Speculation: What is Buffalo's end game with Taylor Hall?

[ottomaddox]

Re-sign him long term?
Trade him at the deadline to bolster their prospects/draft picks?
Ride him out to possibly slide into the playoffs?

What do you think?

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[InfinityIggy]

Convince him to sign long term.

 

[TheImpatientPanther]

Re-sign him long term?
Trade him at the deadline to bolster their prospects/draft picks?
Ride him out to possibly slide into the playoffs?

What do you think?

Disappear Skinner and forward his bank account to Hall's?

 

[PensandCaps]

It's to sign Hall long term so they can keep Eichel.

Most likley Eichel demands a trade if Buffalo falters and Hall doesn't resign

 

[Canovin]

GM Eichel will give Hall a blank cheque

 

[MarkusKetterer]

Package him, Eichel and Dahlin for a bunch of C-level prospects and cap dumps.

 

[HaNotsri]

Package him, Eichel and Dahlin for a bunch of C-level prospects and cap dumps.

Selling high, buying low as always.

Look at how Thompson and Johnson soars high above ROR now.

 

[themelkman]

Trade at deadline obviously

 

[MarkusKetterer]

Selling high, buying low as always.

Look at how Thompson and Johnson soars high above ROR now.

Exactly! They're trying to get ahead of the curve!

 

[Critical13]

Package him, Eichel and Dahlin for a bunch of C-level prospects and cap dumps.

Eichel, Hall and Dahlin could probably net you KK + Guhle and a late 1st!

 

[Skinnyjimmy08]

I'd imagine the goal is to sign him long term... so far, I'd say it seems like a great fit for both sides. Him and Eichel can become a deadly duo if they keep doing what they are doing

 

[Sky04]

Can they even afford Hall? The rest of that roster is going to be extremely thin if you have 30m tied to 3 forwards. You'd have 1 good line and a bunch of holes down the lineup, that Skinner contract has an NMC as well, it's going to be crippling.

 

[Djp]

Re-sign him long term?
Trade him at the deadline to bolster their prospects/draft picks?
Ride him out to possibly slide into the playoffs?

What do you think?

see how it goes with Eichel first....

planning around the expansion draft is another factor

right now certain list are

F Eichel, Skinner, Reinhart, Olofsson
Other F are Mittlestadt, Thompson, Asplund who need to be protected/exposed
D Dahlin, Jokiharju, Ristolainen

they could wait to sign Hall post ED and go 8 skaters where they trade Amitylestadt for a LD. Or they could make a bigger trade involving Reinhart and Mittlestadt and get a better LD. The latter would then see Buffalo possible resign Hall sooner. They also coukd trade Reinhart around a deal for Kane.

the big issue in buffalo is cap space.

you have Dahlin, Jokiharju ending their ELCs. Do they get short or long contracts.

the high contracts on buffalo revolve around Skinner, Hall, Reinhart, and Okposo. If Okposo was to retire or they unload him to Seattle would open up space to keep Hall and Reinhart. Otherwise it could be a one vs the other.

if they are totally out of it ( I don’t see it) they would trade Hall for stuff.

if they signed Dahlin to something like 3 yrs at $5.5M and Jokiharju to one of these 6 yr around $4M per contracts then the team could have cap space to sign Hall to a 2 yr extension and sign Reinhart to something around 5 yrs which would end when Eichels contract ends.

the team needs to have a 3 yr plan with this. This year they have a handful of young players starting their ELC, Okposo contract ends in 3 yrs, if they keep Mittlestadt he likely gets a 2 yr bridge taking him to that point too. Girgensons and Thompson’s contracts also end then.

if they were to trade for Kane, his contract has 3 yrs left too.

 

[MarkusKetterer]

Eichel, Hall and Dahlin could probably net you KK + Guhle and a late 1st!

That's too much. I think they could land Frolik, Kulak, Khisamutdinov, Weal, Olofsson, and a 5th though. And that's if the Habs are being generous.

 

[Mickey Marner]

If he re-signs he can watch the Bills win.

 

[Oscar Lindberg]

He was signed to appease Eichel short term and if they’re smart they’ll flip him at the deadline

 

[TGWL]

They gave up nothing for him. The goal is to win.

Trading him at deadline is only an option if they don't see him as a fit and they can't make playoffs. If they're in playoffs, regardless if he's not in their long term plans, he's staying. Losing him for nothing isn't a big deal when you gave up nothing for him. If they like him and Hall enjoys the year, the goal would be to sign him.

 

[Djp]

Can they even afford Hall? The rest of that roster is going to be extremely thin if you have 30m tied to 3 forwards. You'd have 1 good line and a bunch of holes down the lineup, that Skinner contract has an NMC as well, it's going to be crippling.

they can. If they give Dahlin a low bridge they could sign Hall and Reinhart to 7 each.

Hall(7) Eichel (10) Quinn(1)
Skinner (9)-Cozens (1) Thompson (1.4)
Olofsson(3) Mittlestadt (1.5) Reinhart (7)
Girgensons (2.2) Eakin (2.25)-xxx (1)
Okposo (6)
F= 18+11.4+11.5+ 11.45= 29.4+22.95=52.35

Dahlin (5.5) Joki (4)
xxx (1). Risto (5.4)
Miller (3.9) Borgen (1)
Vet (1)

Ullmark (4)
UPL (1)
9.5+6.4+5.9+5=15.9+10.9=27.8

27.8+ 52.35= 80.15

buffalo has 0.8 in buyout dead space

looking ahead summers when contracts end

in 22 Olofsson bridge ends
23 Mittlestadt bridge end, Cozens ELC ends.
24 Quinn ELC ends
25 ELC on Peterka end , Eichel is due to end
26 Skinner contract ends

with Quinn or peterka they could give them low bridges until Skinners contract is scheduled to end

they could get Seattle to take Okposo or Miller

they could trade Reinhart for a LD who is younger who makes around 4-5M

 

[explore]

Eichel, Hall and Dahlin could probably net you KK + Guhle and a late 1st!

I bet the Rangers might even consider parting with Tony DeAngelo for that package. Maybe. *Fingers crossed*

Re-sign him long term?
Trade him at the deadline to bolster their prospects/draft picks?
Ride him out to possibly slide into the playoffs?

What do you think?

Taylor Hall is playing for a long-term, retirement contract.

If the Sabres can give him the money and term, and they qualify for the playoffs I can see him re-signing.

I can also see the Sabres missing the playoffs and trading Hall to the team of his choice for scraps at the trade deadline

 

[Satanphonehome]

What they end up doing depends on a lot of factors.
But the goal was always to ignite some hope in the dressing room and the market, make the playoffs and sign him long-term.
Obviously.

 

[Black Kevin]

If they trade him or let him walk, it's likely the end of the Eichel era. Unless they can bring in another elite winger, which I doubt. Give him the good ol' 8x9 next summer and call it a day.

 

[SJinNewJersey]

Doesn't Hall have a No Movement Clause?

 

[SpeakingOfTheDevils]

Buffalo’s goal right now is to win with him—and if that happens, extend him.

But, regarding an extension, the Sabres have set the bar pretty high with that (heinous) Skinner contract. Hall won’t want to take anything less than that.

 

[Habs Halifax]

To help Hall get a bigger contract with term and also help Eichel's sanity level this year.

 

[SpeakingOfTheDevils]

Doesn't Hall have a No Movement Clause?

Yes, but he’d waive it under the right circumstances.

The NMC is there to protect Hall against the Sabres trading him to another wheel-spinning franchise simply because they offered the best package.