Sabres shopping Mittelstadt?

[Marvin]

4 minutes ago, Pimlach said:

And this was in my first comment, although I was thinking next season.  Should we replace Mitts with either Rosen/Savoie/Kulich we are looking at a 2-3 year learning curve in the NHL.  It's like we are running in place.  

We need to get stronger up the middle, even if we keep Mitts.  

I agree.  We should not replace Mittelstadt with yet another youngster.

[DarthEbriate]

Per the rumor, my question would be: are the Sabres shopping Mitts (that doesn't seem to be Sheevyn's way unless Mitts said he no longer wants to be here) or is the more likely track be "Is every GM worth their salt in the league looking at the garbage teams and trying to find good centers to help them now that Monahan and Lindholm have been moved?"

Mitts would be a fantastic addition to any already-good roster. 

[thewookie1]

10 minutes ago, DarthEbriate said:

Per the rumor, my question would be: are the Sabres shopping Mitts (that doesn't seem to be Sheevyn's way unless Mitts said he no longer wants to be here) or is the more likely track be "Is every GM worth their salt in the league looking at the garbage teams and trying to find good centers to help them now that Monahan and Lindholm have been moved?"

Mitts would be a fantastic addition to any already-good roster. 

Probably a bit of both. Let’s say 3 or 4 teams call on Mitts with moderately good offers. Adams then decides to see if he can find something more appealing. By Seeing if a team offered a RHD who’d be a legit Top 4 and could complete a pair stylistically with Dahlin or Power. 

He’d rather keep him in my opinion but there are greater needs and Mitts agent may want far more than we deem fit for him.

Edited February 9 by thewookie1

[PerreaultForever]

3 hours ago, GASabresIUFAN said:

No, he doesn't get a pass because the goaltending has been an issue since KA arrived.  

Sure he could be selling him, but do you have any confidence that he'd get a return such as I outlined above that might improve the team?

No I don't. I suspect it would be picks and prospects and I have no use for that (unless it's a sure fire group of prospects with different skill sets from what we have but that seems unlikely).

Not agreeing with what they do, but I suspect they've decided our top 2 centers are Thompson and Cozens and they aren't willing to pay Mitts top 2 money for a 3 role. So this is the choice they are making. I won't evaluate it until I see the full trade though. Quality for quality might help the team as a whole, you never know. 

[#freejame]

1 hour ago, Doohickie said:

McDaniels is moron who favors flash over substance, but I understand the point you're trying to make.

I actually also agree with this but figured most people would get the gist of it 

[PerreaultForever]

3 hours ago, Thorny said:

Well of course he doesn’t get a pass, but I still want him to do it. Better late than never, absolutely. Always, always. The past doesn’t exist, do right by the moment.

But yes I’ve mentioned before, he’s looking at nothing short of needing to establish that perennial Cup contender to actually get full-on credit, at this point. The idea of willingly throwing all these years away in the name of a long-form rebuild was because “just making the playoffs” supposedly wasn’t good enough: if all we get out of this is a playoff berth after 5 seasons, that’s a poor performance from the GM. That’s a needlessly long pathway to take to make the playoffs and that’s borne out statistically, league relative. Are we going to pat him on the back if he makes it next year? The expectation was this year. Next year would be, “ok, you can keep your job.”

We’d obviously all be thrilled: better late than never. But there’s still a separation from a clear-headed analysis of the GM. We are capable of intelligently forming that distinction. 

Absolutely. My opinion of Adams is simple. Incompetent. I think he is a failure. If they do not fire him, he can redeem himself with the present/future and we can write off the past, but right now we are still a failed franchise. 

imo although it was supposed to be the minimum bar for this year making the playoffs finally next year is success (finally) and total failure is if/when another talented player loses their love and wants out. If that happens it's basically over.

[HOUSE]

I enjoy watching former Sabre players win the cup. 

I live for this.....

Edited February 10 by Shoot da Puck

[TageMVP]

4 hours ago, Pimlach said:

First, what are you angry about? 

Second, why do you like it before you even see the trade?  Sure, Mitts is tradeable if you can make a deal to improve the team.  I want to see the trade before I decide I like it.  

Third, What exactly is Adams banking on?  He rushed to pay Muel (after 54 NHL games), then rushed to sign Cozens when he had time (literally causing Cozens to become a head case), then he rushed to sign Power who not surprisingly is struggling in his sophomore season.  

Is Kevyn all of a sudden learning on the job?   

What about his neglect of the goaltending in the off season, our PLAYOFF off season?  UPL is emerging, we are almost eliminated from the playoffs and now all of a sudden he needs a better goalie? 

Adams is confusing me with his logic, but I can't wait to see him make a trade of substance (not counting trading the very good players that wanted to leave).  

 

 

1. I gave you the angry emoji because you were angry writing that post 

2. I like trades, they are exciting 

3. You answered your own question at the end 

I don't see how Adams' logic is confusing. You may not like it, but its not the least bit confusing to me 

 

[SwampD]

Luke Mittelstadt with a nice assist.

[SwampD]

I don’t care what KA paid other players before they earned it. Pay Casey what deserves and add good youngsters to the team. I’m so ***** sick of us replacing good players with youngsters. All it does is ensure we will remain awful forever.

[Doohicksie]

17 minutes ago, Shoot da Puck said:

I enjoy watching former Sabre players win the cup. 

I live for this.....

Well yeah, there's no hope of current Sabres win the Cup any time soon.

[Pimlach]

26 minutes ago, TageMVP said:

1. I gave you the angry emoji because you were angry writing that post 

2. I like trades, they are exciting 

3. You answered your own question at the end 

I don't see how Adams' logic is confusing. You may not like it, but its not the least bit confusing to me 

 

I was not angry writing the post, do you have empathic power?   I  just prefer not listening to that pod cast with those two dropping f-bombs and spreading rumors. 

 

 

 

[TageMVP]

1 minute ago, Pimlach said:

I was not angry writing the post, do you have empathic power?   I  just prefer not listening to that pod cast with those two dropping f-bombs and spreading rumors. 

Sabres could use a guy or two who say F this on the ice once in a while 

Get angry and get even 

It's too bad Eichel for Tkachuk fell through, or was a non story 

[klos1963]

Wouldn't surprise me at all if Mitts wants to go elsewhere.  If I were him, I'd get as far away from Buffalo as possible. He'll get a very good contract on the market and most certainly a better situation overall.

[Scottysabres]

Well, something has to give here. They can't keep rolling with this current roster, it's not working. So Mr. Adams, get busy addressing the situation, the time has come. S h I t, or get off the pot 

[Buffalo Super Fan]

Trading Casey Mittelstadt isn’t going to get it done. Trade Alex Tuch that needs to happen along with Peyton Krebs. The Buffalo Sabres need to move on from the Vegas Golden Knights junk the Sabres got for Jack Eichel it’s a constant reminder that the Buffalo Sabres got ripped off. Alex Tuch is going to age quickly you can see it. Trade Alex Tuch now while he still has some value. I want John Tavares out of Toronto whatever it takes to acquire him. He is older and experienced and the Sabres new team captain. You build around John Tavares to end the Sabres playoff drought. Pick one Rasmus Dahlin or Owen Power and trade the other. I don’t resign UPL I am not comfortable giving him a long term contract trade him at the trade deadline to someone that needs a playoff back up goalie. I would trade for John Gibson and Devon Levi are the Sabres goalies next season. I don’t resign Kyle Okposo and trade him at the trade deadline. I also sell the Rochester holdings and develop players closer to the immediate Buffalo area take your pick Amherst, Niagara Falls, Cheektowaga or Orchard Park. One possibility Orchard Park New Buffalo Bills stadium site across the street from the New Bills stadium at the present Highmark Stadium site. I am open to a Bills/Sabres/Buffalo AHL training campus with in a 5,000 to 6,000 seat arena. The arena will cost $80 million or more dollars to build. You need a training campus that houses our Buffalo teams that is state of the art. If you want that new Bills stadium to ever be anything more than it’s been for 50 years you need events year round out there in Orchard Park. You need something that can draw Buffalo fans to spend there money. The Buffalo Bills already control the parking there you need something that is year round. All of this type of stuff needs to happen for the Sabres to ever win big again. There is no future at Harbor Center it was a hotel with some shops and is outdated. The Harbor Center arena is too small seating capacity with 2,000 seats to host real events like AHL hockey, MASL indoor soccer and Arena Football League or Indoor Football League in my opinion. Go Sabres! Let’s Go Buffalo 

[Taro T]

If Adams trades Mittelstadt for ANYTHING OTHER THAN a true #1 goalie (ain't happening; Adams believes in UPL & Levi down the road, so truly doubt he's looking to come up w/ a package for a true #1), a top 4 D that isn't out of place on the top pairing, or as part of a package for either a true top 6 C that won't be out of place as a 1C or a true top 6 C that gets Selke consideration then he is 100% full of excrement when he talks about how he's building this team.

He has to walk the talk.  And trading Mittelstadt for anything less than that would simply be moving legitimacy for this team out even further than next season.

Personally, would prefer he pay him what he's worth, keep him, and add additional NHL ready talent to this roster so that this stumble backwards we've been hostage to all season gets corrected out of the gate next year.  Mittelstadt &/or what his paycheck will be next year is not what is / has been holding this team back this season.  The coaching has been ridiculously bad.  They play an arrogant game.  They still try for 3 line passes when good teams go for shorter makable passes that let themselves attack with speed.  The Sabres that are looking to receive those 3 line passes are stationary very often because the D doesn't have the opportunity to see them while they're breaking towards the opponent's blue line but rather find them once they're standing there waiting for that home run pass.  Even in a game like Tuesday's where they actually have their legs and are getting decent pressure, they still just do head scratching stuff.  That HAS to be coaching because they keep doing it repetitively with no consequences nor repercussions.

But, hey, now that they've lived with Mittelstadt's growing pains and he's where they claim they expect the rest of the kids to get towards, would make perfect sense to send him packing.

The saving grace in this is, it seems the initial source of this rumor is Peters &/or Rivet.  Not exactly a testament to reliability.

[Mango]

2 hours ago, PerreaultForever said:

Absolutely. My opinion of Adams is simple. Incompetent. I think he is a failure. If they do not fire him, he can redeem himself with the present/future and we can write off the past, but right now we are still a failed franchise. 

imo although it was supposed to be the minimum bar for this year making the playoffs finally next year is success (finally) and total failure is if/when another talented player loses their love and wants out. If that happens it's basically over.

When we struggled at points last year (but still played entertaining hockey) and missed the playoffs by a point the feedback loop from a lot of people/posters was "that is OK. We weren't even supposed to be good this year. This is all icing, just wait!"

Now this year I read stuff like "man, I wish Adams hadn't set the bar so high this year, and he told us it was another building year". 

If the playoffs started today, Detroit would make it and Kevyn Adams would have the second longest active playoff drought among NHL GM's. 

[Ctaeth]

5 minutes ago, Buffalo Super Fan said:

Trading Casey Mittelstadt isn’t going to get it done. Trade Alex Tuch that needs to happen along with Peyton Krebs. The Buffalo Sabres need to move on from the Vegas Golden Knights junk the Sabres got for Jack Eichel it’s a constant reminder that the Buffalo Sabres got ripped off. Alex Tuch is going to age quickly you can see it. Trade Alex Tuch now while he still has some value. I want John Tavares out of Toronto whatever it takes to acquire him. He is older and experienced and the Sabres new team captain. You build around John Tavares to end the Sabres playoff drought. Pick one Rasmus Dahlin or Owen Power and trade the other. I don’t resign UPL I am not comfortable giving him a long term contract trade him at the trade deadline to someone that needs a playoff back up goalie. I would trade for John Gibson and Devon Levi are the Sabres goalies next season. I don’t resign Kyle Okposo and trade him at the trade deadline. I also sell the Rochester holdings and develop players closer to the immediate Buffalo area take your pick Amherst, Niagara Falls, Cheektowaga or Orchard Park. One possibility Orchard Park New Buffalo Bills stadium site across the street from the New Bills stadium at the present Highmark Stadium site. I am open to a Bills/Sabres/Buffalo AHL training campus with in a 5,000 to 6,000 seat arena. The arena will cost $80 million or more dollars to build. You need a training campus that houses our Buffalo teams that is state of the art. If you want that new Bills stadium to ever be anything more than it’s been for 50 years you need events year round out there in Orchard Park. You need something that can draw Buffalo fans to spend there money. The Buffalo Bills already control the parking there you need something that is year round. All of this type of stuff needs to happen for the Sabres to ever win big again. There is no future at Harbor Center it was a hotel with some shops and is outdated. The Harbor Center arena is too small seating capacity with 2,000 seats to host real events like AHL hockey, MASL indoor soccer and Arena Football League or Indoor Football League in my opinion. Go Sabres! Let’s Go Buffalo 

I enjoy this bit you're doing 

[Mango]

3 minutes ago, Taro T said:

If Adams trades Mittelstadt for ANYTHING OTHER THAN a true #1 goalie (ain't happening; Adams believes in UPL & Levi down the road, so truly doubt he's looking to come up w/ a package for a true #1), a top 4 D that isn't out of place on the top pairing, or as part of a package for either a true top 6 C that won't be out of place as a 1C or a true top 6 C that gets Selke consideration then he is 100% full of excrement when he talks about how he's building this team.

He has to walk the talk.  And trading Mittelstadt for anything less than that would simply be moving legitimacy for this team out even further than next season.

Personally, would prefer he pay him what he's worth, keep him, and add additional NHL ready talent to this roster so that this stumble backwards we've been hostage to all season gets corrected out of the gate next year.  Mittelstadt &/or what his paycheck will be next year is not what is / has been holding this team back this season.  The coaching has been ridiculously bad.  They play an arrogant game.  They still try for 3 line passes when good teams go for shorter makable passes that let themselves attack with speed.  The Sabres that are looking to receive those 3 line passes are stationary very often because the D doesn't have the opportunity to see them while they're breaking towards the opponent's blue line but rather find them once they're standing there waiting for that home run pass.  Even in a game like Tuesday's where they actually have their legs and are getting decent pressure, they still just do head scratching stuff.  That HAS to be coaching because they keep doing it repetitively with no consequences nor repercussions.

But, hey, now that they've lived with Mittelstadt's growing pains and he's where they claim they expect the rest of the kids to get towards, would make perfect sense to send him packing.

The saving grace in this is, it seems the initial source of this rumor is Peters &/or Rivet.  Not exactly a testament to reliability.

Great post. I totally agree with everything from roster management, player management, to coaching. 

I posted earlier in the year that I think Adams is trying to solve a tomorrow problem today with the the cap. We have enough space to go into next season with "the core". This isn't a 24-25 problem. To take what you said a step further, it will be tough to put together a full NHL roster if we hand out $6-7M deals out of the gate. That is just too many contracts even if they are good value. 

What I think we can do is extend Mitts, play out next season and see how these guys continue to develop. At that point we will likely have to move at least one of Cozens, Power, Mitts and walk away from one of Levi, JJP, or Quinn. The more you want to keep from one group the more you need to eliminate from the other.

It would be great to get tippy-top grade-A return for every trade but I think there is actually more value in holding out here because there are 6 pieces in play in that scenario. 

Skinner's contract needs to go this offseason. 

 

[thewookie1]

I wonder if we could retain 3 mil on Skinner and trade him to Vancouver for Garland and DiGuiseppe(just some random guy with at 750k)

It would certainly be an all-in move for a Vancouver team on fire and upgrades their offensive output.

 

Garland clean up the cap issues but is at least a bit more 2 way capable 

[Buffalonill]

So he Wasn't looking for a Goltender last three years ? Joke of a gm move on 

Edited February 10 by Buffalonill

[Weave]

Did noone mention Kulich was a healthy scratch tonight?

[GoPuckYourself]

8 minutes ago, Weave said:

Did noone mention Kulich was a healthy scratch tonight?

Great I can finally see him play.

[nfreeman]

5 hours ago, thewookie1 said:

Probably a bit of both. Let’s say 3 or 4 teams call on Mitts with moderately good offers. Adams then decides to see if he can find something more appealing. By Seeing if a team offered a RHD who’d be a legit Top 4 and could complete a pair stylistically with Dahlin or Power. 

He’d rather keep him in my opinion but there are greater needs and Mitts agent may want far more than we deem fit for him.

1 hour ago, Taro T said:

If Adams trades Mittelstadt for ANYTHING OTHER THAN a true #1 goalie (ain't happening; Adams believes in UPL & Levi down the road, so truly doubt he's looking to come up w/ a package for a true #1), a top 4 D that isn't out of place on the top pairing, or as part of a package for either a true top 6 C that won't be out of place as a 1C or a true top 6 C that gets Selke consideration then he is 100% full of excrement when he talks about how he's building this team.

He has to walk the talk.  And trading Mittelstadt for anything less than that would simply be moving legitimacy for this team out even further than next season.

It's not impossible, but it's fairly unlikely that a hockey trade like that is made in a deadline move.  No playoff team is going to part with a legit top-4 defenseman or top-2 center as they get ready for the stretch run.  So that leaves the lesser teams, like the Sabres, who are in roster construction mode.  Sometimes those teams make big moves at the deadline but more often it's during the summer.

Overall I'd rather keep Mitts and see how he and the rest of the team do under a real NHL coach next season.  Again though it depends on the return.