Confirmed Trade: [STL/BUF] Ryan O'Reilly for 2019 1st, 2021 2nd, Patrik Berglund, Vladimir Sobotka, and Tage Thompson

[Djp]

May just be semantics, everyone has an opinion of what an (A) prospect is. An OK prospect to me is a middle 6 guy with reasonable expectations to be an NHLer. Thompson fits that

I dont know enough about Thompson.

As a late 1st round pick those tend to be 3rd line players and maybe on a 2nd or 1st line based on their chemistry and their strength on offense or defense.

I would have preferred an expansion exempt prospect.

I this the 21 2nd is used as part of a deal in the expansion draft to protect some players.

It depends on return buffalo gets for Sobotka and berglund.

Based on draft position Thompson replaced compher and the 1st if in the teens can replace Zadorov.

The 21 2nd and what return for berg and sons replaces the high 2nd and grigorenko.

If buffalo breaks even then great.

 

[Cotton]

I'll take Bill and Doug Armstrong's opinion over yours, thanks though.

I wouldn’t expect otherwise. Though it’s not only mine.

 

[Colt55]

I'll take Bill and Doug Armstrong's opinion over yours, thanks though.

It's funny how everyone must have those guys in a trade but when they don't get them they are just ok. I remember when people thought parayko was not a good prospect and he wouldn't be that great cause he was selected in the 3rd round. Lol Thomas was the freaking mvp of the playoffs best all around center for team Canada. Kyrou had a 2ppg average was league mvp. Kostin put up 28 pts as an 18 yr old in the ahl playing 3rd 4th line minutes and no pp time because Colorado controlled the team. Husso binnington, Fitzpatrick are great goalie peospects

 

[BleedBlue14]

It's funny how everyone must have those guys in a trade but when they don't get them they are just ok. I remember when people thought parayko was not a good prospect and he wouldn't be that great cause he was selected in the 3rd round. Lol Thomas was the freaking mvp of the playoffs best all around center for team Canada. Kyrou had a 2ppg average was league mvp. Kostin put up 28 pts as an 18 yr old in the ahl playing 3rd 4th line minutes and no pp time because Colorado controlled the team. Husso binnington, Fitzpatrick are great goalie peospects

I mean I generally wouldn't expect a Blues fan to be an expert on Sabres prospects, nor would I expect a Blues fan to be unbiased on Blues prospects. It is what it is, but with the limited knowledge most of us have towards the direction of the team and the actual development of each player it's only natural to try and shoot for the top prospect of each team.

 

[Tryblot]

I wouldn’t expect otherwise. Though it’s not only mine.

Do you wanna show some professional opinions? Because your opinion on this site is completely irrelevant. You've shown to be a shit disturber on multiple occasions.

 

[Cotton]

Do you wanna show some professional opinions? Because your opinion on this site is completely irrelevant. You've shown to be a **** disturber on multiple occasions.

All opinions on this site are completely irrelevant, and I’m not a shit disturber at all, if reading differing opinions from your own is upsetting you maybe you shouldn’t post of the main boards. I’m not even sure how you could gage that about me with you being a new member and all.

What sort of professional opinion is necessary to figure out a prospect isn’t a blue chipper. I’m very familiar with Robert Thomas, i have plenty of good things to say about his game.. do I need to provide a professional opinion first to share an opinion about him, or is that only if my remarks aren’t glowing?

 

[TK 421]

Eh, I don't think Cotton is wrong in his general assessment unless you want to get hung up on him using ok and good to describe the top forward prospects. It's not like the Blues top guys are general consensus blue chippers at forward, it's Thomas and some nice potential in the winger group.

Let's get back on track here. The Blues were very fortunate to only be parting with a late 1st and Tage Thompson as the primary pieces. Sabres obviously should have been compensated much better for 5 years of ROR and taking both Berglund's 4 years and Sobotka's remaining term. They got Tage Thompson, a 2019 1st and a 2021 2nd for making this a perfect deal from a Blues perspective. My point is that Botteril could have extracted more from DA for a player he was no doubt drooling over. Doug saw a perfect replacement for Stastny and all the pressure was on him, Botteril and the Sabres should have paid that bonus and waited for Doug to cave.

 

[rumrokh]

Eh, I don't think Cotton is wrong in his general assessment unless you want to get hung up on him using ok and good to describe the top forward prospects. It's not like the Blues top guys are general consensus blue chippers at forward, it's Thomas and some nice potential in the winger group.

Let's get back on track here. The Blues were very fortunate to only be parting with a late 1st and Tage Thompson as the primary pieces. Sabres obviously should have been compensated much better for 5 years of ROR and taking both Berglund's 4 years and Sobotka's remaining term. They got Tage Thompson, a 2019 1st and a 2021 2nd for making this a perfect deal from a Blues perspective. My point is that Botteril could have extracted more from DA for a player he was no doubt drooling over. Doug saw a perfect replacement for Stastny and all the pressure was on him, Botteril and the Sabres should have paid that bonus and waited for Doug to cave.

There reaches a point at which people just aren't going to meet your demands. Duchene and Stepan set the market. Duchene was seen as having a higher ceiling, so he got nicer pieces. Nobody was going to give up one piece as good as Girard. So, the flipside is that Armstrong could just hold out and Buffalo risks O'Reilly getting hurt, underperforming, or having a looming trade hanging over the lockerroom.

 

[dasaybz]

There reaches a point at which people just aren't going to meet your demands. Duchene and Stepan set the market. Duchene was seen as having a higher ceiling, so he got nicer pieces. Nobody was going to give up one piece as good as Girard. So, the flipside is that Armstrong could just hold out and Buffalo risks O'Reilly getting hurt, underperforming, or having a looming trade hanging over the lockerroom.

Buffalo was supposedly listening to offers at the trade deadline so I'm sure Botterill had a good idea what the market was for him for quite a while.

 

[rumrokh]

Buffalo was supposedly listening to offers at the trade deadline so I'm sure Botterill had a good idea what the market was for him for quite a while.

It's possible he took the "wrong" package out of what he was offered and we'll never know, but, yea, I think the value was set and he wasn't going to have the opportunity to extort a higher level piece out of anybody.

 

[Djp]

Eh, I don't think Cotton is wrong in his general assessment unless you want to get hung up on him using ok and good to describe the top forward prospects. It's not like the Blues top guys are general consensus blue chippers at forward, it's Thomas and some nice potential in the winger group.

What I have noticed on here is people overvalue their own prospects.

Look at the 2008-2010 draft years and count how many nhl skaters played 280 games or more from round 2-7. The answer is around 55 . Not all of these were top 6 forwards or top 3 Dmen.

Until players are established in the nhl I put my expectation on where they were drafted.

Late 1st round (22-30) thru 2nd round these are likely 4-6 Dmen ir 3rd/4th line players with a few being 2nd line and a few being 3rd dmen.

3rd round ir later...it’s a bonus if these amount to anything beyond a cup of coffee in the nhl.

 

[BleedBlue14]

What I have noticed on here is people overvalue their own prospects.

Look at the 2008-2010 draft years and count how many nhl skaters played 280 games or more from round 2-7. The answer is around 55 . Not all of these were top 6 forwards or top 3 Dmen.

Until players are established in the nhl I put my expectation on where they were drafted.

Late 1st round (22-30) thru 2nd round these are likely 4-6 Dmen ir 3rd/4th line players with a few being 2nd line and a few being 3rd dmen.

3rd round ir later...it’s a bonus if these amount to anything beyond a cup of coffee in the nhl.

I get where you are coming from but you are overlooking a few things. Players fall every year due to outside circumstances. Look at Kostin/Merkely. Development paths are also not always the same as well.

You are also overlooking that the style of play throughout the NHL has transitioned to a speed style of game. This game is really helping younger players, as well as helping some of them produce at a younger age.

 

[TruBlu]

I fail to see how it doesn't help a team when they ship out one guy for the same as you are giving two. I'm not saying those two equal ROR, but when you add everything else, along with the huge bonus that was paid to get him, they didn't get hosed, no matter how much some want to complain. The fact that the bonus being the tipping point tells me that the money involved was a big issue for them.

 

[a mangy Meowth]

I'm not saying those two equal ROR

They got ROR and they signed Bozak. So it's an upgrade

 

[AustonsNostrils]

Berglund already a healthy scratch on a horrible team, Tage Thompson should be nowhere near an NHL roster and won't be because he's going to Rochester very soon.

Garbage trade by Botterill, ROR could have returned better with some patience or he should have kept him.

 

[super6646]

Berglund already a healthy scratch on a horrible team, Tage Thompson should be nowhere near an NHL roster and won't be because he's going to Rochester very soon.

Garbage trade by Botterill, ROR could have returned better with some patience or he should have kept him.

Is the 1st rounder protected? Because if the blues continue to look this bad, that could be very good news for buffalo if it isn't.

 

[nickschultzfan]

Berglund already a healthy scratch on a horrible team, Tage Thompson should be nowhere near an NHL roster and won't be because he's going to Rochester very soon.

Garbage trade by Botterill, ROR could have returned better with some patience or he should have kept him.

Tell me why having a 20-year old in the AHL is a bad thing?

Too many NHL teams like Buffalo ruin perfectly fine players by putting them in the NHL when they probably should have 3 years of AHL seasoning.

It's not like you cannot fill out a roster with dime-a-dozen NHL vets on short term contracts.

 

[is the answer jesus]

Is the 1st rounder protected? Because if the blues continue to look this bad, that could be very good news for buffalo if it isn't.

Yes. I believe it's top 10 protected. With that said I was always underwhelmed with the return and it has nothing to do with Thompson not being NHL ready. They got what will likely be a late 1st, a 2nd, STL 4th or 5th best prospect and a couple cap dumps. Not great.

 

[AustonsNostrils]

Tell me why having a 20-year old in the AHL is a bad thing?

Too many NHL teams like Buffalo ruin perfectly fine players by putting them in the NHL when they probably should have 3 years of AHL seasoning.

It's not like you cannot fill out a roster with dime-a-dozen NHL vets on short term contracts.

It's not a bad thing to have Thompson in the AHL. But he is just a B prospect, the return for ROR was terrible.

 

[Stupendous Yappi]

Yes. I believe it's top 10 protected. With that said I was always underwhelmed with the return and it has nothing to do with Thompson not being NHL ready. They got what will likely be a late 1st, a 2nd, STL 4th or 5th best prospect and a couple cap dumps. Not great.

The pick is top 10 protected, but the Blues have looked so bad in every facet so far...I’m not sure it’s going to be late even if they recover a bit.

 

[TruePowerSlave]

Still amazed that the Sabres thought it was a good idea to trade ROR for two cap dumps(who have negative value), a okay prospect and picks. Buffalo better hope that the 1st turns into a really good player. No wonder the Sabres are constantly rebuilding year after year.

 

[Michoulicious]

Berglund already a healthy scratch on a horrible team, Tage Thompson should be nowhere near an NHL roster and won't be because he's going to Rochester very soon.

Garbage trade by Botterill, ROR could have returned better with some patience or he should have kept him.

They had to trade him before having to pay the 7.5 millions contract bonus. The return might have been better on July 2nd.

 

[Baksfamous112]

I think this trade would’ve been decent without Berglund included. Now they have an anchor of a player/contract for 4 years.

I also thought at the time that Buffalo could’ve done better or at least gotten better assets by taking on cap dumps.

It’s hard to understand how they went from asking Montreal the 3rd overall pick to this.

 

[nickschultzfan]

It's not a bad thing to have Thompson in the AHL. But he is just a B prospect, the return for ROR was terrible.

ROR makes $7.5 million/year. There are a limit number of teams that can take on that much salary for a 1B center. I agree that it was not a great deal for Buffalo, but there was probably only a couple of teams interested at that time.

 

[Reality Czech]

I think this trade would’ve been decent without Berglund included. Now they have an anchor of a player/contract for 4 years.

I also thought at the time that Buffalo could’ve done better or at least gotten better assets by taking on cap dumps.

It’s hard to understand how they went from asking Montreal the 3rd overall pick to this.

So based on the first few games, do Buffalo fans think Berglund is worse than Sobotka? Blues fans were always pretty divided on which one frustrated them more. I always liked Sobotka's hustle and tenacious play, although in recent years he lost his physical edge and his effort doesn't translate into points very often. It seems like you dislike Bergland more, just curious what other Sabres fans think.

For the record, I liked what I saw from Thompson last year at times but he just wasn't ready to be a full-time NHL player. Maybe he is feeling more pressure to do something since he was the main part of the package for such a well-known player. Hope he turns out to be good for you guys. Also, I don't think that first will be so late based on how the Blues look this year.