Around the NHL 2023-24 Season

[Broken Ankles]

Bruins win in Big D.  Swayman is a perfect 6-0, GAA ~1.38 with a save percentage above .950.  An embarrassment of riches between the pipes. 

[PerreaultForever]

4 hours ago, Crusader1969 said:

Watching the Lightning taking it to the Leafs tonight so far 

The commentator about the Lightning PP “it’s the threat off of both flanks , you have Kucherov on the one side and Stamkos on the other.”

why the Sabres don’t have Olofsson on PP1 (soon to be Kulich) opposite Thompson is beyond me  

nobody is scared of Cozens or Skinner shooting so they can cheat and take away Tage.    Am I wrong ??

Predictability in ANY PP is a bad thing so it's true, teams do look for Tage now but most teams have one key sniper. The key is the movement and motion of the other players and the net front. We also try too hard and too often to get it to Dahlin to let him be QB. He is, but it can't be your always play. Sometimes you have to go where the other team allows. 

[dudacek]

Did we know Mittelstadt is #2 in the entire NHL for even-strength points this year?

Noticed he’s (temporarily?) replaced Cozens on PP1, but in what role? What’s to stop them from deploying him behind the net as the “down low QB” opposite Dahlin, get him to handle the puck more like Gretzky in the old days?

Why not Peterka opposite Tage on PP1? I’ve seen him score plenty from there in juniors and Rochester. Much better at entries and retrievals than VO. He’s a lefty, unlike Cozens.

How about Dahlin opposite Tage and Power on top?

Greenway net front? Cozens?

Or maybe get Tuch and Skinner to, you know, do something? They rarely set people up and they don’t screen, snipe or crash the net nearly enough. Get them cycling with Tage like they do at even strength, with Dahlin and Power at the points

So many untapped alternatives. Time to try one.

[Doohickie]

8 hours ago, Broken Ankles said:

An embarrassment of riches between the pipes.

[Brawndo]

Jack Campbell on waivers from Edmonton 

[thewookie1]

2 hours ago, Brawndo said:

Jack Campbell on waivers from Edmonton 

We have mediocre to bad goaltending

Edmonton has a literal tire fire in net 

[steveoath]

2 hours ago, Brawndo said:

Jack Campbell on waivers from Edmonton 

That did not go well

[Ducky]

Campbell on waivers.

Holloway with zero points in 11 games.

Evander Kane signed for 2 more seasons after this one.

Last draft they had a 2nd, 6th and 7th. The draft before they had a 1st (32nd), 5th, 6th and 7th.

Nurse at 9.25m for 6 more seasons after this one.

I can't see Drai or McDavid re-signing there.

It looks good on them.

Edited November 7, 2023 by Ducky

[Ducky]

17 hours ago, dudacek said:

Did we know Mittelstadt is #2 in the entire NHL for even-strength points this year?

Noticed he’s (temporarily?) replaced Cozens on PP1, but in what role? What’s to stop them from deploying him behind the net as the “down low QB” opposite Dahlin, get him to handle the puck more like Gretzky in the old days?

Why not Peterka opposite Tage on PP1? I’ve seen him score plenty from there in juniors and Rochester. Much better at entries and retrievals than VO. He’s a lefty, unlike Cozens.

How about Dahlin opposite Tage and Power on top?

Greenway net front? Cozens?

Or maybe get Tuch and Skinner to, you know, do something? They rarely set people up and they don’t screen, snipe or crash the net nearly enough. Get them cycling with Tage like they do at even strength, with Dahlin and Power at the points

So many untapped alternatives. Time to try one.

He'd look good in a Jets' jersey.

Thorny and I were bantering about a Mitts for Copp trade a few seasons ago. Chevy ended up trading Copp and a 6th for Morgan Barron, a 1st (30th), a 2nd and a 5th. Seeing as the 1st ended up being Brad Lambert, I am glad I'm not making those decisions. I would give up the same package of picks for Mitts though. 

Would you guys move him and a 6th for Barron, a 1st, a 2nd and a 5th?

[LGR4GM]

13 minutes ago, Ducky said:

He'd look good in a Jets' jersey.

Thorny and I were bantering about a Mitts for Copp trade a few seasons ago. Chevy ended up trading Copp and a 6th for Morgan Barron, a 1st (30th), a 2nd and a 5th. Seeing as the 1st ended up being Brad Lambert, I am glad I'm not making those decisions. I would give up the same package of picks for Mitts though. 

Would you guys move him and a 6th for Barron, a 1st, a 2nd and a 5th?

No

[Brawndo]

25 minutes ago, Ducky said:

He'd look good in a Jets' jersey.

Thorny and I were bantering about a Mitts for Copp trade a few seasons ago. Chevy ended up trading Copp and a 6th for Morgan Barron, a 1st (30th), a 2nd and a 5th. Seeing as the 1st ended up being Brad Lambert, I am glad I'm not making those decisions. I would give up the same package of picks for Mitts though. 

Would you guys move him and a 6th for Barron, a 1st, a 2nd and a 5th?

Buffalo is beyond  trading proven players for picks and prospects. If someone like Mitts is traded it will be for a Top 4 D or Goaltender. 
 

I

[Taro T]

35 minutes ago, Ducky said:

He'd look good in a Jets' jersey.

Thorny and I were bantering about a Mitts for Copp trade a few seasons ago. Chevy ended up trading Copp and a 6th for Morgan Barron, a 1st (30th), a 2nd and a 5th. Seeing as the 1st ended up being Brad Lambert, I am glad I'm not making those decisions. I would give up the same package of picks for Mitts though. 

Would you guys move him and a 6th for Barron, a 1st, a 2nd and a 5th?

 

7 minutes ago, Brawndo said:

Buffalo is beyond  trading proven players for picks and prospects. If someone like Mitts is traded it will be for a Top 4 D or Goaltender. 
 

I

Was about to say basically the same thing.  Want nothing to do with that sort of a trade for an established player.

The Sabres have plenty of prospects and future picks to restock the pipeline.  They need to start turning up the intensity now, not in a few years.  Been there, done that.

[PerreaultForever]

4 hours ago, Brawndo said:

Buffalo is beyond  trading proven players for picks and prospects. If someone like Mitts is traded it will be for a Top 4 D or Goaltender. 
 

I

Probably, but not necessarily. 

If they are far apart on Mitts next contract and they think they have a prospect ready to step in (eg. Benson) I could see them trading Mitts for picks. I think they'd prefer moving him for a player(s) who could contribute now and fill a need but if that's not on the table they'd take the picks in that scenario. 

Ideally though they will hope to sign him. Mitts keeps playing as well as he has been they might also sign him to top dollars and then move Cozens. A highly marketable player I would think. 

[Wyldnwoody44]

2 goals in 10 game for Ovechkin... I will admit, I am pulling for him to break that record but at 38, it may be tricky to pull off. 

[Taro T]

1 hour ago, PerreaultForever said:

Probably, but not necessarily. 

If they are far apart on Mitts next contract and they think they have a prospect ready to step in (eg. Benson) I could see them trading Mitts for picks. I think they'd prefer moving him for a player(s) who could contribute now and fill a need but if that's not on the table they'd take the picks in that scenario. 

Ideally though they will hope to sign him. Mitts keeps playing as well as he has been they might also sign him to top dollars and then move Cozens. A highly marketable player I would think. 

There is no need to trade him this season even if they are at a salary impasse.  He's an RFA for 2 more years and IF they can't work out a contract, well that's what arbitration is for.

Still hoping he ends up with a Cozens-esque deal sometime this season.  But, as this season goes on, whereas this off-season Cozens deal was the ceiling, with the cap going up and the Sabres only buying 2 RFA years and the rest of the deal being UFA years that could very well be the floor.

[Ducky]

10 minutes ago, Taro T said:

There is no need to trade him this season even if they are at a salary impasse.  He's an RFA for 2 more years and IF they can't work out a contract, well that's what arbitration is for.

Still hoping he ends up with a Cozens-esque deal sometime this season.  But, as this season goes on, whereas this off-season Cozens deal was the ceiling, with the cap going up and the Sabres only buying 2 RFA years and the rest of the deal being UFA years that could very well be the floor.

I thought he was an unrestricted free agent after next year?

[Thorny]

21 minutes ago, Ducky said:

I thought he was an unrestricted free agent after next year?

He’s an RFA after this season. Need a new deal for next year 

His first season that burned his contract by 1 didn’t count towards an accrued year of service: so this season makes 6 instead of 7 and UFA. 

[Taro T]

44 minutes ago, Ducky said:

I thought he was an unrestricted free agent after next year?

Puckpedia says he doesn't become UFA eligible until '26 and that seems to be correct.

He burned a year of his ELC during his D+1 season playing with the Sabres after Minny's season ended but that didn't qualify as an accrued season.  Also, during the shutdown season, he only played in 31 games.  The 40 game threshold for an accrued season was reduced to 34 games.  So, he missed getting that year accrued by 3 games.  So, in all likelihood, his 7th accrued season will be '25-'26 and he's eligible to become an UFA in the summer of '26.  And he's only 24 now, so he doesn't hit 27 until that year too.

26 minutes ago, Thorny said:

He’s an RFA after this season. Need a new deal for next year 

His first season that burned his contract by 1 didn’t count towards an accrued year of service: so this season makes 6 instead of 7 and UFA. 

No, as stated above, this season is only year 5, not year 6 and he has 2 more to go beyond this one to get to 7.

[Thorny]

8 minutes ago, Taro T said:

Puckpedia says he doesn't become UFA eligible until '26 and that seems to be correct.

He burned a year of his ELC during his D+1 season playing with the Sabres after Minny's season ended but that didn't qualify as an accrued season.  Also, during the shutdown season, he only played in 31 games.  The 40 game threshold for an accrued season was reduced to 34 games.  So, he missed getting that year accrued by 3 games.  So, in all likelihood, his 7th accrued season will be '25-'26 and he's eligible to become an UFA in the summer of '26.  And he's only 24 now, so he doesn't hit 27 until that year too.

No, as stated above, this season is only year 5, not year 6 and he has 2 more to go beyond this one to get to 7.

Ah ok thanks. Either way, it’ll be this summer he gets a LT contract, or dealt 

I guess they could do a 1 year deal in arbitration but I highly doubt it comes to that. 

Edited November 8, 2023 by Thorny

[PerreaultForever]

2 hours ago, Taro T said:

There is no need to trade him this season even if they are at a salary impasse.  He's an RFA for 2 more years and IF they can't work out a contract, well that's what arbitration is for.

Still hoping he ends up with a Cozens-esque deal sometime this season.  But, as this season goes on, whereas this off-season Cozens deal was the ceiling, with the cap going up and the Sabres only buying 2 RFA years and the rest of the deal being UFA years that could very well be the floor.

No, there's no "need" to do it but I still think if you are at an impasse you have to think ahead so you entertain offers and see if there's a deal that makes the team better out there. There's no need to rush but you might get your best offer now rather than waiting until you're up against the wall and other teams know it. If the offers aren't good enough you don't accept them. 

[thewookie1]

56 minutes ago, PerreaultForever said:

No, there's no "need" to do it but I still think if you are at an impasse you have to think ahead so you entertain offers and see if there's a deal that makes the team better out there. There's no need to rush but you might get your best offer now rather than waiting until you're up against the wall and other teams know it. If the offers aren't good enough you don't accept them. 

Cozens isn't a trade chip in any realm

[PerreaultForever]

38 minutes ago, thewookie1 said:

Cozens isn't a trade chip in any realm

Was talking about Mitts but anyone is a trade chip under the right circumstances. Somebody traded Gretzky remember. ANYBODY can be a trade chip. 

So, specifically to Cozens, what if Mitts stays good or even gets better and Thompson is locked up and is good, Mitts signs a good deal, outplays Cozens, now Cozens is 3C. Then Benson and Savoie both shine and we have too many centers. Sure, convert some to wing but Quinn and Peterka and Kulich etc. maybe we have no room at wing but maybe we still need a D man. You move a center. In that situation it COULD be Cozens. It COULD be anyone. 

[LGR4GM]

3 hours ago, PerreaultForever said:

Was talking about Mitts but anyone is a trade chip under the right circumstances. Somebody traded Gretzky remember. ANYBODY can be a trade chip. 

So, specifically to Cozens, what if Mitts stays good or even gets better and Thompson is locked up and is good, Mitts signs a good deal, outplays Cozens, now Cozens is 3C. Then Benson and Savoie both shine and we have too many centers. Sure, convert some to wing but Quinn and Peterka and Kulich etc. maybe we have no room at wing but maybe we still need a D man. You move a center. In that situation it COULD be Cozens. It COULD be anyone. 

Benson is a wing and it's likely Savoie is an nhl winger. Kulich actually has the best chance to develop into a center, although he's also likely a winger. Injuries happen, having Mitts right now is making Cozens being out tolerable. None of the kids need new deals for at least 3 years. 

[Taro T]

7 hours ago, PerreaultForever said:

No, there's no "need" to do it but I still think if you are at an impasse you have to think ahead so you entertain offers and see if there's a deal that makes the team better out there. There's no need to rush but you might get your best offer now rather than waiting until you're up against the wall and other teams know it. If the offers aren't good enough you don't accept them. 

Really don't see how they get an offer on Mittelstadt that makes the team better TODAY.  Also don't see how his not being extended in the 2nd week of November is indicative of an impasse.  (There could be one, but that seems to be more of a case of people still hoping that Mittelstadt goes away even though he's been nearly a PPG player for the last 2 months of RS play and arguably their best 2 way forward for at least that long.  1st impressions are very hard to change.  And that isn't saying that YOU are saying this because you don't like him, but it still seems to be a fairly common sentiment generally and that comment was addressing the general audience not you specifically.)  Remember, Cozens didn't sign his deal until February of the last year of his ELC.  Would be pleasantly surprised should Casey be extended before this February.  And will be disappointed if it doesn't happen prior to the summer.

And yes, Adams should have ALL the players on the team available for a trade and understanding what their value is around the league.  But it's very doubtful that they'll get an offer that makes the team better today by moving Dahlin or Thompson or a few others.  Expecting Casey is in that category as well.

[French Collection]

2 hours ago, LGR4GM said:

Benson is a wing and it's likely Savoie is an nhl winger. Kulich actually has the best chance to develop into a center, although he's also likely a winger. Injuries happen, having Mitts right now is making Cozens being out tolerable. None of the kids need new deals for at least 3 years. 

It’s a good thing to have many C prospects. They can move to wing if there are better centres available.

I think Östlund is the only high end prospect that has been exclusively a C. Savoie, Kulich and Wahlberg have all played wing.

Cozens and Mitts can play wing as well if any of these guys end up being better C’s.