Trade: Ryan O'Reilly to St Louis Blues

[erickompositör72]

I can only hope that StL big 4 has more upside than our big 4 of Carrier, Baptiste, Bailey, and Fasching. At this point I have no confidence that Thompson isn’t equivalent to Baptiste at best and Fasching at worst.

He has a better shot than any of them. I'd like to finally have a few guys who can put the puck in the net. Would be nice to have a forward that actually has a shot who's not named Eichel

[sabills]

Worst team in league makes a trade trades second best player for peanuts to change culture. fans scream the sky is falling because bad teams can still get worse. Really?? Really.

[Stoner]

What GM has ever turned that purported trick and thereby taught the market a lesson?

 

As if. Markets are markets. They bear what they will.

 

The idea that you’d retain a player that’s a depreciating asset and is anathema to your room/culture, just so you can “show” how you won’t be “had” is one that just doesn’t wash.

 

The team was the worst in the league. They needed a firm shake up.

I don't agree that 30 potential buyers (actually far fewer than that) is a market with predictable forces behind it, like the U.S. auto market or something. It's a handful of guys trying to rob each other, like old ladies going to a garage sale. Botterill's the dude who HAS to get rid of that barely used iPod and accepts two bucks.

[Hoss]

The thing about all of Cartier, Baptiste, Bailey, Fasching and so many other prospects the Sabres have had recently is that they’re all noted to be solid at a lot of stuff but not great at anything.

 

Thompson is noted to have a wicked shot. If you’re at least great at something and competent elsewhere you often have a much better shot (no pun intended) at sticking in the league. Olofsson is another in this category. Ales Kotalik thrived with his shot.

[Robviously]

I can only hope that StL big 4 has more upside than our big 4 of Carrier, Baptiste, Bailey, and Fasching. At this point I have no confidence that Thompson isn’t equivalent to Baptiste at best and Fasching at worst.

 

I would have gone into the season with ROR on the roster before making this move. The only way I choose otherwise is if he indicated that he wants out.

I think he did.  He didn't explicitly state it at the locker clean out but that certainly felt like the subtext of what he said to reporters that day.  And it sounded like there were issues long before that.

 

I don't love what we got in return.  I would have preferred some organization's top prospects but those guys almost never move.  (Would you have traded Mittelstadt at any point in the last year?)  But I'm not apoplectic about it either, and that's mainly because I think the Sabres needed to make a move to change their room.  The Sabres' biggest problem last year was coming out completely flat most games.  At some point, you need to shake the Etch-a-Sketch and try to build a team that gives a crap. And all the guys we're planning on contending with someday (Eichel, Dahlin, Mittelstadt, Reinhart, Risto) are still here.

[Hoss]

Today is Vladimir Sobotka’s birthday. Everyone has to be nice and like the trade now.

[darksabre]

The thing about all of Cartier, Baptiste, Bailey, Fasching and so many other prospects the Sabres have had recently is that they’re all noted to be solid at a lot of stuff but not great at anything.

 

Thompson is noted to have a wicked shot. If you’re at least great at something and competent elsewhere you often have a much better shot (no pun intended) at sticking in the league. Olofsson is another in this category. Ales Kotalik thrived with his shot.

Good call. This team needs more players that can actually put the puck in the net. 

[pi2000]

We were the worst team in hockey last year.did you expect status quo, or teams to trade us better players for the ones who led us to last place?

O'Reilly wasn't the reason they were in last place. They needed more O'Reillys, and fewer Larssons, Girgensons, Josefsons, Pouliots, Bogosians.

 

They did the opposite... moved OReilly and still have leftovers from the tank who contribute nothing and are OK with losing because that's all they've ever known.

 

You want a culture change? Do whatever you need to do to move the Larssons, and Bogosians. They've don't nothing to help this team win and for some reason they're still around, while an NHL all time leading faceoff record holder who leads the league in minutes played gets shown the door.

 

Makes no sense.

Edited July 2, 2018 by pi2000

[...]

What a bunch of old bingo ladies.  This trade makes total sense.  Years of losing, and the last person here to fix it didn't get it done.  JBots is trying a new direction.  It's exactly what needs to happen if the Sabres are going to find a way out of the failure loop.  What sucks is that fans may have to wait and see what happens, but for a supposed "hockey town" many fans seem pretty impatient and fairly ignorant of what it takes to make a hockey team work.

[French Collection]

I have not read all 18 pages but enough to feel the rage.

 

I'm trying to be a glass half full guy.

 

 

I think ROR had to go after all was said and done. He burned a bridge with JBot with his post season comments.

 

Berglund and Sobotka will match his offensive production, Mitts will benefit from the PP time.

 

Thompson is a wild card, may be Andreychuk or a bust. I think he will help, given time.

 

The picks are pretty good, the Blues are not peaking for Cup runs.

 

All of these assets can be flipped at any point for other assets. They also make some of our other assets expendable.

[That Aud Smell]

I don't agree that 30 potential buyers (actually far fewer than that) is a market with predictable forces behind it, like the U.S. auto market or something. It's a handful of guys trying to rob each other, like old ladies going to a garage sale. Botterill's the dude who HAS to get rid of that barely used iPod and accepts two bucks.

 

Markets come in all shapes and sizes. The market for trading NHL players to another NHL franchise involves 30, soon to be 31, potential buyers. It is what it is. And if you're unfortunate enough to be in a position of needing to sell a good asset from a position of weakness, then welp.

 

The thing about all of Cartier, Baptiste, Bailey, Fasching and so many other prospects the Sabres have had recently is that they’re all noted to be solid at a lot of stuff but not great at anything.

 

Thompson is noted to have a wicked shot. If you’re at least great at something and competent elsewhere you often have a much better shot (no pun intended) at sticking in the league. Olofsson is another in this category. Ales Kotalik thrived with his shot.

 

Good call, and reference.

 

Today is Vladimir Sobotka’s birthday. Everyone has to be nice and like the trade now.

 

Ha!

 

Hey - White on WGR kept saying there's a rumour that he'll return to the KHL rather than play in Buffalo. Where's that coming from?

[jahnyc]

Trading Kane and O'Reilly for one current borderline prospect is a poor result. 

[LGR4GM]

I wonder if a LHD and a 1st round pick is good enough to pry one of the young wingers from Toronto. 

[That Aud Smell]

I wonder if a LHD and a 1st round pick is good enough to pry one of the young wingers from Toronto. 

 

that team is gonna need to do something.

[bob_sauve28]

Trading Kane and O'Reilly for one current borderline prospect is a poor result.

 

One? Kane was gone anyway and we got a first round pick for him.

 

ROR has brought three young players any one of whom could be good or all of them could be good. This is a young league, better to have lots of youth in the pipeline.

[shrader]

Thompson is a wild card, may be Andreychuk or a bust. I think he will help, given time.

 

I don't mean to pick on you, but this line is a perfect example of how things go off the rails around here.  You're saying Thompson is either a hall of famer or a bust.  We overvalue just about everything, which ultimately leads to disappointment.

[nucci]

What a bunch of old bingo ladies.  This trade makes total sense.  Years of losing, and the last person here to fix it didn't get it done.  JBots is trying a new direction.  It's exactly what needs to happen if the Sabres are going to find a way out of the failure loop.  What sucks is that fans may have to wait and see what happens, but for a supposed "hockey town" many fans seem pretty impatient and fairly ignorant of what it takes to make a hockey team work.

Really.....last place finishes and no playoffs since 2010.....yeah, we're impatient

[Georgia Blizzard]

I don't understand all the outrage at JBot ?

 

GMTM created a mess when he tried to short cut the rebuild and placed all his chips on ROR, Kane and Lehner to drive the ship

 

It clearly hit an iceberg

 

It takes time to undo the damage --- J bot has gone a long way at achieving that and setting franchise up for long term success, which was the goal from the beginning

 

Create a winning culture, build through draft and develop players

[French Collection]

I don't mean to pick on you, but this line is a perfect example of how things go off the rails around here.  You're saying Thompson is either a hall of famer or a bust.  We overvalue just about everything, which ultimately leads to disappointment.

Yeah, Hall of Famer is extreme. 25 goals per season while being a net front presence would be nice.

[pi2000]

Worst team in league makes a trade, fans scream the sky is falling. Really??

They trade away an all-star and keep a bunch of guys who have contributed zero.

 

Oh and they also keep a head coach that lead this team to basement.

 

You want culture change, bring in a new head coach... waive/trade guys who don't contribute anyhthing.

 

You don't trade your second best player.

 

Why is it that all these teams find creative ways to dump bad contracts.. except for Buffalo?

[LGR4GM]

One? Kane was gone anyway and we got a first round pick for him.

 

ROR has brought three young players any one of whom could be good or all of them could be good. This is a young league, better to have lots of youth in the pipeline.

Say what now?  We won't have that 3rd young player even near the roster until like 2024. A 2nd round pick needs 3 years post draft. A first round pick typically needs at least 2. So we won't have these 3 young players until 2021 and 2024 respectively to go along with Tage Thompson. 

[Brawndo]

I wonder if a LHD and a 1st round pick is good enough to pry one of the young wingers from Toronto.

I would call Fenton in Minnesota regarding Zucker or Nino, as he wants to shake up his core.

[Robviously]

The Andy Strickland interview on WGR just now will make you feel better about the guys we're bringing in from STL (Hutton, Berglund, Sobotka, Thompson).  Not sure if there's still an "audio vault" or whatever, but hopefully they post it somehow.

[pi2000]

How does this trade put them “back to where they were before the tank” in regards to Girgensons and Larsson, both of whom likely don’t have a place in the lineup right now?

I guarantee they still have a spot. Berglund and Sobotka replace Josefson and Pouliot. By trading O'Reilly there's now a gaping hole down the middle.

 

And if you think Mittlestadt is going to slot in as the #2 center and not skip a beat... we'll it's going to be a long season.

Edited July 2, 2018 by pi2000

[kishoph]

Trading Kane and O'Reilly for one current borderline prospect is a poor result. 

 

Not if you're trying to lose for Hughes.

My Grandchildren are going to love watching the Sabres win....well maybe my Great Grandchildren.