It's time to trade Ristolainen.

[pi2000]

I've been saying this for years, it's part of why this team is what it is.

[JohnC]

5 hours ago, SwampD said:

I’d love to see the other’s numbers if they were forced into picking up Risto’s minutes. They’d probably look about the same,... until they got injured, then their replacement’s numbers would be worse.

Our problem is the forwards. Period. And it has been ever since that which shall not be named. I mean, does anyone really think that an 18 year old Grigorenko should have ever seen ice time?!

Trading Risto does nothing to make us better in any meaningful way.

I'm not sure what Risto's trade value is? Could he bring back a second-line forward? I don't know? There are plenty of people here who believe that he is a liability. I'm not one of them. He adds an element of ruggedness on a team that lacks it. But if he can be dealt for a second line forward with a contract in the vicinity of the outgoing player then I would be receptive to a trade. As other astute posters have noted addressing the deficiency at forward is a greater priority than worrying about the blue line where we have a collection of upcoming young players. 

[nfreeman]

4 hours ago, Curt said:

Why do you think that?

Miller I get, he’s kind of similar to Risto, but not quite as good, and a little cheaper.

But they may want a younger asset who they have control of for several years, as opposed to Risto for just one season.

Yes -- certainly there is a real chance that they'd prefer Borgen (or Asplund or Bjork or TT) for this reason (or others).

I think though that if they have the cap space, they'd rather have an experienced, rugged D-man who can skate and shoot and plays hard and can be plugged into their top-4 with no questions asked.  Also, they might view Risto being in his contract year as a positive motivator as well as an opportunity for them to get to know each other.

[sabremike]

Why don't people understand that the single biggest reason Risto hasn't been moved is that his value around the league is so pitifully low that keeping him and hoping by some miracle he figures it out is the only real option?

[Andrew Amerk]

3 minutes ago, sabremike said:

Why don't people understand that the single biggest reason Risto hasn't been moved is that his value around the league is so pitifully low that keeping him and hoping by some miracle he figures it out is the only real option?

I’d have to assume his value isn’t “pitifully low” if teams have offered players like Hall and Ehlers for him in the past. Past Sabres brass said no.

Sabres fans might be sick of watching him and the team lose for 8 years, but that doesn’t automatically mean no other teams want him. He’s an established NHL defenseman with assets other teams will value. 

[sabremike]

29 minutes ago, Andrew Amerk said:

I’d have to assume his value isn’t “pitifully low” if teams have offered players like Hall and Ehlers for him in the past. Past Sabres brass said no.

Sabres fans might be sick of watching him and the team lose for 8 years, but that doesn’t automatically mean no other teams want him. He’s an established NHL defenseman with assets other teams will value. 

Unfortunately that was several years back before he became a leaguewide meme.

[Andrew Amerk]

5 minutes ago, sabremike said:

Unfortunately that was several years back before he became a leaguewide meme.

Who? Risto?

[GASabresIUFAN]

3 hours ago, Thorny said:

Well, I suppose if the d-man we trade the assets for is better than Ristolainen 

Sure it's possible in theory, but what are you giving up to get a D better then Risto?  Olofsson plus?  Samuelsson plus? Picks, others prospects?  How much cap will this possible player take up? 5 mill, 6, 7 more?

It's easy to say trade Risto and I agree he has good value, but someone needs to say who we might upgrade him with and what is the price to acquire that player.

Here are some of the UFA available under 30

Hamilton, Larsson, Ryan Murray, Gudbranson, Montour, Gustafsson, Oleksiak, Cody Ceci, and Ben Hutton.  Which of these guys would sign here and is an upgrade on Risto or even McCabe?

Edited May 3, 2021 by GASabresIUFAN

[FogBat]

11 hours ago, LGR4GM said:

Literally want him traded. Today, tomorrow, or in the summer but I want him gone. I am sick of watching his brand of defense "get the puck, throw it up the boards" rinse and repeat. If you can't trade him, expose him. Seattle probably won't take him because their analytics department will implode. 

Don's sister probably wouldn't ask her bosses in Seattle to pick him up. Then again, she might.

[Brawndo]

1 hour ago, GASabresIUFAN said:

Sure it's possible in theory, but what are you giving up to get a D better then Risto?  Olofsson plus?  Samuelsson plus? Picks, others prospects?  How much cap will this possible player take up? 5 mill, 6, 7 more?

It's easy to say trade Risto and I agree he has good value, but someone needs to say who we might upgrade him with and what is the price to acquire that player.

Here are some of the UFA available under 30

Hamilton, Larsson, Ryan Murray, Gudbranson, Montour, Gustafsson, Oleksiak, Cody Ceci, and Ben Hutton.  Which of these guys would sign here and is an upgrade on Risto or even McCabe?

Hamilton is an improvement over both, being able to meet His Salary Demands might help. 
 

Re-signing McCabe should take a priority over the rest. Even if it’s an one year deal 
 

Larsson and Oleksiak are improvements over Risto in defensive metrics, but they are both LHD. Although with Jokiharju, Risto, Borgen and Miller on the roster, LHD is more of a priority for next season especially if McCabe doesn’t stay. 
 

Oleksiak is from Toronto and His Dad grew up in Buffalo, he’s a target. 
 

 

[Hoss]

2 hours ago, Andrew Amerk said:

I’d have to assume his value isn’t “pitifully low” if teams have offered players like Hall and Ehlers for him in the past. Past Sabres brass said no.

Sabres fans might be sick of watching him and the team lose for 8 years, but that doesn’t automatically mean no other teams want him. He’s an established NHL defenseman with assets other teams will value. 

I'm not sure that either of those offers have ever been made.

[irregularly irregular]

12 hours ago, Norcal said:

If nothing changes, nothing is going to change. That simple. Some of these guys have to go. 

Exactly this.

I was having a conversation this weekend with an old friend who is a life long North Star and Wild fan. When talking about the Sabres, he called them the anchor of the NHL. As in anyone and anything associated with them sinks to the bottom. Think about it for a minute and you will agree. Nothing for the last 15 years has worked like we hoped it would. Not one trade, not one draft pick, not one coach or GM, not nothing.

It's fast approaching the point where even the diehard fans won't be able to keep the arena filled and the bills paid. Pegula's have lots of $$$, but not that much. It either gets turned around and soon, or the Buffalo Sabres will cease to exist.

 

 

 

[PerreaultForever]

4 hours ago, GASabresIUFAN said:

Here are some of the UFA available under 30

Hamilton, Larsson, Ryan Murray, Gudbranson, Montour, Gustafsson, Oleksiak, Cody Ceci, and Ben Hutton.  Which of these guys would sign here and is an upgrade on Risto or even McCabe?

Ceci is playing surprisingly well for Pittsburgh but that might be a contract year illusion. Maybe Oleksiak. 

Don't know who this Montour guy is. Don't think I've ever heard of him. So no thanks. 

[Radar]

9 hours ago, Andrew Amerk said:

I’d have to assume his value isn’t “pitifully low” if teams have offered players like Hall and Ehlers for him in the past. Past Sabres brass said no.

Sabres fans might be sick of watching him and the team lose for 8 years, but that doesn’t automatically mean no other teams want him. He’s an established NHL defenseman with assets other teams will value. 

Again we don't know what may have been offered for him. Why do we post things as fact when we don't.

[steveoath]

 

[Thorner]

9 hours ago, Hoss said:

I'm not sure that either of those offers have ever been made.

 

2 hours ago, Radar said:

Again we don't know what may have been offered for him. Why do we post things as fact when we don't.

For what it's worth, here in Jetsville people also believe the Ehlers deal to have been a thing.

[Brawndo]

10 minutes ago, Thorny said:

 

For what it's worth, here in Jetsville people also believe the Ehlers deal to have been a thing.

James Mirtle Senior Editor for The Athletic had the Hall for Risto Trade Proposal. 

Chad DeDomincis and I believe our own Tom Webster heard parameters of the Ehlers Trade.

[inkman]

7 hours ago, irregularly irregular said:

Exactly this.

I was having a conversation this weekend with an old friend who is a life long North Star and Wild fan. When talking about the Sabres, he called them the anchor of the NHL. As in anyone and anything associated with them sinks to the bottom. Think about it for a minute and you will agree. Nothing for the last 15 years has worked like we hoped it would. Not one trade, not one draft pick, not one coach or GM, not nothing.

It's fast approaching the point where even the diehard fans won't be able to keep the arena filled and the bills paid. Pegula's have lots of $$$, but not that much. It either gets turned around and soon, or the Buffalo Sabres will cease to exist.

 

 

 

An anchor is a good thing.  Providing stability and consistency.  I’m going to my grave with this.

a person or thing that provides stability or confidence in an otherwise uncertain situation.

[JohnC]

12 hours ago, Andrew Amerk said:

I’d have to assume his value isn’t “pitifully low” if teams have offered players like Hall and Ehlers for him in the past. Past Sabres brass said no.

Sabres fans might be sick of watching him and the team lose for 8 years, but that doesn’t automatically mean no other teams want him. He’s an established NHL defenseman with assets other teams will value. 

The past is the past. His value has declined. It is questionable that in a trade there would be much return. I'm not a member of the chorus who advocate to get rid of him. I value his ruggedness on a team that lacks it. It has gotten to the point that if he were exposed in the expansion draft I'm not sure Seattle would even take him because of his contract. 

 

[inkman]

16 minutes ago, Brawndo said:

James Mirtle Senior Editor for The Athletic had the Hall for Risto Trade Proposal. 

Chad DeDomincis and I believe our own Tom Webster heard parameters of the Ehlers Trade.

Must be facts 

[Southtown Tommy]

It's time to trade softee Reinhart

[LGR4GM]

4 minutes ago, Southtown Tommy said:

It's time to trade softee Reinhart

I'm always amused by posters like you. It's a forum, you can create that topic (trade Reinhart) and talk about it to your hearts content but here you are just randomly pitch forking ***** into an unrelated thread. 

[LGR4GM]

Risto has 1 year left and he's about to be on the wrong side of the age line (26-28). He probably wants at least a 5-7 year deal so do we really want to do that? 

I say no, and we should trade him now. 

[Curt]

14 minutes ago, LGR4GM said:

Risto has 1 year left and he's about to be on the wrong side of the age line (26-28). He probably wants at least a 5-7 year deal so do we really want to do that? 

I say no, and we should trade him now. 

For me, that’s the reason it makes sense to trade/expose him.  I don’t think he is as bad as you, but he isn’t worth his salary and as a pending UFA the end of the line appears visible.

[SwampD]

1 hour ago, LGR4GM said:

Risto has 1 year left and he's about to be on the wrong side of the age line (26-28). He probably wants at least a 5-7 year deal so do we really want to do that? 

I say no, and we should trade him now. 

I don’t think Dmen get good until now.