Sabres looking at Zegras?

[Happy Days]

Zegras can play center or wing. He is a very talented offensive player who could become a better than a ppg player someday, but his defensive game so far has been very poor.

[Flashsabre]

It doesn’t make sense. Mitts is playing that role now and wouldn’t cost assets nor the contract Zegras would want.

[Carmel Corn]

IDK - no doubt he is a very talented kid with lots of potential.  He seems a little too "hot dog" IMHO and I'm not sure he's highly regarded by other players.

[North Buffalo]

I love Zegras, he grew up near where we live and my brother in law plays golf with his Dad... by all accounts ive heard he is a great guy... but yeh gonna cost too much... sure hot dog on the ice and in front of the camera but good teammate as well... 

[That Aud Smell]

11 hours ago, Curt said:

I’m not so sure Zegras is a super duper star.  He is basically a Cozens level guy.

No sh1t?

10 hours ago, Brawndo said:

Zegras had almost identical counting stats to Cozens last season, while playing almost 300 minutes more than Dylan last season. 

In terms of fancy stats Cozens is actually a better play driver. 

Double no sh1t?

8 hours ago, dudacek said:

Zegras isn’t as highly thought off by the industry as he is hyped by fans.

Ahhite. There it is. He's done some outrageous stuff with the puck, I guess. And he's all I ever hear about when I hear about Anaheim.

I was (easily) misled!

[LGR4GM]

Zegras v Cozens v Mitts

Zegras - 23g, 42a, 0.802ppg, 2.6pts/60, possession quality -17.5 E+/-

Cozens - 31g, 37a, 0.84ppg, 3.1pts/60, possession quality -5.9 E+/-

Mitts - 15g, 44a, 0.72ppg, 2.7pts/60, possession quality -2.4 E+/-

[GASabresIUFAN]

Why would a team with a top flight offense, that was the youngest in the NHL, and has the deepest forward pipeline in the NHL have any interest in going after an expensive young veteran forward that is duplicative of what‘s already here?  

The two moves that may need to be done still are finding a partner for Power if Clifton struggles in that role and finding a veteran backup for Levi if (when?) UPL/Comrie underperform again.

[inkman]

Do all fanbases act like this with players in contract negotiations?

[French Collection]

No to Zegras.

He wants TNT/Cozens money. He is flashy and sells tickets but the Sabres already have plenty of offense. It sounds like he doesn’t play defense, PK or win draws, which are areas of need.

It seems like he may end up on the wing or 3C in Anaheim, probably a similar situation to Buffalo, so he is not worth the money.

Now, if you can get him for VO and a prospect (Östlund)? I might do something like that, see if he fits in and adjust accordingly.

[Malazan]

I don't get how people still don't understand that GMs call on everyone.. even if they have no interest. 

The Sabres have a couple similar players so getting a good idea of what the value of Zegras is would be super valuable for KA. 

[LGR4GM]

Everyone realizes the Sabre and Anaheim 100% talked. How do we know? Because we literally traded with them already.

That doesn't mean they are seriously discussing a Zegras trade. Doesn't even mean anything of interest happened there. It doesn't make sense. 

[LGR4GM]

I wonder how many times Hamilton will be on WGR today telling ppl falsely that Trevor Zegras is better than Dylan Cozens, what say you? 5, 6 more? He is at at least 3. 

[French Collection]

1 minute ago, LGR4GM said:

I wonder how many times Hamilton will be on WGR today telling ppl falsely that Trevor Zegras is better than Dylan Cozens, what say you? 5, 6 more? He is at at least 3. 

Zegras outplayed him in the final game at the World Juniors, otherwise, I take Cozens every time.

[#freejame]

1 hour ago, LGR4GM said:

Zegras v Cozens v Mitts

Zegras - 23g, 42a, 0.802ppg, 2.6pts/60, possession quality -17.5 E+/-

Cozens - 31g, 37a, 0.84ppg, 3.1pts/60, possession quality -5.9 E+/-

Mitts - 15g, 44a, 0.72ppg, 2.7pts/60, possession quality -2.4 E+/-

What what are their tRPM?

[mjd1001]

37 minutes ago, LGR4GM said:

I wonder how many times Hamilton will be on WGR today telling ppl falsely that Trevor Zegras is better than Dylan Cozens, what say you? 5, 6 more? He is at at least 3. 

Zegras is 'flashier', he may be more exciting to watch/provide more highlight reel clips. But that doesn't make him a better player.  Unless it was a very good bargain, I'm not interested in him...I don't think he would bring in as much as what you might have to move out to get him.

[Archie Lee]

It’s difficult to plot out what the Sabres will do with all their players and prospects. I’m sure there is a similar example from the past, but I think it is quite rare that a team had both an NHL roster and a prospect system that are bursting with high-end potential. 
 

I don’t know what Zegras is looking for, but let’s say he wants to leave the option for a bigger payday and is wanting Thompson/Cozens money but on a bridge deal. The logic for the Sabres may be:

- they have more prospects now then they will have space for over the next 2-4 years

- as the team improves on the ice, they won’t be drafting as high and thus the prospect pool will start to age and dwindle 

If the Sabres want to spread out their long-term prospect depth/pipeline there may be logic to moving 2-3 of their top prospects for a player like Zegras. You then sign Zegras to a bridge deal and then 2 years from now you move him, or a different veteran, for a younger batch of top prospects/picks. There is risk. But then, there is risk in sitting on your prospects as well. At some point, with the number of high-end prospects the Sabres have, they will either need to move prospects for established players or move established players to make room for prospects. I don’t think the Sabres are at a point where they must do something, but the NHL top 9 is arguably near full now. 
 

 

[LGR4GM]

10 hours ago, PerreaultForever said:

Why? I'm not suggesting Anaheim asking for Dahlin, I'm suggesting what if contract talks have soured worse than we know? I certainly hope not, but Dahlin was supposed to be "unhappy". What if he's so unhappy he's flipped and said he will be "considering all his options" as agents like to say. 

 

[Rasmus_]

Would you love to add Zegras, sure.  Anyone with his talent makes the team better, however.  There's only so much $$ to spread around.  With Dahlin, and Power needing new contracts, you have to prioritize.   There will be new contracts for Tuch and others in the future.  Krebs will need a new contract next year as well. 

[Scottysabres]

2 hours ago, LGR4GM said:

Zegras v Cozens v Mitts

Zegras - 23g, 42a, 0.802ppg, 2.6pts/60, possession quality -17.5 E+/-

Cozens - 31g, 37a, 0.84ppg, 3.1pts/60, possession quality -5.9 E+/-

Mitts - 15g, 44a, 0.72ppg, 2.7pts/60, possession quality -2.4 E+/-

Looks like a good line combo to me. All kidding aside, excellent stat look at them, thank you LG.

[Rasmus_]

1 hour ago, LGR4GM said:

Everyone realizes the Sabre and Anaheim 100% talked. How do we know? Because we literally traded with them already.

That doesn't mean they are seriously discussing a Zegras trade. Doesn't even mean anything of interest happened there. It doesn't make sense. 

Checking in, happens. So I agree wtih LGR for sure!  Would it shock me that Adams hasn't checked in on the acquisition cost of Hellebuyck etc. as well.   I prefer Cozens at this point, in his draft year I wanted Zegras.  

[Quint]

Hard No.

[PerreaultForever]

7 hours ago, LGR4GM said:

What if none of what you say here is remotely true?

Dahlin was at the prospects tournament. Went to the Jets game. Is in their promotional stuff joking around. For a guy who's "unhappy" he sure is doing a lot of stuff with his team. 

I'm not in any way suggesting it's "true". To the topic, someone mentioned Power as a trade in a possible which seemed unlikely to me so I mentioned the POSSIBLE of Dahlin, given the contract situation. It's unlikely, the whole topic is unlikely, but it's not beyond the realm of possibility. 

As for your "evidence" he's happy, it means nothing. Players are friends with each other and he's on this team. At least for this year. Kyle and Jack stayed best buddies remember. It means nothing. 

[PerreaultForever]

2 hours ago, LGR4GM said:

 

Right. Which means absolutely nothing either way going forward. 

[nfreeman]

I think there is close to zero chance of this happening.

Having said that, if KA were interested, I would guess that TT, Tuch, Cozens, Peterka, Quinn, Benson and likely Savoie and Rosen are off the table, and cheapo Anaheim isn't going to take Skinner -- but KA might pay a price that includes a vet who is going to need a contract next year, like Mitts, plus someone like Kulich or Östlund.

 

 

[pi2000]

This report is bunk... but at the time I was hoping they'd take Zegras instead of Cozens.

That said, I'm glad they took Cozens, he has more compete and is a better overall player, what the Sabres needed.