boards in the offensive zone and stand forever in front of goalies, and I bet he’d be fine.

He’ll have lots of chances to grow into his well-remunerated role, whatever Coach decides it’ll be … because none of the other 29 teams need a 3-million-dollar Dustin. Oh, wait, Edmonton might bite on that.

…I fear for the future of our species.