Drag0nDan

Here's basically the roster as it exists today - Any major trade probably requires at least one of - JJP, Benson, Kulich, Tuch, Power or Byram. I don't think they'd move Zucker or Greenway, as the team needs vets and just extended both. Could also dangle the 1st round pick in any trades since we know its not a high lottery pick. Quinn's value is low, same as Norris, and Rosen and Östlund are unknowns. I think they can all potentially be throw-ins (Norris i can't see them moving unless its for an upgrade at center). Helenius probably has some high value, but on a team needing help down the middle I don't see how trading a 19 year old future 2-way center helps the team in the long run.

No i mean... i don't think they make that trade with Mitts under contract.

I'd probably maximize the earnings and trade a year of UFA to get paid more now... its not like the checks aren't clearing. Y'all are way too personal, and RFA's have like no negotiating legs to get out of the contract. Embrace the suck while you have to, then figure it out after.

They also built a really nice training facility.

My thing with Mittelstadt is, if you keep him you don't trade for Mcleod. Who would you rather have?

I appreciate the aggressiveness in Byram's game vs. the relative passive control version you see with Powers. If Power is staying, and is the guy - he needs to be more aggressive in both zones. I don't think he'll ever develop a pronger level mean streak, but you have to move people in front of the net. I don't think he'll ever score 20 goals, but he needs to shoot more often, and less tentatively. Passive and in control is great, tentative is not. But in the same tone - Byrams aggressiveness can occaisionally border on recklessness - which leads to odd man rushes, turnovers, mistakes, etc. Both need to find more of a balance in their games.

Flipped an asset for another who had an extra year prior to RFA. Having seen what the Av's got for Mittelstadt 1 year later (Charlie Coyle) after he signed his extension, Adams was probably right to pull the trigger when he did. Mittelstadt was an RFA after the year, and while he's an alright middle six forward... He wasn't a good skater, or shooter, while his play between the blue lines was solid, as was his playmaking. Essentially he was no longer an ascending player, and this is kinda who he is. With cozens there it was looking like an expensive proposition for a center who probably never scores 20 goals in a season. Looks worse having moved cozens now, and with some question marks up the middle i feel like we'd probably like to have him back for 25-26. However I do think McLeod settled in nicely to replace him as the 2/3C, and they still have Byram as at the very least a similar level asset to what they had or would have head in MIttelstadt. There's lots to complain about with Adams from a roster construction standpoint, but I didn't hate this from an asset management perspective.

#9, JJP , rosen out -> Jason robertson in -- Might also try and see about swinging Dumba or Lundkvist if they're still looking for RHD. Or swap JJP and tuch. Or benson or Östlund. In any case - trying to make a move for robertson is the biggest move i can see out there with a player who has no clause, and a team that is in a cap crunch. He's likely to get 11-12M AAV on a new deal after next season and I'm not sure they can keep him. https://puckpedia.com/team/dallas-stars Seguin @ 9.85, Hintz @ 8.45, Rantanen @ 12 - thats about 30M in cap space. Add in Johnston @ 8.4. Heiskanen and Lindell. Harley will need to get paid. Oettinger's salary goes up as well.

They have seemed like a team that for long stretches gets outskated and outworked. It's not all on the strength coach (hello player accountability), but i do think he probably didn't do his job well enough. Time to go in a different direction.

I mean... you're a sabres fan 🙂

The optimist in me is hoping that they can put some pen to paper on how to improve the fan experience. I'm unsure what is going on with the current arena, but it desperately needs renovations and it's probably a multi-year process. I think hiring this guy is just so you have someone solely focused on the Sabres (tickets, stadium operations, renovations hopefully), since the Bills have the new stadium coming up and tons of new and more valuable business lines that likely come from that.

Byrams going to be expensive for what he is to most teams who don't have as many PP minutes, so i think if he is moved it would be to another young team - and it's unlikely that's bringing us a top-6 winger. Like looking at someone like the sharks for example: they could really use his speed... but i'm not sure who i'd even want, or who they'd be inclined to move. So if you wanted to improve the top 6 and someone's willing to waive and come here, or we try to upgrade the player peterka is and take on a bigger extension and more risk.

I mean... yes? He's the scapegoat for the mistakes TP made as an owner.

I know this topic started around deadline time - but per puckpedia Pettersson's NMC kicks in July 1st 2025. They could still move him before then, but it's going to be tough. His contract is overpaid which Vancouver could potentially offset by retaining salary - but then they're retaining salary for 7 seasons. Doing this will drive up the price of prospects/picks. The NMC is a boat anchor on this deal imo - if it doesn't work out an acquiring team would be potentially stuck with him, or limited in suitors. He literally scored 8 even strength goals this year. Not sure he's the impact player that puts a team over the top. I'm not even sure what a trade for him even looks like - you almost certainly have to send a bad contract back (for buffalo this would be muel, UPL-Demko swap, or both), and some forward. I doubt they'd want norris with the injury history, so probably mcleod or JJP. There's gotta be a player coming back that they can sell to their fanbase.

Top 6 players are tough to find. Makes it way tougher when you have to factor in the trade protection clauses that the majority of veterans have. Then you have to filter out the 22-25 year old cornerstone players who won't be moved. The only like bonafide stud who might be available with no trade protection is Robertson just because they're up against the cap and he's likely to get 10M AAV on his next deal. JJP probably can't be moved in that deal because his contract will likely cost just as much as Robertson. So then you're looking at probably moving Tuch, Rosen/Östlund/Kulich/Benson, and probably a 1st. 12 Players scored more points than JJP that have no clauses and are under contract for next year: Hagel, Suzuki, Necas, Strome, Robertson, Raymond, Stutzle, Marchenko, Boldy, Johnston, Hughes, Caufield. Even in that next window, the majority of players are in their early 20's with outliers like Rust, and keep scrolling and you hit cozens - then you know you cannot scroll any further.

I guess you could argue he won the Jokiharju trade...? I thought for sure the comp would be thomas or kyrou in the ROR trade. Thompson not being good would have made that trade an absolute disaster beyond what it already was.

What do you expect him to say in a press conference?

13 games was just a killer. That was when i made up my mind on UPL honestly. When the team needed a guy to step up, he absolutely collapsed. He's looked way too lost out there for my liking. Levi didn't get a start until a back-to-back away game against toronto, which i think was number 10? .900 SV% on 40 shots. 4 power plays though. And the team just struggled with turnovers pretty much that entire stretch. I know we sent him down as he was struggling with irregular playing time and you want him to get games in. FIne, i get it. But if we're struggling with the NHL goaltending, and the seasons slipping away, why not give him another game? In any case... cya in Seattle in January. 11th game - UPL @ Montreal - 6 goals in 2 periods and got yanked for Reimer - .714 SV% 3... days.. later... 12th game - Toronto at home - 4 goals in 1 period and change - .692 SV%

Not to mention local buffalo press lives to hammer people.

I'm not sure the press conference changes much one way or the other tbh. But both Murray and Botterill were fired after delivering their end of season press conferences in 2017 and 2020.

I've also noticed a lot better hockey IQ with benson. He seems to be finding himself in good areas, creating space, and putting pucks where they should go. He's still only 19 which hopefully means his best hockey is in front of him.

I wonder if he had an inkling of this stadium decision and has made moves to save some cash

Someone mentioned it earlier but shesterkin has not been as sharp. 12 goals in 3 starts against buffalo (pulled twice) is pretty bad - sub .800% and 6.46 GAA.

Throw in Helenius: 13G, 21a, 63games, 0.539ppg, +1 (at 18) drafted shortly before this trade happened. Realistically Savoie wasn't that far from where he needed to be, but in 2 years post-draft he played 7 non-junior hockey games vs. Kulich who played over 100. Benson made the roster outright as an 18 year old a year after Savoie was drafted. Rosen's a year older, but is the leading goal scorer on the amerks this year. Östlund played in Sweden's mens league last year. This team had too many prospects, and he was jumped in development by several. I don't think he was going to gain value by playing a season at the AHL level, and his draft pedigree loses value every year you keep him. Former Top-10 Pick loses its luster when you look at this chart and realize how little he has played: https://www.hockeydb.com/ihdb/draft/nhl2022e.html

I'd rather strike out on a bunch of options before i end up with reimer again.