Rumor: The Bruins may have interest in both Kyle Okposo and Zemgus Girgensons

[Broken Ankles]

I can see why Kyle had no interest last year, with a $6m cap hit.  Even with retention, $3m was steep.  This year at $2.5m, KO seems much more palatable.  But Zemgus garnered zero interest last year, and yet somehow with seemingly worse (scoring and advanced) stats, less TOI (including PK) making slightly more money he is a target of a contender?  
 

[klos1963]

2 hours ago, DarthEbriate said:

Either of them would be an excellent contributor on that roster. But Boston's up against the cap... so what Bjork-level contract shedding would GM Sheevyn be taking this time?

Just imagine getting traded from Boston to Buffalo. How depressing that would be.

[Mango]

Hate Boston everything, but really like Okie the person. I could get behind him in Boston for a playoff run at the cup. 

[Archie Lee]

33 minutes ago, Broken Ankles said:

I can see why Kyle had no interest last year, with a $6m cap hit.  Even with retention, $3m was steep.  This year at $2.5m, KO seems much more palatable.  But Zemgus garnered zero interest last year, and yet somehow with seemingly worse (scoring and advanced) stats, less TOI (including PK) making slightly more money he is a target of a contender?  
 

Did Zemgus garner no interest last year?  Or were the Sabres not sellers? 

[Dr. Who]

2 hours ago, Goldseatsaud said:

Deal them. They won’t sniff the playoffs 

Either that, or one or both of them will suddenly be rejuvenated, they make the playoffs, through the usual Sabre factor in the known universe, the traded Sabre is supernaturally elevated in the post-season, wins the Cup, and is awarded the Conn Smythe.

[Flashsabre]

How bout KO, Girgs and Pegula for the Jacobs and a pick😁

[Night Train]

3 hours ago, Pimlach said:

Interesting.  What would they give up?  

A 7th round 2038 pick. 

[Pimlach]

2 minutes ago, Night Train said:

A 7th round 2038 pick. 

Watching the MITE league world championships.  2038 projects to be a strong draft.  thanks! 

[Marvin]

I have always thought that Zemgus and Kyle would be great in the playoffs.  Pity this is not 5 years ago with O'Reilly, Eichel, and Reinhart in Buffalo.  (In that universe, I am undoing the O'Reilly trade and filling in the roster with reliable, if low-end, NHLers and not a bunch of tweeners.  Mittelstadt is in Rochester too.)

[Cranky old man]

Move them out. Our veteran leadership hasn’t changed much for this club. We are worse than last year. KA’s big moves! Wow, finally the playoff are in sight.

[inkman]

With a whole 60k in Salary cap space, I’m struggling to see how they fit the $5 mill under the cap but maybe they have another Andres Bjork they can add us. 
 

[Pimlach]

2 hours ago, JoeSchmoe said:

Note I said transaction, not trade. 

Clifton is last on the team in relative expected goal %. We'd be far better with him out of the lineup and R Johnson in. 

Good data to see.   Fancy stats are interesting as to how they get tabulated, who and how they decide to record the data, and what they actually mean.  Is this goals for or against?  I am am sure who they play with is a big factor too.  

I watch the games and see Clifton is a big improvement over last years 3rd pairing, helpful on the PK, and physically more active than the rest.  therefore, he was an improvement from last year.  

[K-9]

Would love it if either Zemgus or Kyle got a legit opportunity to win a cup with a contender. But it would be a hard pill to swallow if either gets that chance with the Bruins. Like when Thurman went to the Dolphins. 

[PerreaultForever]

I mulled this over in my brain and have no idea why this might be a rumor. Now I could see them looking at Zemgus if he was offered cheap as there is a 4th line spot that Montgomery can't seem to settle on or be happy with but I'm not sure what they'd do with Kyle. He'd fit the style and they might even think he could play with Marchand or Coyle but there's no open spot. They have to be moving on from DeBrusk or making some other move like Hanifin that creates a hole. 

As a Sabres fan the guy I'd want is Trent Frederic but I really doubt the Bruins would give him up and Bruins fans would scream. If the Bruins don't value him the other good snag would be Jacob Lauko. Super high energy, great locker room guy, pretty tough and very popular, but Bruins don't seem to value him as much as the fans. The other possible would be John Beecher who they sent back to Providence. Could be a solid 4th line center. Big and fast and very good on face offs, but unlikely to score much. An upgrade from Krebs though. Otherwise I think you are looking at 3rd round picks and lower and probably salary retention on Kyle at least.

One other thought on Zemgus, Bruins have a promising Latvian prospect in Dans Locmelis so we could get a younger Latvian or maybe the Bruins want Zemgus to mentor him. idk. Just a thought. 

 

[PerreaultForever]

Just as an addendum, Bruins fans seem to think this might involve Mitts and are worried that the return might be Swayman. 

Fan talk though, not facts. Funny to read though. 

[pastajoe]

2 hours ago, klos1963 said:

Just imagine getting traded from Boston to Buffalo. How depressing that would be.

It could be viewed as a great opportunity for a player who is being buried in the Bruins organization by the talent ahead of them.

[klos1963]

5 minutes ago, pastajoe said:

It could be viewed as a great opportunity for a player who is being buried in the Bruins organization by the talent ahead of them.

It's got to be real depressing getting traded to Buffalo. 

[thewookie1]

3 hours ago, Pimlach said:

Clifton was not a trade, he was a free agent.   Clifton has helped us.   I just don't get all the Clifton hate on this board.

Yes, he made some errors, fell twice and had two pucks deflect off of him, but overall he has been pretty good.  Took time to adjust to DG's "system" (whatever that is) and went from a minus 8 to a plus 5 so far.  That is not easy to do playing on a 3rd pairing role on a team that cannot score goals.  It is a real indicator that he has played well.  Decent on the PK, willing to hit hard and move people.  I like him for what he is.

You wanna be disappointed in the defense this year - look at drop off in play of Muel and Power first.  Both have been mishandled, per usual with the Sabres.  

Bjork was a flier throw in on the Hall trade and never any more than a AHL/NHL tweener.  You want to complain about a player, Hall is your man.  He basically quit on the team and waited for the trade deadline while cashing in on a big contract via a friendship with Krueger.   What a waste he was.  One of my most least respected players to ever wear the Sabres crest is Taylor Hall.  

Clifton started looking awful but since about Game 25/30 has been a very solid 3rd pairing guy with some physicality.

 

I'd hope they don't go to Boston as I can't root for Boston.

  

[SabreFinn]

I hope both get a to play for the cup. I hope Skinner will get that possibility too. And I hope they get traded as soon as possible. Get rid of everything old and get new veterans. It should have been done in the summer, now it might be too late.

[Mango]

I honestly don't know what to think about anything anymore. 

Like, we clearly lack some bottom end depth/physical play. Guys who play big and tough. Girgs and Okie are part of that problem. 

But if a team like Boston, winning the east right now, wants these guys....

That said, I think there would be a lot less criticism of these guys if we had a Deslauriers and/or Reaves around.

I do think this team is a couple of clones away from being a lot better. At least the foreword group. 

Benson- Thompson - Tuch
Peterka - Mitts - Quinn
Greenway - Mitts - Tuch
Deslauriers - Girgs - Okie/Reaves

[Weave]

I really hope this doesn’t happen.

If Boston is interested in both Z and KO it should put to rest the idea that these guys can’t contribute.  If they are good enough for a playoff teams bottom six, they are sure as ***** good enough for a bottom 5 teams bottom 6.

And there is no way a move of these two to a win now team results in us improving at a time where the focus absolutely has to be on winning now.

Edited February 11 by Weave

[TageMVP]

I dont get the whole sentiment of wanting players to do well once they leave the Sabres

They're off the team, f them 

Why would I want another TEAM to do well? 

 

[Believer]

Give them both a chance with a contender for the Cup… They deserve it.

[TageMVP]

Just now, Believer said:

Give them both a chance with a contender for the Cup… They deserve it.

Why do they deserve it? 

[Marvin]

5 minutes ago, TageMVP said:

Why do they deserve it? 

Speaking for myself, it troubles me that Dave Schultz has his name on the Cup twice while guys like Gil Perreault do not.  It feels like the universe bending towards Justice.

Also, I would like all the Sabres fans who don't appreciate what they bring game in and game out to see how wrong they are.