Brighter Future: Buffalo or Colorado?

[cgf]

They are both great contracts moving fwd.

Mackinnon's runs out 22-23
Eichel's runs out 25-26

Mackinnon's is better right now, and he was signed earlier, however the window for Eichel's is longer. And I suspect his contract in a few years will look Mackinnon-esque now if the cap rises and the sabres continue to improve the talent around him.

That's more reasonable than I was expecting, but those 3 years don't make as big a difference as the 4M per for me.

I don't think elite player contracts will inflate all that much further unless Matthews blows past the McDavid-contract to raise the bar drastically again. If Matthews ends up costing "only" 12-13M per, then I think we'll see cap inflation affecting the mid-tier guys who've gotten squeezed by post-McDavid-signing inflation of elite player contracts...rather than even further inflating elite player contracts. Those typically only ratchet up when a super-duper-star sets a new ceiling.

...which MacK's contract that will kick in in 2023, might very well end up being...especially if we win a cup or two while he's on this sweetheart deal.

 

[The Winter Soldier]

That's more reasonable than I was expecting, but those 3 years don't make as big a difference as the 4M per for me.

I don't think elite player contracts will inflate all that much further unless Matthews blows past the McDavid-contract to raise the bar drastically again. If Matthews ends up costing "only" 12-13M per, then I think we'll see cap inflation affecting the mid-tier guys who've gotten squeezed by post-McDavid-signing inflation of elite player contracts...rather than even further inflating elite player contracts. Those typically only ratchet up when a super-duper-star sets a new ceiling.

...which MacK's contract that will kick in in 2023, might very well end up being...especially if we win a cup or two while he's on this sweetheart deal.

I will concede to find common ground both have their advantages. I think both Mac and Eichel their deals were signed at the right time just before they took off. We know what Mackinnon did last year, and now this year. Now we are seeing what Eichel can do when the team is not a tire fire. The cudos go to Mgt for locking them up before it got to this point that they are proving they are worth more. If anything, as a Rantanen fan, he will get paid, and it will be awkward that he is going to be paid maybe 2-3M more per than Mackinnon is. One can counter Skinner may demand similar, but he is a UFA as being the difference, not RFA. If it's too rich for Sabres they can let him walk.

 

[Mrb1p]

Oloffson Nylander smith pilut are all ppg in the ahl, Guhle is a very promising D prospect. ukko pekka luukkonen is having a great year, Pekar look promising as well for a late pick (czech roster for WJC) and we have 3 first this year on top of that

Like I said if ottawa pick ends up top 3 you probably have the better high end pool if not buffalo ends up with the more desirable pool if we have 3 picks between 11 - 25. on top of the group we already have on the Sabres. it's gonna be war come training for either teams prospect to try and break through

I'm not an Avs fans (Well, technically, I am, but I'm also a Sabres fans, because I like good hockey.)

It's a nice group of players you guys have, not denying that, Pilut is having a great year and Pekar was in my 2nd round, but Timmins, Kaut, Makar, Bowers, Meloche is just that much better than your group, one more first rounder (if it happens) isn't going to change that, unless its hughes or kakko.

 

[WillTheThrill]

Insanely close but gonna have to go with Colorado. I like Mack more than Jack and Buffalo doesn't have a winger of Rantanen's calibre. Edge to Buffalo on D but Colorado has some good young defenseman coming too.

 

[Derg12]

Replace Hunwick with Pilut.

 

[cgf]

I will concede to find common ground both have their advantages. I think both Mac and Eichel their deals were signed at the right time just before they took off. We know what Mackinnon did last year, and now this year. Now we are seeing what Eichel can do when the team is not a tire fire. The cudos go to Mgt for locking them up before it got to this point that they are proving they are worth more. If anything, as a Rantanen fan, he will get paid, and it will be awkward that he is going to be paid maybe 2-3M more per than Mackinnon is. One can counter Skinner may demand similar, but he is a UFA as being the difference, not RFA. If it's too rich for Sabres they can let him walk.

Fair enough.

And I don't think it'll be awkward given how tight those guys are. Rantanen & Barrie will just have to pick up every check & pay for their joint vacations, maybe chip in together to buy MacK his next car

 

[nickdawg95]

I'm not an Avs fans (Well, technically, I am, but I'm also a Sabres fans, because I like good hockey.)

It's a nice group of players you guys have, not denying that, Pilut is having a great year and Pekar was in my 2nd round, but Timmins, Kaut, Makar, Bowers, Meloche is just that much better than your group, one more first rounder (if it happens) isn't going to change that, unless its hughes or kakko.

only person better is makar

I'd take nylander or any of those prospects

 

[Mrb1p]

only person better is makar

I'd take nylander or any of those prospects

Heh, youd most likely be alone on that one, at least for Timmins and Kaut.

 

[tucker3434]

I can’t vote on this without bias (but I voted anyway).

I like the way the Avs are setting up. We still have some holes, but we have a blue chipper in Makar on the way, and solid B+ prospect in Kaut in the AHL, and a potential blue chipper in the Sens pick a little further down the road.

The Sabres are obviously killing it right now too, and Dahlin is a stud. But I’m not going against my team.

 

[Thenameless]

I think Buffalo has better balance in their young talent with Dahlin on the back end, but I still went with Colorado. MacKinnon is an exceptional player, and even with all of those high draft picks coming up, Buffalo just seems like one of those cursed teams.

 

[KingDeathMetal]

Immediately, I thought Colorado. But the more I thought about it...I inched towards Buffalo. Based on projections alone (i.e. Makar will be a #1 D, but Dahlin will be generational; Eichel will continue his growth into a superstar; Mittelstadt will be a #1 C, etc.), I see Buffalo being far stronger up the middle, and better on the back end as well. I think Colorado will have the best line in hockey for years to come, but Buffalo will be deeper. If you asked me to choose between having Mack/Rantanen/Makar or Eichel/Mittelstadt/Dahlin, I would take the latter.

As far as picks go, Buffalo is going to have 2, and possibly 3 first rounds picks in 2019. That Ottawa pick will be nice for Colorado, but it's looking like it won't be as good as initially thought (i.e. they prob don't wind up with Hughes or Kakko).

Fun debate though, this could go either way. Both fan bases have a lot to look forward to, and it might not be long before we see both teams in the Stanley Cup Finals. I think we're going to see a lot of final 4 playoff finishes involving Buff/Tor and Col/Van/or Wpg in the not too distant future. Great time to be a fan of any of those teams.

 

[Ivan13]

I think Buffalo has better balance in their young talent with Dahlin on the back end, but I still went with Colorado. MacKinnon is an exceptional player, and even with all of those high draft picks coming up, Buffalo just seems like one of those cursed teams.

Avs have Barrie in his prime pacing for 72 points, coming off a season where he was 2nd only to EK in ppg by 0.01. Girard is a 20-year-old playing like a borderline top pairing D, another young D in Z, with Makar, Timmins and Meloche in the wings. Sure none of those guys will be as good as Dahlin, but I'd sure as hell pick that group over the Sabers one every day of the week and twice on Sunday.

 

[Eltuna]

Pretty good question. If Buffalo had kept ROR I might be inclined to go with them but as it is now I take the Avs. Dahlin is quite tempting but the Avs also have some very good top tier talent and have better defensive, goaltending, and prospect depth.

 

[Mighty Makar]

It’s good to see the Sabres playing well.

 

[Le Magnifique 66]

Really close but overall I prefer and give a little edge to the Avs

 

[Royal Thunder]

It's close, can't really fault anyone for voting either way. Sabres prospects are really being underrated in this thread though, and we get 4 first rounders over the next 2 years. Not trying to discredit the Avs prospects here, just seems most people think the Sabres don't have much in the pipeline. Our studs are in the lineup, yes, but we have guys coming on defense (Pilut, Samuelsson, Laaksonen, Guhle, Borgen, Bryson) and up front (Olofsson, Nylander, Smith, Asplund, Pekar, etc). That group includes the leading goal scorer in the SHL last year in Olofsson and the SHL dman of the year in Pilut, both of whom have absolutely torn up the AHL this year and Pilut has looked truly great the last couple games with the big club. Sabres also have one of the best goalie prospects in UPL. Our roster is far from its final form (as is Colorado's).

 

[Tage2Tuch]

Hunwick?

Lol, I laughed at that too. Even if he ever does play a game as a Buffalo Sabre suggesting he’s a part of the future plans or even over other names is the humorous part.

Damn this is close 94-94 when I voted.

Anyway, I can’t fault anyone for picking either side either, other then Colorado’s forward depth going forward and do they have a goalie for the future planned? These are two areas I see buffalo perhaps having over Colorado going forward unless I’m wrong and they have guys ready. I know about the dmen and too end talent as well as the now and host, kerfoot, but just curious if avs fans can fill me in there.

 

[Freudian]

Buffalo Sabres

Take the highlighted letters and rearrange them and you get "leafs". Clearly Buffalo has the better future.

 

[TruePowerSlave]

The Senators 1st makes a big difference imo. The Avs will be able to draft another player with elite potential to an already impressive core.

 

[Mattilaus]

The Senators 1st makes a big difference imo. The Avs will be able to draft another player with elite potential to an already impressive core.

I will agree with this. Pick has a good chance of being top 5 and if it ends up being #1? Love the Sabres and their prospect pool but I voted Colorado.

 

[flyfysher]

Homer vote.

 

[Meichel Kane]

Hunwick >>> Alt, please lock this

Hunwick on the ice for zero goals this season

 

[Halla]

going avs because they have been good for more than about 10-12 games

 

[cgf]

Lol, I laughed at that too. Even if he ever does play a game as a Buffalo Sabre suggesting he’s a part of the future plans or even over other names is the humorous part.

Damn this is close 94-94 when I voted.

Anyway, I can’t fault anyone for picking either side either, other then Colorado’s forward depth going forward and do they have a goalie for the future planned? These are two areas I see buffalo perhaps having over Colorado going forward unless I’m wrong and they have guys ready. I know about the dmen and too end talent as well as the now and host, kerfoot, but just curious if avs fans can fill me in there.

We have Grubauer & Francouz...who was the best goalie in the KHL the best few years...who are both 27 and should be capable starters for us for the foreseeable future. And in the pipeline we just spent a high pick on Annunen who should get brought over in a couple seasons; Werner is doing great in Sweden & going to sign his ELC after this season; and there's Shmakov who we just drafted because of his great tools, even though he's raw and going to stay in russia for years of polish before NA becomes a consideration for him.

So even if Varly is allowed to walk, the Avs should remain deep in net.


I also wouldn't say that Colorado lacks forward depth as Soderberg is a great 3C, Kamenev was looking like a good 3C in the making until his last scratch, and we have a ton of good bottom 9 wingers with Jost, Compher, Kerfoot, Andrighetto, Wilson, Calvert, Nieto & the prospects*. What we lack is one more star forward...ideally a 1b C...if we had that last star forward then we'd be ready to gun for the cup without waiting for Makar to reach his potential; like we currently have to.

*I can go into more depth on the top-6/middle-6 prospects; Kaut, Shvyryov, Greer, Weiss, Kovalenko, Ranta, etc.; if you'd like. Just lmk.

Hunwick >>> Alt, please lock this

Hunwick on the ice for zero goals this season

FWIW I'm pretty sure that the Avs have yet to give up a goal with Alt on the ice this season either...

 

[jvcjdudu jcycyxjene]

Hunwick >>> Alt, please lock this

Hunwick on the ice for zero goals this season

Well that may be, but Alt boasts an impressive 0 in +/- in his 2 games played this season. Idk its close, but I'm going with Alt.