Trade: Wayne Simmonds to Sabres for a Conditional 2021 5th

[LGR4GM]

3 minutes ago, steveoath said:

Plus "character" "veteran leadership" 

"guy who knows how to win games down the stretch" 

[Zamboni]

For 2.5 -3.0 for three years.... sure extend Simmonds. Any more .... hard pass.

[...]

1 minute ago, LGR4GM said:

I will bet you money that Botterill talks about Simmonds grit/toughness as a reason for the acquisition. 

That's the reason to acquire a guy like him. Can bring the heavy and is a calming veteran presence at a minimal cost. This teams needs both, the latter probably at the behest of RK. 

The vote of confidence in the team thing is an important move for the locker room, and, maybe, is our first outward sign that RK thinks they have turned a corner in there and this is the next step toward being a playoff team.

[Taro T]

4 minutes ago, darksabre said:

It's true though. We've been trying to figure out all season what, exactly, Botterill wanted to see from this team this year. It's been really hard to tell what is going on.

My money still says he's trying to set up for next season.  And, though this is another in a long line of throw away seasons, that if he can do it cheaply enough that he'd like to make the playoffs this year.  But it ISN'T a priority.

[BuffaninSWFL]

3 minutes ago, LGR4GM said:

 

"opened"?

[Rasmus_]

31 year old on the back half of a heavy minutes career.  If Simmonds is extended, I might puke.   He's got no upside long term.  We already have a mid 30's cap albatross in Okposo. 

[Thorner]

The move is fine and makes a lot of sense. The only way it doesn't is if you don't attribute any value at all to a strong finish, regardless of playoffs. It clearly matters to this team, and I think it should. It's been 8 years - it's about building.

I don't know how anyone could have been privy to, and following along emotionally with this team this season, and not perceive the value that may exist in this group fighting till the end. 

It's a 5th in 2 drafts, who cares. 

Edited February 24, 2020 by Thorny

[thewookie1]

Only way I extend him is at 1x1mil to be a 4th line/extra

[In The Buff]

Extending Simmonds for a couple years is a better possibility than extending some of our other pending ufas. I'd rather extend Simmonds than extend Sheary for example.

This isnt a splashy signing but i like it. Much better than overpaying & giving away prospects &/or picks that we can't afford to part with.

[TrueBlueGED]

16 minutes ago, Sherman said:

I actually like the message this is sending to the team. Regardless of how bad they’ve been at times they’re not far from the playoffs. 
 

Botterill wants to change the culture and this is the kind of move that says we should be competitive and the organization believes in what they’re building.  That’s how I see this move. Make the playoffs and your smart for believing in your team. Selling when your this close sends a message that they’re trying to reverse. 

I don't think acquiring bad hockey players does that. I certainly don't care about a 5th in 2021 for a pending UFA, but I will certainly argue against the notion it sends a meaningful message. 

10 minutes ago, darksabre said:

It's true though. We've been trying to figure out all season what, exactly, Botterill wanted to see from this team this year. It's been really hard to tell what is going on.

This makes sense considering Botterill himself probably doesn't know what he wanted from the team. 

*dons tinfoil hat*

This is the move of a GM who thinks he might be on the outs and wants to have a palatable enough finish to the season to keep his job without surrendering a meaningful asset he'd like to use while keeping the job. 

Edited February 24, 2020 by TrueBlueGED

[nucci]

3 minutes ago, BuffaninSWFL said:

"opened"?

he thought about it for a minute and....

[Randall Flagg]

Simmonds was fried 2 years ago. If we extend him, man. 

[buffaloaggie]

Big presence on the power play. Is this move clearing the way for trading Risto?

[Zamboni]

3 minutes ago, thewookie1 said:

Only way I extend him is at 1x1mil to be a 4th line/extra

He produces way way more than your “typical” 4th liner. He is still a solid 3rd liner who can get in on a PP in front. I get you don’t like him,  but there is noooo way he signs with any team for 1 mil. 

[steveoath]

What kind of skater is he? Could he do the Zemgus role?

[Randall Flagg]

Just now, steveoath said:

What kind of skater is he? Could he do the Zemgus role?

Bad

no 

[Huckleberry]

1 minute ago, Randall Flagg said:

Simmonds was fried 2 years ago. If we extend him, man. 

Well this is his tryout then, lets see what he has left in the tank, but I don't see us giving him more than 1 mill a year.

[thewookie1]

Just now, Zamboni said:

He produces way way more than your “typical” 4th liner. He is still a solid 3rd liner who can get in on a PP in front. I get you don’t like him,  but there is noooo way he signs with any team for 1 mil. 

But I do like him, I'm just not interested in dumping alot of money or term onto a 31 year old who's a shell of his former self.

[pi2000]

I like it, he fills an area that is currently lacking.  

[nucci]

2 minutes ago, buffaloaggie said:

Big presence on the power play. Is this move clearing the way for trading Risto?

how is this related?

[Indabuff]

26 minutes ago, SDS said:

"yin"

How do you know he's not referring to the hip hop twins? 

[sabresparaavida]

Just now, nucci said:

how is this related?

Risto often plays in front of the net on PP1. If we have a replacement for that, it helps to relieve some of the loss of potentially losing Risto. 

[LGR4GM]

Instead of trading for Frolic and Simmonds, the Sabres could have just signed Pominville and gotten the PK and PP help they wanted and a RW as well. 

[Sabre fan]

2 minutes ago, LGR4GM said:

Instead of trading for Frolic and Simmonds, the Sabres could have just signed Pominville and gotten the PK and PP help they wanted and a RW as well. 

kinda sad but true...

[TrueBlueGED]

6 minutes ago, Randall Flagg said:

Simmonds was fried 2 years ago. If we extend him, man. 

Where there's a Botterill, there's a way. 

6 minutes ago, Zamboni said:

He produces way way more than your “typical” 4th liner. He is still a solid 3rd liner who can get in on a PP in front. I get you don’t like him,  but there is noooo way he signs with any team for 1 mil. 

If he's a solid 3rd liner, then so is Kyle Okposo. And I honestly think Okposo is better, salary aside. Good teams don't have Simmonds-caliber players getting meaningful minutes. 

5 minutes ago, Huckleberry said:

Well this is his tryout then, lets see what he has left in the tank, but I don't see us giving him more than 1 mill a year.

I hope we're not putting that much stock in 20 games when there's hundreds in recent years to look at.