Sharks trade Karlsson to Penguins in 3 team trade with Montreal

[Eleven]

2 hours ago, Weave said:

Denial?  Hold on for too long?  Holy *****, what is with wishing that teams give up?  They have a player that is still arguably one of the top 2-3 in the league, a 2C that is still 1C level, an all star on the wing.  

It's not 2015 anymore.  Or 2008, for that matter.  

Edited August 6, 2023 by Eleven

[SABRES 0311]

5 hours ago, matter2003 said:

Pittsburgh desperately needs to rebuild but they keep acquiring aging players instead. Short term sure he will help. But how much? Probably not as much as they think.

 

Hope they enjoy still struggling to make the playoffs next year before the bottom drops out.

 

 

 

 

https://www.pensburgh.com/platform/amp/2023/8/6/23821953/penguins-breaking-news-trade-erik-karlsson-sharks-canadiens

I agree. I get wanting to remain competitive but at some point you have to read the writing on the wall. Their stars are getting older.

[Huckleberry]

Very underwelming return for the Sharks though, only the 2024 1st rounder looks good.    Hoffmann and Garlund had couple of bad seasons already.
Rutta is servicable bottom pair.

[TheAud]

2 hours ago, K-9 said:

The decade after that is gonna matter a whole lot when they’re in the midst of it. 

It's only because we're Sabres fans that we believe it takes a decade to rebuild. 

[matter2003]

19 minutes ago, TheAud said:

It's only because we're Sabres fans that we believe it takes a decade to rebuild. 

Blackhawks are going on 7 years and are nowhere right now. They have Bedard but there is no guarantee he pulls them out of that...McDavid didn't help much with the Oilers for a few years.

Edited August 6, 2023 by matter2003

[K-9]

36 minutes ago, TheAud said:

It's only because we're Sabres fans that we believe it takes a decade to rebuild. 

I don’t believe that at all, but building is a never ending process and the future arrives before you know it.

[Thorner]

6 hours ago, Weave said:

Denial?  Hold on for too long?  Holy *****, what is with wishing that teams give up?  They have a player that is still arguably one of the top 2-3 in the league, a 2C that is still 1C level, an all star on the wing.  And they aren’t ready to give up either.  They just did what they should be doing, cashing in every season that they still have top end talent on the roster.

The losing will come.  It always comes.  There is no reason to hasten it along.

It’s so weird. 

The new mantra of choice is 2 birds in the bush is better than 1 in hand 

[Thorner]

4 hours ago, shrader said:

It’s interesting to see that after all these years they finally have someone making more money than Crosby. 

That’s a good point and honestly is kinda cool 

4 hours ago, shrader said:

It’s interesting to see that after all these years they finally have someone making more money than Crosby. 

That’s a good point and honestly is kinda cool 

It literally won’t let me edit out the double post on my phone so there ya go 

[Randall Flagg]

7 hours ago, Eleven said:

If I can't overtake a bicycle in my car, I shouldn't drive.

They finished ahead of us last year, Crosby is still elite, Malkin and Letang can still play, and they added a Norris trophy winner that scored over 100 points on top of that

I'm not burying any team until they're dead

[Stoner]

10 minutes ago, Thorny said:

That’s a good point and honestly is kinda cool 

That’s a good point and honestly is kinda cool 

It literally won’t let me edit out the double post on my phone so there ya go 

POTY

[Randall Flagg]

There's something to the fact that over the years it always seems to be games against Pittsburgh that put us back into our place when we think we are ready to take the step. They always seem to stomp on us and laugh as we recede back into our hole

[Stoner]

6 minutes ago, Randall Flagg said:

There's something to the fact that over the years it always seems to be games against Pittsburgh that put us back into our place when we think we are ready to take the step. They always seem to stomp on us and laugh as we recede back into our hole

I give you April 3, 2007.

---

The Sabres' Turn

Crosby Era coming, but this moment belongs to Buffalo

April 3, 2007

PITTSBURGH — Sidney Crosby struck iron. So did Dmitri Kalinin. But Kalinin's shot hit the right post and went in. Crosby's deflected off the crossbar and bounded away like the Easter Bunny.

Sidney Crosby grimaced on the bench. So did Thomas Vanek. But Vanek's scowl, the result of painful back spasms, was at least part smile, coming minutes after his 40th goal. Crosby's, the result of a tweaked ankle, was all Advil.

Sidney Crosby lost his helmet. So did Ryan Miller. But Miller's lost lid came seconds after stealing a goal off the stick of Crosby, a defining moment in the game. Crosby's doff came during an early squirmish with Derek Roy, a frustrating moment of many for The Precocious One.

Those are the thumbnail photos of the Sabres' 4-1 victory in the Igloo on Tuesday night. The poster-sized enlargement of the state of the Eastern Conference can be illustrated by two more images: Miller's face sprouting a playoff beard. Crosby's as smooth as a baby's bottom.

With the regular season all but over, it should have been apparent to most who watched Tuesday night's game — well, maybe not those Versus announcers — that although The Crosby Era in the NHL will arrive soon enough, The Buffalo Era is dawning first. The Penguins might be this season's version of the 2005-06 Sabres, but the Sabres are Version 2.0.

Prevailing at the site of the franchise's first big win — in their first game in the NHL back in 1970 — the Sabres clinched both the Northeast Division championship and the regular-season Eastern Conference title.

To accomplish two of their preseason goals, they had to beat back a team of young guns, like themselves, who were trying to cut to the front of the line.

The Sabres said not so fast.

It took clutch goaltending, balanced scoring, stout defensive play and extraordinary penalty killing to do it. It took a playoff effort.

The balanced scoring came from a defenseman and three different forwards, while the penalty killers, led by Chris Drury, negated all eight chances for the fifth-ranked Pens power play.

But Miller vs. Crosby was the most intriguing matchup. Crosby was all alone at the right post on a first-period power play, but Miller played shortstop and gloved down a pass before it landed on Sid's stick in shallow left field. A little later, Crosby worked himself into that same open space but lifted the puck over the Buffalo goaltender and off the crossbar.

Crosby's misery was just beginning.

Actually, after taking a bad penalty in the first period and failing to knock Dainius Zubrus into the Pittsburgh Hills in the second, Crosby was quiet until the first minute of the third period. The Sabres led only 2-1 at the time, and Crosby tested Miller twice in a matter of just a few seconds.

On his way to his 38th win of the season, Miller passed the test, then aced it at midperiod when Crosby, his team by then trailing 4-1, had designs on getting the Penguins back in the game. Crosby teed one up from the right circle, just 20 feet out, but Miller got his glove up while going down into a reverse snow angel, snaring the last of six shots on goal for Crosby. Miller wasn't busy — the Sabres allowed only 17 shots before taking a 4-1 lead — but he made the timely big save, including a flashing right pad stop on Jordan Staal not long after Pittsburgh had tied the game at 1 in the first period.

Pittsburgh, with everything to play for, took its run at Buffalo. With a swagger and a stutter-step, the Sabres did what Zubrus did when Crosby tried to make him a permanent part of the Penguin bench. They stepped aside. Crosby came up empty again, and so did the Penguins.

Vanek stepped aside, too, sending two Pens into a hilarious Keystone Kops collision, on Derek Roy's goal. Lindy Ruff ducked a puck sent into the bench in the opening moments of the game and with equally perfect comedic timing taunted the shooter.

This was a fun game to watch.

Unless you were standing behind the Pittsburgh bench.

Pens' coach Michel Therrien said that his team had a bad day, insisted "these things happen." The Versus crew thought Pittsburgh was "flat." That's a coach protecting his team and the league's broadcaster protecting The Franchise. A "thing" didn't happen to the Penguins — a more experienced, more balanced and flat out better team did.

Mark Recchi, who scored a disputed goal in the first period, making the win that much more satisfying to paranoid Sabre fans, took a different tack, calling the loss a "wakeup call."

While the Penguins are looking to kick off the blankets, the Sabres are already on their happy feet, snooze buttons hit for the last time. They're in the bathroom, taking one last look in the mirror, seeing absolutely no reason to shave. 

The Buffalo Sabres are getting ready. This is their time.

[Thorner]

21 minutes ago, PASabreFan said:

POTY

[TheAud]

4 hours ago, matter2003 said:

Blackhawks are going on 7 years and are nowhere right now. They have Bedard but there is no guarantee he pulls them out of that...McDavid didn't help much with the Oilers for a few years.

Not saying it can't take 10 years...just saying it doesn't have to. 

[Rasmus_]

Considering they were able to move off of Granlund who clearly didn't fit as well as Petry and DeSmith at the cost of a first round pick. They did fine.  They also gained three million in cap space.  I could see them using some of it on a UFA on a one yr deal.  While I think this likely will not end with them hoisting the cup, they didn't give up any of their limited upside prospects in the system.  Clearly SJ is looking to flip the three veterans with some bounce back in a market/team not expecting to complete and get younger assets on the back end.  Hope it works out for them.  

[Huckleberry]

Seriously I would be pissed of as a sharks fan on this return, a 1st round pick and 2 cap dumps and 3rd pair D.

[SwampD]

10 hours ago, Thorny said:

It’s so weird. 

The new mantra of choice is 2 birds in the bush is better than 1 in hand 

It’s not new.

There”s just no place for a 40 goal scorer on the Buffalo Sabres.

Remember when people didn’t want to “mortgage the future” for Ilya Kovalchuk. You know, the future that had him taking the Devils to the SCF, and the Sabres to,… well…

JFC…

And just like with the Bruins, I’ll enjoy the demise of the Penguins when it actually happens.

[Curt]

This is good for trade for Pittsburgh.

Yeah, they are old.  Yeah, their prospect group is bad.  Yeah, they PROBABLY won’t be able to win another Cup with this group.

The thing is, they have elite talent at the top of their lineup, and that gives them a shot at competing.  As long as you have that, I think it makes sense to go for it.  

[That Aud Smell]

2 minutes ago, Curt said:

The thing is, they have elite talent at the top of their lineup, and that gives them a shot at competing.  As long as you have that, I think it makes sense to go for it.  

Yep.

[inkman]

13 minutes ago, SwampD said:

It’s not new.

There”s just no place for a 40 goal scorer on the Buffalo Sabres.

Remember when people didn’t want to “mortgage the future” for Ilya Kovalchuk. You know, the future that had him taking the Devils to the SCF, and the Sabres to,… well…

JFC…

And just like with the Bruins, I’ll enjoy the demise of the Penguins when it actually happens.

Meh, the dude is an ass. He was a great hockey player but not every likable IMHO.  This is also coming from the guy who disliked Hasek (before trade demand), Danny Briere, Chris Drury, Thomas Vanek, Jack Eichel, Jim Kelly, Thurman Thomas (before he retired), Bruce Smith and Andre Reed.  All of them rubbed me the wrong way.  Generally unlikable people (ok Danny wasn’t unlikeable I just didn’t want a Smurf for the face of the franchise).  

[Buffalonill]

13 hours ago, matter2003 said:

Blackhawks are going on 7 years and are nowhere right now. They have Bedard but there is no guarantee he pulls them out of that...McDavid didn't help much with the Oilers for a few years.

 

19-20 they made the playoffs .

 

[SwampD]

10 minutes ago, inkman said:

Meh, the dude is an ass. He was a great hockey player but not every likable IMHO.  This is also coming from the guy who disliked Hasek (before trade demand), Danny Briere, Chris Drury, Thomas Vanek, Jack Eichel, Jim Kelly, Thurman Thomas (before he retired), Bruce Smith and Andre Reed.  All of them rubbed me the wrong way.  Generally unlikable people (ok Danny wasn’t unlikeable I just didn’t want a Smurf for the face of the franchise).  

K

Has nothing to do with the point being made. The Sabres have tricked this fanbase into believing that the future is more important than the present.

And it’s been going on for almost 2 decades.

[inkman]

12 minutes ago, SwampD said:

K

Has nothing to do with the point being made. The Sabres have tricked this fanbase into believing that the future is more important than the present.

And it’s been going on for almost 2 decades.

I’ve definitely heard some of that but I think it’s a small vocal minority. Most casual fans want them to win now and a lot of knowledgeable people see a window opening and want the Sabres to capitalize on that opening.  I’m torn.  I like the vibes GMKA has implemented.  I also desperately want them to make a run this season.  

[Broken Ankles]

1 hour ago, Huckleberry said:

Seriously I would be pissed of as a sharks fan on this return, a 1st round pick and 2 cap dumps and 3rd pair D.

Better to receive a first round pick this year, than pay a first to take Karlsson two years from now? Maybe Karlsson is Chara and lives up to the length of contract but unlikely. The cap dump salaries are off the books by 2025, which probably aligns with their plans for trying to complete again.  

[CallawaySabres]

I don’t care how bad Pittsburgh eventually will be, all that matters to me is that Buffalo makes the playoffs this year. This move, for this year, does not help that situation.