Ethan Edwards
Registered User
Opinions varied, but I think you're right. Regardless, the trade had very little to do with Deslauriers. It's based on how you value Hudson Fasching. In less than a season he went from a 4th or 5th round pick, I forget, to a 1st rounder IMO, in terms of worth. So far this season, only a couple games in, he's not disappointing, though we'll see if he keeps it up.
I'm not sure how to respond since by your own admission you haven't seen Fasching play. That sort of derails this entire discussion and makes me wonder how you can possibly gauge this supposed gap. I've been witness to the talents up close, and Fasching is the real deal--a responsible power forward who can score--and continues to get better. You can only make that trade based on what you project for Fasching at the time and what we knew of McNabb. How it turns out later is a gamble, by definition, but based on those projections, Fasching trumps McNabb. I would've had no problem seeing McNabb in the Sabres line-up over the players you mentioned, but that doesn't change the scenario one bit. It's also pointless to keep mentioning Deslauriers in a straight comparison to McNabb. He has little to do with this trade. If you say that you've seen Fasching play and you think McNabb has the much brighter future, then that's different. I say fair enough, and we can walk away in happy disagreement.First of all, I was always high on McNabb so that colors my view on the trade of course. Secondly, we held McNabb out of the NHL for McBain, Weber and Tallinder, but he is good enough for the defending Stanley Cup Champions while we're dressing Benoit. Third, I'm not overly impressed by Deslauriers. I like the kid and I still hope he contribues, but right now he is not that impressive. Which leaves Fasching to cover a big gap value-wise, and I'm sorry but I don't have a lot of input on him, I've never seen him in action. If he develops into what we hope, then I'll re-think the trade and come to like it, but for now I don't. So far it's Sekera for McBain and a second rounder. Compher has a lot of gap to close, as does Fasching.
But again, if they close the gap, I'll change my mind.
Hudson Fasching is a scoring power forward who as a freshman on a national champ caliber team forced the hand of "Lucky" Lucia, his coach, into moving him up to the top line and giving him more and more TOI, where he thrived, positively developed, and helped lead the team to a title shot. People talk about earning this and earning that on here. That's precisely what Fasching did. On his own. McNabb may have been misused and underappreciated and all that, but he was given chances to overcome and force the hand of his coaches and the Sabres organization and he didn't. Not saying he "failed," but he didn't "wow" anybody either in his chances, whether in Buffalo or Rochester. And it's quite possible he played well enough to "earn" a steady Top 6 role on the big club and the Sabres blew it, but he never forced that decision to be made like Fasching did (different circumstances to be sure). Maybe now he'll thrive with the Kings and be great. I hope he does. Honestly. But how Fasching currently projects v. McNabb and two seconds? I'll make that trade every time.
