Drag0nDan

But then you're hanging onto an asset because you aren't getting the offer you want, and limiting what you can build from a roster perspective. If you've decided on power, move byram to a team that will accomodate his contract demands. A 1st round pick is a trade asset - gives you a first back if you move #9, or trade ammo to try and find a RHD.

Thats fair - i just wonder how much more you're going to get from bottom of the barrel agents. Like if the replacements are sam lafferty with half his contract... uhh you're gonna have a bad time.

I think he's the today replacement at a lower cost - maybe less draft comp and another closer to NHL ready guy in the return.

To shed any payroll they have to move Robertson or Oettinger. Johnston i suppose could be an option, but most teams keep young centers more than wingers. Seguin, Hintz, Heiskanen, and Seguin have full NMC's so they're all likely out on a trade. Rantanens already among the highest paid wingers in the league. I don't think it makes sense to then extend robertson and then have the two most expensive wingers in the league. Working JJP under is challenging, probably requires Dumba be included, and maybe a 3rd team for Lyubushkin. It's why it might make more sense for it to be Tuch - with rosen/Östlund, probably this years 1st, and probably next years 1st (maybe you can throw a lottery top 3 protection on it). Nuclear option would be they move both Robertson and Oettinger - and then definitely need a 3rd team to accommodate some of the other pieces that would need to be included while getting dallas NHL ready prospects, cheaper contracted players, and a goalie. Like Dallas doesn't need Byram, but what buffalo gets for byram, plus the above trade, plus levi... etc. Buffalo would need to shed UPL somewhere too. The amount of moving parts would be insane. The stuff madden dreams are made of 🙂

Duchene averaging a PPG is probably driving the price out of their range imo so he's probably gone. Benn's 35, and a different player than they had paid so I'd think he can be had for a team-friendly deal. Granlunds tough because they used a lot of capital to bring him and Ceci in, and he seemed to mesh with Rantanen. Ceci is also a free agent, but i suppose dumba replaces him with his return from injury. As it stands without those guys they only have 5M in cap space, with Lundkvist (I don't really know whats going on with him) and Bourque yet to pay.

I just assumed they were moving him because they cant afford to pay him 12M AAV after 25-26. Benn is the captain and a UFA, Duchene wears an A and is a UFA, then you also have Dadonov and Granlund. You can't (and shouldn't) keep all of them, but both Robertson and Harley come up in 2026 and Seguin doesn't come off until 2027 so somethings gotta give. Otherwise they're going to struggle to ice a competitive back half of the roster.

Most likely - they got his 15 team no-trade and made some calls.

To me, if JJP is moved then it's gotta be the big piece in a hockey trade. He has more value than Byram - who probably has a smaller list of suitors due to the nature of his game. There isn't a team in the league who doesn't listen to a call for a 30G winger.

yeah... I'll worry about the center after i add the 100 point player.

71-65-15. Is that even a winning record when you factor in that overtime losses are still losses? An absolute winner who rode one stretch of good hockey in 2023-2024 to a big paycheck. 22 goalies started 50+ games in 2024-2025 - UPL had the worst SV%, GAA, GSAA, and GPS. There's like 2 goalies who had worse seasons that i can even see - Ersson & Georgiev. If were stuck with him, so be it - but he should not be a part of the "plan".

Rossi's a center, they make more money than wings.

Marchment has a M-NTC so... its not Dallas you have to convince.

Probably that 13 game losing streak where he started 9 games did it for me. Cratered the season, and he didn't play very well for long stretches in the season. 16 starts with a sv% below .850. He's one of the worst starters in the league. Easier to shoot as a lefty on the right, but it makes it more challenging defensively since you're clearing the walls with backhands (or an extra step to get it to your forehand).

https://puckpedia.com/team/dallas-stars I'm not going to worry much about buffalo's cap because there's a number of players they could potentially move to accomodate. Dallas is losing - Duchene, Benn, Granlund, Dadonov and doesn't have a lot of cap space - excluding the NMC's for Rantanen, Seguin, Heiskanen and Hintz. Adding in the trade protected marchment, and Lindell. They still have a number of people to work with, the biggest being Johnston Robertson or Oettinger. Johnston's a 22 year old center averaging nearly 30-30 over his 3 pro seasons, plays on both PP and PK - we can assume they'll want to hang onto him. Robertson's also expected to be much pricier on the next deal probably close to 12M AAV. They need to lessen the cap burden in 2025, which makes peterka a tough sell as he's expecting to get just about the same number as the 7.75 that Robertson has. Tuch's 4.75 does lessen that, his projected extension is less than 12, an nhl ready prospect, and a pick might get it done to allow them to bring back their captain (Benn). Oettinger has no trade protection this year, and I'd assume they want Levi coming back. Adding this layer probably makes peterka's extension easier for them to work with. Something this big and juicy needs a third team though. If buffalo were to come out with Robertson and Oettinger, they're moving a lot of stuff - probably too many 21-year-old's for one team to want.

He doesn't... and Dallas has people to pay and escalating contracts. He's really the only star forward without a clause who isn't like 22. Yeah and it probably starts at 12-12.5M AAV in buffalo.

My issue with UPL is he is not very good, especially when considering what he's being paid now. If he is starting 30ish games, i expect to lose more than i win with him in net, and i don't see a ceiling of anything notable.

I'd agree, if you sign marner you will figure everything else out. I'm not really worried about what to do with Byram and Peterka because you just added a PPG player who's an all-star.

They already extended Lankinen, so I assume theyre moving demko either this offseason or at the deadline. Me personally? Step 1 is getting rid of UPL somehow.

Realistically I just hope he's there to work with agents, and use his rolodex of contacts more effectively. It's a pretty important off-season to make some moves in trades and free agency to re-make the roster, so I'm glad there's someone in the building that has made some history with both. Another set of eyes on the rest of the org's pieces too, from analytics, to scouting, to finance, coaching staff, etc. Strength and conditioning was an issue, and they are making changes there - great. Need to do more. They need someone to look at anything and everything to figure out ways to fix it.

Maybe we can trade them UPL and get something back? Garbage in and garbage out?

I like the fire and intensity in any case. You're here to play hockey, and be the best hockey player you can be - its not like going to florida is any less hard work, nor are you expected to live in buffalo year round.

He did get Gaudreau to sign in 2022 which was the top dog that year. I liked his comments on the signing as well. Blue Jackets general manager Jarmo Kekäläinen expressed the hope that with the signing "we can finally get rid of the bullsh*t that this is somehow a bad destination, a bad city, whatever. Because it's never been true."

Probably would need a prospect on buffalo's side, and would require them dumping some money somehow.

Beyond all of this - the rangers are in a cap crunch, and JJP and Byram would cost more than all 3 of these players so it doesn't really work. Maybe Rosen and Byram? I'd feel like i needed to dump a bad contract like Clifton or Lafferty though.

But they can't afford Byram and JJP anyway, they also have to find money for Miller.