Which team has a brighter future, Seattle or Buffalo?

[Just Linda]

I think Vegas lucked out a bit in terms of key players. The issue they were going to have was a lack of top end players in key positions. They managed to find Theodore and Karlsson just like that, and those players ascending so fast helped to turn them into a magnet for free agents.

So I'm not sure that Seattle will be as lucky.

Also, I think Buffalo is better than how horrible they seem now. They have some amazing young talent in key positions. When Dahlin matures a bit, that will make things click. They had a good offseason last fall, but it didn't pan out. If they keep trying at it, they will put it together within a few seasons.

I mean I know this is fantasy land but here's a couple options they could do.

Sign Hall + Danault + Hamilton + Brodie for slightly above market, top pairing and top 6 centres are taken care of.

From there, lots of top 6 options available. Fill the top 9 with them.

Capable goalies galore will be available.

They'll be fine.

 

[Leaftors]

Vegas was lucky imo.

You redo that 20x and 18x the team sucks. Also - majority expected Vegas to suck even after draft. I think people are out to lunch if they just assume Seattle does the same. It's possible but highly improbable.

I still really like Buffalo's core of Eichel/Dahlin. Sure this season is a writeoff, but it shouldn't be this hard to come back next year with something better

1. Covid, the cap is staying flat, teams will have lower internal budget’s if they aren’t rich to recoup the losses.
2. teams against the cap have no choice but to expose good players, or trade Seattle draft picks to stay away.
3. This is discussing who has a brighter future, which if you stock pile assets (draft picks) and on top of that still get to pick out of a selection of NHL guys, you’ll have a solid future.

 

[BlueBaron]

LOL, what a mean poll.

I am going with Buffalo. Dahlin and Eichel are exceptional assets and they look to be getting another top pick. I have my doubts we'll see a repeat of the Vegas magic. The flat Cap will give Seattle a lot of options but I think teams will be better prepared this time.

 

[Mr Positive]

1. Covid, the cap is staying flat, teams will have lower internal budget’s if they aren’t rich to recoup the losses.
2. teams against the cap have no choice but to expose good players, or trade Seattle draft picks to stay away.
3. This is discussing who has a brighter future, which if you stock pile assets (draft picks) and on top of that still get to pick out of a selection of NHL guys, you’ll have a solid future.

With this year, previous years, and the next couple potentially, Buffalo will have a lot of great young talent too.

The main positive imo is that Buffalo can hang their players on a core that has an elite 1C and 1D. That's something Seattle may struggle to do.

I do think that a lot of FAs are licking their chops at potentially signing with Seattle. If they do get Hamilton that would be a coup. Still, there's no 1C for them, and they don't have Hamilton yet. It might be more like a few #2/3 types.

Seattle will have unparalleled depth, which will be a huge asset, but all Buffalo has to do is start winning and they will have an easy time filling their depth. And imo, what they really need for that is just for their young players to mature a bit more.

 

[Leaftors]

With this year, previous years, and the next couple potentially, Buffalo will have picks too.

The main positive imo is that Buffalo can hang their players on a core that has an elite 1C and 1D. That's something Seattle may struggle to do.

I do think that a lot of FAs are licking their chops at potentially signing with Seattle. If they do get Hamilton that would be a coup. Still, there's no 1C for them, and they don't have Hamilton yet. It might be more like a few #2/3 types.

Seattle will have unparalleled depth, which will be a huge asset, but all Buffalo has to do is start winning and they will have an easy time filling their depth. And imo, what they really need for that is just for their young players to mature a bit more.

I completely agree, I didn’t even comment about what team will have the brighter future. I was merely making the point that Seattle is going to be in a good position.

 

[Nac Mac Feegle]

Vegas was catching lightning in a bottle. NHL GMs won't be fooled this time around, and the pool of players Seattle has to pick from will be weaker overall.

Buffalo has some good pieces. They just need to have better coaching, add a good person or two to the scouting staff, and hope the 'newness' factor has worn off for those owners, and they back off a bit and let the hockey people take over.

 

[Mr Positive]

Vegas was catching lightning in a bottle. NHL GMs won't be fooled this time around, and the pool of players Seattle has to pick from will be weaker overall.

Buffalo has some good pieces. They just need to have better coaching, add a good person or two to the scouting staff, and hope the 'newness' factor has worn off for those owners, and they back off a bit and let the hockey people take over.

Also, in a world of parity, it doesn't take much to get pinned at the bottom, because the quality of the teams at the bottom is high. But it also means that fortunes can turn on a dime.

 

[Just Linda]

Vegas was catching lightning in a bottle. NHL GMs won't be fooled this time around, and the pool of players Seattle has to pick from will be weaker overall.

Buffalo has some good pieces. They just need to have better coaching, add a good person or two to the scouting staff, and hope the 'newness' factor has worn off for those owners, and they back off a bit and let the hockey people take over.

I disagree.

I feel as though the Covid cap + internal budgets will mean that a few teams will be in Florida's shoes from a few years ago where they released better players than they intended. Couple that with teams being tight to the cap with RFAs to sign, I wouldn't be surprised if 25ish teams contact Seattle about cap problems. Teams budgeted to have 6-8 million more than they will have available to them this offseason, a lot of long term plans are going to the toilet.

 

[lottster14]

Seattle, but only because money and the league being business first, f***in amazon owns their arena.

 

[Larry Hanson]

BUF for sure. It's become a bit of an urban myth that the expansion rules allow anyone to create a playoff team right out of the gate. Other teams GM's were idiots and gave Vegas a lot of good players for no good reason, I'm sure many of them would like a do-over.

If Vegas had to actually take just the players exposed they wouldn't have been nearly as good. With expansion rules as is you likely end up with 2 or 3 middle of the road goalies, 6 or 7 defencemen that would normal be 2nd to 3rd pairing, a few 2nd line forwards and a bunch of 3rd line forwards.

 

[Wolfpuck]

Seattle

They won't be Vegas good (they don't have to be), but they won't be Buffalo bad.

 

[Voight]

Buffalo has a lot of good assets that they can trade. Eichel alone should bring in a Kings Ransom.

 

[ScaredStreit]

Seattle...and I really wish I was making a joke too. Feel for Buffalo fans.

 

[M88K]

I mean even if Buffalo did have the better future, it's still Buffalo.
Seattle is going to get some good assets right of the hop and buffalo is stapled to some dead weight, unless Seattle really shits the bed in the expansion draft, they should be a better right out of the gate

 

[SotasicA]

Sabres have Eichel so that's in their favour. But Seattle doesn't have Skinner, so that's one point for the Kraken. Sabres have Dahlin.

I think the Sabres are still closer to reaching the playoffs. They just need a hard ass coach to break that locker room. Sutter would have been great (not that he would ever agree to go to Buffalo). Babcock?

 

[GOALOFSSON]

The funny part is some of the posters voting for Seattle probably actually believe it

 

[BigBadBruins7708]

Seattle. Simply because they aren't paying Jeff Skinner $9m a season until 2027 to score at an 8 goal per season or 0.13 ppg pace.

Oh, and they wont be stuck with the Pegulas at the helm

 

[brock0791]

Eichel is worth more than it would take to unload Skinner's contract. The rest of the team is probably about equal to what Seattle could draft but Buffalo has a prospect pool whereas Seattle doesn't. If we're talking purely roster based and not front office I'd say Buffalo

 

[Adele Dazeem]

I mean I know this is fantasy land but here's a couple options they could do.

Sign Hall + Danult + Hamilton + Brodie for slightly above market, top pairing and top 6 centres are taken care of.

From there, lots of top 6 options available. Fill the top 9 with them.

Capable goalies galore will be available.

They'll be fine.

Yeah cause these two have been great right?

Seattle shouldn't be able to steal players like Marchessault and Reilley for free; also they traded for Stone for peanuts (Brannstrom might make the trade even possibly). If Seattle's GM can be as shrewd then maybe but this is Buffalo all the way.

They got the better prospects and they shouldn't be as bad as they are currently.

Not to mention Seattle's expansion draft will be much more "scraps" than "hidden gems"; not too many forwards to pick from.

 

[Just Linda]

Yeah cause these two have been great right?

Seattle shouldn't be able to steal players like Marchessault and Reilley for free; also they traded for Stone for peanuts (Brannstrom might make the trade even possibly). If Seattle's GM can be as shrewd then maybe but this is Buffalo all the way.

They got the better prospects and they shouldn't be as bad as they are currently.

Not to mention Seattle's expansion draft will be much more "scraps" than "hidden gems"; not too many forwards to pick from.

Danault has been, he's a capable 2C for sure. Worst case he gets bumped to the 3C role. Put Hall next to him and they balance their weaknesses out well.

 

[spiny norman]

Lopsided result.