Sabres Trade Alex Nylander to Chicago for D Man Henri Jokiharju

[bunomatic]

After watching the highlights I've seen and listening to the likes of Button praising this kid I'm getting a little excited. 

Edited July 10, 2019 by bunomatic

[French Collection]

46 minutes ago, Andrew Amerk said:

That’s what my ex used to call it. You’re with her now?

Doubt that, I've been with the same woman for nearly 30 years.

She may call me little rocket man behind my back though.

[klos1963]

49 minutes ago, French Collection said:

Pocket Rocket?

Doesn't he own the record for most Stanley Cups as a player? Major bust.

[Randall Flagg]

If some team is going to maximize what Alex Nylander can do in the NHL, it's probably Chicago. 

[LGR4GM]

31 minutes ago, Skibum said:

This trade reminds me of Zack Kassian for Cody Hodgson. 

In what way?

[rakish]

20 minutes ago, Let's Go B-Lo said:

I have to say I'm a little amused by the people saying he will benefit from playing with Kane and Toews when he couldn't crack the lineup of one of the most winger-poor teams in hockey to play with that Eichel fella.

I think we were talking about Strome

[WildCard]

Btw I can't find it but my brother (I see you mother *****) browses and he found Crusader's and Ligers post about how much they liked this guy when he was drafted 

[LGR4GM]

Just now, WildCard said:

Btw I can't find it but my brother (I see you mother *****) browses and he found Crusader's and Ligers post about how much they liked this guy when he was drafted 

I desperately wanted him to slide to round 2. That's all I really remember. I love this trade. 

[PalmTreeMafia]

Is Jokiharju maybe expected to be the long-term defensive partner for Dahlin?

[Randall Flagg]

Just now, Marchand'sNose said:

Is Jokiharju maybe expected to be the long-term defensive partner for Dahlin?

Expected? I don't think they expect that from anyone at this point.

It's possible he (and others like Borgen) can develop into that role, sure. 

[LGR4GM]

Just now, Randall Flagg said:

Expected? I don't think they expect that from anyone at this point.

It's possible he (and others like Borgen) can develop into that role, sure. 

Samuelsson too. I think Botterill wants irons in fires. 

[dudacek]

14 minutes ago, LGR4GM said:

In what way?

Two high prospects at different positions traded for each other before they boom or bust?

[apuszczalowski]

So apparently Nylander took some shots at the Sabres and the front office on his way out the door. Said he expected to be playing in the NHL by now. It's ok, we all expected him to be up in the NHL by now too, along with the Sabres management. Not their fault Nylander couldn't crack a bad lineup and didn't out up numbers in the minors that warranted him being given a full time shot in the NHL.........

[Randall Flagg]

I wouldn't say anything if I were him, but he's not wrong to be frustrated that we skirted meritocracy between him and Tage as far as right-handed prospects go. He was objectively better in his time here and they should have been swapped (perhaps several times during the season) far earlier than when he finally got up here.

[apuszczalowski]

2 minutes ago, Randall Flagg said:

I wouldn't say anything if I were him, but he's not wrong to be frustrated that we skirted meritocracy between him and Tage as far as right-handed prospects go. He was objectively better in his time here and they should have been swapped (perhaps several times during the season) far earlier than when he finally got up here.

While true that Tage didn't play well, it's not like Nylander did anything special to make him deserve being given a roster spot on the NHL team. Prospects should earn/force the team to give them roster spots, not expect it to be handed to them cause of where they were drafted and their fathers name. He did nothing special while here to earn a roster.spot

[dudacek]

7 minutes ago, Randall Flagg said:

I wouldn't say anything if I were him, but he's not wrong to be frustrated that we skirted meritocracy between him and Tage as far as right-handed prospects go. He was objectively better in his time here and they should have been swapped (perhaps several times during the season) far earlier than when he finally got up here.

I agree. I still think Alex might be entitled and the Sabres were deliberately placing adversity in his path as part of their development plan and - without actually knowing the kid - may have been right to do so.

Edited July 10, 2019 by dudacek

[Randall Flagg]

1 minute ago, apuszczalowski said:

While true that Tage didn't play well, it's not like Nylander did anything special to make him deserve being given a roster spot on the NHL team. Prospects should earn/force the team to give them roster spots, not expect it to be handed to them cause of where they were drafted and their fathers name. He did nothing special while here to earn a roster.spot

Meritocracy works in all directions. Tage was sub-NHL level and allowed to stay for 90% of the season, despite it quickly being obvious. Nylander wasn't an AHL superstar, but everything I read at the time indicated it'd be completely reasonable for him to be if not the first, the second guy called up (and Mitts being bad didn't help there). And when he got here, if you value hockey that happens in between goals every 10 games, it is quite clear that one was notably better than the other in that role, and it's not the one that got it all year long.

1 minute ago, dudacek said:

I agree. I still think Alex might be entitled and the Sabres were deliberately placing adversity in his path as part of their development plan and - without actually knowing the kid - may have been right to do so.

That method would look so much better if it didn't come in the form of submarining the NHL lineup and the confidence of the obstacle, who was a key piece in an important trade.

[dudacek]

Analysis of the deal from the Athletic, courtesy Corey Pronman

https://theathletic.com/1070234/2019/07/09/trade-grades-blackhawks-balance-depth-in-sending-henri-jokiharju-to-sabres-for-alexander-nylander/

For those without a subscription, the gist:

“Between the two players, Nylander is the more talented by a moderate amount. However, I think Jokiharju is the slightly better player.

Public reaction I saw in the social media sphere shortly after the trade seems to think this is a massively one-sided trade. It isn’t.

As one executive put it after the trade, while agreeing that Nylander is more talented, “he hasn’t got it done yet, and you wonder if he ever will.” In contrast, Jokiharju has looked better as a pro at age 19 than Nylander has at age 20 (or when he was 19, as well).

Edited July 10, 2019 by dudacek

[TrueBlueGED]

3 minutes ago, dudacek said:

Analysis of the deal from the Athletic, courtesy Corey Pronman

https://theathletic.com/1070234/2019/07/09/trade-grades-blackhawks-balance-depth-in-sending-henri-jokiharju-to-sabres-for-alexander-nylander/

For those without a subscription, the gist:

“Between the two players, Nylander is the more talented by a moderate amount. However, I think Jokiharju is the slightly better player.

Public reaction I saw in the social media sphere shortly after the trade seems to think this is a massively one-sided trade. It isn’t.

As one executive put it after the trade, while agreeing that Nylander is more talented, “he hasn’t got it done yet, and you wonder if he ever will.” In contrast, Jokiharju has looked better as a pro at age 19 than Nylander has at age 20 (or when he was 19, as well).”p

This is fair. I think Nylander has a clearly higher ceiling, but there's also a reasonable chance he's a complete washout. Jokiharju is much more likely to be a long term NHL contributor. 

[dudacek]

2 minutes ago, Randall Flagg said:

That method would look so much better if it didn't come in the form of submarining the NHL lineup and the confidence of the obstacle, who was a key piece in an important trade.

Absolutely. Tage and Alex did not have to tied together. Guys like Olofsson, Smith and O”Regan  were outplaying  Nylander in December/January. Same for Asplund and Leier later on.

[Thorner]

28 minutes ago, LGR4GM said:

Samuelsson too. I think Botterill wants irons in fires. 

Only if Dahlin swtiches the the right, which is doubtful. 

[Randall Flagg]

Nylander's comments (which really aren't all that bad) aren't the first time a player has given a vibe that things are 'off' in a way, here. The same hint of a whiff of a smell was there with both ROR and Berglund. Nobody outright saying "clown organization," of course.

 

[Thorner]

28 minutes ago, dudacek said:

Two high prospects at different positions traded for each other before they boom or bust?

I don't think Hodgson and Kassian were prospects when they were dealt. 

[French Collection]

Sabres prospects from the first 2 rounds of the 2017 draft:

Casey, Henri, Davidsson and UPL. Some nice talent there.

[Broken Ankles]

JB has started slowly but ramped it up lately with all of us expecting more.   How many more trades are required before it qualifies as “roster surgery”?  Paging Doctor Botterill !