What Would It Take to Obtain Thomas and Parayko?

[LGR4GM]

12 minutes ago, Archie Lee said:

Factoring in Eichel’s injury and that the Sabres lacked some leverage in that trade, how much more or less valuable is Thomas today than Eichel was in Nov 2021?

Quinn, Östlund, a top 10 protected 1st in 2027 and a 2nd in 2028 for Thomas and a 3rd, is pretty much what we got for Eichel. 

Quinn and Tuch are different player types, but play the same position, are both former 1sts (Quinn has a higher draft pedigree), are the same age (Quinn is the age Tuch was in 2021), and have near identical stat lines at the relative points in their careers. 

Likewise for Östlund and Krebs. Similar draft positions. Centres who might end up wingers. Östlund is a year older than Krebs was in 2021, and as a result is a year ahead in NHL games played. 

I can’t imagine we would get Thomas for this, but the value is quite close. 

Dont use Eichel, use Hughes who was traded this year. Marco Rossi, Liam Ohgren, Zeev Buium and a 1st round pick. That's 3 first round prospects and a 1st round pick. That is almost always the standard rate. Jack Quinn is lesser than Rossi (center v wing), Ohgren is lesser than Östlund (ironically they were teammates), Buium is the tricky one because idk what we have that is like him but this is where shipping them Norris potentially overcomes this and then some. I suppose the obvious answer is Mrtka. A 2027 1st or our 2026 1st rounds it out. That's the cost. Others around here tossing out 5 or 6 assets are just overshooting. I would guess a Thomas trade is Mrtka, 2027 1st, Quinn or similar, and 1 of Östlund, Helenius or maybe you can get them to bite on Wahlberg. Honestly you can probably survive trading Östlund or Helenius but trades hurt. I think Helenius is better than Östlund but your mileage may vary.

Thomas and Carbonneau for Östlund, Quinn, Norris, Mrtka, and a 2027 first. Would be a hefty price to pay and maybe an overpayment depending on your feelings of Östlund, Norris, or Quinn.

[thewookie1]

38 minutes ago, LGR4GM said:

Dont use Eichel, use Hughes who was traded this year. Marco Rossi, Liam Ohgren, Zeev Buium and a 1st round pick. That's 3 first round prospects and a 1st round pick. That is almost always the standard rate. Jack Quinn is lesser than Rossi (center v wing), Ohgren is lesser than Östlund (ironically they were teammates), Buium is the tricky one because idk what we have that is like him but this is where shipping them Norris potentially overcomes this and then some. I suppose the obvious answer is Mrtka. A 2027 1st or our 2026 1st rounds it out. That's the cost. Others around here tossing out 5 or 6 assets are just overshooting. I would guess a Thomas trade is Mrtka, 2027 1st, Quinn or similar, and 1 of Östlund, Helenius or maybe you can get them to bite on Wahlberg. Honestly you can probably survive trading Östlund or Helenius but trades hurt. I think Helenius is better than Östlund but your mileage may vary.

Thomas and Carbonneau for Östlund, Quinn, Norris, Mrtka, and a 2027 first. Would be a hefty price to pay and maybe an overpayment depending on your feelings of Östlund, Norris, or Quinn.

For starters I'd need protection on the 1st

 

I wouldn't trade Helenius for Thomas at this point, Helenius has shown a knack for the whole clutch gene and that isn't something found easily 

Edited June 3 by thewookie1

[nfreeman]

1 hour ago, Archie Lee said:

Factoring in Eichel’s injury and that the Sabres lacked some leverage in that trade, how much more or less valuable is Thomas today than Eichel was in Nov 2021?

Quinn, Östlund, a top 10 protected 1st in 2027 and a 2nd in 2028 for Thomas and a 3rd, is pretty much what we got for Eichel. 

Quinn and Tuch are different player types, but play the same position, are both former 1sts (Quinn has a higher draft pedigree), are the same age (Quinn is the age Tuch was in 2021), and have near identical stat lines at the relative points in their careers. 

Likewise for Östlund and Krebs. Similar draft positions. Centres who might end up wingers. Östlund is a year older than Krebs was in 2021, and as a result is a year ahead in NHL games played. 

I can’t imagine we would get Thomas for this, but the value is quite close. 

I think Tuch had more value than Quinn, but Östlund has more value than Krebs.  Also, it would be an (unprotected -- but that doesn't matter) 2026 1st and a 2027 2nd.

 

[shrader]

I'd love to know how much negotiation through the media Armstrong was doing last year.  I've heard at least 4 or 5 fanbases now that think they had serious offers in for Thomas.  And we already know the debacle he caused with the Parayko stuff.  At this point, I don't trust a single thing related to that team.

[That Aud Smell]

On 6/1/2026 at 1:29 PM, That Aud Smell said:

The Sabres' biggest need, imo, is a play-driving 1C. (Which would allow Tage to move to wing on the top line.)

I don't (yet) trust any of Kulich, Östlund, or Helenius to be the team's 1C.

But the franchise's hockey people know a hell of a lot more than I do. And they may well decide that next year's 1C is already a Sabre. (Gulp.)

Does the team's business operations get approval from hockey ops for these kinds of posts?

https://www.instagram.com/p/DZFyE8zjovo/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==

I tried and failed to copy and paste a screenshot. It's the team crowing on Instagram (and all social media platforms) about the incredible young trio of Kulich, Östlund, and Helenius.

The text added by the accounts' admin:

"The future is bright."

"Ready to take centre stage in Buffalo."

Edited June 3 by That Aud Smell

[irregularly irregular]

Parayko should have been acquired in the package that brought us Thompson. Given the current top 4 Dmen, there really isn't a place for him on the roster. 

[Fansince70]

On 6/1/2026 at 4:13 PM, French Collection said:

Thomas would help the Sabres, he is a 1C in his prime. The Blues want to get as much as possible so they call him elite. He is a mid tier 1C, not elite. He’s been around a point per game for the last 5 seasons, very good but not elite. Elite to me is a 100 point scorer.

Byram + one good piece is all I would offer and obviously more if Parayko is coming back.

EXACTLY. And if STL doesn't like it, too bad.  DON'T overpay.  Thomas is the best center on a fifth place team.  

Edited June 3 by Fansince70

[...]

1 hour ago, That Aud Smell said:

Does the team's business operations get approval from hockey ops for these kinds of posts?

https://www.instagram.com/p/DZFyE8zjovo/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==

I tried and failed to copy and paste a screenshot. It's the team crowing on Instagram (and all social media platforms) about the incredible young trio of Kulich, Östlund, and Helenius.

The text added by the accounts' admin:

"The future is bright."

"Ready to take centre stage in Buffalo."

 

[Mr Peabody]

Don’t think too many GM’s would take the risk on Norris’ contract.  He needs a fully healthy and productive year to be a net positive in a trade. 

[Drag0nDan]

3 hours ago, shrader said:

I'd love to know how much negotiation through the media Armstrong was doing last year.  I've heard at least 4 or 5 fanbases now that think they had serious offers in for Thomas.  And we already know the debacle he caused with the Parayko stuff.  At this point, I don't trust a single thing related to that team.

I really don't think they trade him tbh.  

[That Aud Smell]

2 hours ago, ... said:

 

Much appreciated. I'll tell ya. That has the flavour of something GM JK would have had to sign off on. 

It doesn't foreclose him from dealing one (or more) of those players, of course.

But it is food for thought when it comes to guessing where his head's at.

[...]

2 minutes ago, That Aud Smell said:

Much appreciated. I'll tell ya. That has the flavour of something GM JK would have had to sign off on. 

It doesn't foreclose him from dealing one (or more) of those players, of course.

But it is food for thought when it comes to guessing where his head's at.

Jarmo signing off could be marketing, too. As in, marketing one of those players. "Here, look, see how important this guy is to us..."

I get a lot of people poo-poo ideas like this; that the coaching and GM staff would do psy-ops, but they absolutely would. All businesses (and countries) do.

[PerreaultForever]

13 hours ago, nfreeman said:

Yes but I don't think STL would.  I don't think they -- or anyone else in the NHL -- is trading a #1 center who turns 27 this year and is under a pretty decent contract for 4 more years without getting a very good NHL roster player plus good futures.  Mrkta is probably a good future, but 2 probably lower-end first-rounders aren't that great, and Quinn is half a season removed from "likely washout" status and didn't produce much in the playoffs.

If the Sabres trade for Thomas, the price is going to hurt.

That's fair. The only scenario where they might take multiple picks is if they decide to do a full tear down. I actually don't know why Thomas is continually talked about and not just here. Bruins fans want him. Flyers fans want him. Everybody wants him. It makes no sense for St. Louis to actually want to trade him unless they plan a full tear down so who knows. Parayko and Thomas at the deadline feels like a tear down plan so we will have to see what they actually do. 

[Fansince70]

On 6/2/2026 at 3:59 PM, Nacho Libre said:

[Fansince70]

On 6/3/2026 at 6:14 AM, LGR4GM said:

Dont use Eichel, use Hughes who was traded this year. Marco Rossi, Liam Ohgren, Zeev Buium and a 1st round pick. That's 3 first round prospects and a 1st round pick. That is almost always the standard rate. Jack Quinn is lesser than Rossi (center v wing), Ohgren is lesser than Östlund (ironically they were teammates), Buium is the tricky one because idk what we have that is like him but this is where shipping them Norris potentially overcomes this and then some. I suppose the obvious answer is Mrtka. A 2027 1st or our 2026 1st rounds it out. That's the cost. Others around here tossing out 5 or 6 assets are just overshooting. I would guess a Thomas trade is Mrtka, 2027 1st, Quinn or similar, and 1 of Östlund, Helenius or maybe you can get them to bite on Wahlberg. Honestly you can probably survive trading Östlund or Helenius but trades hurt. I think Helenius is better than Östlund but your mileage may vary.

Thomas and Carbonneau for Östlund, Quinn, Norris, Mrtka, and a 2027 first. Would be a hefty price to pay and maybe an overpayment depending on your feelings of Östlund, Norris, or Quinn.

You're assuming Thomas is on the same level as Hughes.  He's not.  

[oddoublee]

Who's this thomas fella? Isn't there some Larkin guy available?

[bg17]

As good a source as any. 

[Scottysabres]

1 hour ago, bg17 said:

As good a source as any. 

Pretty much will put the convo to rest.

[Pimlach]

On 6/4/2026 at 9:56 AM, Fansince70 said:

What is a middling 1C exactly?  Middling refers to something that is medium, average, or moderate in size, quality, or degree. It essentially describes something that is neither very good nor very bad—often bordering on mediocre.

Is 64 points in 64 games and +22 middling?   How about 82 points in 70 games and +20 the year prior?  Or 86 points in 82 games and +9 the year prior to that?   

Of course I don’t want to overpay for a player but a middling 1C describes Josh Norris, not Robert Thomas.  

[Flashsabre]

Let’s close this down. Thomas is off the market.

[Pimlach]

8 minutes ago, Flashsabre said:

Let’s close this down. Thomas is off the market.

Is Andy Strickland the new GM of the Blues or is he a reporter?  

[Flashsabre]

2 hours ago, Pimlach said:

Is Andy Strickland the new GM of the Blues or is he a reporter?  

He’s the reporter being fed the info from the new GM. People can continue the fantasy that he is available and then spend three pages rage posting about how the Sabres didn’t acquire him  if they like.

[Nacho Libre]

1 minute ago, Flashsabre said:

He’s the reporter being fed the info from the new GM. People can continue the fantasy that he is available and then spend three pages rage posting about how the Sabres didn’t acquire him  if they like.

We have an entire thread dedicated to debating a no goal for entirely the wrong reasons. I think we’ll be ok with some speculation about a player who is obviously still available (if you hit the right price) 

[Flashsabre]

1 minute ago, Nacho Libre said:

We have an entire thread dedicated to debating a no goal for entirely the wrong reasons. I think we’ll be ok with some speculation about a player who is obviously still available (if you hit the right price) 

LOL every player in the league is available if you hit the right price

[Nacho Libre]

21 minutes ago, Flashsabre said:

LOL every player in the league is available if you hit the right price

Exactly. I don’t see the issue with discussing something definitively within the realm of possibility on planet earth. This is what an GM says as code for, “better bump up those offers.” (Sadly, I don’t think Norris and an 7th is gonna get it done). Again, there’s an entire thread possessed by a discussion about something that literally did NOT happen.

If the bar is already that low, I’d see this sort of talk an engaging improvement if you can resist your predictable and repetitive inclination to proactively run defence for something you think will be a perceived failure 

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Edited Saturday at 06:12 PM by Nacho Libre