LeBrun: Buffalo Sabres have kicked tires on Jason Zucker.

[Dr Jan Itor]

Love this HF bizarro world where A. Nylander is being shopped as an asset because he didn’t embarrass himself off the ice (this time) for 12 games.

He is an asset.

 

[Shnooks]

Oh? When did I act like that?

Thinking Zucker is worth Mittelstadt and a 1st round pick.

 

[AKL]

Thinking Zucker is worth Mittelstadt and a 1st round pick.

Oh, sorry, I didn’t even realize I thought that until you just told me. My mistake.

 

[Shnooks]

Love this HF bizarro world where A. Nylander is being shopped as an asset because he didn’t embarrass himself off the ice (this time) for 12 games.

I love this bizarro world where a 21 year old former 8th overall pick is already considered a bunch, even though he's barely been given any kind of chance.

Not every player is ready within a year of being drafted...especially when they've been totally mismanaged by a past regime.

 

[Dickie Dunn]

He is an asset.

If by asset you mean additional piece in a larger deal, sure. If by asset you mean he can be the main piece to reel in a better player, no.

 

[Shnooks]

Oh, sorry, I didn’t even realize I thought that until you just told me. My mistake.

You said you want a young player that can play now...specifically mentioning Mittelstadt, Thompson, Asplund, Nylander.

And then you said you want pick 30/31 this year or Buffalo's 1st round pick next year. (Which the difference in value between those two will probably be quite large.)

 

[Dickie Dunn]

I love this bizarro world where a 21 year old former 8th overall pick is already considered a bunch, even though he's barely been given any kind of chance.

Not every player is ready within a year of being drafted...especially when they've been totally mismanaged by a past regime.

He has a lot to prove (I mean a f’n lot) before he can be considered anything more than really underwhelming. Which means Fenton probably loves him.

 

[AKL]

You said you want a young player that can play now...specifically mentioning Mittelstadt, Thompson, Asplund, Nylander.

And then you said you want pick 30/31 this year or Buffalo's 1st round pick next year. (Which the difference in value between those two will probably be quite large.)

Well at least you read the thread.

Reading comprehension is lacking, but I’d give it a solid C- for the effort.

 

[Shnooks]

He has a lot to prove (I mean a f’n lot) before he can be considered anything more than really underwhelming. Which means Fenton probably loves him.

He's been playing with Danny O'Regan, Justin Bailey, Kevin Porter, Kyle Criscuolo, not exactly all-world talents here.

Put him with a good young center and he would look a lot better. (EDIT: He actually probably needs a good veteran center more.)

(Not sure why they haven't put him with Rasmus Asplund, who he tore up the WJC with...but that's a discussion for another day, I suppose.)

I don't think Alex Nylander is some grade-A prospect, but I also don't think Jason Zucker is worth a top-line package...certainly not more than Skinner got in a trade.

 

[Shnooks]

Skinner went for Cliff Pu, a 2019 2nd round pick, a 2020 3rd round pick, and a 2020 6th round pick...which is less than what I laid out for Zucker above.



I'd go Nylander, 2019 4th round pick, 2020 2nd round pick and a 2021 4th round pick*...for Zucker. (That's more than Skinner got.)

*If Zucker puts up 30 goals and 60 points in one of the first two seasons...the 2021 4th round pick becomes a 2021 2nd round pick.**
**If Zucker scores 40 goals once, or 30 goals twice, or the Sabres make the playoffs...the 2021 4th round pick becomes a 2021 1st round pick.

 

[AKL]

Skinner went for Cliff Pu, a 2019 2nd round pick, a 2020 3rd round pick, and a 2020 6th round pick...which is less than what I laid out for Zucker above.

He was also a pending UFA who was intent on getting there to cash in until you guys overpaid him by about 40%.

 

[is the answer jesus]

He was also a pending UFA who was intent on getting there to cash in until you guys overpaid him by about 40%.

40%? C'mon let's be real here.

 

[Dickie Dunn]

He's been playing with Danny O'Regan, Justin Bailey, Kevin Porter, Kyle Criscuolo, not exactly all-world talents here.

Put him with a good young center and he would look a lot better. (EDIT: He actually probably needs a good veteran center more.)

(Not sure why they haven't put him with Rasmus Asplund, who he tore up the WJC with...but that's a discussion for another day, I suppose.)

I don't think Alex Nylander is some grade-A prospect, but I also don't think Jason Zucker is worth a top-line package...certainly not more than Skinner got in a trade.

There is a huge middle ground between the Sabres top trade pieces and Nylander. Please don’t act like he is in some sort of next tier below the good stuff.....he is most certainly not.

 

[AKL]

40%? C'mon let's be real here.

A guy worth maybe 6.5, might have gotten 7.5 in UFA, and you guys gave him 9m for nearly a decade. Use whatever numbers you want.

 

[Bazeek]

He was also a pending UFA who was intent on getting there to cash in until you guys overpaid him by about 40%.

He also had an NTC and wanted to be close to home. But we can turn apples into oranges if we wave our hands fast enough.

 

[is the answer jesus]

A guy worth maybe 6.5, might have gotten 7.5 in UFA, and you guys gave him 9m for nearly a decade. Use whatever numbers you want.

Yeah maybe 6.5... I see where this is going. He was overpaid by about 1 to 1.5 million. 40%? Complete joke.

 

[AKL]

Yeah maybe 6.5... I see where this is going. He was overpaid by about 1 to 1.5 million. 40%? Complete joke.

I certainly wouldn’t touch Skinner at 8M either so it’s definitely more than that.

 

[is the answer jesus]

I certainly wouldn’t touch Skinner at 8M either so it’s definitely more than that.

What you wouldn't touch has nothing to do with what a player gets in FA. Skinner would have been a hot commodity, 8 million is not just very possible, but probable. Botterill is a complete stooge, but he didn't overpay Skinner by 40%. You made a stupid comment just own it.

 

[AKL]

What you wouldn't touch has nothing to do with what a player gets in FA. Skinner would have been a hot commodity, 8 million is not just very possible, but probable. Botterill is a complete stooge, but he didn't overpay Skinner by 40%. You made a stupid comment just own it.

Agree to disagree. He’s pretty significantly overpaid. Zucker for example provides 80% of the production for 60% of the price. And Skinner was riding a sky high shooting percentage. Much higher than his career average. Can’t see him ever being worth anywhere near 9M for 8 years.

It’s all irrelevant to the topic at hand anyway. Which is that there’s a reason Zucker could get more in a trade right now than Skinner got last year.

 

[is the answer jesus]

Agree to disagree. He’s pretty significantly overpaid. Zucker for example provides 80% of the production for 60% of the price. And Skinner was riding a sky high shooting percentage. Much higher than his career average. Can’t see him ever being worth anywhere near 9M for 8 years.

It’s all irrelevant to the topic at hand anyway. Which is that there’s a reason Zucker could get more in a trade right now than Skinner got last year.

Skinner has been a consistent 50-60 point player with a proven track record, producing while playing with garbage in Carolina. He looks closer to a 60-70 point player in his time here. We're using a deal signed by an RFA with one good season to his name as a comparable? Again, C'mon. Also I fully agree, Zucker should command more in return. Skinner had a full NMC, he called his shot and that was Buffalo, it definitely impacted the return.

 

[Hischier and Hughes]

Somehow Skinner is overpaid by 40% yet according to the same poster Zucker should be worth 3.5-4mil lol

Gotta love fans who dont even know their own teams. Same person who defends the Rask vs Niederreiter deal, acting like it was a simple swap of struggling players

Absolutely delusional

 

[AKL]

Somehow Skinner is overpaid by 40% yet according to the same poster Zucker should be worth 3.5-4mil lol

Gotta love fans who dont even know their own teams. Same person who defends the Rask vs Niederreiter deal, acting like it was a simple swap of struggling players

Absolutely delusional

When have I ever said Zucker is worth 3.5-4?

And my stance on the Nino for Rask deal has only ever been that it was a risk that turned out poorly which is 100% factually correct so I’m not sure what your point is.

 

[57special]

I love this bizarro world where a 21 year old former 8th overall pick is already considered a bunch, even though he's barely been given any kind of chance.

Not every player is ready within a year of being drafted...especially when they've been totally mismanaged by a past regime.

Maybe he hasn't been given a chance to play because he hasn't been very good?

 

[Yatzhee]

So Buffalo kicked the tires. Botterill isn't shying away from looking in to pricing out there to potentially upgrade his roster, good on him. Zucker is an interesting player for the Sabres, not as heavy as I thought they'd be looking for, but has some speed with a 20 to 25 goal a season average that could be boosted with the right linemates. Depending on what Buffalo is looking at with regards to 2nd line Center, Zucker could be a good left handed shot left winger fit if the chemistry is there. Personally I think Zucker would like fantastic on a Kevin Hayes type Center's wing.

 

[Bazeek]

So Buffalo kicked the tires. Botterill isn't shying away from looking in to pricing out there to potentially upgrade his roster, good on him. Zucker is an interesting player for the Sabres, not as heavy as I thought they'd be looking for, but has some speed with a 20 to 25 goal a season average that could be boosted with the right linemates. Depending on what Buffalo is looking at with regards to 2nd line Center, Zucker could be a good left handed shot left winger fit if the chemistry is there. Personally I think Zucker would like fantastic on a Kevin Hayes type Center's wing.

The main thing Zucker needs to put up the sort of numbers he did in 2017-18 is at least one guy with good vision and some creativity, like Granlund*. His speed helps in transition and in winning races and stuff, but most of his goals have come from finding soft spots in front of the net. Sometimes it's off a shot in the slot and sometimes it's just having his stick on the ice right near the back door, but in most cases he needs someone that can actually thread the pass to him. I'm not sure who the best candidates on the Sabres would be there.

Beyond that I don't think he's super sensitive to his linemates and can be a two-way guy if that's what's needed. He, Koivu and Granlund made for a pretty dangerous shut-down line for awhile.

*And for all the people wondering what was different about the 2017-18 "outlier," this is it. He was with peak-form Granlund all year, and it was a thing of beauty.