Trade Speculation and Rumors 2018-19

[bcsaberks]

So, is the "mopey" attitude based solely on his locker clean out presser?  I don't think he's an overly outspoken guy.

 

I have however seen him play irritated and put the team on his back at times.  That's good enough for me.

 

Oh.. and you get a pass (just a bit) for being under bourbon influence.  :)

Through-out the course of the season he had a bunch of them in post-games "i'm just skating around out there, not good enough".  I thought he did a nice job summarizing it at clean-out with the "lost the love" comment. 

 

Howard Simon has the same thing to say here:  http://www.wgr550.com/articles/opinion/oreilly-needs-suck-it

 

Ideally the new young core (15+23+Mlltdst+Dahlin) dominates in Oct and O'Reilly can keep to himself and nicely do his thing on the ice. But again if he's moping in the locker room I don't want him around those 2 new pieces.  

[LGR4GM]

Howard ended that putting Mittelstadt above ROR on the depth chart, which is not happening this season.

Edited May 6, 2018 by Skurk Liger

[Robviously]

So, is the "mopey" attitude based solely on his locker clean out presser?  I don't think he's an overly outspoken guy.

 

I have however seen him play irritated and put the team on his back at times.  That's good enough for me.

 

Oh.. and you get a pass (just a bit) for being under bourbon influence.  :)

ROR's post-game comments were a running joke on WGR long before locker room clean-out day.  ROR's "I need to be better" schtick was worn out pretty early in the season this year.

 

And unfortunately that's basically as close to an identity as this team has: Don't show up, lose, go out of your way to tell everyone how bad you feel about it and that things have to change after the game

 

At this point I think if the team is going to take a step forward, it'll be with Jack/Mittelstadt/Dahlin driving the team culture along with whatever new guys we bring in.  

[LikeEich]

True, but their top 4 is top notch. Letang, Schultz, Dumoulin, and Maata make up an excellent top 2 pairs. Hainey, Cole and Daley played solidly for them in the playoffs and they survived Letang's injury with veteran depth and a fantastic offense.

 

This year those same 4 carried the load and 4 others played 40+ games in the 5 & 6th slots including former Sabres Chad Ruhwedel.

 

This however kind of proves my point about depth and not moving out Risto. With Risto we are 3/4 to a Pitt caliber top 4 (Scandella, Dahlin and Risto) without him we are still only 50% of the way there.

 

as to the other contenders

WPG - Byfuglien, Myers (who played 82 games this year w 36 pts), Morrissey and Trouba, with vets Enstrom, Kulikov, and Chiarot.

Nsh - Subban, Josi, Ekholm, Ellis plus depth of Emelin, and Irwin

LV - Breakout stars Colin Miller & Nate Schmidt, Shea Theodore, and Engelland, plus depth from our friend McNabb, Sbisa and others.

SJ - Burns (Their leading scorer), Braun, Vlasic and Dillon - Probably the worst group, but Burns is a great Franchise D

Wash - Carlson, Orlov, Niskanen, and Orpik with a bunch of kids for depth

TB - Hedman, Sergachev, Girardi, Stralman, Coburn, and a mix of vets and kids for added depth.

Bos - Krug, McAvoy, Charra, Miller, Grzelcyk, and Carlo - maybe the deepest top 6 of any playoff team

 

 

All these team feature a franchise D and excellent top 4s. Some have greater depth but in the playoffs even with great Offenses like TB and Wpg you need a excellent top 4 D.

I agree with your basic principle here, don't trade Risto, and D needs to improve. Letang didn't play a single playoff game last season. Pitty D was horrible without a franchise guy. Washington D is anything but deep, few aging declining guys and kids with Carlson.

I agree with your basic principle here, don't trade Risto, and D needs to improve. Letang didn't play a single playoff game last season. Pitty D was horrible without a franchise guy. Washington D is anything but deep, few aging declining guys and kids with Carlson.

Edit: look up 2016-17 penguins playoff defense. Atrocious. IMO its a little less about a solid top 4 or top 6, as it is which guys you have together, how hard they're willing to work, and how bad they want it. We have a losing attitude. We could have the best top 4 in the world and it wouldn't be good enough until this gets fixed. That's why its hard to judge talent on this squad IMO

 

Another edit: don't ask for another example I got nothing. Pointless argument right now haha

Edited May 6, 2018 by LikeEich

[Sabre fan]

I find it interesting that it is even speculated that ROR may be a problem or cancer in the dressing room...if that were the case do you really think that he'd be chosen year after year to represent Canada in all the various tournaments he has played in (which is many)? Furthermore, he is named captain or assistant captain every time and is always a leader with class and heart. I really think while we have many avenues to explore when it comes to trades and improving the team, trading ROR simply out of anger or emotion would not turn our good at all. He would be very hard to replace. We already moved a great talent in Kane and unless we get him back that is a huge hole. Moving ROR would leave us with out a shut-down center to play against the other team's top forwards (which most nights is a thankless job ROR did game after game without complaint)

Edited May 6, 2018 by Sabre fan

[LikeEich]

I find it interesting that it is even speculated that ROR may be a problem or cancer in the dressing room...if that were the case do you really think that he'd be chosen year after year to represent Canada in all the various tournaments he has played in (which is many)? Furthermore, he is named captain or assistant captain every time and is always a leader with class and heart. I really think while we have many avenues to explore when it comes to trades and improving the team, trading ROR simply out of anger or emotion would not turn our good at all. He would be very hard to replace. We already moved a great talent in Kane and unless we get him back that is a huge hole. Moving ROR would leave us with out a shut-down center to play against the other team's top forwards (which most nights is a thankless job ROR did game after game without complaint)

Might get hated for this but... Ya forsure, ROR is a stud for us all season, whoever doesn't know, skilled guys get left off team Canada because of attitude, never are they invited repeatedly or named captain or Alternate. Eichel said all the right stuff at locker cleanout day but that was about the only day. If any center is a problem it's him. Not saying he is, but 100x more likely him then O'Reilly.

[Beer]

Might get hated for this but... Ya forsure, ROR is a stud for us all season, whoever doesn't know, skilled guys get left off team Canada because of attitude, never are they invited repeatedly or named captain or Alternate. Eichel said all the right stuff at locker cleanout day but that was about the only day. If any center is a problem it's him. Not saying he is, but 100x more likely him then O'Reilly.

I thought Jack improved his overall game this past season. He was much better defensively. I didn’t notice as much coasting. He hustled and he played hard to the end. I don’t think you can lay much blame on him. I put more blame on the high paid vets that didn’t get it done and a goal tender who couldn’t make a stop and critical times.

 

ROR will be fine next season. I want him on this team.

Edited May 6, 2018 by Beer

[LGR4GM]

Eichel said the right things and acted right basically the second he had that private Housley skate.

[Iron Crotch]

I think this team missed Brian Gionta more than people realized. He was captain of multiple franchises for a reason. Veteran leadership is definitely something Botterill can and should look for in the offseason.

[inkman]

I think this team missed Brian Gionta more than people realized. He was captain of multiple franchises for a reason. Veteran leadership is definitely something Botterill can and should look for in the offseason.

Didn't he captain one of the worst teams in NHL history?

[Iron Crotch]

Didn't he captain one of the worst teams in NHL history?

 

We were marginally better the past two seasons then got worse once he left (this season)... I don't our kids were ready to play without adult supervision.

[LTS]

Didn't he captain one of the worst teams in NHL history?

 

How is that relevant though?  He was also selected to be the captain of Montreal.  No small feat, even if he has small feet.

[Robviously]

Might get hated for this but... Ya forsure, ROR is a stud for us all season, whoever doesn't know, skilled guys get left off team Canada because of attitude, never are they invited repeatedly or named captain or Alternate. Eichel said all the right stuff at locker cleanout day but that was about the only day. If any center is a problem it's him. Not saying he is, but 100x more likely him then O'Reilly.

The most bizarre thing about all of this is that ROR suddenly became an "elite" or "a stud" on this board after the season ended.  Where was all this adoration from October through March when we were watching the games?  During the season, the *best* thing people said about ROR was that he was quietly putting up his career average -- and that started early in 2018 when he suddenly came to life after the season was effectively lost.

 

This is two seasons in a row where he didn't do all that much the first 3 months of the season and then caught up to his career averages in garbage time -- basically the entire second half of the season after we'd been eliminated from the playoffs.  That's nothing to be over the moon about.

 

I'll be really impressed with ROR if come October 2018, he plays lights out hockey and helps the Sabres get out to a strong start to the season.    And maybe we're thinking about the playoffs when we're putting up Christmas lights instead of reading mock drafts for 2019.  If his 2018-2019 is the same as this past season, it's basically a dud.

[Randall Flagg]

The most bizarre thing about all of this is that ROR suddenly became an "elite" or "a stud" on this board after the season ended.  Where was all this adoration from October through March when we were watching the games?  During the season, the *best* thing people said about ROR was that he was quietly putting up his career average -- and that started early in 2018 when he suddenly came to life after the season was effectively lost.

 

This is two seasons in a row where he didn't do all that much the first 3 months of the season and then caught up to his career averages in garbage time -- basically the entire second half of the season after we'd been eliminated from the playoffs.  That's nothing to be over the moon about.

 

I'll be really impressed with ROR if come October 2018, he plays lights out hockey and helps the Sabres get out to a strong start to the season.    And maybe we're thinking about the playoffs when we're putting up Christmas lights instead of reading mock drafts for 2019.  If his 2018-2019 is the same as this past season, it's basically a dud.

Do you spend a lot of time here during the season? Loads of us have been impressed with ROR this season, aside from his first 15 games or whatever, and have consistently mentioned it. 

[Robviously]

Do you spend a lot of time here during the season? Loads of us have been impressed with ROR this season, aside from his first 15 games or whatever, and have consistently mentioned it. 

Probably read the board nearly every morning.  And I feel like I definitely would have noticed "elite" or "stud" thrown around to describe any player on this team since we were mired in maybe the worst season in team history.  The ROR praise was in the "actually, he's on track for his average year" category.

[Randall Flagg]

Probably read the board nearly every morning.  And I feel like I definitely would have noticed "elite" or "stud" thrown around to describe any player on this team since we were mired in maybe the worst season in team history.  The ROR praise was in the "actually, he's on track for his average year" category.

I mean, I would never expect myself to remember specific words like that over a stretch of time spanning months. 

 

The dude faced some of the toughest minutes ever this season, and only had one useful winger the entire time, Reinhart at the end, and still managed to do fine offensively, while taking 2 PIMS. It was an objectively impressive season on a horrible team with some of the worst depth scoring I've ever seen on a non-tank roster

 

He good

[Robviously]

I mean, I would never expect myself to remember specific words like that over a stretch of time spanning months. 

 

The dude faced some of the toughest minutes ever this season, and only had one useful winger the entire time, Reinhart at the end, and still managed to do fine offensively, while taking 2 PIMS. It was an objectively impressive season on a horrible team with some of the worst depth scoring I've ever seen on a non-tank roster

 

He good

He's an objectively good player.  But I'm not overly impressed by what he's done the last two years.  He's a veteran that we brought in to lead the team and we need more from him.  We need our best players to be our best players when it counts, not when we're already eliminated.

 

The Sabres should have a very different feel this season with Mittelstadt and Dahlin on the way, along with whatever other moves Botterill can make.  Maybe we can finally have a strong start to the season.  But ROR is going to have to be a part of that and maybe even lead it.  I hope he does.

[nfreeman]

The most bizarre thing about all of this is that ROR suddenly became an "elite" or "a stud" on this board after the season ended.  Where was all this adoration from October through March when we were watching the games?  During the season, the *best* thing people said about ROR was that he was quietly putting up his career average -- and that started early in 2018 when he suddenly came to life after the season was effectively lost.

 

This is two seasons in a row where he didn't do all that much the first 3 months of the season and then caught up to his career averages in garbage time -- basically the entire second half of the season after we'd been eliminated from the playoffs.  That's nothing to be over the moon about.

 

I'll be really impressed with ROR if come October 2018, he plays lights out hockey and helps the Sabres get out to a strong start to the season.    And maybe we're thinking about the playoffs when we're putting up Christmas lights instead of reading mock drafts for 2019.  If his 2018-2019 is the same as this past season, it's basically a dud.

 

I mean, I would never expect myself to remember specific words like that over a stretch of time spanning months. 

 

The dude faced some of the toughest minutes ever this season, and only had one useful winger the entire time, Reinhart at the end, and still managed to do fine offensively, while taking 2 PIMS. It was an objectively impressive season on a horrible team with some of the worst depth scoring I've ever seen on a non-tank roster

 

He good

 

He's an objectively good player.  But I'm not overly impressed by what he's done the last two years.  He's a veteran that we brought in to lead the team and we need more from him.  We need our best players to be our best players when it counts, not when we're already eliminated.

 

The Sabres should have a very different feel this season with Mittelstadt and Dahlin on the way, along with whatever other moves Botterill can make.  Maybe we can finally have a strong start to the season.  But ROR is going to have to be a part of that and maybe even lead it.  I hope he does.

 

Good stuff here boys.

 

I agree with much of what Robvy said.  As I've posted previously, I think ROR had a poor start to the season and, although his scoring numbers weren't horrible, was pretty much invisible until after the season was lost.  Like Reino, he put up good numbers in garbage time, such that the season doesn't look like a debacle on the stat sheet.  But he didn't have a good season IMHO.  And part of his $7.5MM per year is supposed to be for leadership, and if he's led them anywhere, it's into a ditch.

 

BUT he's still a very good player, and I would only unload him if either (i) he's a major problem in the locker room, which we can't know, or (ii) someone knocks their socks off with a crazy offer.

[Randall Flagg]

All fair points from y'all.

[nfreeman]

OK -- as I posted in the playoffs thread, I'm ready to commit to Braden Holtby as my #1 offseason target for the Sabres, with Grubauer as my fallback. 

 

It looks like the Caps have enough cap space to keep both, but they also have a good goalie prospect in their system -- Ilya Samsonov, their #1 pick in 2015 -- and the plan reportedly is for them to bring Samsonov over from the KHL for next season.  So it's fairly likely that they trade either Holtby (if they want to free up more cap space) or Grubauer.

 

Holtby is under contract for 2 more years at a $6.1MM cap hit.  His numbers declined this year -- he was 7th in the NHL in wins, but had fairly pedestrian GAA and SV%.  But over the last 3 years, he's #1 in wins, #7 in GAA and #13 in SV%.  And the 2 years left on his contract means that it's not an Okposo-like enormous commitment that goes on forever.

 

Grubauer played 35 games this year and had better GAA and SV% than Holtby.  Grubauer is cheaper and is trending up, while Holtby is expensive and trending down (although he's had a great playoffs).  If Holtby is put on the market, a number of teams will be interested.

 

Could the Sabres get him for Nylander and their #2 pick this year?  Who says no?

[thewookie1]

OK -- as I posted in the playoffs thread, I'm ready to commit to Braden Holtby as my #1 offseason target for the Sabres, with Grubauer as my fallback.

 

It looks like the Caps have enough cap space to keep both, but they also have a good goalie prospect in their system -- Ilya Samsonov, their #1 pick in 2015 -- and the plan reportedly is for them to bring Samsonov over from the KHL for next season. So it's fairly likely that they trade either Holtby (if they want to free up more cap space) or Grubauer.

 

Holtby is under contract for 2 more years at a $6.1MM cap hit. His numbers declined this year -- he was 7th in the NHL in wins, but had fairly pedestrian GAA and SV%. But over the last 3 years, he's #1 in wins, #7 in GAA and #13 in SV%. And the 2 years left on his contract means that it's not an Okposo-like enormous commitment that goes on forever.

 

Grubauer played 35 games this year and had better GAA and SV% than Holtby. Grubauer is cheaper and is trending up, while Holtby is expensive and trending down (although he's had a great playoffs). If Holtby is put on the market, a number of teams will be interested.

 

Could the Sabres get him for Nylander and their #2 pick this year? Who says no?

As good as Holtby might be he’s not worth a recent Top 10 1st rounder and the 32nd Pick to me.

[LGR4GM]

OK -- as I posted in the playoffs thread, I'm ready to commit to Braden Holtby as my #1 offseason target for the Sabres, with Grubauer as my fallback. 

 

It looks like the Caps have enough cap space to keep both, but they also have a good goalie prospect in their system -- Ilya Samsonov, their #1 pick in 2015 -- and the plan reportedly is for them to bring Samsonov over from the KHL for next season.  So it's fairly likely that they trade either Holtby (if they want to free up more cap space) or Grubauer.

 

Holtby is under contract for 2 more years at a $6.1MM cap hit.  His numbers declined this year -- he was 7th in the NHL in wins, but had fairly pedestrian GAA and SV%.  But over the last 3 years, he's #1 in wins, #7 in GAA and #13 in SV%.  And the 2 years left on his contract means that it's not an Okposo-like enormous commitment that goes on forever.

 

Grubauer played 35 games this year and had better GAA and SV% than Holtby.  Grubauer is cheaper and is trending up, while Holtby is expensive and trending down (although he's had a great playoffs).  If Holtby is put on the market, a number of teams will be interested.

 

Could the Sabres get him for Nylander and their #2 pick this year?  Who says no?

I say no. A team devoid of depth trading a good trade chip plus the 32nd overall pick in a deep defensive draft for a goalie, that's what screwed the rebuild up the first time. 

[Randall Flagg]

OK -- as I posted in the playoffs thread, I'm ready to commit to Braden Holtby as my #1 offseason target for the Sabres, with Grubauer as my fallback. 

 

It looks like the Caps have enough cap space to keep both, but they also have a good goalie prospect in their system -- Ilya Samsonov, their #1 pick in 2015 -- and the plan reportedly is for them to bring Samsonov over from the KHL for next season.  So it's fairly likely that they trade either Holtby (if they want to free up more cap space) or Grubauer.

 

Holtby is under contract for 2 more years at a $6.1MM cap hit.  His numbers declined this year -- he was 7th in the NHL in wins, but had fairly pedestrian GAA and SV%.  But over the last 3 years, he's #1 in wins, #7 in GAA and #13 in SV%.  And the 2 years left on his contract means that it's not an Okposo-like enormous commitment that goes on forever.

 

Grubauer played 35 games this year and had better GAA and SV% than Holtby.  Grubauer is cheaper and is trending up, while Holtby is expensive and trending down (although he's had a great playoffs).  If Holtby is put on the market, a number of teams will be interested.

 

Could the Sabres get him for Nylander and their #2 pick this year?  Who says no?

I would try to take Orpik and minimize what we'd have to give up. 

 

 

[Derrico]

Suppose to be a deep draft.  Pick 32 has high value.  I know you have to give to get but I don't want to trade that pick.  Would they take something and next years second?

[Mustache of God]

Will the Pens be able to afford Guenztal? Any chance Botteril could make a deal to bring him over here?