One thing a lot of fans miss, this is Briere's team, not Torts' team.
Danny may listen to Torts and Jones, but he's got a plan and he's sticking to it.
So far he's happy with Torts.
Danny played in the "clutch and grab" era, and excelled in the playoffs, when refs swallowed their whistles. That required not just skill, but a certain mindset, especially for a smaller player.
So on the one hand, as a smaller player, he's not obsessed with size, on the other hand, he knows what it takes to succeed in the playoffs.
I think when he's evaluating if a player is a "keeper," he's projecting from his own experience whether he thinks that player can step up in the playoffs or will be exposed. Looking at the players he's moved, either they don't fit that mold or they've aged out for consideration when this team will be competitive.
I think this extends to the draft, of course they want skill, but most players aren't good enough to get by on skill. So they value work ethic, motor, IQ, grit - qualities that can help a player outperform his draft slot, especially in tight, close checking games like in the playoffs.
