No announcement on Ryan Johnson??

[Cage]

I'm surprised there hasn't been a resolution to whether he's ready to leave to turn pro.

[Doohicksie]

He could be keeping his options open... maybe not worried about burning an ELC year.

[Buffalonill]

36 minutes ago, The Ghost of Yuri said:

He could be keeping his options open... maybe not worried about burning an ELC year.

He has to burn a year regardless  😕

[Doohicksie]

17 minutes ago, Buffalonill said:

He has to burn a year regardless  😕

Not if he signs this summer.

[GASabresIUFAN]

Maybe, he is just weighing his options or wanting to finish up the school year before deciding. 

[Marvin]

1 hour ago, Cage said:

I'm surprised there hasn't been a resolution to whether he's ready to leave to turn pro.

Welcome back!

[msw2112]

If Johnson signs with the Sabres and ultimately develops into a NHL regular, the O'Reilly trade won't look so bad after all.  Berglund and Sabotka were a total waste, but Thompson is developing into a star player who has the potential to score a lot of goals for many years to come - perhaps continuing to do so after O'Reilly retires from the game.  The other asset in the trade was the 2nd round pick that we sent to Vegas for Colin Miller.  That one wasn't a total bust, but in the end, not a huge asset fro the organization.  Yes, O'Reilly is an excellent player for St. Louis and he won a Stanley Cup and Conn Smythe, but he wasn't going to do that in Buffalo and his relationship with the organization may have been beyond repair.  I guess the moral of the story is that trades and draft picks often take several years to evaluate.  It still remains to be seen how Buffalo will ultimaely come out in the O'Reilly trade.  Given Thompson's development, if he plays at this level for the rest of a long career, the trade will have turned out to be a win for both teams.  Although it isn't quite the same because football players are more pro-ready when they join the league, this trade could turn out like the Stephon Diggs trade for the Bills.  The Bills got a great veteran receiver who helped take the team to the next level and the Vikings got a young, talented receiver who is doing very well with their team and looks to have a bright future with them.  The trade worked for both teams.  In the Sabres trade, the Blues got a great veteran player who put their team over the top, and the Sabres got a young, talented player in Thompson who is paying dividends with his high quality play.  If Johnson can do the same, the trade will really look good for both sides.

Edited April 15, 2022 by msw2112

[French Collection]

Calling @pi2000, is your ear to the ground on this?

 

[Pimlach]

37 minutes ago, msw2112 said:

If Johnson signs with the Sabres and ultimately develops into a NHL regular, the O'Reilly trade won't look so bad after all.  Berglund and Sabotka were a total waste, but Thompson is developing into a star player who has the potential to score a lot of goals for many years to come - perhaps continuing to do so after O'Reilly retires from the game.  The other asset in the trade was the 2nd round pick that we sent to Vegas for Colin Miller.  That one wasn't a total bust, but in the end, not a huge asset fro the organization.  Yes, O'Reilly is an excellent player for St. Louis and he won a Stanley Cup and Conn Smythe, but he wasn't going to do that in Buffalo and his relationship with the organization may have been beyond repair.  I guess the moral of the story is that trades and draft picks often take several years to evaluate.  It still remains to be seen how Buffalo will ultimaely come out in the O'Reilly trade.  Given Thompson's development, if he plays at this level for the rest of a long career, the trade will have turned out to be a win for both teams.  Although it isn't quite the same because football players are more pro-ready when they join the league, this trade could turn out like the Stephon Diggs trade for the Bills.  The Bills got a great veteran receiver who helped take the team to the next level and the Vikings got a young, talented receiver who is doing very well with their team and looks to have a bright future with them.  The trade worked for both teams.  In the Sabres trade, the Blues got a great veteran player who put their team over the top, and the Sabres got a young, talented player in Thompson who is paying dividends with his high quality play.  If Johnson can do the same, the trade will really look good for both sides.

True.  If Johnson develops into a solid player AND Tage maintains a career as a 30 goal player then the trade doesn’t look so bad.  Unfortunately, our GM could not control Pegula and was forced to trade that gave us Berglund and Sobotka, two expired players, when we needed to improve now.  

[Norcal]

I hope they're waiting till the summer to sign him and he's willing to sign then. 

In reality he might want to go back and try for a nattie again? 

Either way, he'd look real nice with the group they have there now. 

[Buffalonill]

2 hours ago, The Ghost of Yuri said:

Not if he signs this summer.

I believe beacuse of his age its only 2 years 

[JustOneParade]

I wonder if Johnson's outlook about joining the Sabres has brightened any now seeing Dahlin playing on the right side?

[nfreeman]

I hate to say it, but since he hasn’t turned pro yet, he’s probably not going to do so this year, and if he doesn’t do so this year, he’s probably going to UFA.  

[dudacek]

5 minutes ago, nfreeman said:

I hate to say it, but since he hasn’t turned pro yet, he’s probably not going to do so this year, and if he doesn’t do so this year, he’s probably going to UFA.  

I agree with the first half of this post.

Since four of the past five college players who stayed in college long enough to go to free agency ended up signing with the Sabres anyway, why do you believe the 2nd half?

Particularly when just 3 months ago Johnson is on record as saying he was happy with the organization and there has been no indication that’s changed.

[nfreeman]

1 hour ago, dudacek said:

I agree with the first half of this post.

Since four of the past five college players who stayed in college long enough to go to free agency ended up signing with the Sabres anyway, why do you believe the 2nd half?

Particularly when just 3 months ago Johnson is on record as saying he was happy with the organization and there has been no indication that’s changed.

Fair question.  I don’t recall who they were (I know you posted on this recently and I think Fitz was one, but don’t recall the others), but my recollection is that none of them was as good a prospect as Portillo or Johnson — and the one that was as good, Peterson, is the one that bailed on them.  Both Johnson and Portillo, if they have good seasons next year, will have many suitors — more than the guys who signed with the Sabres had.  

EDIT:  I found your prior post -- it looks like the Sabres' prospects you were referring to were Fitz, Weissbach, Borgen, Sean Malone and Peterson.  YMMV, but I think Portillo, Johnson and Peterson are/were better prospects than Fitz, Weissbach, Borgen and Malone. 

[Doohicksie]

1 hour ago, Buffalonill said:

I believe beacuse of his age its only 2 years 

Right, but this year doesn't count if he signs after the season is done.

[Buffalonill]

22 minutes ago, The Ghost of Yuri said:

Right, but this year doesn't count if he signs after the season is done.

Are you sure its not 2 year contract no matter what ? 

[PromoTheRobot]

6 hours ago, GASabresIUFAN said:

Maybe, he is just weighing his options or wanting to finish up the school year before deciding. 

He'll finish school before he decides at this rate.

Edited April 15, 2022 by PromoTheRobot

[pi2000]

6 hours ago, French Collection said:

Calling @pi2000, is your ear to the ground on this?

 

I'll ask Craig what's up when I see him Tuesday.

[RochesterExpat]

4 hours ago, Buffalonill said:

Are you sure its not 2 year contract no matter what ? 

Someone point me where I'm wrong, but--as far as I know--it's a three year contract. He is 20 years old and two year contracts are for 22 or 23 year old players. 24 year old's sign 1 year contracts. If he had signed this year it would have burned a year leaving him with two.

My guess is he signs when the season is over so he gets the full three years which is presumably what the Sabres want.

[Zamboni]

Maybe this will help those who are confused about burning a year of their ELC …

Some info is dated, but still valid …

 

https://centericeview.wordpress.com/2017/03/13/nhl-entry-level-contracts-elc-a-quick-primer/

 

https://m.lasvegassun.com/news/2019/aug/02/explainer-how-nhl-entry-level-contracts-work-affec/

 

https://www.sportingnews.com/us/nhl/news/nhl-slide-rule-which-youngsters-will-stick-or-be-sent-packing-after-first-nine-games/12tjr5gzhxk5bzvxsrluiz9xb

[Happy Days]

I’m failing to see Johnson as anything more than a 7th defenseman. What am I missing about him? If the Sabres could package him with someone else to upgrade their roster, I think they should try to do that.

Edited April 17, 2022 by Happy Days

[Cage]

On 4/15/2022 at 10:01 PM, RochesterExpat said:

Someone point me where I'm wrong, but--as far as I know--it's a three year contract. He is 20 years old and two year contracts are for 22 or 23 year old players. 24 year old's sign 1 year contracts. If he had signed this year it would have burned a year leaving him with two.

My guess is he signs when the season is over so he gets the full three years which is presumably what the Sabres want.

That would be good, but he could still ATO this year to help Amerks for playoffs, couldn't he?

[Curt]

2 hours ago, Happy Days said:

I’m failing to see Johnson as anything more than a 7th defenseman. What am I missing about him? If the Sabres could package him with someone else to upgrade their roster, I think they should try to do that.

What about him makes you feel like he will be nothing more than a 7th D?

[Eleven]

On 4/15/2022 at 7:54 PM, pi2000 said:

I'll ask Craig what's up when I see him Tuesday.

So...?