nfreeman

We should’ve traded Mitts and Rosen for him when we had the chance. Can’t believe we let that one slip away.

Oooooooooohhh. I too have been very annoyed, multiple times, about that mapping feature on the Marriott website. It is freaking terrible. Separately: while I appreciate the feedback on the thread merging, locking, etc., I don’t think it’s quite the catastrophe it’s being painted as here. I hope everyone can appreciate that the mods donate their time on a volunteer basis and make moderation decisions in good faith. No one is seeking any personal gain here.

Here's a generalization with, IMHO, quite a bit of truth to it: this is exactly the kind of situation in which a Canadian NHL team -- mostly due to the much higher pressure facing Canadian teams relative to US teams -- frequently panics and trades a great player instead of patiently working out the issues. If this is real, it's an opportunity. I sure hope KA seizes it. I doubt he'd be happy about being traded to Buffalo, but the Sabres need to take steps and no move is without risk. If they bring him in and the team becomes a Cup contender, he'll probably be happy here. OTOH, if they don't bring him in, and they continue to stink, guys like Dahlin and Cozens are going to want out pretty soon and then we'll be starting rebuild #4.

There's a reason it seems cheap. There is zero possibility that Mitts is the best NHL player going to Van in a Pettersson trade. Now this is more realistic. Even so, I don't particularly want to pay a huge price for Pettersson and then make him one of the highest paid players in the NHL. He's a very good player, but he's not what the Sabres are dying for, which is leadership, toughness and determination (and good coaching). I'd much rather pay through the nose for Tkachuk. This. And TT has perhaps led the Sabres in their enormous and disappointing step back this season, with 33 pts in 48 games (56-pt pace) and generally comatose play, while Pettersson is on track for 101 pts as the Canucks lead the NHL standings. TT deserves $5MM less than EP.

This is closer to getting it done, but I think Ottawa would want Quinn or JJP instead of Kulich. In any case though I don't think the Sabres should give up Cozens -- I'd rather they give up Power or TT. I don't necessarily agree on Cozens being better as a wing, but I agree that they need to keep him and that I'd rather give up TT than Cozens. Also, if they give up TT and not Cozens, I think that reduces the rest of the price -- so maybe they could give up Kulich and not Quinn. TT, Kulich and 2024 #1 (top-3 protected).

OK. We can't have a conversation if you just ignore what I say. The Eichel trade, and the value Vegas gave up for him (and it sure seemed like they were the only serious bidder was not for "a 1C." It was for a 1C with a major injury and contract risk. Do you think if Eichel had been healthy, he would've yielded more in trade than what the Sabres got for him? Respectfully, there is zero possibility that Ottawa would accept this, or that anyone would give up anything remotely as good as Brady for this package. Yes, although I think the protections would have to be pretty limited (e.g. top 3 or something like that). I think Matthew Tkachuk was also 1 year away from UFA -- that was why Calgary traded him, since they had just lost Gaudreau for nothing in UFA, and Tkachuk said he wouldn't sign an extension there. Brady, OTOH, has 4 more years after this one to go on his contract. I think Ottawa will demand more than your suggestion. There is no way they will agree to Mitts being the best roster player coming back (and probably not Tuch either). I agree on the prospect and the 2024 #1 though.

Again, though, the ROR trade had the bonus deadline and JB incompetence as value-depressing factors, while Eichel had the injury risk, plus he wanted a type of operation that had never been performed on a major sport athlete before, plus he had $50MM left on his contract. It's not apples to apples. Tkachuk is a young, healthy borderline great player with size and intensity. They aren't trading that for less than a king's ransom.

Eichel's trade return was substantially discounted due to his injury, and ROR's was substantially discounted due to JB overplaying his hand and the $7.5MM bonus deadline. None of those factors is present here. You can stipulate that you're not trading more for Tkachuk than we got for Eichel, or that you're not trading Power for Tkachuk -- and you know what? That just means you're not getting Tkachuk. Frankly, I think the whole rumor is just NHL trade rumor BS, but if he is traded, it will be bloody expensive. And let's be clear: the Sabres are dying for guys like Tkachuk. They would survive just fine without TT or Quinn or Benson or Power.

Huh? I'm sure you know there is zero possibility that Ottawa would accept this offer. Now this is more likely, although the Sabres would need to sweeten the pot.

Boy, @... is really getting a comeuppance in this thread.

I’m still holding out hope for this summer. Yes — I think the spread between Tkachuk and Mitts is about the same as the spread between Malkin and Roy, and that the 2 proposed trades are equally delusional.

I generally agree with this post, except for the usage of "comeuppance".

It worked out pretty well for Vegas!

This is it in a nutshell. You're giving up the crown jewels if you want Brady, and it's at least 50/50 that the right move is to do so. I think you are right that Ottawa would want something like your proposal, and that no matter what the final price is, it would hurt. There is no way Ottawa does this with Cozens being the only legit NHL roster player coming back. It raises an interesting question as to whether I'd rather part with Cozens as opposed to, say, TT or Power or Quinn. Ottawa wouldn't do this in a million years. This is pretty close to Roy-for-Malkin redux. Separately: realistically, if the price didn't include Dahlin or TT, IMHO it would include at least 2 of: Cozens Quinn Tuch JJP Power PLUS one or 2 of Levi Mitts Benson Kulich Rosen Östlund 2024 #1 ...so it would hurt indeed. I think the Sabres lack heart and intensity, so I think I'd be OK paying a high price for Brady, but I'd prefer to keep the guys we have already who have those qualities, i.e. Cozens, Tuch and Dahlin. But I think I'd also rather see how the current group reacted to a real NHL coach before I made any major overhauls.

Awesome. And I have felt your pain acutely.

What a freaking bozo. https://www.espn.com/nhl/story/_/id/39584777/coyotes-cutting-adam-ruzicka-apparent-cocaine-video I gotta say -- if I'm a coach or GM, I have no interest in someone this dumb, let alone the drug issues. Of course, if DG coached him at the World Juniors...

Guilty as charged.

So the Athletic’s group of hockey writers now predicts DG to be the next coach fired.

“True Detective” — latest season, which just concluded — pretty solid — I’ll give it a B. ”Mr. And Mrs. Smith” — surprisingly good for an Amazon show — B-plus.

This is the kind of embarrassment that TP hates and that has led to him firing GMs in the past. It also flies in the face of KA's oft-stated theme of re-establishing the bond between the team and the community. I don't think this gets KA fired but there had better not be many more of these black eyes.

While I agree that Harrington wasn't reporting that DG will return (which is why the thread title says "indicates" and not "says" or "reports"), I don't think the bolded is the correct interpretation either. Harrington responded "Very high" to this question: "What are the chances that meatball cleans house and brings in a news coaching team to assist him at seasons end?" He didn't say: "If DG is retained, he will probably bring in new assistants." And the question he was asked wasn't: "What are the chances that if DG is retained as coach, he cleans house and brings in a new staff?" I think that if Harrington didn't think DG would be back, he would've said more than "very high" in response to the question he was asked. Do you not think that Harrington thinks DG will be back?

Good luck @Marvin. I hope you avoid the grim reaper. If not, I'm sure it won't be pleasant, but I will say that I know a number of very smart, very successful people who have been laid off. Sometimes it's unavoidable, but it usually works out for the best. Either way it sounds like you have very marketable skills.

More important to whom? Maybe to Sabrespace, but I highly doubt it matters to KA or TP. That would be ridiculous and just another type of cheapskatedness, not to mention stupid -- "yes, we're spending a ton of money, but we look like we've made a bunch of really savvy deals, so it doesn't matter that the zillions of dollars we're spending aren't producing wins." No one writing the checks would think like that. Wanna call them incompetent? It's sure hard to argue at this point. But if you want to call them cheap or obsessed with getting a good deal at the expense of having a good team -- I can't agree. YMMV, of course.

I do not believe that being economic and efficient is a priority for TP or KA. I think that was the case during the uncertainties of the Covid era, but it is no longer the case. I think the buildout of the front office and the fat contracts given to multiple young players indicate that the franchise is ready and willing to spend. While I will not be a-tall surprised if DG is retained, I think that decision will not be based on cheapskatedness. It will be based on (i) TP's desire not to look like a clown organization that keeps firing people and (ii) KA's belief in DG. Still a crappy outcome though.

I totally agree, and this is a roster construction flaw that KA is accountable for. Still, I don't think DG is the right guy.