Post-Game Talk: 2/25 Postmortem - Assessing the Deadline

[Doug Prishpreed]

Getting Granlund woulda been brilliant, Min got fleeced. We have no Fiala, but that deal tells me some other lowball offer coulda worked. Woulda loved like, Nylander, Beau, and some picks. Ah well, can't really blame Botts for not finding all the magic deals available.

I'm pleased. Great move with Montour on paper, and while I'm not too happy with the Beau trade we aren't exactly losing much. Getting that 2C with a year left on his deal for parts woulda made this all a massive win, but maybe MIN just likes Fiala.

Fenton drafted Fiala and was going after him specifically, so I’m not sure other teams had an asset that would’ve similarly have tempted him.

 

[Tatanka]

This is just blind. A 30 pt RHD on a good contract and under team control afterward, is not nearly the same as a LHD prospect that has leveled off BEFORE even getting regular TOI in the NHL. If you can't see the difference in value as a #26-32 draft pick then you're just raging for the sake of it.

Montour was three years when drafted. He is 24 years old and Guhle is 21. They were one draft year apart. At 24 Guhle will be every bit the player Montour is. I get to see alot of WC games including the Ducks. Montour is a better skating Risto. He will drive the Risto haters crazy for the exact same reasons. I get rhd vs lhd. But to think Montour is a huge upgrade is lunacy. And the timing is off. I am ok with the idea of upgrading our blueline, but we paid a heavy premium and did not get Vlad or Thompson out of the lineup.

 

[CrazyPsycho]

Montour was three years when drafted. He is 24 years old and Guhle is 21. They were one draft year apart. At 24 Guhle will be every bit the player Montour is. I get to see alot of WC games including the Ducks. Montour is a better skating Risto. He will drive the Risto haters crazy for the exact same reasons. I get rhd vs lhd. But to think Montour is a huge upgrade is lunacy. And the timing is off. I am ok with the idea of upgrading our blueline, but we paid a heavy premium and did not get Vlad or Thompson out of the lineup.

Guhle makes Risto look like a Norris winner in his own end

 

[Tatanka]

Guhle makes Risto look like a Norris winner in his own end

I would hope that a 6 year vet would.

 

[Chainshot]

Ambivalent.

 

[kp2575]

I’m pleased with it. The Beaulieu trade was expected after he went to the press. I was hoping for a 4th but understand they didn’t have a lot of leverage with a guy that’s been in the press box mostly for the last 30 games and teams knowing they’d have to make a move.

As far as dumping their crap onto other people I was pretty realistic about that. At best Scandella and Sobotka get moved at the deadline next year or packaged with someone this summer but I even doubt that. Would have liked to get something for Pommers and open up space for some Roch forwards but with his clause and history with the team, not surprised he wasn’t dealt.

I wasn’t expecting the Montour trade at all and I liked it. Balances out the sides and Guhle fell behind Pilut and Dahlin, with Samulesson coming next year probably potentially pushing down further. He wasn’t Botts guy and it felt like he want going to crack the lineup.

 

[wunderpanda]

Pleased for the strategy. They added an RHD with 2nd line experience who is still reasonably team controlled. Monty could replace Bogo when injured or allow Bogo to be a deadline rental next season. If Bogo stays healthy, Monty could fill in if Risto is traded, Nelson hasn't been detrimental (and I have the expectation of Borgen becoming at least a 3rd liner by this time next season)

We won't notice Guhle being traded, he was doubtful to get a serious look with Dahlin & some combination of Marco, McCabe & Pilut next season. Same with BoLu, he just wasn't more than a 7/8 with the Sabres (for whatever reasons, not disputing usage either way). Botts has until next summer to fill in the inexpensive 5/6/7/8 spots if Bogo, Marco & Hunwick all depart before UFA.

No issue losing a 1st, next year the Sabres shouldn't be depending on the middle drafted 1st round rookie. With the age of the roster, 1st rounders now should be filling spots that current RFAs will vacate in a couple years. No need to get a 2C knowing Mitts has another year to grow into it by design. Ducks trade brought flexibilty on the right side while pruning the left side, BoLu trade gave him a fresh start instead of a dead end in a contract year. They have all summer to replace Pomer & a full year to plan Sobotka exit.

Kind of excited the Sabres will have Bogo playing for a top 4 position in a contract year with a younger RFA Monty pushing for the same spot & Risto needing to fend them off. Might be more about dollar value with those 3, someone needs of formula for salary vs production & impact. Risto & his faults may be a negligible with his contract as opposed to extending Bogo, Monty could be a better value moving forward that Risto, Bogo & Monty extending + trade return from Risto could become a better value than keeping Risto

 

[Chainshot]

Positives: acquiring Montour, moving Beaulieu, assigning Thompson to the Americans.

Negatives: Youth does not appear to be being served with these last 20 games are being played out. Coach remains an idiot, another season wasted.

 

[Dreakon13]

Positives: acquiring Montour, moving Beaulieu, assigning Thompson to the Americans.

Negatives: Youth does not appear to be being served with these last 20 games are being played out. Coach remains an idiot, another season wasted.

Had to dig around for anything on this... looks like it was just a paper move to make Thompson eligible for the AHL playoffs? Then he was recalled right away. As far as I can tell, he's still in Buffalo.

EDIT: Unless you mean you're glad they did the paper move because now he can help Rochester when the year is up. Because IMO that's pretty cool.

 

[joshjull]

Solid if unspectacular deadline for us.

 

[Crazy Tasty]

It feels like we didn't "sell" for the first deadline in forever. I'm pleased with that.

 

[Baccus]

It's meh as he still hasn't addressed the gaping crater he created at center ice. Yes it probably needs to be a bigger offseason move, but tick-tock another year goes. Doing nothing for all the time between the win streak and now leaves me feeling let down.

Hopefully something pre-draft happens, with the Mountor move and what we have on the roster one would almost expect a Risto for something upfront deal, but who knows. Hopefully nobody else loses their love for the game between now and then.

 

[hizzoner]

Like everyone else I would have been happy to see one or more of our oft injured/underperforming vets go. Wonder why Botts could not do that? Kidding of course. Guhle had the size and the skating-but never produced at any level commensurate with his skill. He was not going to make the Sabres next year in a top 6 role and wold have had to go through waivers to be sent to Rochester-and he was an RFA. Getting Montour as an experienced RD with term and still quite young was worth the difference of a late round first. Basically we let the contract go of a guy who could not cut it and traded a late first for a top 4 RD with some years of control left. I am quite ok with that.

 

[Member 308457]

Wait and see on Montour. With him being on the West Coast I am not familiar with his body of work. I see he's kind of small for a d-man and he seems to struggle in his own end...he can fit right in. He can QB the power play...Would have been nice to see him step right in vs. our hated rivals the Leafs...I hope Risto leaves the power play now but Housley waffles so much that the pp point situation is going to be muddy for awhile. Then there's Pilut...I had high hopes for Guhle and his athleticism but that doesn't make a hockey player necessarily. I've seen too little of Montour and Guhle to make a judgement. Not a big fan of also getting rid of a first although this team doesn't draft well unless handed a top five pick.

Sorry Kyle, but I was pleased to see O'Regan in for Oxsoslow who has become the poster boy for dead wood on this team. It seems the Boston connection on the team liked the change. I was counting on Kyle to be out for the rest of the season so we can see what else we have. Then he had to come back and he had a negative impact in the Leafs game. Now O'Regan is short circuited again... he's probably toast in this "organization." What a waste. Seems obvious to me that Thompson and Mittelstadt belong in the AHL for now at least.

Also I believe that the ROR deal must have been forced by ownership. How else does Buff get back so little? Doesn't seem like a Botterill type deal but I guess I'm still learning what a Botterill type deal really is.

So far all I see with this team is a logjam with mostly mediocre FW, D & G.

 

[Chainshot]

Had to dig around for anything on this... looks like it was just a paper move to make Thompson eligible for the AHL playoffs? Then he was recalled right away. As far as I can tell, he's still in Buffalo.

EDIT: Unless you mean you're glad they did the paper move because now he can help Rochester when the year is up. Because IMO that's pretty cool.

Yes, making the necessary move to get him reps in the postseason is what I’m talking about. They should’ve done the same thing with Casey, because he needs the same sort of work.

 

[old kummelweck]

Happy about Montour, but from an asset management standpoint, Thompson better work out as a trade piece for ROR, or else we are looking at some ugly value alignment.

 

[Baccus]

Happy about Montour, but from an asset management standpoint, Thompson better work out as a trade piece for ROR, or else we are looking at some ugly value alignment.

Narrator voiceover: It was ugly.

 

[Jim Bob]

I didn't hate the Montour deal. But, I'm not convinced that it will look great down the road.

Kind of like how adding Scandella & Beaulieu hasn't helped a ton since they were acquired by Botterill.

And moving Beaulieu for a 6th is another shoulder shrug move. I know they needed to move a D for once Scandella becomes healthy. But, I'd rather they waive Hunwick to Rochester, honestly.