Proposal: Rasmus Ristolainen. What would we want?

[Jim Bob]

I think it would really have to be a RNH or Duchene with an extension type deal. Probably unlikely

I wouldn't give up Risto for either of those guys.

 

[Jim Bob]

Liljegren + Kadri. I’d do it all day.

The only problem is that we would be letting them off the hook for cap issues. But, you know somebody is going to help them.

It doesn't sound like Kadri is on the table.

 

[Dahlin 2 Eichel]

You don’t move Risto. His minutes are going to be in the decline soon with Dahlin becoming the true #1 he is. Risto and Pilut as the second pairing is great. You don’t get rid of that.

 

[DJN21]

I'm not trading Risto.

But to circle the wagons back to the cap situation with the jets....I'd overpay for Lowry to get them out of cap hell. Make it happen.

 

[HogtownSabresfan]

I'm in the "move Risto if it is a deal you can't turn down" camp.

I'm thinking something like Risto+_____ for Trouba (assuming the Jets have a huge issue re-signing him this summer)+Roslovic.

Risto for a draft pick makes me laugh. The only way you move Risto is if it makes the Sabres roster better immediately.

That's my point. I'm open to it for right deal. EVERY player can be traded and has a price. Will someone pay it. My number 1 beef would be logic saying you can't make a deal with Leafs. That makes no sense to me.

You tell me right now we can have Sandin, Kapanen and Kadri and I think about it. A lot.

 

[OkimLom]

I'm open to trading Risto, but I'm not looking to trade Risto just to shuffle the player in the top 4 or improve JUST our top 6. If the trade improves the top 6 AND either improves the top 4 position fit of the player, then I'm all for it.

It's why I'm open to moves like:
Konency + Sanheim for Risto
Aho + J.Faulk for Risto + Nylander

We already wasted a solid asset in ROR, we can't afford to throw another one away in Risto.

 

[brian_griffin]

With three years plus years at $5.4 M cap, his value is massive. If people don't realize that, there's no point. Tough, right-hnaded D man with offense.

Why move him? Act getting stale. We need offence badly.

My number one taker? Leafs. Would we have guts to trade there? I say yes.

Ask.

I start with Rasmus Sandin, I want Kadri, a $4.5 M cap hit, good 2nd line centre.

After that I need one more very good young piece. Not sure who. Kapanen and I'm done but doubt Leafs do it. No interest in Nylander. One is enough. A 1st? No scraps like Connor Brown. No throws in like Marleau unless they come with picks.

Is Risto why the Sabres aren't making the playoffs during his BUF tenure? Is his act still stale if the Sabres had a #2 center and were on track for 95 points? How does he look next year when Dahlin is in his 2nd season? A little fresher, maybe?? I just don't buy it.

Which is easier said than done. It's mind boggling that there's actually a contingent that would move him without a defenseman coming back to replace him.

Amen.

Especially because "his act is getting stale". You trade people because you can make your team better. How do you trade the best player in a 3-player trade, because you start with Sandin, but you know it's unrealistic so you really want Kadri (yuck, almost as bad as wanting Brind'Amour to wear the blue and gold 10 years ago), and still end up being better...

Yeah... no.

 

[Jim Bob]

That's my point. I'm open to it for right deal. EVERY player can be traded and has a price. Will someone pay it. My number 1 beef would be logic saying you can't make a deal with Leafs. That makes no sense to me.

You tell me right now we can have Sandin, Kapanen and Kadri and I think about it. A lot.

Risto to Toronto won't happen because you just named three guys that Toronto aren't shopping as what you want back.

 

[UnleashRasmus]

Liljegren + Kadri. I’d do it all day.

The only problem is that we would be letting them off the hook for cap issues. But, you know somebody is going to help them.

The idea of trading for Kadri and sending a superior talent to Toronto makes me want to vomit. I like Liljegren as much as anyone, but no thanks.

 

[LetsDoughBuffalo]

I am not an opponent of dealing Risto, but as others have said, you can't trade him for his actual value, i.e., that of a 2nd pairing, PP/PK specialist (I'm not going to go 7 rounds about this, so let's just focus on the question at hand). But if somebody values him as a franchise D, then yeah, you can trade him. But this can't be a 4 quarters for a dollar kind of thing. A 1 for 1, or 2 for 1, where 1 of the pieces is pretty close to Risto's actual value. Risto for Dougie Hamilton and Martin Necas, would be an example of that. From the Leafs, it's Marner or no deal. I might even say Marner plus, because it's in division. Even then I struggle with that because top line winger isn't as valuable to me as a 1b center. There aren't many Risto deals out there that I like anymore. Draisaitl plus one of Edmonton's 9 3rd pairing defensemen.

Risto is likely overvalued by some in the league, and so I say a Risto deal isn't as unlikely as some would say, but as others have said, it would be very difficult to replace some of what he does.

Marner +.... are you high? Lol

 

[Icicle]

Toronto is only going to get an aging player for what they’re offering. Risto is not that.

We finally have defense and some defensive depth. Why do we want to blow that up? Let’s change out some of the crap in the middle 6 instead and score some goals— the team’s real weakness.

 

[truthbluth]

Marner +.... are you high? Lol

No. You holding?

 

[5 Minute Major]

It would be very Sabre-like to trade him with the “depth” we currently have on defense.

 

[Dubi Doo]

I wouldn't give up Risto for either of those guys.

RNH would make me think long and hard, but as others have mentioned there isn't anyone I see that can anchor a second pair. Maybe Pilut? But I really like the idea of Pilut and Risto getting heavey o-zone minutes in the future.

 

[HogtownSabresfan]

The idea of trading for Kadri and sending a superior talent to Toronto makes me want to vomit. I like Liljegren as much as anyone, but no thanks.

If Kadri is a 55-60 point players on $4.5 M not sure that makes me vomit. Is he a 45-point player, that's different. Kapanen has a ton of controlled years and is almost their top prospect if you don't count Marner and Matthews. I threw in their top d prospect -- most scouts suggest it's Sandin not Liljegrin, We could try for Dermott too but he doesn't blow me away. You are clearly not getting Rielly, he's better than Risto.

The problem with Risto is he's not a very good defender. He's a -13 again for a reason. He has bad possession numbers for a reason. He's fantastic offensive contributor and I love his aggressiveness. That toughness will be monster in playoffs.

I never said traded no matter what, I want top talent back. Matthews, Tavares, Marner and Rielly will never come back. Maybe, there is no deal without those four but Toronto desperately needs the toughness of Risto and a right shot.

I will repeat, that in division excuse for no trade is for cowards.

 

[Chainshot]

Step 1, hire Chiarelli. Step 2, make a stupid trade.

 

[Josh007007]

Nothing
He's a long term part of this team

 

[HogtownSabresfan]

Nothing
He's a long term part of this team

That's just silly. For the right price, you trade anyone. Like Risto is Perreault or something,

 

[OkimLom]

Nothing
He's a long term part of this team

until he's not...

 

[tsujimoto74]

That's just silly. For the right price, you trade anyone. Like Risto is Perreault or something,

What's the "right price" for a physically imposing 45-point RHD with term at a 5.4M cap hit? He's not Eichel/Dahlin untouchable, but he's also not a guy that you're likely to move and be better off for it.

We've already seen in the games this season where Dahlin has been deployed as our top D that Risto can excel in the appropriate role. It's only a matter of time until he's playing that role consistently, rather than being tasked with being an elite all-situations ~26 minute per game D. I don't get the rush to dump him just as soon as we're on the cusp of finally being able to really use him.

 

[HogtownSabresfan]

until he's not...

Exactly. We traded from a position of weakness with O'Reilly. There's no need to trade Risto, the key is game changer coming back. Big deals do happen, not as much today because GMs get scared. But yes, the reality is Toronto will trade some spare parts for a deadline deal to get D man of less quality than Risto.

Personally, I think Turgeon/Lafontaine and Housley/Hawerchuk deals make for a great sport. You get burned sometimes. I'm sure Chiarelli thought Larsson for Hall would be his mark on Oilers. Oops.

If our GM didn't even entertain ideas, I'd be very worried. I'm sure he's ready to make a deal for anyone, if he could get what he wanted.

 

[Gordo21]

I would want a full and thorough head examination for all the Sabres braintrust if they were to move him.

 

[Djp]

You don’t move Risto. His minutes are going to be in the decline soon with Dahlin becoming the true #1 he is. Risto and Pilut as the second pairing is great. You don’t get rid of that.

I agree

The talk of Risto being traded would come up in 2021 when he has 1 yr left to UFA

In summer 2021 right before the ED or later ..,

buffalo would have Risto, dahlin, Pilut, Guhle, Borgen, Samuelson, Laksonen , a 1st drafted in 19 or 20 ,their current college prospects.

 

[Jim Carr's Rug]

What would I want for Risto?

A smarter Risto.

 

[JThorne]

Nylander + Risto for J.Faulk + Aho

That doesn't make Carolina better. In fact, it makes them significantly worse. Aho is very underrated.

Imagine how much better our situation would be if Murray had drafted McAvoy instead of Nylander.

Or the player I wanted, Sergachev.

Trade Ristolainen and you're IMMEDIATELY saying, "We have a hole on D to fix. How do we do this?!?!" Rob peter to pay Paul, so to speak.