Summer 2025: NHL Offseason

[Flashsabre]

39 minutes ago, LGR4GM said:

Sounds like McTavish is legit available. Buffalo should certainly inquire. 

What is the source?

[LGR4GM]

32 minutes ago, Flashsabre said:

What is the source?

The Hockey Writers 

[Flashsabre]

Canucks trade Silovs to Pens for Chase Stillman

[thewookie1]

1 hour ago, Flashsabre said:

Canucks trade Silovs to Pens for Chase Stillman

That was arguably the only good goalie on the market available for trade; that being said trading for him would of made Levi next to impossible to re-sign and Adams doesn’t exactly look at a 3D, much less a 4D, map. 

[Taro T]

7 minutes ago, thewookie1 said:

That was arguably the only good goalie on the market available for trade; that being said trading for him would of made Levi next to impossible to re-sign and Adams doesn’t exactly look at a 3D, much less a 4D, map. 

Levi has ZERO leverage.  How was he going to keep from re-signing?  Is he going to get a career in whatever his major was his 2 years at Northeastern?

[kas23]

6 hours ago, LGR4GM said:

Sounds like McTavish is legit available. Buffalo should certainly inquire. 

Seems like an appropriate return for a Top 3 defenseman. I mean, we sent a first line winger for someone not as flashy has Byram. This guys scores goals, but does he play defense? Or is he in the mold of a JJP?

[Huckleberry]

1 hour ago, thewookie1 said:

That was arguably the only good goalie on the market available for trade; that being said trading for him would of made Levi next to impossible to re-sign and Adams doesn’t exactly look at a 3D, much less a 4D, map. 

Yeah but Levi has value still in any trade, and lets say Levi comes and is better than him, you can still get same value back for Svilos.

Im sure we thinking the same, but im drunk and well ***** you kevyn.

Edited Monday at 01:14 AM by Huckleberry

[thewookie1]

1 hour ago, Taro T said:

Levi has ZERO leverage.  How was he going to keep from re-signing?  Is he going to get a career in whatever his major was his 2 years at Northeastern?

8 minutes ago, Huckleberry said:

Yeah but Levi has value still in any trade, and lets say Levi comes and is better than him, you can still get same value back for Svilos.

Im sure we thinking the same, but im drunk and well ***** you kevyn.

He always has leverage here; love the kid but to get him to sign originally allegedly required promised time in the NHL during his "1st year" Now while he's certainly embraced his time in Rochester now; bringing in Silovs would of just pissed him and/or his agent off. Complain enough and Adams would trade him, but he can't since he hinged much of his past 5 years on developing Levi to be our 1G and he isn't one to deviate 

Edited Monday at 01:22 AM by thewookie1

[Taro T]

Just now, thewookie1 said:

He always has leverage here; love the kid but to get him to sign originally allegedly required promised time in the NHL during his "1st year" Now while he's certainly embraced his time in Rochester now; bringing in Silovs would of just pissed him/his agent off. Complain enough and Adams would trade him, but he can't since he hinged much of his past 5 years on developing Levi to be our 1G and he isn't one to deviate 

Pretty sure you're giving Adams "we only want guys that want to be here" a bit too much to heart.

[thewookie1]

2 minutes ago, Taro T said:

Pretty sure you're giving Adams "we only want guys that want to be here" a bit too much to heart.

It's obviously more nuanced but how many players has Adams kept hold of that have more or less asked to leave? 

[Huckleberry]

19 minutes ago, thewookie1 said:

It's obviously more nuanced but how many players has Adams kept hold of that have more or less asked to leave? 

Dahlin and Thompson I guess 😛

[DarthEbriate]

On 7/13/2025 at 4:40 PM, Taro T said:

Levi has ZERO leverage.  How was he going to keep from re-signing?  Is he going to get a career in whatever his major was his 2 years at Northeastern?

It has been noted (weeks ago) on this board JJP had zero leverage, too.

All you have to do is have your agent tell Adams you want out.

[Taro T]

1 minute ago, DarthEbriate said:

It has been noted (weeks ago) on this board JJP had zero leverage, too.

All you have to do is have your agent tell Adams you want out.

At some point, that has to end.  Your team is necessarily the farm team for the rest of the league if you don't get to a point where you tell the kids they have to grow up and a big part of adulting is doing things you don't necessarily want to do in places you don't necessarily want to be.

Yes, Peterka didn't hold many cards.  But he also returned a guy that Adams claims to have been wanting for a long time (Kesselring).  Though Mittelstadt had never asked out and actually wanted to be in Buffalo, he too was traded for a guy that Adams claims to have tried to trade for at an earlier date.

What player that Adams has coveted for years do you expect Levi, at this point in time, would bring back AND fit under the cap?  Personally, don't see one.

Add in @LGR4GM's speculation that Dahlin might've wanted Peterka gone, and if that's the case, the move makes sense from a couple of standpoints.  (Not saying I like it, just that can see reasons for the move having been made.)  Can't see a way to get to trading Levi making any sense at this time unless Adams is a drooling idiot; and have never seen him actually drooling in any interaction with him.

[Taro T]

On 7/13/2025 at 9:26 PM, thewookie1 said:

It's obviously more nuanced but how many players has Adams kept hold of that have more or less asked to leave? 

Well, we know he kept Eichel for a year longer than he'd've liked to keep him.  Because when he took over, Eichel told him that he'd be fine with getting moved if Adams wanted to switch directions.  

How many others?  No data.

[DarthEbriate]

2 hours ago, Taro T said:

At some point, that has to end.  Your team is necessarily the farm team for the rest of the league if you don't get to a point where you tell the kids they have to grow up and a big part of adulting is doing things you don't necessarily want to do in places you don't necessarily want to be.

Yes, Peterka didn't hold many cards.  But he also returned a guy that Adams claims to have been wanting for a long time (Kesselring).  Though Mittelstadt had never asked out and actually wanted to be in Buffalo, he too was traded for a guy that Adams claims to have tried to trade for at an earlier date.

What player that Adams has coveted for years do you expect Levi, at this point in time, would bring back AND fit under the cap?  Personally, don't see one.

Add in @LGR4GM's speculation that Dahlin might've wanted Peterka gone, and if that's the case, the move makes sense from a couple of standpoints.  (Not saying I like it, just that can see reasons for the move having been made.)  Can't see a way to get to trading Levi making any sense at this time unless Adams is a drooling idiot; and have never seen him actually drooling in any interaction with him.

There will always be someone (an RFA or one year until RFA) that Adams claims to have loved forever.

 

If he isn't extended beforehand, we'll see what happens when Benson becomes an RFA next summer (after, probably, an entire season of LW1 and PP1 time).

[French Collection]

Just now, DarthEbriate said:

There will always be someone (an RFA or one year until RFA) that Adams claims to have loved forever.

The same way that every draft pick was way higher on their board and they can’t believe he fell to them. Most teams claim this and there is some truth to it but every first rounder they got being rated 5 picks higher is hard to believe.

[Ducky]

 Evolving Hockey's contract projections.

Edited 12 hours ago by Ducky

[Archie Lee]

22 minutes ago, Ducky said:

 Evolving Hockey's contract projections.

Connor is gonna get paid. Do you think the Jets are going to risk him walking like Ehlers?  
 

And Sabre fans, how do you feel about 30 year old Alex Tuch at $10 x 8?

My guess is that Adams assumed the Sabres would be a playoff team the last two years and he would be extending Peterka and Quinn on big deals, trading Tuch for futures, and getting ready to promote Rosen. 

Edited 11 hours ago by Archie Lee

[shrader]

17 minutes ago, Archie Lee said:

Connor is gonna get paid. Do you think the Jets are going to risk him walking like Ehlers?  
 

And Sabre fans, how do you feel about 30 year old Alex Tuch at $10 x 8?

My guess is that Adams assumed the Sabres would be a playoff team the last two years and he would be extending Peterka and Quinn on big deals, trading Tuch for futures, and getting ready to promote Rosen. 

The new CBA will limit you to 7 years. I’m not sure exactly when the cutoff is for sneaking in 8 year contracts.  My gut tells me that if a contract starts in 2016, it will fall under those new rules, but I don’t know if that’s the case. 

[Taro T]

4 minutes ago, shrader said:

The new CBA will limit you to 7 years. I’m not sure exactly when the cutoff is for sneaking in 8 year contracts.  My gut tells me that if a contract starts in 2016, it will fall under those new rules, but I don’t know if that’s the case. 

The new CBA takes effect in September 2026.  Realistically, would expect the 8 year deals to be gone by the end of this current league year.  MAYBE you can get away with them in that period from July 1 to mid-September next year, but don't know for sure the league will allow it.

[LGR4GM]

29 minutes ago, Archie Lee said:

Connor is gonna get paid. Do you think the Jets are going to risk him walking like Ehlers?  
 

And Sabre fans, how do you feel about 30 year old Alex Tuch at $10 x 8?

My guess is that Adams assumed the Sabres would be a playoff team the last two years and he would be extending Peterka and Quinn on big deals, trading Tuch for futures, and getting ready to promote Rosen. 

Bad way to try and win a cup. 

[shrader]

5 minutes ago, Taro T said:

The new CBA takes effect in September 2026.  Realistically, would expect the 8 year deals to be gone by the end of this current league year.  MAYBE you can get away with them in that period from July 1 to mid-September next year, but don't know for sure the league will allow it.

They can sign him right now if they want to, right? I know there was a post-January limitation if you’re on a one-way deal, but I have no idea if that’s may have changed with the previous updates. 
 

I haven’t paid close enough attention to see if any of next year’s free agents around the league have gotten any new deals yet. 

[Taro T]

16 minutes ago, shrader said:

They can sign him right now if they want to, right? I know there was a post-January limitation if you’re on a one-way deal, but I have no idea if that’s may have changed with the previous updates. 
 

I haven’t paid close enough attention to see if any of next year’s free agents around the league have gotten any new deals yet. 

They're still operating under the "old" rules.  Multiyear contracts within 1 year of renewal can be extended and 1 year contracts can be extended after January 1.

As the new CBA doesn't kick in until September 16, 2026 expect that players who's contracts expire at the end of this season can still get in on 8 year deals if they qualify (have been with their current team since the trade deadline) and 7 year deals if they don't qualify for the 8 year deal.

As mentioned above, not positive how the league will handle contracts signed in the July 1 - September 15 period.  Technically the old CBA will still be in force, so expect they can still get 7/8 year deals rather than just 6/7 year deals; but don't know that for certain.  Put that at ~85% certainty.  It IS the way the agreement is written until 9/16/26.

[thewookie1]

I’d certainly offer Tuch 8x8.5mil and then see if we can grease his palms on the side akin to how the Leafs do with players. Want lifetime Bills tickets? 
 

I don’t think we or anyone could offer Tuch 8/7x 10 mil, it’s just not feasible for any team in the NHL 

[thewookie1]

Here's a random idea that could be a clever way to get another scorer

Max Pacioretty, he's still unsigned and still wants to play

Played very solid in the playoffs for the Leafs and even increased his hitting. In lieu of trading for a more assured upgrade; I'd throw him a 1mil contract with a few incentives and just see how it goes