DarthEbriate

I don’t like this besmirching of the Muppets.

I don't understand the Dunne callup. What -- because you traded Gilbert now you're afraid of Bennett and Marchand? They're not fighters. Would Dunne not be subject to waivers? Like a 5% chance he'd be claimed, but still he's a critical piece for the Amerks.

Unless I missed someone, by active rostered players games played in a Sabres uniform, it looks like they traded their 3rd (Jokiharju - 351) and 4th (Cozens 341) highest players. Dahlin leads with 489, TNT in second with 386.

One thing we learned based on the picks that were traded for D-men... The Sabres' refusal to retain any salary impacted what they received for compensation. Retaining and moving Joker to a playoff-bound team early on would have netted a higher pick than waiting until the last second and dumping him to a deadline seller.

Three moves tied with 2023 and 2024 for the most on a day. 3/3/2023 - Greenway, Asplund, and Austin Stand (AHL) (though 2 more moves on 3/2, and the Bloom trade on 3/1, so it was a busy deadline) 3/8/2024 - Okposo, E.Johnson, and Cooley (AHL).

What, you don't want to wait for Power to reach age 26 and beyond before deciding on the GM's fate? 😇

This is the Adams playbook. Get waited out by the GMs and move a RHD (either at deadline or well after the draft) for a 4th round pick. Lyubushkin, E. Johnson, Jokiharju.

Boston awkwardly trying to hit Unsend and Ctrl+Z that sent Marchand + retention to FLA for a 3rd, and gave up a 1st and a 2nd for Jokiharju and take on all salary.

No trade (or draft selection) can be judged the day of. We won't know the extent of it all for a couple of years at the earliest, but I posted this deep within the Cozens thread and it still holds true for myself after the Jokiharju trade: Getting Greenway and Zucker for combined $8.75M was cheaper today than in the summer (unless they both crashed and burned in the playoffs are being traded). Moving out Cozens' chase-the-puck defense was important. Moving out Jokiharju was necessary because he didn't have a role; unfortunately, I don't know that Bernard-Docker will fill that role, either. I think the team is improved until Norris' next shoulder surgery.

I think this is where I'm a bit disappointed in Ruff. If he identified (rightly) that Cozens is not the answer, then... maybe move him to wing where he was solid for Team Canada. Ruff even said way early in the year if they couldn't handle the center duties, they'd play wing. TNT ended up on Kulich's wing. But Cozens got to stay at 2C and PP time forever, while McLeod was the one getting 4C time. This move to wing would have been twofold: 1) it would showcase him for a trade either this week or over the summer, and 2) it probably makes the Sabres better all season long.

Contract-wise, Brannstrom is a RFA, which is protection for losing Clague to UFA in the summer.

OK... I guess some insurance for the Amerks kids in the playoffs. And to challenge Ryan Johnson for 7/8 for the Sabres next season. For the Amerks, is Kozak coming back into the lineup for NAK at some point? Or is Kozak's injury for the season?

He was harder than Power by a bunch. And I've seen him give retaliatory slashes and get scrappy, something I've not seen from Samuelsson. But it is true, he wasn't going to clear the crease. I don't know if JBD will, either. Joker is heavier than JBD.

Very likely not, they were already routinely going 11-7. JBD is on LTIR at the moment, but he should be back within a week (he was already practicing with Ottawa). If someone does get called up, if it's not Ryan Johnson, it's just a couple-game look-see for them to see the NHL speed. But today's trades don't lead to anyone getting an extended end-of-season look.

For future considerations?

Yup. With McAvoy out, Hampus out, and Carlo traded... they simply needed a D-man. Joker basically steps into the RD1 for them. (Which... pretty good opportunity for him to go into UFA.)

The RHD are moving! Joker?

If Marchand doesn't return in the summer, set themselves up for a McKenna run next season? Carlo had another year on his deal. Boston will miss him. From Toronto's perspective... maybe Dubas was the problem? And the cap not going up [edit: for a few years there.]

How about he re-signs for a year as a Panther?

Pick #64! 😇

For being healthy-scratched for trade purposes for a week: absolutely.

For the record, I don't think Mitts is even as good as Krejci (certainly not all 3 zones). Though, if you put Mitts on a top line with Pastrnak and ... Marchand or player X TBD, I think he can get more points than Krejci had in any single season. I do like that Boston's center spine continues to look... poor... for the foreseeable future.

Coyle to COL, Mitts to BOS, and more items to be figured out. Coyle fits for the bottom 6 playoff push. Is Mittelstadt the top 6 center that Boston has needed for 2 years to replace either Bergeron or Krejci?

The TSN Tradecentre Mission: Impossible intro spoof was cute. Good fun, production team. "You'll be on air for 12 hours with nothing to talk about..."