One of the reasons this is a "dead" period is the difference between owners.
Some of us are fanatics. we have been trying to trade and looking at holes in our teams during this break.
If all the owners were as fanatic as we are, this period wouldn't be so dead.
On the other hand, many casual owners haven't figured out where the holes are in their teams. Look for a flurry of trades right after the first couple of series as these owners wake up to the weaknesses they haven't taken the time to scope out.
Frustrating for the fanatic, but just the difference in people and how busy their lives are.
dave