2025 NHL Trade Deadline (March 7) Thread

[LGR4GM]

This article about the blackhawks got me thinking about the trade deadline.

Ryan Donato for example would be a player Buffalo could add if they were serious about winning (they aren't and they won't) but as we move closer to the deadline, improving the team is a major priority.. i'd hope.

Quote

• Ryan Donato’s trade value likely depends on the eye of the beholder. For those who have watched Donato consistently this season, his upside is noticeable. He’s probably been one of the Blackhawks’ better players. He plays hard. He shoots a ton and has had those shots go in at a decent rate. He can also play up and down the lineup. On a good team, he’s probably a third- or fourth-line forward. As one NHL exec said: “Donato is a tough one. He’s cheap production, but does he help a team trying to win the Cup?” Different execs may have different answers to that.

The consensus among my league sources is that Donato could bring back a third- or fourth-round pick. Donato has only a $2 million cap hit, but it’s possible a team could ask the Blackhawks to retain money on him.

 

Edited January 8 by LGR4GM

[GASabresIUFAN]

Terry Pegula in discussions with Kevyn Adams

[Stoner]

So two months lead up to the most disappointing day of the hockey year?

[LTS]

1 hour ago, LGR4GM said:

This article about the blackhawks got me thinking about the trade deadline.

Ryan Donato for example would be a player Buffalo could add if they were serious about winning (they aren't and they won't) but as we move closer to the deadline, improving the team is a major priority.. i'd hope.

 

Where do you see Donato different from the other 6' forwards on this team?  I read what you quoted but is that the whole story?  Do you look at him as a Krebs upgrade?

I don't know enough about him. I can see his stats.. he's roughly the same size and scoring better than Krebs.

[DarthEbriate]

It should no longer be the case, but given this season, I'd be reluctant to see the Sabres acquire Donato or any other pending UFA. If Buffalo was in 9th right now and 1 point out --- Donato, Alec Martinez... Chicago has some good options for a team capable of making the playoffs.

[WhenWillItEnd66]

We are not far enough out of the playoff race that the GM should not be trying to improve this team. Status quo is a fail. 

[PerreaultForever]

We already have a bunch of Donatos imo. 

I expect Adams will try to sell, but if he doesn't get his price he will claim he didn't try to sell and kept those players for a late run (eg. Zucker).So really, I expect very little. 

[Flashsabre]

https://twointhebox.com/2025/01/17/sabres-adams-inaction-in-the-face-of-a-lost-season-is-damning/

[SabreFinn]

On 1/8/2025 at 6:59 PM, GASabresIUFAN said:

Terry Pegula in discussions with Kevyn Adams

Or Sabres fans in discussion with Pegula.

[Weave]

13 minutes ago, Flashsabre said:

https://twointhebox.com/2025/01/17/sabres-adams-inaction-in-the-face-of-a-lost-season-is-damning/

Or, a planned top 5 pick is the actual seasons’ goal.

F me I hate that the thought even crossed my mind.

[Flashsabre]

Just now, Weave said:

Or, a planned top 5 pick is the actual seasons’ goal.

F me I hate that the thought even crossed my mind.

Adams said it was playoffs or bust. My only thought is when the Bills stadium overruns came out Pegula told Adams no spending allowed.

[inkman]

On 1/8/2025 at 3:12 PM, WhenWillItEnd66 said:

We are not far enough out of the playoff race that the GM should not be trying to improve this team. Status quo is a fail. 

They have to go on a ten game win streak and then play .700 hockey the remainder of the season.  Sounds pretty far out of it to me. 

[Weave]

15 minutes ago, Flashsabre said:

Adams said it was playoffs or bust. My only thought is when the Bills stadium overruns came out Pegula told Adams no spending allowed.

He’s been shown to be pretty loose with the truth in the past. What Adams said and what he’s done tell two different stories.

[inkman]

On 1/8/2025 at 3:12 PM, WhenWillItEnd66 said:

We are not far enough out of the playoff race that the GM should not be trying to improve this team. Status quo is a fail. 

 

15 minutes ago, inkman said:

They have to go on a ten game win streak and then play .700 hockey the remainder of the season.  Sounds pretty far out of it to me. 

 

[JustOutsideChicago]

Will say this. I’m tired of the national media bringing up the Sabres as a team others are targeting. On 32 Thoughts today, Friedman mentioned Pittsburgh as a team that may try and pry. Hockey trades only. No picks. No prospects. 
 

Harrington was on After The Whistle this week and kept saying that Adams needs to be fired immediately. He’s not competent and absolutely cannot make another franchise altering deal. Rarely do I agree with him but he’s absolutely right. Before any trades are made there needs to be a total front office overhaul. Hopefully this front office is gone before Four Nations.

(Yes, I know this is not happening but a guy can dream)

Edited Friday at 07:25 PM by JustOutsideChicago

[Mr. Allen]

“Will Devils Trade a Frustrated Simon Nemec Before He Asks Out?

Simon Nemec is growing frustrated with his position on the team and he hinted he might request a trade from the New Jersey Devils.”

 

[shrader]

2 hours ago, inkman said:

 

 

Let’s ignore the fact that it’s the Sabres for a second (yeah, we know they’re done because they’re the Sabres).  I don’t buy this argument here at this stage in the season. With this many games left, if you sustain that pace, those steady points are far more likely to come at the expense of those teams higher up. You will jump a bunch of them in the standings. 
 

Having X number of teams to leapfrog has much more meaning when you’re down to a handful of games. 
 

But yeah, Sabres? They’re toast. 

[mjd1001]

10 minutes ago, shrader said:

Let’s ignore the fact that it’s the Sabres for a second (yeah, we know they’re done because they’re the Sabres).  I don’t buy this argument here at this stage in the season. With this many games left, if you sustain that pace, those steady points are far more likely to come at the expense of those teams higher up. You will jump a bunch of them in the standings. 
 

Having X number of teams to leapfrog has much more meaning when you’re down to a handful of games. 
 

But yeah, Sabres? They’re toast. 

The reason having more teams to leapfrog matters is in the conference, those teams are going to play each other, so you KNOW that some of them are likely to get more points than others. The you have a night like last night where many of the teams ahead of the Sabres were involved in 3 point games.

So yeah, they aren't 'out' of it totaly, and I always like to say...if you can still get back into it..that means you aren't out of it.

But realistically, they are out of it for most of us. 

Why do I say that?  Eigth place in the east right now is at .545 point percentage. In most years, it is higher than that, and there is a chance it will be in the east this year.  For the Sabres to match that, they need to play the rest of the year at a 110+ pace.

This team right now is playing at a 73 point pace. Last year they had 84. Before that 91. Before that 75.  The 2nd half of the season last year we all remember how well they played, well as well as they played last year when UPL got hot, from game 45 last year (where they are now) they played at a 91 point pace...and most on this board were happy with the 2nd half of last year.

[Crusader1969]

3 hours ago, Weave said:

Or, a planned top 5 pick is the actual seasons’ goal.

F me I hate that the thought even crossed my mind.

Need top 4 actually 

[Weave]

3 minutes ago, Crusader1969 said:

Need top 4 actually 

Need to start winning.

[Thorner]

36 minutes ago, mjd1001 said:

The reason having more teams to leapfrog matters is in the conference, those teams are going to play each other, so you KNOW that some of them are likely to get more points than others. The you have a night like last night where many of the teams ahead of the Sabres were involved in 3 point games.

So yeah, they aren't 'out' of it totaly, and I always like to say...if you can still get back into it..that means you aren't out of it.

But realistically, they are out of it for most of us. 

Why do I say that?  Eigth place in the east right now is at .545 point percentage. In most years, it is higher than that, and there is a chance it will be in the east this year.  For the Sabres to match that, they need to play the rest of the year at a 110+ pace.

This team right now is playing at a 73 point pace. Last year they had 84. Before that 91. Before that 75.  The 2nd half of the season last year we all remember how well they played, well as well as they played last year when UPL got hot, from game 45 last year (where they are now) they played at a 91 point pace...and most on this board were happy with the 2nd half of last year.

It’s not just about head to head matchups - it’s also about the fact that more teams = unlikely the cutoff point holds where it is because the greater the pool, the more likely one or more emerges who outpaces the trend 

2 minutes ago, Weave said:

Need to start winning.

Amen 

[GASabresIUFAN]

unless a playmaking center and 2 top 4 defensive D are coming to Buffalo the trade deadline and next off-season are another exercise in futility.  Don't get your hopes up for even one of the 3 things I listed happening.   

Most likely Zucker, Joki and someone else will be headed out of town so that the team will get even younger, less experienced and less costly.  Yeah!  Should be great. 

[inkman]

28 minutes ago, GASabresIUFAN said:

unless a playmaking center and 2 top 4 defensive D are coming to Buffalo the trade deadline and next off-season are another exercise in futility.  Don't get your hopes up for even one of the 3 things I listed happening.   

Most likely Zucker, Joki and someone else will be headed out of town so that the team will get even younger, less experienced and less costly.  Yeah!  Should be great. 

The trade deadline is waaaay too late for the Sabres to make meaningful changes.  They are hanging by a C hair right now.  The time for change is now.  The trade deadline this team will be buried.  

[Crusader1969]

1 hour ago, Weave said:

Need to start winning.

Wish I had hope that they would 

[GASabresIUFAN]

1 hour ago, inkman said:

The trade deadline is waaaay too late for the Sabres to make meaningful changes.  They are hanging by a C hair right now.  The time for change is now.  The trade deadline this team will be buried.  

It’s already dead and buried.