Drag0nDan

Yeah - midseason trades are always a question mark. Takes time to integrate, and you don't have camp to like truly generate some consistent chemistry.

Improved goaltending would help - even league average in PK would help. I felt like anything cross ice was always in the back of the net with hutton, as well as short side ones - he was just a nightmare.

I would say yes. Berglund/sobotka, sheary (not terrible, but when you tack on hunwick its a bad deal), pominville, scandella, etc. I thought he did a better job this year in bringing in expiring contracts (simmonds, vesey, frolik) to try and jumpstart scoring. Didn't work, but it also didn't bring along bad money. There aren't any major buyout candidates that he's brought in. Johansson isn't an inherently bad deal, and i didn't feel like he overpaid. Even dumping off the remainder of sheary/rodrigues contracts for kahun was a smart move - saves some dollars, and brings in a player you can use beyond the season.

Nice - now to get better at like... hockey.

Agreed. Guys 22 years old and built like a twig, get him eating a bunch more each day and having serious workouts - should be no problem. 6'5 205 -> 220 should be pretty attainable. The key is how to make it functional strength for hockey.

I think for me it was like... thats all it took to get traded? He didn't have a long drawn out issue with management or ownership. He just made an emotional statement after a terrible season. I don't see how JB saw that compensation and was like - LETS GOOOOOO! I feel like deep down TP forced his hand to remove a guy who had poorly represented the team in the media. Housley was a terrible coach, JB probably should've been fired with him tbh.

They did make 2 deals for defensemen at the deadline - but both were pure rentals. I assume Risto would have taken one of their places, or just helped their banged up blue line. 4 UFAs at Defense there, and Andersson gets a raise. Monahan has a modified NTC that kicks in for 2020-2021, so this probably doesn't matter anyway.

Came in and had terrible deals - moulson, bogo, okposo. JB then sprinkled some more terrible deals in - Pominville (1 year too many), Scandella (at times a healthy scratch), Sheary (basically 5 million for him since you have to include hunwicks deal), and then Berg/Sobotka. I thought he did better this year with rentals (simmonds, frolik, vesey) being... rentals. They didn't work out, oh well, they're gone. Mojo seems like he has a role in a middle 6, i don't think its Center though. The salary dump of sheary/rodrigues for kahun was actually a really nice move. But uhhh the other stuff he did - yuck.

I mean... we're fans. We may as well right?

Ughhhh you're getting my hopes up!

My wife will occasionally describe the SPF as "proof" like booze

I mean - I assume its a negotiating tactic? He's not happy bouncing between ahl and nhl, or his role, etc. There isn't a ton of migration of NHL players to the KHL, so i assume its not something that is top of mind when thinking about your RFAs. They just marked him down for a qualifying offer most likely.

I'm sure its somewhat a nature of the current climate. He's not in the building - they probably haven't prioritized discussions on RFAs with no word on salary cap. Not saying its smart but not having him around makes it hard to understand where he's at. Agreed. Getting nothing for a player who can probably contribute at the NHL level sucks.

not saying like... scoring... PP. Just that he's a LHD who's probably AHL bound.

Nothing you can say will make me say - I want larsson for line 2 center. He's been here for like 5 coaches and not one has used him in that role. He is who he is at this point.

quoted the wrong one - woops! I think that has more to say about the other players who have played center here than Larsson specifically. He's a defensive forward who will get you under 10 goals and under 20 points. We had a terrible PK last year, and lazar started taking more draws as the season went along. I'd bring him back but i don't consider him a must-sign or asset piece moving forward. IMO if hes playing middle 6 minutes with oloffson/skinner/kahun, you're hindering those players abilities to score. With Okposo considered bottom 6 at this point of his career, and costing as much as he does, i'd limit what i spend on additional depth forwards. But this guys been playing here since 2013, so it wouldnt surprise me to see him back.

Yeah - He basically gets replaced in AHL by Samuelsson. I'm not sure where he fits in the top 6, he didn't really have a home. In any case as a RFA he gets non-tendered so its a non-issue. Leaves you risto, mccabe, dahlin, montour, miller, joki. Considering risto's annually on the trade block - i'd think they look to add someone there to fill out the group. I'm not sure who of the group would be considered the 7th defender, but they could use another left shot no?

He's not going anywhere.

He's unrestricted.. and we've sucked the entirety of his career. What makes you think he wants to be here? Agreed. Figure out the middle 6. I'd be more inclined to offer 1 year in the beginning of FA. There are players who can contribute on the 4th line with okposo. Lazar, Leier, Asplund... etc. I'd like to bring him back though, that line had some more offense than some of the other lines odly enough.

Miller makes almost 4 million a year and had 11 points and 1 goal. He was a healthy scratch quite a few times last year even with Bogo on LTIR. He's here regardless. Larsson is a UFA, you can't force him to stay. If you're squeezing pennies do you pay him? Do you want him for more than a year? Kahun on line 2 pushes mojo to line 3 - i don't hate it but it definitely requires someone either via trade or FA to center that line with oloffson. Huttons back anyway - they wont stash him or buy him out since it costs more.

Depends on price... and whether he wants to come back. I'm not opposed to Larsson - I just wouldn't put it on the top of the to-do list.

Yeah - that would be ideal if cozens can prove he's ready (please? I don't think buffalo is going to be able to pull 2 middle 6 centers in FA). That'd leave VO-???-Mojo on line 2, and ???-Lazar-Okposo on line 4. Not sure Mitts can do much here. He may need to learn to play wing in rochester because he's just been a failure at center. Can't drive the puck, can't play defense, no physicality, terrible on faceoffs, doesn't get to dirty areas, doesn't play well without the puck. He's literally dragged down whichever line he's played for the last 2 years. Same with Thompson - one of these guys has got to figure it out and stick in buffalo next year. Moving Mitts/Risto/both could help fill one of those holes possibly, but that's dependent on what they feel from their depth on defense. I'd also be open to bringing in a couple of prospects in a deal like that since the pipeline isn't great. It doesn't help buffalo today, but filling the 2C hole doesn't get buffalo to a cup. The plan should be to build a perennial cup contender, not spend a bunch of money/trade the only assets you have to try and slip into the playoffs.

Do you dump mittelstadt or Thompson when their value is in the toilet? Maybe move risto? Still stuck with miller hutton and okposo. Would love to LTIR or bury them - but in a market where they don't want to go over the cap, they're all going to be here. I wouldn't chase top tier free agents, and focus on adding line 2-3 depth. I'd love to add a top tier center to play on line 2, i just don't see anyone interested in coming here after issues with like.. every player brought in here. I'd also like to see a bit more jam in 4th liner to go with Okposo and lazar. At the end of the day - does thompson stick as a line 3 winger? Where does Kahun fit? Which RFAs are brought back? Where does mittelstadt end up? Can they afford to bring hutton back after this trainwreck season?

Then he threw that plan out when he moved o'reilly and promoted mittelstadt who needed seasoning. I think the biggest issue i have with the team is the complete lack of emphasis on goalies. Buffalo's successful seasons... over basically their entire existence. All had good goalies. Can we at least TRY to build out from the net? I like having a top goalie in the NHL. It's a nice safety blanket. There are a considerable number of teams who have 2 goalies that are better than either of ours.

He did make the playoffs there... they also moved to Baltimore right after his tenure.