2021 Roster discussion part 4: Who? The Kids Are Alright or Odds and Sods.

[Der Jaeger]

I don't think we can take ALL futures back for Eichel, which is what this is. It's a huge package of maybes. I also think Seattle easily picks Risto if he's exposed so he's likely of zero value to LA if they can't protect him.

Sure, it's a huge package of maybes. Turcotte played well at the WJCs, played really well this season in the AHL, and still projects as a top line center who plays a ROR's like game with speed. Vilardi is playing NHL minutes now and had a really good rookie season. Bjornfot projects as a shutdown defender and didn't look out of place in his first NHL games.

In two years, Turcotte and Vilardi are top 6 anchors and Bjornfot is top 4 shutdown. That's better than what the Rangers are going to offer.

So in the fantansy world you get JUST huge futures for Eichel, utilize your warchest of picks to go get NHL help and don't waste protection spots on Asplund and TT. These are borderine NHLers long term.

Or, you protect the players you have and then use the war chest after the ED. Why rush before and make a move and expose a player for no reason?

More futures? Get a NHL player back

Why? If the Sabres are moving Eichel and Reinhart, you want to reinforce the roster with youth behind Dahlin, Mittelstadt, and Cozens.

Can I just say, this is without a doubt, the worst lineup in the NHL. You won't be able to score consistently, and the defense is a turnstile. You should start hiring a team of team psychiatrists to deal with the PTSD you are going to inflict on the goaltenders. I also think you have serious cap floor issues with that roster. You might as well tarp the 300s over to get ad revenue because the turnout for that team is going to be Atlanta Thrasher level bad. And find someone different in goal, because no self respecting UFA goalie is signing up to play behind all of ~that~

You want to fill up the barn with prospects....that's fine. I'd rather take prospects than picks given our immediate needs and lack of a fleshed out scouting staff.

You cannot ice that lineup though. You can't just keep tearing down and hope a bunch of kids will come to save us. We tried that, it doesn't work. Start building a culture of accountability and have some on ice success, even if its not a contending team. Take on some salary dumps, find more players that are falling through the expansion cracks and get legit, proven NHL players back for Eichel/Reinhart.

Yes, you can ice that line up. It's basically the same lineup the Sabres iced every game under Granato, minus Reinhart and Ristolainen. And that was a near .500 team who played really well once the streak was over. Kids like Dahlin, Mittelstadt, and Cozens are stepping into bigger roles and are only going to get better.

You want to move Reinhart for a player like Monahan and Eichel for the parts the Rangers will offer, fine. That's not for me. Give me the flood of kids. They showed they could handle it at the end of the year.

 

[littletonhockeycoach]

It would take something seriously bad for Dahlin to want out. If the team gives him half the confidence and responsibility Eichel received he'll give everything to pay back with his on ice performance.

The kid survived Housley and Krueger.

Yeah..... Dahlin's play of late indicates he's got a positive mindset now. I'm not worried about him at all.

 

[truthbluth]

They are going to pay Phil Danault like $8 million after they trade Jack and Sam for a couple of 1sts

 

[TheBarnIsElectric]

Eichel for an extended Jones? It'd be funny if Jones was involved in another player for player swap like this, but Friedman's article today makes it sound like he might want out of Columbus. This would be a legit franchise RD coming back in his prime. Sabres could afford to pay him with Eichel coming off the books.

I'd also trade Reinhart to Vancouver for Horvat. I think they'd do it and we'd get a solid top 6 C back to replace Jack's minutes. He's also their captain and could start as C in Buffalo as one of the older guys.

If these were to happen and we somehow get Beniers, I'd be hopeful again about the future, and nothing here is out of the realm of possibility, IMO.

 

[littletonhockeycoach]

Cozen has had a really big year with Wrld Jrs and then the NHL run. He needs the rest given that he looked to be out of gas by the end of the NHL season.

I can't wait to see him hit it refreshed in 2021-22.

 

[CrazyPsycho]

This would be a legit franchise RD coming back in his prime.

I 100% quit if they trade for Seth Jones. We already have him his name is Risto

 

[sabremike]

Eichel for an extended Jones? It'd be funny if Jones was involved in another player for player swap like this, but Friedman's article today makes it sound like he might want out of Columbus. This would be a legit franchise RD coming back in his prime. Sabres could afford to pay him with Eichel coming off the books.

I'd also trade Reinhart to Vancouver for Horvat. I think they'd do it and we'd get a solid top 6 C back to replace Jack's minutes. He's also their captain and could start as C in Buffalo as one of the older guys.

If these were to happen and we somehow get Beniers, I'd be hopeful again about the future, and nothing here is out of the realm of possibility, IMO.

If Adams was to pull that first one off he should win NHL Exec of the Year in a landslide. That would be the equivalent of the Isles losing PJB but ending up with Barry Trotz which turned catastrophe into a win.

 

[threeVo]

I 100% quit if they trade for Seth Jones. We already have him his name is Risto

lol WUT??? Not even in the same universe. Dahlin - Jones as your 25-30min a night top pair is great

 

[CrazyPsycho]

lol WUT??? Not even in the same universe. Dahlin - Jones as your 25-30min a night top pair is great

Did you guys just not see how poor they were defensively this year? Even playing with Werenski when he was playing they were a tire fire all year in their own end

 

[TheBarnIsElectric]

I 100% quit if they trade for Seth Jones. We already have him his name is Risto

If Adams was to pull that first one off he should win NHL Exec of the Year in a landslide. That would be the equivalent of the Isles losing PJB but ending up with Barry Trotz which turned catastrophe into a win.

Apparently opinions vary on Jones, lol. Is he not a legit franchise D? I've never heard anyone say he's not a really good player, but I'll admit I don't know his advanced stats.

 

[littletonhockeycoach]

You guys are daft....... The last place team in the NHL with its star player suffering from a herniated disk in his neck (and about to undergo surgery) really has very little to no leverage. (Did I mention a novice GM in training who needed an assistant?)

You should be more concerned about resigning a healthy and recovered Ullmark, dispensing with our half blind backup goaltender and developing ONE of the stable of AHL level tenders into a dependable NHL backup.

McCabe's future ability to perform is touch and go. And Risto needs to be replaced with a physical D who also happens to have some hockey IQ. (Anything would be an improvement over the current norm...)

Just say no to trading Reino as well.

 

[CrazyPsycho]

Apparently opinions vary on Jones, lol. Is he not a legit franchise D? I've never heard anyone say he's not a really good player, but I'll admit I don't know his advanced stats.

And hes going to get paid wayyyyy too much

 

[TheBarnIsElectric]

You guys are daft....... The last place team in the NHL with its star player suffering from a herniated disk in his neck (and about to undergo surgery) really has very little to no leverage. (Did I mention a novice GM in training who needed an assistant?)

You should be more concerned about resigning a healthy and recovered Ullmark, dispensing with our half blind backup goaltender and developing ONE of the stable of AHL level tenders into a dependable NHL backup.

McCabe's future ability to perform is touch and go. And Risto needs to be replaced with a physical D who also happens to have some hockey IQ. (Anything would be an improvement over the current norm...)

Just say no to trading Reino as well.

I think the alternative to trading Reino is to lose him for nothing, so I'd much prefer to trade him. He's not going to sign long term here, especially if Eichel goes.

I think you underestimate how much value Jack Eichel holds, even coming off injury. Read some of the comments from other GMs in Friedman's article today. The return should be good for Jack Eichel. Maybe we have to be patient and it doesn't get done this summer, but Adams should be able to get something valuable in return at some point.

 

[brian_griffin]

We're at 45 pages, I started a new one.

 

[littletonhockeycoach]

And hes going to get paid wayyyyy too much

I recall when the discussion was whether to take MacKinnon or Jones as the Avalanche's #1. Jones, being locally developed had a lot of supporters. Frankly, I'm glad Sakic didn't get taken in by all that. Neither should the Sabres.

 

[littletonhockeycoach]

I think the alternative to trading Reino is to lose him for nothing, so I'd much prefer to trade him. He's not going to sign long term here, especially if Eichel goes.

I think you underestimate how much value Jack Eichel holds, even coming off injury. Read some of the comments from other GMs in Friedman's article today. The return should be good for Jack Eichel. Maybe we have to be patient and it doesn't get done this summer, but Adams should be able to get something valuable in return at some point.

Regarding Reino..... you know this? How??

Regarding Eichel.... there's due diligence that needs to be exercised by all parties before stepping up to the trade table. Let's see first what next season brings...

I have ZERO faith in the Sabre management's ability to obtain a fair, much less better return for Jack.

 

[2 others]

So reading the comments, this is ROR all over again. A guy wants out and the GM caves.
Just don't deal him, or at least wait till the end of summer. His neck should at least be better by then. If not, you can still do something.

 

[Sabre the Win]

Explained and worded a little better in the new roster discussion forum.

 

[TheBarnIsElectric]

Regarding Reino..... you know this? How??

Regarding Eichel.... there's due diligence that needs to be exercised by all parties before stepping up to the trade table. Let's see first what next season brings...

I have ZERO faith in the Sabre management's ability to obtain a fair, much less better return for Jack.

You're right, I don't know for sure. But I listened to his press conference yesterday and know that he hasn't signed long term yet. Would you sign up for another long term rebuild if you could just sign for a year and then go where you want? I mean, maybe he'll commit to Buffalo long term, but I just don't see it, especially if you're trading Eichel.

I can't argue with anything else you said. They need to be patient if no good offers are out there and we don't have any reason to expect them to do things right, at this point. Sad but true. I just can't wallow in depression full time (that was yesterday), so I prefer to think about the possibilities and hope for the best.

 

[Fezzy126]

 

[markpenske]

My plan:

Opening Night Line-up
Asplund - Mittelstadt - Thompson
Skinner - Cozens - Ruotsalainen
Bjork - Vilardi - Olofsson
Wood - Girgensons - Okposo
x Eakin, Murray

Dahlin - Jokiharju
Samuelsson - Smith
Bryson - Borgen
x Bjornfot

Ullmark, Vanecek

The key to this isn't who is one the roster... it's who's not on the roster and coming.

Center: Turcotte, Beniers, Zary, Svechkov
Winger: Pelletier, Quinn, Boucher, Pekar, Huglen, Weissbach, Rousek, Biro
Defense: Johnson, Laaksonen, Fitzgerald
Goaltender: Luukanen, Portillo


This is the re-start I'd want. Solid, young NHL line-up with a ton of kids coming.

I like some of that thinking. I don't think we should be thinking of playoffs next year or maybe even the year after. Should be about building a power-house for the future - my opinion

 

[joshjull]

As has be mentioned previously, Harrington is such an ass.

 

[Der Jaeger]

Get ready....

 

[Flash20]

If Adams was to pull that first one off he should win NHL Exec of the Year in a landslide. That would be the equivalent of the Isles losing PJB but ending up with Barry Trotz which turned catastrophe into a win.

Jones is overrated

 

[Flash20]

Get ready....

Don't understand why people Think were not gonna gun for the best prospect

Hes not it ..