Gabrielor

I would too, but notable: Barkov has 2 years left.

Wasn’t this coming anyways? And yes to Barkov, if they’re torching.

I'm pulling for Nashville to win the pick. Completely apathetic regarding them, so they're the perfect landing spot for an Eichel-tier prospect.

Yes...in theory. I saw a lot of Dahlin skating the puck up to our blue line last year, and instead of continuing, he'd hesitate, or stop, in the effort of looking for a pass. I want him to skate if that's the only option, and coverage to adjust. That isn't universal for the other dmen, but I want Dahlin to have that freedom, for sure.

I'm not about to compliment Housley, but I think Dahlin had a lot more freedom to operate under him...and Krueger needs to allow that...

Yeah, they need to unleash him next season...

Yeah, it's probably my fault for asking that question, but it's all open to intrepretation, and so doesn't tell us much. I'd imagine most people would be extremely excited if it's Monahan or Cirelli, but there's also folks who'd be extremely excited for a defensive center like Tierney or Copp.

If you do happen upon your source again in the near future, ask about Krueger unchaining Dahlin and finding him an actual support partner. There’s obviously a long long list of to-do’s, but ensuring Dahlin’s development into a superstar should be right up there with adding multiple veteran centers.

I made a big HFBoards post forever ago on our Defensive unit and pipeline vs Murray's last season. It was night and day. I still hold a large amount of hope for that pipeline, because of the various flavors it has: the Superstar (Dahlin) the Hjalmarsson (Johnson, Jokiharju) the toughness (Samuelsson, Borgen), the offense (Laaksonen), the transition (Bryson). So yeah, he built that very well (if at the expense of forwards with the Johnson/Samuelsson picks) Regardless of the setup, I wouldn't have had much faith in this offseason if he was still here. History shows his 'good moves' count is 2, with room to argue for mayyybe a couple more. In 3 years. I've probably taken this thread way off topic though, so I'll circle back to: I think Botterill was a terrible GM, and I hope that the bad moves / planning / team building / rushing prospects ends with him, and isn't also a trickle-down from the Pegulas.

Appreciate the re-inspiration this is giving me, and the effort by yourself. I just want this team to be good. Log line back + a 2C at a reasonable price = ?

Given your position, and since you don't seem to mind discussing it: His plan had too many failings of this own doing. We're a team that lacks NHL talent, lacks prospect pool talent, lacks picks, and is up against the cap, so much that overage costs will incur. Those 4 conditions shouldn't be possible simaltaneously. He championed youth and building from the draft (great idea), but failed to put proper NHLers ahead of those developing (which is why Mittelstadt is tanking), and burned all kinds of picks on temporary players making little/no impact. Meanwhile, you can argue that Rochester's recent success was largely on the backs of guys who are career AHLers, and wouldn't end up effecting the Sabres. He also let Phil Housley coach more than one year after gaming a near 80 point team tank to last place. (and I won't belabor O'Reilly here, but we'll see it on all-time worst lists forever now) Don't read this as any kind of attack. I'm merely curious in how someone could view Jason Botterill as anything other than the primary reason we're a NHL laughingstock. I'm controversially a Buffalo-born Sabres fan who roots for the San Francisco 49ers, not the Bills, so I was fine with the Sabres as the focus ?

Saddens me that his firing, from a hockey perspective, is more serendipity than logical decision. It's strange that the Pegulas' would dismiss him for wanting to down-size the department, either due to covid or to losing, but wouldn't dismiss him for hockey decisions that put them in a losing position to begin with (O'Reilly, Scandella for Frolik , 6th for a worse 6th, cap genius with overages on a 25th place team, the list goes on..) It means we aren't out of the woods yet on potential dumb hockey decisions. I'm oh so antsy to gauge Adams, because I think we'll get a good understanding of whether or not there's hope for the Eichel era this off-season.

I remember in 2014 wishing the Pegula's would lose the Bills' bid, because I knew it would take away attention they should be putting on the Sabres. I think, especially in the case of the 50th anniversary, they didn't oversee much directly, and just let people they trusted handle it. Turns out, these trusted folks didn't really care about the details. Sadly, their trust-issue solution appears to be elevating family of suspect qualification. They just aren't thinking 2+ moves ahead; too reactionary. Also, I'm still not 100% sure on the Botterill firing. I want to believe they fired him for the right reason (he was a joke), but I can't shake the feeling that it was for the wrong reasons ($$).

was JUST discussing that with someone else haha. IF Monahan is the target, re-forming a LOG line becomes priority #1, for sure.

I've argued it elsewhere, but I think guaranteeing Cozens starts at 3C next year is a mistake. If he earns it in camp / early in the season? Sure, let him ride. In the meantime, I'd rather he break in on wing first, next to a veteran center who can manage the load of center responsibility while we adjusts. Example 3rd line: Kahun Tierney Cozens

That's certainly the target I'm preferring, and not just because Cirelli's the best fit. Tampa's cap also dictates that the deal would be future based (pick 8 is the spearhead), so Reinhart couldn't be in that deal, and that we'd 100% be left with a Montour or Ristolainen to find a 3C with.

I, too, think they're the logical conclusion. The question, of course, is whether the Bruke-era folks who refused Ristolainen are still around...

I'd consider the best case scenarios are Cirelli or Monahan. (I'm going to leave Horvat off. There's no way.) Cirelli is a style fit, plus brings what the team needs x 1000. (In all cases, you're still looking for a defensive 3C too (I like Chris Tierney or Andrew Copp trades for that)) Monahan would boost Skinner on a 2nd line into a respectable force, but then I think it'll force a bigger burden on that 3C line tbd. Strome is a much bigger gamble. I guess you hope Reinhart wasn't in the deal, and Saad is. Olofsson-Eichel-Saad Skinner-Strome-Reinhart looks fine to me.

Fair enough, thanks. Will Sabres fans be happy with this(these) possible trade target(s)? (Ville Leino was once sold as a 2C haha)

I gotta ask... Would this involve the 8th pick? (Because if the answers no, based on your words, drafting Jake Sanderson suddenly get 100% more appealing).

This is a solid breakdown, and basically what I came to post. CGY Monahan / Lindholm Lindholm / Gaudreau TBL Cirelli Killorn CHI Strome DeBrincat / Kane / Saad ARI Dvorak / Stephan Schmaltz / Kessel VAN Horvat Boeser WPG Copp / Roslovic Ehlers MTL Domi / Danault Gallagher / Drouin / Tatar That's the only combinations I could think of that fit the description, while also having any kind of plausibility. 100% agree on Vancouver, I don't see a Horvat trade. I'm left praying that it's Tampa, content if it's Calgary, and the rest would depend on what we gave up. Incidentally, the Cirelli deal I've liked from the start mirrors the Jordan Staal deal 8 years ago. 8th pick, Mittelstadt, Pilut for Cirelli, Coburn They get big low-cost assets, we fill the 2C hole with basically the best solution this offseason offers.

Kane? It's unclear. He was a hell of a player in a specific role (3rd line offensive driver), but he didn't have great chemistry in the top 6. OReilly? We'd be significantly better, without a doubt. Imagine him replacing Sobotka. Also, if Thompson wasn't here, Nylander's camp would've won him a spot, and who knows what could've happened with that. Olof would likely be here too.

Gotta keep up this intensity Cant wait for the post-Sobotka world.

Just win. Find a way.