Non Sabres Deadline Trades/Rumors

[dudacek]

It’s interesting that the Jets and Knights hooked up considering they are in a battle for the playoffs right now.
It’s also interesting that both of those teams have been linked to Buffalo.

The boring common sense part of me says it’s simply the Jets backfilling the Bryan Little hole and the Knights have already added Martinez.

The fun conspiracy theorist whispers Eakin is a better fit as a Copp replacement and losing his salary creates space in Vegas for another top four defenceman.

Edited February 21, 2020 by dudacek

[Scottysabres]

23 minutes ago, dudacek said:

It’s interesting that the Jets and Knights hooked up considering they are in a battle for the playoffs right now.
It’s also interesting that both of those teams have been linked to Buffalo.

The boring common sense part of me says it’s simply the Jets backfilling the Bryan Little hole and the Knights have already added Martinez.

The fun conspiracy theorist whispers Eakin is a better fit as a Copp replacement and losing his salary creates space in Vegas for another top four defenceman.

No Sabres players being held out of the line up as healthy scratches, at least, none of significant worth. That is telling imo.

I have no idea what Botterill intends to do this deadline, whether he is under Pegula's thumb on any decisions and if there is an actual strategy in place for both a last ditch playoff run or moving in to the "next season asset acquisition" phase. But it's almost as if there is absolutely either no strategy at all, at least for the deadline, or he's so entrenched in his brain that this existing roster can do it that he refuses to make a move, that it is mind boggling as a fan.

[PerreaultForever]

52 minutes ago, Scottysabres said:

No Sabres players being held out of the line up as healthy scratches, at least, none of significant worth. That is telling imo.

I have no idea what Botterill intends to do this deadline, whether he is under Pegula's thumb on any decisions and if there is an actual strategy in place for both a last ditch playoff run or moving in to the "next season asset acquisition" phase. But it's almost as if there is absolutely either no strategy at all, at least for the deadline, or he's so entrenched in his brain that this existing roster can do it that he refuses to make a move, that it is mind boggling as a fan.

not trading your UFAs at the deadline, that is how you stay at the bottom for sure. 

[Pimlach]

11 minutes ago, PerreaultForever said:

not trading your UFAs at the deadline, that is how you stay at the bottom for sure. 

Sheary, Vessey, Larsson, Girgensens are the only UFAs that someone would take.  I would like to keep Larsson and Girgs they are excellent 4th liners.  Maybe keep Vessey.  Sheary can go.  Let’s get big strong wingers on the 3rd line.   We gotta bang at times.  

[Carmel Corn]

29 minutes ago, Pimlach said:

Sheary, Vessey, Larsson, Girgensens are the only UFAs that someone would take.  I would like to keep Larsson and Girgs they are excellent 4th liners.  Maybe keep Vessey.  Sheary can go.  Let’s get big strong wingers on the 3rd line.   We gotta bang at times.  

Maybe wishful thinking (vs. reality), but I am hoping somebody will take Frolic as well.

[Huckleberry]

2 hours ago, Scottysabres said:

No Sabres players being held out of the line up as healthy scratches, at least, none of significant worth. That is telling imo.

I have no idea what Botterill intends to do this deadline, whether he is under Pegula's thumb on any decisions and if there is an actual strategy in place for both a last ditch playoff run or moving in to the "next season asset acquisition" phase. But it's almost as if there is absolutely either no strategy at all, at least for the deadline, or he's so entrenched in his brain that this existing roster can do it that he refuses to make a move, that it is mind boggling as a fan.

In the 3 years Botterill has been in charge no one has never known what he will do.  There were always rumours with Murray and some were true.  The rumours with botterill never been right and he is just like Rutherford and keeps those in house like a good gm should.

[Weave]

2 hours ago, PerreaultForever said:

not trading your UFAs at the deadline, that is how you stay at the bottom for sure. 

We've been trading our UFA's every Spring since Paul Gaustad.  It's not a recipe for success either.

[PerreaultForever]

5 hours ago, Pimlach said:

Sheary, Vessey, Larsson, Girgensens are the only UFAs that someone would take.  I would like to keep Larsson and Girgs they are excellent 4th liners.  Maybe keep Vessey.  Sheary can go.  Let’s get big strong wingers on the 3rd line.   We gotta bang at times.  

Keep them? Why? We're not making the playoffs. There is nothing from preventing you from signing them if you want them as UFAs in July. 

 

3 hours ago, Weave said:

We've been trading our UFA's every Spring since Paul Gaustad.  It's not a recipe for success either.

of course you have to trade them for something, picks, and then you have to make good use of those picks naturally, but keeping UFAs now does nothing positive. You think any of them are going to feel loyal and give a home town discount if we don't trade them to a contender? Why not let them taste the playoffs and then resign them in July if you want to, or if nobody better is available? 

Just sitting on them to play out the season is pointless. Just fuels the losing culture to have a locker room full of guys who might not be here later, they'll just play to not get hurt. 

[Weave]

5 hours ago, PerreaultForever said:

Keep them? Why? We're not making the playoffs. There is nothing from preventing you from signing them if you want them as UFAs in July. 

 

of course you have to trade them for something, picks, and then you have to make good use of those picks naturally, but keeping UFAs now does nothing positive. You think any of them are going to feel loyal and give a home town discount if we don't trade them to a contender? Why not let them taste the playoffs and then resign them in July if you want to, or if nobody better is available? 

Just sitting on them to play out the season is pointless. Just fuels the losing culture to have a locker room full of guys who might not be here later, they'll just play to not get hurt. 

You know what else fuels a losing culture?  Letting go serviceable NHL'ers at the deadline and telling your team winning isn't important anymore this season.

It's time for management to show this team that we are not accepting losing anymore.  A couple of 3rd, 4th round picks aren't enough of a difference to matter 4 years down the road. 

[Scottysabres]

1 minute ago, Weave said:

You know what else fuels a losing culture?  Letting go serviceable NHL'ers at the deadline and telling your team winning isn't important anymore this season.

It's time for management to show this team that we are not accepting losing anymore.  A couple of 3rd, 4th round picks aren't enough of a difference to matter 4 years down the road. 

Thank you!

I am not remotely the best at conveying a message, but yes Weave, this is exactly dead nuts on imho. I say if they make a move or 2 at the deadline, add, and not just for the future, but pay a pittance and try to push back on the losing. Even if we are 10 and 11 points out of playoff spots, show not the fans, but the players in the locker room exactly what you said.

[LGR4GM]

37 minutes ago, Weave said:

You know what else fuels a losing culture?  Letting go serviceable NHL'ers at the deadline and telling your team winning isn't important anymore this season.

It's time for management to show this team that we are not accepting losing anymore.  A couple of 3rd, 4th round picks aren't enough of a difference to matter 4 years down the road. 

Maybe those players in the locker room should show the team they care and not get caved in by ottawa or lose 3 games at home because they can't be bothered to try. 

[triumph_communes]

24 minutes ago, LGR4GM said:

Maybe those players in the locker room should show the team they care and not get caved in by ottawa or lose 3 games at home because they can't be bothered to try. 

Our goalie caved not the team

[Scottysabres]

13 minutes ago, triumph_communes said:

Our goalie caved not the team

I agree with this. 4 goals is enough to win a game, unless your goalie let's in 6.

[Curt]

27 minutes ago, triumph_communes said:

Our goalie caved not the team

 

12 minutes ago, Scottysabres said:

I agree with this. 4 goals is enough to win a game, unless your goalie let's in 6.

The team allowed 40 SOG including about 20 from prime scoring areas.

You guys really think that the team played well but Hutton lost the game for them???  Ottawa outplayed Buffalo in that game.

[Weave]

1 hour ago, LGR4GM said:

Maybe those players in the locker room should show the team they care and not get caved in by ottawa or lose 3 games at home because they can't be bothered to try. 

I agree.  Add it to what I said.  The team management and players will feed off each other when an actual commitment to winning is demonstrated consistently.  End of the season give aways don’t demonstrate a consistent commitment to winning and has inconclusive effects down the road.

[triumph_communes]

47 minutes ago, Curt said:

 

The team allowed 40 SOG including about 20 from prime scoring areas.

You guys really think that the team played well but Hutton lost the game for them???  Ottawa outplayed Buffalo in that game.

Dunno what you were watching, Ottawa outplayed Buffalo for a few minutes. The entire game Buffalo was cycling in the o zone otherwise hitting posts and missing open nets. 

[Randall Flagg]

1 minute ago, triumph_communes said:

Dunno what you were watching, Ottawa outplayed Buffalo for a few minutes. The entire game Buffalo was cycling in the o zone otherwise hitting posts and missing open nets. 

At one point in the third period shots were roughly 30-15 Ottawa, including a ~10 minute span where they took 11 straight. They shredded our d-zone coverage with their straight line speed. We got chances too, but objectively Ottawa was the better team on the night. They are built in a way that fundamentally frustrates us, similar to how we are always able to handle SJ no matter how good they are 

[Scottysabres]

1 hour ago, Curt said:

 

The team allowed 40 SOG including about 20 from prime scoring areas.

You guys really think that the team played well but Hutton lost the game for them???  Ottawa outplayed Buffalo in that game.

I think EVERY TEAM seeks a goalie that can STEAL a few games each season, and those teams heading in to playoff spots, as of right now, have them.

[GASabresIUFAN]

29 minutes ago, Scottysabres said:

I think EVERY TEAM seeks a goalie that can STEAL a few games each season, and those teams heading in to playoff spots, as of right now, have them.

I agree. However we should never get out worked by teams like Det and Ott.

[DarthEbriate]

20 minutes ago, GASabresIUFAN said:

I agree. However we should never get out worked by teams like Det and Ott.

I'd be fine getting outworked on a nightly basis if it was because our team was vastly superior and crushed the opposition anyway. But it is galling to see lost races for loose pucks and weak passes or clears, and not playing smart against teams who by all accounts have nothing left to play for on the season except for lottery seeding.

[Pimlach]

2 hours ago, triumph_communes said:

Our goalie caved not the team

No. What were you watching.  The goalie was bad, the defensemen were atrocious against Ottawa ‘s forecheck and the forwards were not back to help.  Team meltdown.   

Watch the videos, it was a team meltdown.   Give us the points from recent Ottawa and Montreal games and we are in the race.  

We need a few more players but they have to be the right kind of players.  Ones that wont tolerate so many bad games and lulls in performance.  

[triumph_communes]

Just now, Pimlach said:

No. What were you watching.  The goalie was bad, the defensemen were atrocious against Ottawa ‘s forecheck and the forwards were not back to help.  Team meltdown.   

Watch the videos, it was a team meltdown.   Give us the points from recent Ottawa and Montreal games and we are in the race.  

We need a few more players but they have to be the right kind of players.  Ones that wont tolerate so many bad games and lulls in performance.  

It’s like none of you watched more than highlights. Not even sure Ottawa had the puck for more than 30 seconds in the first period

[Curt]

2 hours ago, Scottysabres said:

I think EVERY TEAM seeks a goalie that can STEAL a few games each season, and those teams heading in to playoff spots, as of right now, have them.

So did Hutton let the team down in a game where they outplayed Ottawa, or did Hutton not steal a game where Buffalo was outplayed by Ottawa?

I think it’s the second one.

[dudacek]

1 hour ago, Curt said:

So did Hutton let the team down in a game where they outplayed Ottawa, or did Hutton not steal a game where Buffalo was outplayed by Ottawa?

I think it’s the second one.

Hutton played poorly, but the team’s poor play meant the loss was not his fault.

[Two or less]

On 2/21/2020 at 6:59 AM, Scottysabres said:

So, if Botterill trades Sheary back to the Penguins, does that make the Sabres the AHL team for the Pens? A place to stash Penguin players until they are Cap compliant for their return?

Honestly, the attachment of the Pegulas to the Penguins organization has seriously hurt the Sabres organization, imho.

You’re reaching hard here. Cmon.