Which of these forward prospects would you include in a trade?

[CaliSabresfan24]

Watched a majority of the season.

Kulich's only comp to Olofsson is the shot, everything else is different.

Bigger, engages better, they put him in many defensive situations all year, clearly focusing development there, and it bore fruit late in the season. Faster.

Significantly better puck handler. Isn't much of a playmaker.

Chemistry with Rosen; the only chemistry Olof ever had was Jack or Dahlin setting him up for the PP shot.

I guess that's where my frustration comes from with him because I heard all this about him last summer and his performance at camp didn't match with what I heard.

Idk, I was just really disappointed with his camp but I haven't seen Savoie, Ostlund or Wahlberg at a camp yet either so I can't tell you they will be much better.

We'll see what happens but I do feel like one of these 4 (could probably include Rosen) will get moved. Lets just hope we get a player back that will help the team now.

 

[Gabrielor]

Vision: no.
Speed: yes.
Playmaking: this is double-dipping with vision. also no.
Defensive abilities: yes.

Things you left out:

Size: 6'1" 185 and just turned 20 vs 5'11" 183 and turning 29 in 2 months

Development: came onto the scene as an impact AHL player at 18 vs came onto the scene as an impact SHL player at 23. (ALSO IS STILL DEVELOPING; 3-4 YEARS FROM A FINISHED PRODUCT. SEE MITTELSTADT, CASEY BEFORE JANUARY 2023)

Engagement: battles for pucks consistently vs doesn't

Shooting when not on the wall in the PP: get shots off in traffic reguarly vs doesnt


There should be a new rule; no more rushing to judgment on what a guy is and isn't before he turns 24. It's burned this fanbase over and over, and it's already starting with guys like Power, Kulich, Savoie. Meanwhile, Peterka gets praise despite having plenty of work to do in his own zone.


Edit: This was a reply to something that disappeared...

 

[Sabre the Win]

I voted Kulich but there isn't one single untouchable player in the farm system.

If they can fetch someone like a Tomas Hertl.. be gone with them and get the surefire thing.

 

[HogtownSabresfan]

All of them depending on the return. Chose Ostlund because its a pick-one.

Savoie is the one I really don't want to part with.

He would be the one I would trade, peak value of a 20-year -old dominating junior.

 

[Gabrielor]

I guess that's where my frustration comes from with him because I heard all this about him last summer and his performance at camp didn't match with what I heard.

Idk, I was just really disappointed with his camp but I haven't seen Savoie, Ostlund or Wahlberg at a camp yet either so I can't tell you they will be much better.

We'll see what happens but I do feel like one of these 4 (could probably include Rosen) will get moved. Lets just hope we get a player back that will help the team now.

He's 20. 2-0. He was 19 at camp. Quinn and Peterka made the team in 2022-2023, largely because we had spots. They were lucky, and exceptions. There were also 20.5 and 21 each.

We're also going to be honest. They caught fire around November. They didn't come in kicking the door down. They also didn't have crazy 1st NHL seasons. Pretty modest actually.

Here's a prediction:

The most likely outcome of Sabres camp THIS year is Savoie, Kulich, Rosen, Ostlund, and Wahlberg starting in Rochester. Rosen is an exception, being a year older, so you might say you want more. The rest are 19 or 20. I'm Airchair GMing expecting none to make it out of camp.

There'll be a thread in October about disappointing Adams drafts not working out, and then 2-3 of these guys will be on the team by December after scorching the AHL.

This fan base got too use to top picks who were ready immediately (Eichel, Dahlin, Power), crazy bucking of expectations (Benson), and of course stupid decisions (Grigorenko, Girgensons, Ristolainen, Zadorov, there's a lot more).

It doesn't mean they're busts. It means they need development, and we're done being the McPegula's fast food service of prospect development on the job.

 

[Gabrielor]

He would be the one I would trade, peak value of a 20-year -old dominating junior.

Yea, this former Moose Jaw Warrior was probably also at his peak in his D+2 season.

Not sure why they kept him to go win 2 cups with.

I feel like @joshjull right now with these long threads.

 

[Chainshot]

Yea, this former Moose Jaw Warrior was probably also at his peak in his D+2 season.

View attachment 863621

Not sure why they kept him to go win 2 cups with.

I feel like @joshjull right now with these long threads.

Mr Point has entered the building.

 

[Doug Prishpreed]

I picked Ostlund because he has such a small frame but I honestly don't have much of an opinion and probably shouldn't have voted at all.

 

[paulmm3]

There's no one untouchable on a team that's been in the bottom half of the league for 13 straight years

 

[Dubi Doo]

There's no one untouchable on a team that's been in the bottom half of the league for 13 straight years

That's not the question, though. A GM wants one of these 4 prospects to get a deal done. Choose!

 

[HogtownSabresfan]

Yea, this former Moose Jaw Warrior was probably also at his peak in his D+2 season.

View attachment 863621

Not sure why they kept him to go win 2 cups with.

I feel like @joshjull right now with these long threads.

Yeah, he is Brayden Point. Okay. Savoie had a good six games in the AHL. Have to give to get. Kulich has done way more at the same age -- albeit the NHL rules have not allowed Savoie a chance to play in the A. I voted for Savoie because his return will be higher than kids from Sweden, and I wanna keep Kulich. He just looks more like a guy who can drive to the net with big boys in the NHL and the roster is undersized.

 

[Chainshot]

Kulich is disappointing.

Hang on.... he's just turned 20. This is an amazing take. Terrible which is why it's amazing.

GM's will see that too. Goals aren't everything.

That's why Kulich was getting the center checking details against guys like Barre-Boulet and Fix-Wolanski and I see you weren't watching that. 'kay.

Savoie 100% has the highest value. Not his fault he got screwed by injuries and rules. I still have him higher than Benson, his speed is top tier. Plus, a good two-way player on top of it.

He might, the kid's got an amazing game thus far at his tier and I can't wait to see him up a level.

If you are averse to the injuries this is an entirely different conversation.

It feels like to me it is do you want VO 2.0 or a second Benson-like player. Kulich as a third line winger feels right to me. Savoie as that feels like a failure.

Kulich has enough game where he can play down the lineup and can do so in different positions than Vic. That's why they haven't shoved him into the lineup in the NHL yet. Most players are just arriving in the AHL at his age. Disappointment? Bah. That's silly.

 

[Chainshot]

I don't usually do this kind of thing, but:

These Kulich = Olofsson takes are lazy. Plain and simple. You've watched highlights, not multiple whole games. Period.

Vic at age 20 was still 2 years away from going to Frolunda to even get on their prospect radar. He was a 14 goal, 29 point player for Modo. It's not even close as comps go other than the shot Kulich has now as someone who just turned 20 is similar to the shot Olofsson had after multiple pro seasons in the SHL, AHL and now NHL. They don't even play the same position.

It's such a lazy take.

 

[dickiedunnwrotethis]

Voted Savoie. His play-style and injury history leave me wary about his longevity. I also do not believe he will play center, which makes him more expendable.

That said, none of them (including my guy Ostlund) are untouchable in the right trade (e.g., not for a rental).

 

[Dubi Doo]

Vic at age 20 was still 2 years away from going to Frolunda to even get on their prospect radar. He was a 14 goal, 29 point player for Modo. It's not even close as comps go other than the shot Kulich has now as someone who just turned 20 is similar to the shot Olofsson had after multiple pro seasons in the SHL, AHL and now NHL. They don't even play the same position.

It's such a lazy take.

For real. I don't think some posters realize how good of a goal scoring season he had last year in ROC. Ultra rare season for an 18 year straight out of the draft.

 

[JLewyB]

Kulich is a better hockey player than VO right now lol.

Tuch, JJP and Kulich are the only forwards who can execute plays at high speeds in the organization. Savoie probably can but we havent seen it at the professional level. I would like to keep Kulich for that reason . Im assuming Ostlund and Wahlberg just don’t have the value to improve the roster like Kulich and Savoie so i chose Savoie to trade. He seems legit but his size and injury history concern me. Picking knits but thats what the question forces.

 

[Chainshot]

For real. I don't think some posters realize how good of a goal scoring season he had last year in ROC. Ultra rare season for an 18 year straight out of the draft.

I don't think they get that he's 2nd in the AHL in primary points at 5-on-5 among 20 year olds, to only Shane Wright. He's third in total points at 5-on-5 to Wright and another guy who was in the first overall convo in Lambert. It was better than Kemell, Kasper, Miroshnichenko... and it's same goal rate as the Peterka and Quinn seasons that got them bumped up to the NHL. While playing center. Not wing. With the coach throwing him into the hardest matchups.

 

[enthusiast]

I don't think they get that he's 2nd in the AHL in primary points at 5-on-5 among 20 year olds, to only Shane Wright. He's third in total points at 5-on-5 to Wright and another guy who was in the first overall convo in Lambert. It was better than Kemell, Kasper, Miroshnichenko... and it's same goal rate as the Peterka and Quinn seasons that got them bumped up to the NHL. While playing center. Not wing. With the coach throwing him into the hardest matchups.

Sounds like someone worth holding onto!

 

[Beauty]

Voted Savoie. Seems like a lot of ppl agree that no one is untouchable. Curious to hear what type of return we'd get for Kulich. If you're purely trading him because he would fetch the biggest return... what exactly does that look like?

 

[Gabrielor]

I don't think they get that he's 2nd in the AHL in primary points at 5-on-5 among 20 year olds, to only Shane Wright. He's third in total points at 5-on-5 to Wright and another guy who was in the first overall convo in Lambert. It was better than Kemell, Kasper, Miroshnichenko... and it's same goal rate as the Peterka and Quinn seasons that got them bumped up to the NHL. While playing center. Not wing. With the coach throwing him into the hardest matchups.

Ah, someone else who's watched the games. Refreshing.

 

[TehDoak]

In the end, it's about the player coming back, not the player going out.

I don't see any of these as heads and shoulders above the others. I'm sure plenty will have their favorites.

If we trade for a player, and they become a big part in us having April/May hockey again on a yearly basis, I don't care who goes out the door to achieve that.

You only care about what you give up is if what you brought in doesn't work.

 

[Old Navy Goat]

In the end, it's about the player coming back, not the player going out.

I don't see any of these as heads and shoulders above the others. I'm sure plenty will have their favorites.

If we trade for a player, and they become a big part in us having April/May hockey again on a yearly basis, I don't care who goes out the door to achieve that.

You only care about what you give up is if what you brought in doesn't work.

That's not true you can look at the Erat trade and think Washington sure as hell looks back at what could of been. Or how about all the years we saw Calle Johansson playing for the Caps when Ledyard and Malarchuk were long gone. Moving top quality young players can't be just for immediate returns with no vision towards the future or you end up worse off ie Vancouver giving the metric butt ton for Mogilny and then having him gone in a couple years

 

[NotABadPeriod]

To me, Ostlund and Wahlberg are untouchable, because they bring skillsets we don't have anything close to in our prospect pool.

That leaves Savoie and Kulich. Of the two, I'd rather part with Kulich, though the return would need to be something pretty f***ing good.

 

[TehDoak]

That's not true you can look at the Erat trade and think Washington sure as hell looks back at what could of been. Or how about all the years we saw Calle Johansson playing for the Caps when Ledyard and Malarchuk were long gone. Moving top quality young players can't be just for immediate returns with no vision towards the future or you end up worse off ie Vancouver giving the metric butt ton for Mogilny and then having him gone in a couple years

to Clarify, its about the SUCCESS you have with what you acquire.

If we move Savoie and get someone, and it doesn't work (which I would judge as a consistent return to the playoffs for the forseeable future with that player being part of it) and Savoie becomes an elite forward elsewhere, then yes, there will be sour grapes here.

I don't think St Louis fans thought much of Tage Thompsons breakout year. Or Vegas fans pining for Tuch's return.

Basically, whatever the team decides to do, I don't care what the cost is, but it better damn well work.

 

[HOOats]

Savoie pretty easily for me. Combination of current value plus career projection (which unfortunately has to take into consideration the injury/size/play style stuff). And I love Savoie, but the hypothetical is the hypothetical and someone has to go (no "but I DID have breakfast" answers allowed).

Some team may end up getting the better of us on the deal, but getting a quality current NHLer in exchange for a guy who has a higher than average chance of washing out due to injury deserves strong consideration and I think it will this summer. Especially when you're as deep with young forwards as we are.