Speculation: Ristolainen's Price is High, Sabres Want a Mantha-Caliber Player in Return

[obey86]

Both Mantha and AA took short term bridge deals betting on themselves iirc. I don't see any reason for them wanting to sign now. I think they want to maximize their "prove it to me" contract.

That's fine, and obviously Yzerman can't make them sign an extension right now if they don't want to. I just hope behind the scenes that Yzerman is trying to do so if he believes they are 60 point players or whatever moving forward.

 

[Hammettf2b]

That's fine, and obviously Yzerman can't make them sign an extension right now if they don't want to. I just hope behind the scenes that Yzerman is trying to do so if he believes they are 60 point players or whatever moving forward.

I obviously don't know whats going on behind the scenes but if Mantha and AA made it clear they want to negotiate after this season, there isn't much Yzerman can do.

 

[Gniwder]

Doughty would be the same. LA had a worse goal differential and Doughty was a -34 with 45 pts. Most of the bottom feeders, DRW included, do not have a 40 point D man or a -40 guy so who knows, but I think he would be a real liability on the blue line. Dahlin was only -13 with 44 points. So I think it's Rasmus and not really Buf that's the issue.

Green was on pace for 50, he missed half the season.

Also while I'm on the subject, Green when he was Risto's age put up two 1 PPG seasons, one of which he scored 31 goals which is about what Risto has in his entire career.

Rather than trading for Risto, I'd rather sell Green at TDL then sign him again on a series of one year deals until he retires or Seider & Hronek takes his place. (It would be funny if we kept signing him to one year deals and selling him every year at the TDL, like what the team tried to do with Vanek.)

Wouldn't go that far. We're talking about a big, mobile, 24-year-old defender that does play with sandpaper and has proven offensive ability.

There's a lot to like there. I genuinely believe he's the perfect candidate to elevate his game with a change of scenery and pairing him with someone reliable.

Isn't that what they said about Bowey? Also, do the Wings have anyone reliable on the left side to pair him with?

 

[rhef3]

mantha last year

67gp

25g

23a

48pts

[TBODY] [/TBODY]

Let's say he puts up 33 goals and 29 assists for 62 points this next season, what's his contract gonna look like ballpark ? 36/6 ?

 

[Athana see you later]

I’d rather keep Mantha and AA. I believe Larkin and Mantha will build on what they accomplished last season. Mantha in particular is poised to break out while AA can be a matchup nightmare in your middle 6.

I love the idea of AA running the second/third line. Having three lines deep of offense and a fourth line for matchups is where the league is going. AA is one of the best 5v5 producers in the league. He would feast carrying the third line while Larkin and someone else run other offensive lines and LGD on the fourth.

 

[JoesuffP]

Best part about these quotes is that Mantha is seen as a high end winger around the NHL

 

[Gniwder]

So physical PP specialist that isn't really good at playing defense? And they need a right winger? Maybe they should just convert him to forward. There aren't that many right handed wingers in the league anyways.

Also, not sure why everyone's debating about AA and Mantha. They're about equal in value, they each have strength and weaknesses. AA's issue with not utilizing teammates is both a strength and weakness. It's a weakness when he has good linemates, a strength when he doesn't. In any case, he plays well with Hirose, so it probably won't be an issue this season, not to mention he played a strong overall game (including defense) in his last 15 - 20 games.

 

[jkutswings]

mantha last year

67gp

25g

23a

48pts

[TBODY] [/TBODY]

Let's say he puts up 33 goals and 29 assists for 62 points this next season, what's his contract gonna look like ballpark ? 36/6 ?

I'd guess closer to $40M over 6 years.

 

[Winger98]

I obviously don't know whats going on behind the scenes but if Mantha and AA made it clear they want to negotiate after this season, there isn't much Yzerman can do.

well, what he does is probably put them on the market and see if he can get a deal he likes.

 

[Hammettf2b]

well, what he does is probably put them on the market and see if he can get a deal he likes.

I think he tries to sign them once negotiations start

 

[RedMenace]

Ristolainen's Price is High, Sabres Want a Mantha-Caliber Player in Return

Nope. Would offer Nielsen with retention plus a pick and/or prospect at most.

 

[Steve Yzerlland]

Nope. Would offer Nielsen with retention plus a pick and/or prospect at most.

Why would Buffalo do that?

 

[Mijatovic]

Mantha at this point is a top line forward. I know people will disagree with the thought, but if you look at his last two years and adjust it to 82 games, you're talking about 27-28 goals and 26-27 assists or 53-55 points. If you adjust his pace from last year alone you get 30-31 goals and 28-29 assists or 58-60 points. Visually, his game has improved each year. He is a first line forward in the NHL.

I love how ar the Red Wings, We celebrate a 60 point forward as first line material.

 

[HisNoodliness]

I love how ar the Red Wings, We celebrate a 60 point forward as first line material.

30 teams × 3 top line forwards is 90. The 90th highest point total last year was TJ Oshie at 54. 90th highest forward Brandon Gallagher at 52. So a 60 point player is the low end of a top-line forward. I think Mantha is that, a top line forward, but barely, still with the potential to become a solid 1st liner.
Edit: forgot there are 31 teams, but the point stands.

 

[Hen Kolland]

I love how ar the Red Wings, We celebrate a 60 point forward as first line material.

I love how you don’t know what first line material is

 

[Cyborg Yzerberg]

Wouldn't go that far. We're talking about a big, mobile, 24-year-old defender that does play with sandpaper and has proven offensive ability.

There's a lot to like there. I genuinely believe he's the perfect candidate to elevate his game with a change of scenery and pairing him with someone reliable.

He was very bad last year, man.

 

[Mlotek]

I love how ar the Red Wings, We celebrate a 60 point forward as first line material.

Only 68 forwards hit 60 points in 2018-19.

Considering there are 93 players on the top line in the NHL.... yah....

 

[Snuggs]

Can't even. I really want a top notching defender, "Younger" defender too but I rather take my chances and buy low on Jake Gardiner right now in FA then trade Mantha was for Risto.

Jake Gardiner – Filip Hronek
Patrik Nemeth – Mike Green
Danny DeKeyser – Trevor Daley/Oliwer Kaski

*Joe Hicketts LHD
* Jonathan Ericsson (Back) LTIR

Could have three nice additons on defense and really upgrade things on the back end. Nothing spectacular but better than what we've thrown out in recent years and throughout the lineup defensively we're all the sudden "steady".

 

[Winger98]

I think he tries to sign them once negotiations start

I think refusing to negotiate is the start. Yzerman will still talk, deals might be reached, but we've seen how Yzerman generally reacts to guys who don't buy in. They get moved.

 

[Bench]

He was very bad last year, man.

I see a perfect rehab project. There's no tangible reason his defensive game can't improve. I don't believe he's like Brendan Smith and lacks the IQ.

The new Sabres coach has already commented he wants more time with him because he thinks there's more there. Risto may be the odd man out, but I anticipate his next team will be happy they took the chance.

The comparisons to the likes of Cody Franson are pretty superficial. There's also the fact that if Risto was everything we wanted him to be today, there's no chance he'd ever hit the market.

Wild fans considered it "robbery" by them when they moved their spare big, physical, overrated offensive defender for forward help (Burns was a minus player his last 3 seasons in Minnesota). Buffalo fans will say the same thing and may regret it.

 

[Steve Yzerlland]

Only 68 forwards hit 60 points in 2018-19.

Considering there are 93 players on the top line in the NHL.... yah....

60 point players aren't franchise players is what I think he meant. Meaning they aren't untradable which I definitely agree with.

 

[Hammettf2b]

I think refusing to negotiate is the start. Yzerman will still talk, deals might be reached, but we've seen how Yzerman generally reacts to guys who don't buy in. They get moved.

I'm not talking about them not buying in, just waiting until they prove they deserve a better contract by having a good year.

 

[Steve Yzerlland]

I'm hearing stars are willing to deal Julius Honka. Intriguing guy right D only 23. I wonder what the price would be?

 

[Hen Kolland]

I'm hearing stars are willing to deal Julius Honka. Intriguing guy right D only 23. I wonder what the price would be?

It doesn’t look like he’s managed to play a full year of hockey in like 4 years. Not a lot to base a value off of because we don’t know what he is at the NHL level yet. Certainly wouldn’t be lining up to move AA or Mantha.

I’d rather go after Risto before Honka because any D move we make I would think should be for young established D.

 

[Bench]

It doesn’t look like he’s managed to play a full year of hockey in like 4 years. Not a lot to base a value off of because we don’t know what he is at the NHL level yet. Certainly wouldn’t be lining up to move AA or Mantha.

I’d rather go after Risto before Honka because any D move we make I would think should be for young established D.

Honka has virtually no value outside of the fact he was a top 15 draft pick. He's proven almost nothing. If Honka was a 5th round pick, he'd get waived this year and float around as a bottom pairing stopgap.