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i can't believe I'm going to say this, but I'm not hating this trade. If both players are a better fit for a more physical and defensive game, then I've been wanting more of these types of players. If Kesselring can play with Power and be the partner he's been lacking thus far, then great....it also makes for a stronger right side D corps overall. If Doan can bring more physicality than others that Adams missed on, then I like it. More moves can be made to replace JJP's goal production, plus who knows....maybe Quinn might actually show up this year. Use the money saved on JJP's deal to go after another center, either by trade or I would like to see them go after Tavares.

I would love that to but to be real Marner has the likelihood of considering us as Angelina Jolie has the likelihood of considering me no matter how much money is offered... LOL... we just dumped a future 40 goal scorer for a middling player and a prospect... because no real player will come here... likely the same will happen with Byram and we will have gotten appreciably worse as a team... why would Mariner to come to a current bottom feeder thats digging deeper... with a FO office and owner who are absolutely incompetent...

Toughness is nice for a team that clearly lacks it, but they are constantly trying to add these types of players and neglecting talent. Buffalo's off-seasons are like a game of whack-a-mole. Fixing last year's issues without anticipating what they'll be faced with the following season. That's why assuming Kulich or another younger player will score enough to off-set this move is he's still mostly an unknown. And for a team that needs to make the playoffs or others will demand trades, that's not enough. Almost every single time we believe they'll get production from a young player it doesn't work. I can see them better defensively and struggling to score without a real move this off-season. And given who the GM and owner are, I'm not holding my breath.

Dude, I don't think you're making the point you think you are. A 23 year old Skinner, locked up until 28 at $7.5M per is tremendously valuable. The Skinner you hate is 10 years away. Trading away a 40 goal scorer with a reasonable contact because you might hate him in 10 years is insane.

What's interesting is that McLeod for Savoie was laughed at by everyone... accept analytics Twitter. The Cozens trade was laughed at by everyone... accept analytics Twitter. This trade... same thing.

If Byram gets dealt and the return is a solid/good defenseman coming back, then the tandem deals (JJP deal) will result in a different composition for the unit. That would be an essential accomplishment for the offseason to do list. Peterka wanted Peterka gone.

Still believe the return should've been greater. Except in very limited cases, the reason for the Sabres making him available really shouldn't factor in for what the return should be.

I am super doubtful Marner even considers Buffalo. I think It is high up on his no movement clause. Money won't be enough as he has a boatload already and will get a boatload more wherever he lands. (personally, I would love to see Marner here but it isn't happening)

What if Dahlin wanted Peterka gone?

This always seemed a little crazy to me. Like, shouldn't the expectation be that the $8m player should elevate those around him. Not remove a solid homegrown talent just to make him serviceable?

I am underwhelmed by the return. I like the guys coming back, they have grit, which is in short supply. Kesselring could be a long term top 4 RHD, which is a need. Doan’s upside is limited imo, but he brings a Panthers like attitude. The Sabres got harder to play against. I wanted KA to do something and he did. JJP’s offence will need to be replaced, hopefully by a playmaker, because I believe Kulich can replace JJP’s goals. I can’t do anything about this, just wait and see and judge it by on ice performance. At least JJP won’t win a Cup in the short term.

He sure goes to the net.

Agreed. The seemingly inevitable Byram deal should tell us alot about whether KA is just continuing to nibble around the edges, or if he is super cereal this time.

I assume you feel differently about apples and oranges?

You act like there has been a series of poor trades. McLeod for Savoie? People reacted the same way as they are now, but McLeod came in and did well. It was what we all say we want: Use an asset to get better now and overpay if you have to. Cozens/Gilbert for Norris/JBD is TBD until we see what Norris brings. Mittelstadt for Byrum I guess is a wash until we see what Byrum brings in trade. Remember how Adams "overvalues his players?? Well, look at us now.

Not Robertson, but a MUCH better question. 😉 Danke.

Really enjoyed watching Peterka on the rush. Had been resigned to Peterka going out the door since the trade deadline when there was so much smoke about him getting traded then. But really wanted him to be a piece in a larger deal, not him being the big piece getting moved. This trade CAN work. But that margin for error on needing everything to go right just got smaller again. And referring to the post about how this should make the D better, well it might. But D-men often don't look as good in their 1st season in a new place as they did look. Still would've preferred punting Wilford to improve the defensive play; that one has a higher probability of helping THIS season.

I need to see the full offseason to really know for sure. If this is one of those culture change moments, there should be a lot of it.

Can someone gage my sketchy recollection of whether or not Kesserling came out of nowhere this year as an analytics darling? I just have no real memory of him being anything more than a 6th or 7th defenseman previously?

This trade practically guarantees Byram is going somewhere.

Yup, JJP is highly skilled, but this team has a problem playing as a team and it seems some of that was JJp, who wanted to score, but was skitchy on back checking. Him and Quinn were super fun to watch, but it was also a high wire act. Not sure if this is a case of "addition by subtraction" but it might be. Remember JJP slipped into the second round, in spite of all his talent. Maybe there is a reason for that.

Has any first overall draft pick lost in the final two years in a row?

During the tank years I was pretty adamant that a GM that waited until trade deadline to move players they did not expect to re-sign was a negligent Gm because they waited until value was minimized to make the move. I like this deal because KA moved JJP while his value was still high. I don’t like this move because it feels like we didn’t get equal value in return. This is an attempt to change the type of play on the ice. I think the team needs that desperately. Is it enough? Probably not, especially when we now have to overcome the loss of JJs offense. No easy task as currently it requires the current roster to perform above their past performances. I will withhold judgement until after Byram is moved.

I am with you here Ink. Just watching JJ play last year reminded me of Reinhart in his last year. Zero emotion. This team can score. This team cannot play defense. JJ was one of the biggest zeros in defensive play on the team. Scoring 30 does not mean crap if you give up 50! I do like both players that came back. IF they live up to what they can be then we did ok. Physical and forechecking. Yes please!! There is still work to be done, but i think we are all jaded with lack of playoffs. Defense just got better! Is that not part of the problem?

Don’t make an emotional reactionary response to this trade. In isolation it might draw a negative response but in a bigger context it is a step in making it a tougher and better team. The Sabres got a first or second pairing defender. That certainly addresses a desperate need. And we also added a grittier forward, another need. It appears that JJP deeply didn’t want to be here. So we ended up with pieces that addresses other needs. In my view this was a reasonable deal that helps to reshape the roster in a way it needs to be reshaped. Now let’s see what the follow up will be. Also, I see a Ruff influence here.