Trade: Ryan O'Reilly to St Louis Blues

[Robviously]

Lead whom? The husk of Pominville? The corpse of Bogo? Hunwick? Larrson? Stop me when I get to someone worth leading. Casey will be thrown to the wolves. Dahlin too. We have seen this show before. And not one valuable piece coming back. And to top it off he agreed to top 10 protection? That would have been the only thing to makemthis palatable, i.e. the Blues winning the Hughes sweepstakes and having to hand it over.

"Not one valuable piece coming back" is just weird when you consider Thompson, the 1st, and the 2nd should all be helpful long term.

 

And I really don't get the fixation on the Blues 1st being Top 10 protected.  It isn't going to happen anyway and every NHL team is specifying that when they trade a 1st now.

 

I think JB knew he had to move ROR and got the best deal he could.  We didn't get more because no one would give us more.

[apuszczalowski]

This team should be adding talent at this point, not more lottery tickets and potential

 

They can get all the best cheerleaders and motivational speakers they want in this lockerroom, but if they still lack talent, they are going to lose and the culture won't change one bit.

This team needs to start winning now to change the actual culture in the lockerroom. Selling the lockerroom on more time being needed to win isn't going to help either.....

[Weave]

As a huge proponent of trying Reinhart at center last year....I've seen enough of that. He's not an NHL center

If part of the plan includes Sam at center, Jbotts evaluation period is over IMO. That would be the finishing touch on me giving Jbott thebenefit of thedoubt. The kid is a terrific winger. Stop making him into something he isn’t.

[Doohicksie]

Offer sheets use your pick. As far as ik you can't substitute picks. Anyone confirm or refute?

 

No you're right.  But... sure we can trade our first if we have two other 1st round picks.  I'd be okay with tat to pry a prime asset off the Leafs roster.

[slugspirit]

That $7.5M would have no effect on anything the Sabres do going forward. Had the Sabres paid it though, they might have "bought" a better return in the trade.

I guess?

 

I dunno. I'm just trying to stay positive with the whole "we saved money" thing.

 

If it got us Thomas or even Kyrou, though? Yup. Count me in.

[3putt]

@3putt

On the contrary, I think he told Sam, and Jack and Casey and Rasmus that their time is precisely right now.

They’ve been handed the reins.

I get that sentiment. It would have been much moremreassuring if that message was accompanied by a piecemthatnwas going to help get them overmthe hump insteadmof creating a bigger hole. Kane and Ror production is a gaping hole to fill.

[Robviously]

Mike Harrington‏Verified account @ByMHarrington 37m37 minutes ago

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Botterill on timing of bonus payment: "If it went past midnight today, the asking price was certainly going to be a lot different." #Sabres

 

:wallbash:  :wallbash:  :wallbash:  :wallbash:

 

I think this is just JB fronting.  Same thing when he says ROR's age was a factor.

[Weave]

Oh, and I love that calling draft picks lottery tickets has stuck here.

[Doohicksie]

Not when ours will be top 5

 

Would you trade a top-5 pick in the next draft (when we already have two other first rounders next year) for Nylander straight up?  I would.

[jahnyc]

We have assumed the contracts of Hunwick, Sobotka and Berglund.  Salary cap space is at a premium in the NHL, and we are taking on contracts for marginal and older players.  Separate and apart from the O'Reilly trade, which did not yield significant enough value to justify assuming the contracts of Sobotka and Berglund, why are we doing this?  If it was one year thing, maybe it is okay, but we are now stuck with Berglund (30 years old) for another four years!

[apuszczalowski]

He clearly didn't want to raise the asking price. He wanted O'Reilly gone...

 

Just like Colorado...

I thought that Colorado moved him because ROR was asking to be moved cause they weren't going to pay him what he wanted?

 

I don't remember Colorado moving him just because they thought he was an issue in the lockerroom.

[WildCard]

Have you looked at Vancouver's moves? They definitely don't think they're rebuilding. Neither does Detroit. And really, I don't think that makes any sense. "Hey, we're starting a rebuild. Let's move the pieces we have to rebuild around for pieces we can rebuild around in 3 years!" NHL players on ELCs are gold, no team is moving them for lottery tickets.

Vancouver has to realize they're getting a top 5 pick, so does Detroit

 

Well no it's not a 1:1 trade. It would be 'Here's 2 1sts to start your rebuild off, do you have a single prospect that may be ready to go but won't be in your window? No? Well, here's Nylander too'

Except that no one is trading those guys away for more picks, they want good players........

 

If its age that he cares about, might as well get on the Phone for Duclair and Yakupov as they fit the age........

I mean, we just did it. Two 1sts is a ton of currency, there is a variety of packages with McCabe/Nylander/etc. with those 2 1sts that can net a guy in Botterill's age range

[3putt]

"Not one valuable piece coming back" is just weird when you consider Thompson, the 1st, and the 2nd should all be helpful long term.

 

And I really don't get the fixation on the Blues 1st being Top 10 protected.  It isn't going to happen anyway and every NHL team is specifying that when they trade a 1st now.

 

I think JB knew he had to move ROR and got the best deal he could.  We didn't get more because no one would give us more.

Thompson is a pylon. Good hands and shot but slow. Berglund and Sobodtka saw there best days in the first Obama administration. The only value or should I say risk to St Louis was the potential of losing a lottery pick. Otherwise we gifted them a 60 pt center.

[WildCard]

I think this is just JB fronting.  Same thing when he says ROR's age was a factor.

I agree that the attitude/locker room stuff was clearly the drive behind this, but I do believe that RoR's age for Botterill was a factor.

[Iron Crotch]

I thought that Colorado moved him because ROR was asking to be moved cause they weren't going to pay him what he wanted?

 

I don't remember Colorado moving him just because they thought he was an issue in the lockerroom.

 

Yep. And, Colorado had just drafted MacKinnon and was absolutely loaded at Center and wanted to play an up-tempo speed game (which isn't O'Reilly's MO obviously).

[Doohicksie]

And they're "affordable" thanks to STL picking up ROR's bonus.

 

They would have been affordable even if we'd paid ROR's bonus.  It made no difference.  That money we paid counts against St. Louis's cap.

[WildCard]

Sure, he can probably call the Islanders and get Micheal Dal Colle and Rick di pietro's contract for all that. Do they still owe Yashin money?  Maybe they can find a way to take Bobby Bonilla Day from the Mets.

People don't throw away two 1st round picks. It's not like we're anchoring Okposo to them

[Formerly Allan in MD]

Relax.  Who can we get for two number ones?  Having three number ones does not equate to having food poisoning.  I really liked ROR until last season. His fall off in production and his public persona made him quite expendable.  It's quite possible that a number of teams backed off because of that and it may have enabled St. Louis and others to low ball us on who they threw into this or another prospective trade.

[Doohicksie]

Not looking at it from a cap perspective. He was asking why we should care about STL picking up ROR's bonus. I know it doesn't affect the salary cap.

 

That what are you talking about?  It's pennies to TPegs.

[TrueBlueGED]

He clearly didn't want to raise the asking price. He wanted O'Reilly gone...

 

Just like Colorado...

 

And like Colorado, I hope we see a similar jump in the standings after expunging the locker room cancer that is Ryan O'Reilly. Wait, Colorado missed the playoffs 3 straight seasons after trading him? Oh....

 

If part of the plan includes Sam at center, Jbotts evaluation period is over IMO. That would be the finishing touch on me giving Jbott thebenefit of thedoubt. The kid is a terrific winger. Stop making him into something he isn’t.

 

His evaluation period ended with the ROR trade. This is too big of a move to give benefit of the doubt on, I think, after the team tanked in the standing during Botterill's first season.

 

I think this is just JB fronting.  Same thing when he says ROR's age was a factor.

 

Maybe, or maybe it's a combination of several things that added up for him.

[bcsaberks]

My two cents:

 

The Sabres were worst in the NHL last year. Everybody should be expendable except Eichel an Mittelstadt. . Don't forget that ROR was the ostensible leader on that team, given his ages, status, and experience. Well, the proof of the pudding is in the eating. His leadership failed miserably. He disappeared for games at a time, and his attitude got old.

 

While I don't love any of the players we got in return, they are at least NHL quality. The team needed an overhaul. Might as well embrace change.

Yup. Didn't he have 0 penalty minutes last year? "I'm just skating around out there" See ya! Good job jbot, get what you can and move on.

 

For the angry folks - think Las Vegas. It's about the team.

[dudacek]

I think O’Reilly has been the best player on the worst team in the NHL the past three years and I am not happy with the return.

 

However, I do think the Sabres will be better next year, like the Avalanche and for similar reasons.

It starts with O’Reilly —> Duchene and moves to Eichel —> Mackinnon

 

I don’t know if Lehner, Kane and O’Reilly were the problems with this team, but I’m pretty sure there was a black cloud of some sort and that Botterill has made the moves he’s made in order to clear it. Maybe we’ve discovered who was “uncoachable.”

 

The dressing room has been turned over and the keys are in the hands of five pretty talented young men in Rasmus, Rasmus, Sam, Jack and Casey.

 

As far as I’m concerned Botterill has not done enough to improve the talent level of this team, but I do believe that chemistry is a thing and that attitude is important. He’s ripped off the bandaid and it hurts.

 

Only time will tell if he’s applying the right treatment, or if we’d are in for an extended bleed.

[TrueBlueGED]

Oh, and I love that calling draft picks lottery tickets has stuck here.

 

When they're in the 20s they sure as hell are.

[apuszczalowski]

Vancouver has to realize they're getting a top 5 pick, so does Detroit

 

Well no it's not a 1:1 trade. It would be 'Here's 2 1sts to start your rebuild off, do you have a single prospect that may be ready to go but won't be in your window? No? Well, here's Nylander too'

I mean, we just did it. Two 1sts is a ton of currency, there is a variety of packages with McCabe/Nylander/etc. with those 2 1sts that can net a guy in Botterill's age range

But 22-24 year olds are in most teams 'rebuild window' in todays sports leagues, very few teams in any league are dumping anyone in their early 20's to help a rebuild, Older veterans are moved for picks/prospects

 

I wouldn't use anything that Sabres front office has done recently as examples of good move or moves that will be repeated.

[Darryl Shannon's +/-]

He clearly didn't want to raise the asking price. He wanted O'Reilly gone...

 

Just like Colorado...

How many great nhl centers have there been who played on three teams? Before the age of 30?

 

I understand the underlying stats may have said he was impressive, but the eye test was so far off. To me, his legacy is being completely invisible except on the score sheet. You wouldn't see him driving play, but he would have a sneaky tip for a goal and a power play assist.

 

Berglund with 19+13 EV goals the past 2 years. O'Reilly with 11+9. In more games. And while logging huge minutes. Let's see how this shakes out.