The main thing for Buffalo is to prioritize.
Appointment of a new head coach!
You need to exchange:
Montour - 2nd (3rd) round pick 2021
Hall (@ 50% Ret) - 1 st 2021
You can exchange:
Ristolainen (@ 50% Ret) = prospect (A +)/ prospect (B)/(B +) + 1 st 2021
Ullmark - 1st (2nd) 2021(
if the player refuses to sign a new contract)
Only upon receipt of lucrative offers:
Reinhart
Olofsson
Less compensation doesn't make sense.
1 st 2022 for Ristolainen can be obtained next year.
If you sign a successful contract with Reinhart (RFA) in the summer, the player's value will not fall.
Olofsson (RFA 2022) - exchange upon receipt of good offers.
I think BUF does not need prospect B (C). The club has many players with unknown NHL potential.
The team needs prospect (A, A +).
If exchanges occur, the losses can be made up by UFA players.
BUF 2021/22
Skinner - Eichel - Olofsson
UFA - Cozens - Reinhart
Asplund - Mittelstadt - Thompson
Ruotsalainen - Eakin – Okposo
Dahlin - Jokiharju
Samuelsson - Borgen
Bryson - Miller
Johnson – UFA (LD/RD)
Ullmark?
UFA
The composition of the team is, of course, approximate.
Need at least three players (UFA): LW / RW + D + G
Expansion Draft 2021 – reserved:
FORWARDS (7): Skinner - Eichel – Olofsson – Reinhart - Mittelstadt - Thompson - ?
DEFENSE (3): Dahlin – Jokiharju - Borgen
GOALIES (1): ?
The loss of any unprotected player is easily remedied by signing the UFA player.
If you manage to sign other good players, you have to do it.
Solve your problems:
Appoint a coach capable of giving results and successfully developing young players.
Successfully complete new contracts with RFA players.
What to do with Eichel?
Is the club betting on the player until the end of the contract?
If there is an exchange, what compensation is planned?
Buffalo needs to get serious about the 2021 draft.
Don't repeat strange choices in the 2019, 2020 drafts:
2019 - selected by Ryan Johnson, available by Arthur Kaliyev.
2020 - Jack Quinn selected, Marco Rossi, Cole Perfetti available.
Maybe Buffalo is right?
Show patience and look to the future with optimism.