GASabresIUFAN

LOL. Good luck with that Danny.

Just as long as we get there again before Toronto.

This question is kind of like asking if you’d be willing to trade Power for Hedman or Josi.

One real positive thing about KAs tenure so far was his aggressive approach to locking up his core. The signing of Dahlin is just another example of KA smartly locking up his core to reasonable deals I have long believe that there is a lot of similarity between baseball and hockey in drafting, developing and cost management of young players. KAs approach to the Sabres is very similar to Braves GM Andopolis’ management of the young Braves. Young studs Acuna, Albies, Riley, and Harris we’re all locked up long before they could hit free agency while other excellent players like Freeman and Swanson were allowed to leave because cheaper quality option were available in the pipeline or through trade. I fully expect Skinner to move on after his contract expires and despite how much I like Mitts, I think KA may let him leave as well after this season.

If I were Briere I won’t be moving a quality 24 year old goalie either, but does Hart want to go through a rebuild getting shelled every night? If I were Hart’s agent, I’d pull a Tkachuk and tell Danny to find him a new home because he doesn’t plan to sign an extension. Seriously what will Hart’s trade value be a year from now if gets pounded on a terrible Philly team? Of course, Hart may love Philly, but does anyone really like Philly?

Yep, that’s me always following the company line. Honestly, I think WPG most likely ability to maximize return for Helle is at the trade deadline or someone like Det who has a need, feels they are close to being a playoff team and has the cap space to extend him. KA is right to kick the tires on all good vet goalies floating around, but Levi is his guy and is cost controlled for years to come. I just don’t see a trade moving Levi to anyone as a viable idea.

KA isn’t trading Levi. This question is moot.

Fyi: https://www.cbssports.com/mlb/news/20-mlb-players-whose-hall-of-fame-careers-were-derailed-by-injury-as-jacob-degrom-faces-another-setback/ By the way, Joe Pavelski, who reminds me a great deal of Skinner has compiled 221 goals after 30. Joe, now has 1250 NHL games, 449 goals, and 1001 points. Skinner through his 30 year old season has 932 games, 333 g, and 624 points.

What about this: Rousek, 13 & 45 for Hart, 22 and LA's 2nd in 2024.

He's had one bad year in 5 NHL seasons. His save % year by year .917, .914, .877, .905 and .907. The last two incredibly behind terrible Philly D groups and lousy overall Philly teams.

Subban is a UFA.

I never said a second would get it done for Hart. You snickered at my 13th and UPL proposal for Hart and that may be too much, but a 2nd is also clearly not enough.

15th of 107. Not bad at all when our top goalie was 52nd and our other goalies 85+. The problem with Helle is cost to acquire and only a one year contract.

So Hart is actually a pretty good goalie, despite posts here to the contrary. The whole thing may be moot anyway. Briere said he isn’t actively shopping Hart, but is listening to offers. I guess it will depend on how quickly Danny thinks he can turn the Flyers around.

So your saying our goaltending was bad last year? Where was Hart on this list?

Not entirely. I think he’ll be waived and sent to Rochester if unclaimed. He played 19 games last season for us and gave us a .886 save %. This way he’ll be injury insurance.

Yes and No. Clearly, KA wants better goaltending than he received last season. He has stated numerous times when he acquires players that he wants youngish players with term that will fit into his locker room and can grow with the team. Who fits that description better Hart or Hellebuyck? Modern GMs certainly evaluate whether or not the player's past performance, his analytics if you will, will upgrade the roster they have. They also evaluate whether that player's contract will work under the cap and of course, how much it will cost to acquire that player. The Comrie signing was clearly done will all the above factors in mind. His analytics were good, he is by all accounts an excellent person, he was the right age, and had upside potential. He also cost nothing to acquire other than contract $ and his contract wasn't very large given the risk of his inexperience. Hart is a very similar case. His analytics are an upgrade over UPL and Comrie. He is the right age, his contract is reasonable and comes with 2 years of control. I've seen no reports of him being a locker room problem, he is vastly more experienced than any player on the roster and has significant upside. Given that KA is also going to upgrade the D group, acquiring Hart makes a lot of sense. The cost of acquisition is the biggest hurdle.

No you don’t. This is a big enough statistical difference to realize that it would have swung enough games in our favor to make us a playoff team. No team with a +26 differential has missed the playoffs in decades as far as I can tell. All you have to do is look at the Sabres record when receiving 900 Save % or better last year and look an Anderson’s record with a .905 save % to illustrate how much an impact better goaltending would have made.

@Thorny You laugh at the price tag I suggested, but what do you think it's going to cost to get a proven young goalie with cost control for the next two years? Remember that TM acquired injury-prone Robyn Lehner (and took a contract back in Legwand) for a 21st overall pick. Lehner, then 23, had 86 games (76 starts) of NHL experience at the time and had two years left on his deal (2.225 per season) and then an RFA. Hart is only 24. He has 201 games of experience (193 starts). He has 1 year left on his current deal (3.95) and then an RFA. Lehner's numbers were slightly better, but his injury history was worse and he was injured when acquired. Hart has played 100 games in the last two seasons. What is your offer for Hart? Philly is going to want more than the 39th pick.

Yes. In fact, had we had Carter Hart in net for the 51 games started by Comrie and UPL last season at Hart's .907 save% we'd have allowed 30 less goals against and we'd have easily made the playoffs with a regular season differential of 26.

What would you pay for Hart? He's the right age for our group. Has shown he can survive behind a pours defense. Despite playing for crappy Philly teams, he has played 100 games the last 2 years and posted save% of .905 or better. He has 14 games of playoff experience and was solid with a 2.23 & a .926. He has one year at 3.95 and then is an RFA. Really sounds like a perfect value pickup. Question is how much? Our 13th and UPL? More?

I love the Leonard Floyd signing. Not exactly sure how they fit him under the cap, other than the Oliver signing created cap space. Now sure what this means for Shaq Lawson, but he is an upgrade for the D front 7. https://www.buffalobills.com/news/bills-sign-edge-rusher-leonard-floyd

Actually this is in accurate. All of the Sabres D, except Samuelsson are RFAs or on one year deals. The only prospect currently in Rochester is Johnson and he is the only one close to NHL ready to possibly replace one of the guys on an expiring contract. Komarov is headed back to the CHL and Novikov, although signed, has yet to arrive in Rochester and is unlikely to be NHL ready during his first season in NA. As I also noted above, to count on either player is only a hope at this point.

No one is saying Östlund is a nobody. You have to give to get. If you trade for a good D prospect you have to give a good asset back. As to the defenders, Novikov and Komarov are at least two years from making an impact in Buffalo assuming they make the Sabres at all. Both look to have NHL potential, especially Novikov, but the last 5th round or later D to make an impact on the Sabres was Brian Campbell (D 1997). (Wideman was drafted in the 8th rd but never signed with the Sabres.) Until we see either guy with the Amerks, I’m skeptical of both players.

He’s also at least another 2 years from sniffing the NHL and even then he may be blocked by the deep young roster ahead of him. Long-term the Sabres have 3 D roster spots available and only Johnson in the pipeline to possibly take one.