Confirmed with Link: Okposo traded to FLA for Calle Sjalin and conditional 2024 7th

[HogtownSabresfan]

You really pick some incredibly stupid hills to die on.

You are incredibly stupid for buying into the same old narrative about this team. If you want to start calling me stupid, I can toss that out, too. Just because you don't agree doesn't mean you can insult someone.

 

[dotcommunism]

I have heard this lame excuse so many times. Try winning. How do you win? Maximizing resources. There is also no reason he could not be traded to Florida, and the cap retained for more value. Pegula has spent two years under the cap. Retentions have not been used. Just some fluke. Let's see if uses any of the cap room today.



You understand Florida has $300 K in cap room. How does it insult Okposo or hurt good will if we trade some cap room in a deal to boost the plck?

Why does Florida give up more if Buffalo retains cap space that Florida doesn't need? Florida did not need the Sabres to retain salary. There is no particular reason for them to give up any additional assets. Florida presumably has no major moves left, and they have enough cap space remaining to retain roster flexibility. Yes, they technically have $300k in cap space left, but considering that there's approximately 1/6 of the season left, anyone they might hypothetically need to call up would only use up 1/6 of their normal cap space. They are not so tight up against the cap that they cannot call up any players if need be.

 

[HogtownSabresfan]

It is hard to quantify Kyle's impact with the Sabres, perhaps even unfair to try.

It is very clear that he is a respected player in the locker room and around the league. He came to the rink with a smile on his face and led the team with honour and grace. I am certain everyone in the organization is better for their day to day interactions with him.

Even when he had little to give, he gave it all.

Before Jack left for Vegas, the room was described as toxic. Never heard that description after Kyle starting wearing the C.

How might things have been different if the organization made him the captain years before they did?

What's the impact? I'm not blaming him, but an 80-point pace and no playoffs for every year he was on the team. Was the room toxic? Whatever. Their great year resulted in still missing the playoffs, and the team was invisible for I don't even know how many games this year. I lost count.

 

[Der Jaeger]

I have heard this lame excuse so many times. Try winning. How do you win? Maximizing resources. There is also no reason he could not be traded to Florida, and the cap retained for more value. Pegula has spent two years under the cap. Retentions have not been used. Just some fluke. Let's see if uses any of the cap room today.



You understand Florida has $300 K in cap room. How does it insult Okposo or hurt good will if we trade some cap room in a deal to boost the plck?

AFTER the Okposo trade, Florida has 15 forwards, 7 D, 2 goalies. So they'll have the send someone down, so they'll have about $1M in cap space.

I doubt Florida is doing anything else. Adding Tarasenko and Okposo for the playoffs are good moves.

Florida also has few 2024 picks. So I'd bet Zito wasn't as interested in the cap space as the picks.

 

[HogtownSabresfan]

Why does Florida give up more if Buffalo retains cap space that Florida doesn't need? Florida did not need the Sabres to retain salary. There is no particular reason for them to give up any additional assets. Florida presumably has no major moves left, and they have enough cap space remaining to retain roster flexibility. Yes, they technically have $300k in cap space left, but considering that there's approximately 1/6 of the season left, anyone they might hypothetically need to call up would only use up 1/6 of their normal cap space. They are not so tight up against the cap that they cannot call up any players if need be.

Yeah, cap space doesn't matter. We have already seen four teams get picks for cap space. But sure. No pattern emerging of Sabres refusing to maximize their cap space. Okay.

 

[1point21Gigawatts]

It is hard to quantify Kyle's impact with the Sabres, perhaps even unfair to try.

It is very clear that he is a respected player in the locker room and around the league. He came to the rink with a smile on his face and led the team with honour and grace. I am certain everyone in the organization is better for their day to day interactions with him.

Even when he had little to give, he gave it all.

Before Jack left for Vegas, the room was described as toxic. Never heard that description after Kyle starting wearing the C.

How might things have been different if the organization made him the captain years before they did?

I hope that your take is the majority take.

 

[KiwiGriff]

They gave him $2.5 M. It's a business.

And businesses also require good reputations. Maybe their business decision was to be seen as a team that respects their vets at the cost of return. That can also be of benefit to the trust your current players have and the reputation your team has for how it treats its players.

 

[HaNotsri]

He is been a captain for what? Two seasons? Through a rebuild? I think you are intentionally minimizing his role on our younger core. At least, i assume he did a lot more leading than, let's say Jack Eichel did. It's weird how many people are piling on this guy.

I just don't like him. I've just had it with watching Okposo playing hockey. I've been conditioned by the Sabres to be disgusted by most players with tenure.

 

[Sabreality]

Yeah, cap space doesn't matter. We have already seen four teams get picks for cap space. But sure. No pattern emerging of Sabres refusing to maximize their cap space. Okay.

I get wanting KA to maximize cap space, and maybe history shows its not an option. But its not like there's a spreadsheet that goes around to every team when these deals get done. GM's have relationships, and some just pull the trigger, they arent gonna hold it up and say, hold on let me call Kevyn or another GM to see if they want to do it instead.

 

[Game suspension]

Very hard to believe he will see much ice time there.

 

[Duddy]

And businesses also require good reputations. Maybe their business decision was to be seen as a team that respects their vets at the cost of return. That can also be of benefit to the trust your current players have and the reputation your team has for how it treats its players.

I'd rather be like Vegas and try to win instead of being nice to washed up players. Win and worry about what people think 2nd. If you win, people want to come, even to Buffalo. Our reputation around the league is being the biggest joke, no amount of cuddeling up to vets will change that unless we start winning.

 

[HogtownSabresfan]

And businesses also require good reputations. Maybe their business decision was to be seen as a team that respects their vets at the cost of return. That can also be of benefit to the trust your current players have and the reputation your team has for how it treats its players.

The Sabres' reputation is that they are a team full of saps who have to overpay to get guys to come here. I can't even fathom defending $7 M on Okposo/Girgensons/Jost and the ridiculous $3.25 M for Erik Johnson. The Sabres have almost zero idea on negotiating contracts, and it all starts at the top with Pegula. He is such a fool. The guy refuses to hire anyone with experience as a director of hockey ops. I have Kevyn Adams a ton of credit for operating in this environment with limited experience

 

[start winnin]

Good luck to dad

 

[Chainshot]

I have heard this lame excuse so many times. Try winning. How do you win? Maximizing resources. There is also no reason he could not be traded to Florida, and the cap retained for more value. Pegula has spent two years under the cap. Retentions have not been used. Just some fluke. Let's see if uses any of the cap room today.



You understand Florida has $300 K in cap room. How does it insult Okposo or hurt good will if we trade some cap room in a deal to boost the plck?

Maximizing resources? Sure. Expecting this owner to spend anything extra at this point seems like a fools errand - he's shown no willingness and I doubt he will now. So since they can't maximize resources by retaining (if retaining was required, which it appears it wasn't or else there wouldn't have been a trade), they did something for their outgoing captain for him. Some were saying they didn't think they would get anything at all for him so they picked up a relatively meaningless pick and at least don't shit on the outgoing captain again. Basic competence, even if it isn't optimized in some fashion.

 

[Gras]

Yeah, cap space doesn't matter. We have already seen four teams get picks for cap space. But sure. No pattern emerging of Sabres refusing to maximize their cap space. Okay.

Retaining on a contract when its not needed by the team receiving the player and being a 3rd party to a trade to retain cap are two completely different things.

 

[HogtownSabresfan]

I'd rather be like Vegas and try to win instead of being nice to washed up players. Win and worry about what people think 2nd. If you win, people want to come, even to Buffalo. Our reputation around the league is being the biggest joke, no amount of cuddeling up to vets will change that unless we start winning.

No joke. People don't understand how this cuddling makes us easy targets at negotiation time. Bring in a tough nut at the top like Brian Burke to at least be an advisor. Even Rick Dudley if you need an ex -Sabre.

 

[Dingo44]

people love to hate

 

[KiwiGriff]

I’m not defending all the shit this organisation does, but they don’t have to add disrespecting your elders to that list. Let’s be fair, what is the most we could’ve got for Okposo? I don’t think the difference between what we got, and what we could’ve got turns the dial at all on anything for this team.

This was a decision for someone at the end of their career with over 1000 games played.

 

[dotcommunism]

Yeah, cap space doesn't matter. We have already seen four teams get picks for cap space. But sure. No pattern emerging of Sabres refusing to maximize their cap space. Okay.

Those were teams retaining because cap space had to be retained to allow the trade to happen because the receiving team did not have enough cap space otherwise! The Panthers do not need the cap space!

 

[Dingo44]

No joke. People don't understand how this cuddling makes us easy targets at negotiation time. Bring in a tough nut at the top like Brian Burke to at least be an advisor. Even Rick Dudley if you need an ex -Sabre.

You mean "coddling"? Or is GMKA actually spooning with these players? Not sure how to feel about that...

 

[Sabresfansince1980]

Those were teams retaining because cap space had to be retained to allow the trade to happen because the receiving team did not have enough cap space otherwise! The Panthers do not need the cap space!

You might have to draw something in crayon.

 

[yasky]

About what I figured for no retention on Kyle.

Hands up who didn't know what a Calle Sjalin was until today.

 

[HogtownSabresfan]

Maximizing resources? Sure. Expecting this owner to spend anything extra at this point seems like a fools errand - he's shown no willingness and I doubt he will now. So since they can't maximize resources by retaining (if retaining was required, which it appears it wasn't or else there wouldn't have been a trade), they did something for their outgoing captain for him. Some were saying they didn't think they would get anything at all for him so they picked up a relatively meaningless pick and at least don't shit on the outgoing captain again. Basic competence, even if it isn't optimized in some fashion.

If you are saying their owner won't spend on retentions and this is the best they can do, fine. I don't blame GMKA for anything. He wasn't the guy who said he would dig another well. And essentially, spending money in some of these situations incrementally adds value. A ton? No. But professional franchises look for every edge. Buffalo is poorly run and is now being done on the cheap. With two hours left, the optimist in me says GMKA is holding that cap for better use.

About what I figured for no retention on Kyle.

Hands up who didn't know what a Calle Sjalin was until today.

Yep. Will they using any of their cap room today?

 

[Jimmybarndoor2]

About what I figured for no retention on Kyle.

Hands up who didn't know what a Calle Sjalin was until today.

I still don’t know
Does he help the Americans ?

We were not going to get much of a return on this one

 

[HogtownSabresfan]

You mean "coddling"? Or is GMKA actually spooning with these players? Not sure how to feel about that...

Autospell. LOL. I like GMKA by the way. A lot. I wouldn't cuddle with him