Sabres Trade Taylor Hall (50% of His Salary Retained)and Curtis Lazar to Boston for a 2021 2nd and Anders Bjork

[Cheektorado]

On 4/12/2021 at 9:21 AM, Doohickie said:

 

People are losing their minds that Bjork costs $800k more than Lazar and we now have to pay him through 2023.  Hell we're paying Cody Hodgson almost $800k per year for the same term to not be on the team.

I think the Lazar-Bjork aspect of the trade is in the noise, they were just traded to get the Bruins under the salary cap.

Totally agree.  Cap $s potentially being allotted badly has nothing to do with 800k but the $15M going to 2 guys with 7 combined goals.

All this handwringing about the nuances of the trade is funny.  The only thing that will matter is the player drafted with the 2nd.  Whether it is skill, luck or KA just throwing a dart at a list of players that is all that will matter in the end.

As to Hall going to Boston I feel it's a 50/50 chance he either helps some or is actually a detriment to their playoff chances.

[nfreeman]

20 minutes ago, Brawndo said:

From The Athletic Trade Grades 

re Hall

One longtime NHL executive we spoke to asked the question many were asking: Who would want Hall given his level of play? “He’s done nothing to help himself,” the longtime talent evaluator said. “It’s his ***** compete factor. He’s done himself a hell of a disservice.”

 

14 minutes ago, dudacek said:

We all saw it.

But but but -- KA should've gotten a first-rounder!  He got worked over by those other GMs!  Other teams got more for their players!

JFC. 

[SwampD]

21 minutes ago, dudacek said:

We all saw it.

And if we see a compete level that is vastly different, he can ***** off.

[Claude Balls]

Lol, Taylor Hall wanted to be traded to a cup contender. Not gonna happen in Boston buddy. Keep looking *****.

[Doohickie]

47 minutes ago, Brawndo said:

From The Athletic Trade Grades 

re Hall

One longtime NHL executive we spoke to asked the question many were asking: Who would want Hall given his level of play? “He’s done nothing to help himself,” the longtime talent evaluator said. “It’s his ***** compete factor. He’s done himself a hell of a disservice.”

That's what I said in not so many words.

[bob_sauve28]

2 minutes ago, Doohickie said:

That's what I said in not so many words.

It will be interesting to see how he does on a new team. 

[Doohickie]

3 hours ago, Doohickie said:

Either way I hate him:

1. He purposely sandbagged his game, playing below his ability, forcing a trade.
2. He's washed up and had no right asking for $8M or expecting top 6 minutes.

This:  He either sucks and shouldn't have asked for big $ or he sandbagged so he's even worse (as a person).

Edited April 13, 2021 by Doohickie

[thewookie1]

I have a suspicion that Krueger was effectively Hall's primary reason he received a full NMC. After all, a full NMC on a 1 year contract worth 8mil is rather unusual unless the team and player are very comfortable with their respective situations. You might see a vet or long time player for a franchise do this or someone fearing being waived at some point but Hall really doesn't fall into either category. From there you look at general trade protection. Various levels of a NTC work fine for protecting players from situations they don't wish to be involved in. But Hall's agent obviously insisted on a NMC which leads me to believe he had intended to be traded to Boston or a similar team as a back up plan from the start. Had he merely wanted to avoid the non-playoff teams he would been open to a 15 team NTC which is far more common for very short term contracts. Based on how Adams talked yesterday I would imagine he wasn't exactly happy about the situation that occurred but wasn't going to "out" Hall as some manipulative ***.

And before you say it was Adams' own doing just remember how much faith Kevyn and the Pegulas put in Krueger's words. If Krueger said that Hall would waive his NMC to facilitate a trade, should it come to that, he likely assured them of it and they would of had no qualms about giving Hall the NMC. Adams definitely made a rookie mistake but I'd guess many GMs, especially newer ones, would of fallen into the same trap in his situation.  If someone you respected vouches for a player; why wouldn't you trust him?

[DarthEbriate]

On 4/12/2021 at 11:20 AM, Curt said:

Boston needed to create cap space.  AHL JAGs don’t affect NHL cap space.  They needed to change one of their NHL guys for someone cheaper.

Then a Blidh or Kuhlman would've had to be included or moved by Boston.

I don't like the Lazar for Bjork flip because we now have no grit at forward (granted, Lazar is temporarily out injured). But when Boston, Washington... and next year Tampa, start throwing hits and decide to play "intensely" and stir things up a bit, we don't have any player who will respond. Risto will play tough until the whistle, sure, but if a fracas breaks out, well --- we've seen him fight and it isn't pretty. This team is so soft, and got softer in the trade, and Boston will definitely attempt to make a point of that fact tonight. (Note: The final sentence is more GDT-thread themed.)

[Doohickie]

5 minutes ago, DarthEbriate said:

(granted, Lazar is temporarily out injured)

Now that he's been traded off the Sabres he's magically better and will play tonight.

[SDS]

3 minutes ago, DarthEbriate said:

Then a Blidh or Kuhlman would've had to be included or moved by Boston.

I don't like the Lazar for Bjork flip because we now have no grit at forward (granted, Lazar is temporarily out injured). But when Boston, Washington... and next year Tampa, start throwing hits and decide to play "intensely" and stir things up a bit, we don't have any player who will respond. Risto will play tough until the whistle, sure, but if a fracas breaks out, well --- we've seen him fight and it isn't pretty. This team is so soft, and got softer in the trade, and Boston will definitely attempt to make a point of that fact tonight. (Note: The final sentence is more GDT-thread themed.)

It depends how you think your team should be built. What is harder to do in the NHL? Is it harder to score a goal or to hit another player? What is easier to acquire? Players that score goals and have chemistry or players that can hit people?

Tampa found offense first and added physicality later. Toronto is looking to do the same. 

I think it is the better way to build in 2021. 

[DarthEbriate]

1 minute ago, Doohickie said:

Now that he's been traded off the Sabres he's magically better and will play tonight.

Crap. Dahlin will be playing awesome again, and Lazar is going to completely tag him in the corner (legally, totally following his M.O. that we appreciated him for, and maybe throwing a bit more into each hit tonight to try to impress his new teammates), isn't he? No one will rush to Dahlin's aid, he'll play the rest of the period and then get shut down for the season. It's a terrible premonition.

[DarthEbriate]

4 minutes ago, SDS said:

It depends how you think your team should be built. What is harder to do in the NHL? Is it harder to score a goal or to hit another player? What is easier to acquire? Players that score goals and have chemistry or players that can hit people?

Tampa found offense first and added physicality later. Toronto is looking to do the same. 

I think it is the better way to build in 2021. 

At the time of his injury, Lazar was tied for 3rd on the team in goals as well, he isn't solely a hitter and certainly not on this year's roster. Any good team has a blend and the best teams have grit on their top six.

We have scorers/offensive-first and in some cases offensive-only players aplenty. That search for them is constantly ongoing. Of them, Skinner can be pesky, but certainly isn't intimidating to the opposition. Cozens and Asplund are dogged but not hitters. I could argue that we haven't built a team to be even remotely tough since GMTM and Byslma and that that team was our best team since we last made the playoffs and that roster was fresh out of a tank that stripped everything bare and was terribly flawed. Last year's roster had a Hart-candidate and still finished with a worse points percentage.

Don't discredit checking/hitting effectively as a skill. It's hard to find players who hit hard, legally, and effectively game-in and game-out. You have to skate well enough to be in position, you have to throw enough hits that you affect players before you hit them because they know you're going to run them into the boards. You have to practice hitting and be used to it physically, and you need to stay healthy to make it a part of your game.

[Curt]

2 hours ago, DarthEbriate said:

Then a Blidh or Kuhlman would've had to be included or moved by Boston.

I don't like the Lazar for Bjork flip because we now have no grit at forward (granted, Lazar is temporarily out injured). But when Boston, Washington... and next year Tampa, start throwing hits and decide to play "intensely" and stir things up a bit, we don't have any player who will respond. Risto will play tough until the whistle, sure, but if a fracas breaks out, well --- we've seen him fight and it isn't pretty. This team is so soft, and got softer in the trade, and Boston will definitely attempt to make a point of that fact tonight. (Note: The final sentence is more GDT-thread themed.)

But those two guys are making the minimum, so how could they be replaced by someone cheaper?

I hear you regarding team toughness.

[Kong]

I'm angry that Taylor Hall wielded more power in shaping this transaction than the Buffalo Sabres management, who again got outwitted, this time by their own player. First, Hall fixed it so that he can only get traded to his top team. Second, he played poorly for the Sabres, driving down his price in the deal. He had Rasputin run interference for him. Looking at his long injury history, that may have factored in the low price too. Bottom line, I think Hall is a mercenery and I have no respect for him. 

 

[Doohickie]

25 minutes ago, Curt said:

But those two guys are making the minimum, so how could they be replaced by someone cheaper?

I hear you regarding team toughness.

I think he meant not an exchange, just give us one of those guys without giving them Lazar so that the Sabres assume the salary and get the B's below the cap.

Edited April 13, 2021 by Doohickie

[Doohickie]

15 minutes ago, Kong said:

I'm angry that Taylor Hall wielded more power in shaping this transaction than the Buffalo Sabres management, who again got outwitted, this time by their own player. First, Hall fixed it so that he can only get traded to his top team. Second, he played poorly for the Sabres, driving down his price in the deal. He had Rasputin run interference for him. Looking at his long injury history, that may have factored in the low price too. Bottom line, I think Hall is a mercenery and I have no respect for him.

I don't have respect for him either but putting this in perspective, this trade won't set the team back much, if at all, and could turn out to be a positive.  I hate Hall but I don't hate KA for the deal.

[Curt]

39 minutes ago, Doohickie said:

I think he meant not an exchange, just give us one of those guys without giving them Lazar so that the Sabres assume the salary and get the B's below the cap.

But if they did that, they would then need to call up a replacement player, who also has a salary, so that doesn’t accomplish anything in terms of cap savings.

To get any savings from that, Boston would need to not call up a replacement player and play the rest of the season a man short on their roster.  Boston could accomplish the same thing by not trading anyone but just sending someone down and playing a man short on their roster.

[SDS]

Bryson falls down a lot. I mean a lot.

[Taro T]

5 minutes ago, SDS said:

Bryson falls down a lot. I mean a lot.

So does Taylor Hall.  You're point?  😉

[Kong]

Buffalo got the best guy in the deal: Raymond Bjork.

[Curt]

26 minutes ago, SDS said:

Bryson falls down a lot. I mean a lot.

At least he doesn’t have far to go.

12 minutes ago, Kong said:

Buffalo got the best guy in the deal: Raymond Bjork.

Raymond Bjork?  

[SDS]

29 minutes ago, Taro T said:

So does Taylor Hall.  You're point?  😉

That was a game day comment. I got lost. 

[Brawndo]

From 31 Thoughts 

 

If anyone else really came close to getting the winger, it was the Golden Knights. Although the final deal was directly between Boston and Buffalo, other teams were approached about brokering a Vegas/Buffalo move. The Knights’ interest shouldn’t be a surprise. If they’ve proven anything in their brief history, it’s an aggressive pursuit of anyone they deem worthy.

They made their pitch and it’s one Buffalo probably preferred. But Hall negotiated control and had the right to use it. This is where he wants to be. I wasn’t convinced the Bruins were crazy about rentals in a year where Tuukka Rask is hurt and things haven’t gone great on the ice. But this has the potential to be a long-term relationship. Hall’s job is to make it happen.

31 Thoughts: The Podcast

Jeff Marek and Elliotte Friedman talk to a lot of people around the hockey world, and then they tell listeners all about what they’ve heard and what they think about it.

Listen and Subscribe for free

 

| Marek on Twitter

 

| Friedman on Twitter

31 THOUGHTS

1. I believe Buffalo asked Boston about their two young goalies, Jeremy Swayman and Daniel Vladar, but the Bruins weren’t going there. Knowing they were Hall’s preferred destination, they could take a harder line.

The Sabres’ interest in Anders Bjork isn’t a huge surprise since several members of Buffalo’s hockey operations have NCAA/U.S. minor hockey connections, including head of collegiate scouting Jerry Forton and head coach Don Granato. (Jason Nightingale, the team’s director of analytics and assistant director of scouting, was on Notre Dame’s staff before Bjork played there.)

Podcast co-host Jeff Marek says the Sabres’ terrific netminding prospect, Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen, is two years away, and it’s not a surprise they’d try to bolster the position. Buffalo held on to Linus Ullmark, even though he is unsigned. He’s played hard in a tough situation. Signing him is a priority, although the player has the hammer this close to unrestricted free agency.

[Thorny]

10 hours ago, Brawndo said:

The Sabres’ interest in Anders Bjork isn’t a huge surprise since several members of Buffalo’s hockey operations have NCAA/U.S. minor hockey connections, including head of collegiate scouting Jerry Forton and head coach Don Granato. (Jason Nightingale, the team’s director of analytics and assistant director of scouting, was on Notre Dame’s staff before Bjork played there.

I'm glad it's being mentioned more and more that Buffalo commonly goes after players with a specific demographic. I've been calling this for years. 

And Forton isn't the head of collegiate scouting anymore, he's just the head of amateur scouting, to boot 

Edited April 14, 2021 by Thorny