Hard to imagine Torts riding it out if it gets ugly but I can't really see a downside to them bottoming out. And you'd just end up with one of the current assistants or Laperriere taking over anyway.
The truth is Walker, Hart and Couturier's great first half created a bit of an illusion last year. It's just too bad they couldn't trade Hart (or Couts though that would have been harder). And now they can trade Laughton, if this keeps up.
I reckon they would have traded Hart before last season if anybody was interested, but every front office knew what was coming there.