Can't believe as a Sabre fan I am saying this but time heals and 13 years is a long time and one day real soon our time will come.
But anyway we literally did the same thing you did with Skinner. We traded RoR this summer who is on pace for 100 points this season. The 3 players we got back have a combined 8 goals and 13 points. Ror literally almost has double that. So we know your pain seeing Skinner go off.
But the thing is you guys are not looking at the positives. Yes the Sabres lost RoR who is playing like a superstar. But by moving him it allowed Eichel to claim the captaincy and make it his team. He developed into a 2 way superstar center. The Sabres shook up the locker room and we have went from dead last this year to currently leading the entire league.
Skinner, like ror may or may not have been an issue in the room. But by moving him out it has allowed Aho to claim the Canes as HIS team. If Skinner was still with you, does Aho become what he is as of today? Maybe,maybe not. But Skinner is gone and Aho DID take the next step to become the leagues next elite star winger like Patrick Kane. Skinner moved allows Svech more of an opportunity to grow faster and grow he has. We both have the longest playoff drought and we picked 1st and 2nd this past draft. I know you jumped up but still you guys were not a playoff caliber team. But now the Canes are a new team. New identity. You guys are having a blast and getting the fans back into it like they deserve. Our teams WILL end our playoff droughts.
Some times you have to totally tear down the strongest parts of the foundation in order to build something even bigger and better. You lost Skinner. You got back an OK return for an impending UFA. Like I said earlier if the Sabres continued their losing ways the picks would have been in the 32-38 range and also 63-69 range. So going off recent history it would have been 2 top 70 picks, a late rounder and a decent prospect. A better prospect then we got for Kane. If the Sabres had continued to be a basement team you guys would have gotten an almost identical return to what we got for Kane. #32-38+#63-69 and Cliff Pu would have been a very close package to SJ 2019 1st which will probably be in the late 20s and Danny O Reagen...so going off past precedent that 2 and 3 would be close to a pick in the 25-31 range. The difference between SJ 1st and BUF 2 from last year would have been 11 spots. #63, Cliff Pu and a 6th would be very close to close the gap in trade value. And Skinner had scored 49 points last year. If he had kept that pace up this year you would hardly be thinking of Skinner and what he is doing.
So what you guys should do is if you held a a
Soft spot for Skinner and liked him as a Cane, then be happy for his success. If you are checking his numbers just to be upset about it don't. Be happy that Aho has developed into a true star player and the future of your team along with Svech. You guys will make the playoffs and end the drought. RoR had another goal tonight and has almost 30 points. But considering we are the #1 team in the league and STL is awful I could care less if he wins the Art Ross.
Because all that matters is what the Sabres do themselves and that goes for the Canes too. Skinner can score 60 goals for us but when your guys team ends the drought and returns to the playoffs as a perennial playoff team led by 2 budding superstar wingers you will not be caring what Skinner does every game.
