Sabres Trade Brandon Montour to Florida for 3rd Round Pick

[SabresBillsFan]

A 3rd round pick was a steal for Florida.

[SabresBillsFan]

5 hours ago, PerreaultForever said:

Oh I know all too well. I wasn't happy when we did it. Between JBot and Murray we squandered so many picks it's ridiculous. Hence where we are.

I subscribe to that old Sam Pollock philosophy of acquiring as many firsts as you can always thinking forward and never trading firsts away. The way he built a dynasty pillaging those California Golden Seals was legend. 

I agree. Buffalo if they had the right GM and scouting staff could have done this rebuild the right way. All these picks Adams is acquiring don’t mean ***** if you have ***** scouts. That’s what is truly killing this team. Plus poor choices of coaching and GM’s. This team really shouldn’t be this bad!

[SabresBillsFan]

4 hours ago, jahnyc said:

Living in NYC, I have been able to watch more Sabres games this season because of the number of scheduled games against the Rangers, Islanders and the Devils.  I thought Montour was a bit of a bright spot, and showcased some offensive capabilities from time to time.  I know that Savard and Montour are different type of players, but amazing to me the difference in the trade return for the players considering that Savard is 30 and will be a free agent after the season as well.  Also surprised that the return for Staal was better than Montour.

Seems every trade the Sabres make is a trade where everyone knows that the Sabres need to trade the player (i.e., Hall, Montour, Kane and O'Reilly), which always leads to underwhelming returns.  Expecting the same result for Hall.  While additional draft picks are always welcome, I don't think picks after the second round are likely to move the needle  for our future prospect pool, particularly since we have reduced our scouting staff significantly in a year where there is more uncertainty in the draft than almost any other recent year due to Covid and the impact it had on draft eligible players.

All these picks mean nothing if you don’t have a good amateur scouting staff. And let’s face it folks, Buffalo’s isn’t good!

[Sabre fan]

15 hours ago, DarthEbriate said:

This year: Montour 7 Yr veteran D. 38 games,  5-9-14 points and playing better since the RaKru shackles were removed. Going to a team with significant need who had lost their top RHD. 3rd rounder.

Last year: Scandella 10 Yr veteran D. 51 games (when MTL moved him to STL), 4-8-12 and playing less effectively as the season went on with Jokiharju. 2020 2nd rounder and a conditional 4th rounder in 2021.

No salary retained in either case. Scandella had a higher salary.

Why are we incapable of netting a 2nd round pick for a rental UFA D?

I think it is safe to say that other teams do not figure they have to give much for our players in trades...I am thinking we'll be real lucky to get a crappy 2nd for Hall. Again getting a 2nd from a team at the top of the standings (like Florida) is basically like a 3rd which is pretty-much useless. Florida's 3rd will be like 75th to 80th overall which is well...and a 2nd from a likewise team will be in effect like 50th overall or in that vicinity and again we cannot expect much from that spot. Does make one wonder when we get only a 3rd from Montreal for Scandella then they turn around and get a 2nd for him...

Edited April 11, 2021 by Sabre fan

[LGR4GM]

8 hours ago, pi2000 said:

Montour was a good player, I do not approve this trade. 

He really wasn't.

We need to stop thinking our  garbage is worth gold.

 

Edited April 11, 2021 by LGR4GM

[KC Scouts]

40 minutes ago, LGR4GM said:

He really wasn't.

We need to stop thinking our  garbage is worth gold.

 

That pretty much says it.....it was time to move on. Next man up...

[Eleven]

14 hours ago, will said:

the perpetual optimist in me feels the need to share this: http://statshockey.homestead.com/draft/thirdround.html

 

granted, this list also illustrates how rare the success rate is.  but if/when they hit...

More Slava.  Great.

[inkman]

9 hours ago, SabresBillsFan said:

A 3rd round pick was a steal for Florida.

[Eleven]

2 minutes ago, inkman said:

Consider that Montour is an everyday NHL player. 

Consider how often a third-round pick turns into an everyday NHL player.  

So it's a steal.

[LGR4GM]

1 minute ago, Eleven said:

Consider that Montour is an everyday NHL player. 

Consider how often a third-round pick turns into an everyday NHL player.  

So it's a steal.

Were we going to re-sign him?

If the answer is no then a 3rd round pick is worth losing his services for 20 games. 

[Curt]

1 minute ago, Eleven said:

Consider that Montour is an everyday NHL player. 

Consider how often a third-round pick turns into an everyday NHL player.  

So it's a steal.

20 games + playoffs of Montour @ $3.9M AAV.

Cost, contract status, team control.  These are as important as talent level.

[mjd1001]

23 minutes ago, Eleven said:

Consider that Montour is an everyday NHL player. 

Consider how often a third-round pick turns into an everyday NHL player.  

So it's a steal.

It can be good for both sides.

For the Sabres, they get a pick for a player that likely wasn't going to be here, and for the money you would pay him might hurt the team long term, gives younger guys a chance for more minutes.

For Florida, they are getting a NHL player with above average 'skills' (skating and shot) to fill in a position of need...and they are giving up a pick that has a small fraction of a chance of leading to a NHL player that will even play as close to as many games as Montour.

 

[JohnC]

8 minutes ago, LGR4GM said:

Were we going to re-sign him?

If the answer is no then a 3rd round pick is worth losing his services for 20 games. 

Who would want to re-sign with a team/organization that has been been in a state of chaos for half a generation? If Risto, or Reinhart or Jack had a choice to leave and join an organization that was stable and competent enough to seriously compete don't you think that they would gleefully seize that opportunity to get out? Hall has a no trade clauses in his contract. He really doesn't need that clause because he would without a second thought be willing to leave this poop situation to go anywhere in order to extricate himself from this staggering stench of dysfunction. 

We got what we could get for Montour and a similar scenario will play for Hall. I'm okay with that. When you have no choice you take the option that you have and not what you dreamily want.  However, their values have been diminished because of the team they played for. And that is a shame and an outrage. 

[Drag0nDan]

2 hours ago, JohnC said:

Who would want to re-sign with a team/organization that has been been in a state of chaos for half a generation? If Risto, or Reinhart or Jack had a choice to leave and join an organization that was stable and competent enough to seriously compete don't you think that they would gleefully seize that opportunity to get out? Hall has a no trade clauses in his contract. He really doesn't need that clause because he would without a second thought be willing to leave this poop situation to go anywhere in order to extricate himself from this staggering stench of dysfunction. 

We got what we could get for Montour and a similar scenario will play for Hall. I'm okay with that. When you have no choice you take the option that you have and not what you dreamily want.  However, their values have been diminished because of the team they played for. And that is a shame and an outrage. 

I think with Montour there was a rumor floated that they may non tender him.  Everyone lost their minds about poor asset management etc. Now u have an overpaid bottom pair d with a 4m cap hit.  Not exactly ripe trade material.  Basically bought this 3rd rounder for 3 million in cash/cap. 

[Thorny]

21 hours ago, Taro T said:

Guess it is what it is, & realize this is not the majority opinion, but not thrilled that they let him go.  (Yes, totally get that he's an analytics black hole.,

Wasn't thrilled at letting Scandella go for cheap rather than re-signing him, & this is in that same vein.  At least there is very little chance that the 3rd will turn into another Frolik acquisition.  But, in a best case that pick helps in 4 years if it isn't part of another package.

It's a good point. It really depends on who becomes his replacement going into next season - if it was so easy to acquire someone better, why didn't we get that guy instead of Montour in the first place? They'll have to be on their game just to make sure he's adequately replaced, and what we need and want is improvement. 

Regardless, you take the asset now if it's obvious he isn't going to be under contract with the team for next season. 

Edited April 11, 2021 by Thorny

[Thorny]

19 hours ago, nfreeman said:

I think @dudacek upthread stated correctly that Montour will be better on Fla than he was here.

He's a nice player that in the right situation could've been a mainstay.

Is he? His metrics had tanked the season before we got him - maybe that's why he was traded?

Edited April 11, 2021 by Thorny

[MODO Hockey]

21 hours ago, Doohickie said:

You're not paying attention, are you?

How come?

[JohnC]

4 hours ago, Drag0nDan said:

I think with Montour there was a rumor floated that they may non tender him.  Everyone lost their minds about poor asset management etc. Now u have an overpaid bottom pair d with a 4m cap hit.  Not exactly ripe trade material.  Basically bought this 3rd rounder for 3 million in cash/cap. 

The point I was making was whatever assets that we had and even planned to let go were diminished in value. What I can say about the other members of the unit such as Dahlin, Joki and including Montour is that their play improved when Granato took over. 

[nfreeman]

4 hours ago, Thorny said:

Is he? His metrics had tanked the season before we got him - maybe that's why he was traded?

Well, he's another guy to watch in the "how bad did the Sabres make player X look" competition.  I think he he's not the guy to drag the Sabres out of the ditch they've dug themselves, but he has all the tools to be a bona fide top-4, 19-plus min per game guy on a good team.

[Pimlach]

8 hours ago, LGR4GM said:

Were we going to re-sign him?

If the answer is no then a 3rd round pick is worth losing his services for 20 games. 

Very true.   Just hurts to only get a 3 when we gave up a 1 and a prospect.  It’s the market in some ways, and also the fact that we are often in positions of weakness when we make deals.  Too much new GM changing and you never get there. 

Edited April 11, 2021 by Pimlach

[Nitro60]

Glad that he is gone.  Bipolar player.  Either making some really good plays on one shift then playing like a dumpster fire on the next.  Let him be someone else's problem.

[Weave]

23 minutes ago, Pimlach said:

Very true.   Just hurts to only get a 3 when we gave up a 1 and a prospect.  It’s the market in some ways, and also the fact that we are often in positions of weakness when we make deals.  Too much new GM changing and you never get there. 

We gave up a 1 and a prospect when he had 2 seasons remaining on his contract.  We got a 3 because he has 15 games remaining on his contract.

Why is this so hard?

[Eleven]

1 hour ago, Weave said:

We gave up a 1 and a prospect when he had 2 seasons remaining on his contract.  We got a 3 because he has 15 games remaining on his contract.

Why is this so hard?

Because the 3 likely will not materialize into anything.  I'd take a player for Rochester over that BS pick, which likely will be a player for Rochester IN TWO YEARS.

[Weave]

3 minutes ago, Eleven said:

Because the 3 likely will not materialize into anything.  I'd take a player for Rochester over that BS pick, which likely will be a player for Rochester IN TWO YEARS.

I get that.  I’d also rather have Irwin a healthy scratch for the remainder of the season than have the 3rd round pick, but that wasn’t the context of my post.

Some posters cannot seem to grasp that a player with less than 2 dozen games left on hos contract is worth alot less than the same player with 2 yrs remaining on that contract and want to blame the GM for it.

[Eleven]

10 minutes ago, Weave said:

I get that.  I’d also rather have Irwin a healthy scratch for the remainder of the season than have the 3rd round pick, but that wasn’t the context of my post.

Some posters cannot seem to grasp that a player with less than 2 dozen games left on hos contract is worth alot less than the same player with 2 yrs remaining on that contract and want to blame the GM for it.

I understand what you're saying but I just can't stand draft picks after the first round as a trade return.  Makes me crazy.  Also, Irwin can be tied to a stone and thrown into Lake Erie.  (Ok, that might be a bit severe.  A bit.)

Edited April 12, 2021 by Eleven