So Who's Gone A Week From Tomorrow?

[HILLsabre]

Well, the annual "fleece the Sabres day" is fast approaching...been waiting for this since Christmas! Anyone looking into their crystal ball?

[LGR4GM]

Maybe 1 guy goes. I think Adams is tunnel visioned enough to think they're close.

[Carmel Corn]

1 minute ago, LGR4GM said:

Maybe 1 guy goes. I think Adams is tunnel visioned enough to think they're close.

Maybe Jokiharju gets moved as a pending UFA.  Otherwise, GMKA will still think his guys (including UFA’s Greenway and Zucker) are worth more than other teams are willing to pay.

[GASabresIUFAN]

1 hour ago, LGR4GM said:

Maybe 1 guy goes. I think Adams is tunnel visioned enough to think they're close.

Did he watch tonight's game?  This team isn't close. 

[pi2000]

Zucker, Reimer maybe.     Lafferty possibly.    Malenstyn.... bottom of the lineup guys who could help a playoff team. 

[shrader]

So wait, the Sabres getting fleeced every year at the deadline is a thing g now? I know we like to complain, but do we have to make stuff up too?

I can’t wait until April and the annual injury due to haphazard dog walking. 

[SabreFinn]

I think it still depends on the results from coming games. If they win all four, or even three of them, very little will happen. Probably we still will see Greenway moved to a contender. And I think they will sell high on Joker. Lafferty and NAK has been disappointments and Lafferty is the player I am most sure will be gone. I hope they value The Amerks success enough to keep NAK there.

If they lose coming games against Sjs and Habs Zucker will be gone also. Still hoping he returns next season.

Bigger moves will happen during offseason. If they happen, not that sure about it.

[PerreaultForever]

My guess. Nobody. 

[SABRES 0311]

I think Zucker but hope I’m wrong. Vet guy who produces. Would make a nice third line addition to a contender wanting to add some offensive ability and leadership.

Maybe Clifton or Joker to a less than contender for third pair duty.

Would be shocked if it was any of the supposed core.

[spndnchz]

8 hours ago, HILLsabre said:

Well, the annual "fleece the Sabres day" is fast approaching...been waiting for this since Christmas! Anyone looking into their crystal ball?

You

[CallawaySabres]

I would not care if any player on this entire team, besides Dahlin, was traded.

I want an entirely new lineup next year, start over. This team is so far beyond fixable And  they are 13 points from the last playoff spot? 
 

I did not think it was possible, but this lineup looks worse than last year. Rebuild is not even the proper term, they have to blow this thing up so much that we can’t even recognize the team next season.

[mjd1001]

I'm not unhappy with anyone gone, except Dahlin and Thompson, and probably Peterka and Tuch.  Dahlin and Thompson are are not replaceable, Peterka and Tuch are hard to replace.

I think Moving Cozens would be good for the team and good for him to get a new start. That is the one move I WANT to see happen.

I have no idea who is going to be traded. For the unrestricted guys, I don't see a ton of value for them individually, nothing as a return that will move the needle to make this team better in the future.

So the questions are:

1.)  Is there someone in Rochester that you are ready to move up to Buffalo for the rest of the year and want to make room for them?

2.) Is there someone who you have a good relationship with that is unrestricted, and really REALLY made it clear to you they want to be moved to a contender?

Moving anyone is likely going to be if you can answer yes to one of those 2 above questions.

[kas23]

Do we really need to trade anyone away? I get that we would rather get something rather than nothing. But, do we really need an extra 2nd or 3rd round pick or another long-shot prospect? I would rather just let them play out the season. 

[Weave]

I don’t think I want to see any players moved at the deadline.

My rationale:

1. We won’t be buyers, so there I don’t expect pleasant surprises. If we are buying, I am interested.

2. They need to keep these young players focused on winning. It needs to be the expectation.  Moving guys like Zucker shows the players that the team is still not committed to a message that winning is the priority.

3. Sellers typically get picks/prospects back as buyers are not looking to move valuable roster players.  We have enough picks/prospects and our timeline should not be a picks/prospects timeline.

4. I want the team to save its ammo for the offseason, when real hockey trades are better made.

Having said that, if our FAs tell Adams they aren’t sure they will re-sign, I accept that we probably need to move them for whatever value we can get.  But I will grouse about it because this team still needs to focus on winning games now.

[Archie Lee]

37 minutes ago, kas23 said:

Do we really need to trade anyone away? I get that we would rather get something rather than nothing. But, do we really need an extra 2nd or 3rd round pick or another long-shot prospect? I would rather just let them play out the season. 

We don’t need to trade anyone. But, just for the sake of discussion, let’s say we run it back with only minor changes:  Ryan Johnson and Levi replace UFA’s Jokiharju and Reimer; Gilbert and Bryson are replaced by replacement level low cost d-men. Then lets give conservative contracts to Zucker, Greenway, and our RFA’s (Peterka, Quinn, McLeod, Byram, Levi). I can’t get that version of the team under $92 million (and that is bridging Peterka). So, if we are going to make meaningful changes, some players have to go. And not just Jokiharju, Reimer, Gilbert, and Bryson. Somebody with a bigger contract or somebody expecting a bigger contract (or multiple players in those categories) has to be on the way out, or there will be no money to bring anyone in. And that’s not even considering the possibility that there will be an internal cap well below the cap ceiling. The more I consider it, getting what we can for Zucker, Greenway, and Jokiharju and then resetting in the off-season might make the most sense.  I just have no faith in Adams when it comes to the reset. 

Edited February 28 by Archie Lee

[mjd1001]

1 hour ago, Weave said:

3. Sellers typically get picks/prospects back as buyers are not looking to move valuable roster players.  We have enough picks/prospects and our timeline should not be a picks/prospects timeline.

4. I want the team to save its ammo for the offseason, when real hockey trades are better made.

 

At this point, I don't think the moves around the fringes of the roster really matter to this team much.

As to your above points that I bolded....One could say that you COULD move some guys and acquire that 2nd or 3rd round pick. That pick is practically useless for the type of player it can get you in the draft (not to mention how long it would take to develop.)  HOWEVER, those picks can be thrown around/thrown in to acquire a valuable veteran piece in the offseason.  For example, you want a veteran that a team that has cap issues might want to get rid of?  That 2nd rounder might be what is needed to be thrown in to get that guy.

Now of course that is in theory, and happens on occasion with other teams. The Sabres do not seem to do that all that much.  I THINK for that to happen, you would need a greater willingness of management and Pegula to open the wallet and pay some vets real money.  That really hasn't happened much yet.

[DarthEbriate]

I think they should re-sign Zucker and Greenway, but my guess is that at least one gets moved. 

Brock Nelson is the top available rental? If I'm a GM watching hockey this season, I'd much rather have Zucker than Nelson (even if Nelson is a good faceoff guy). Veteran rental who can play in the top 6 - that can get a 2nd.

Jokiharju for a 4th.

Of note, Edmonton needs more ex-Sabres to increase their odds of a Cup.

[LGR4GM]

Just now, DarthEbriate said:

I think they should re-sign Zucker and Greenway, but my guess is that at least one gets moved. 

Brock Nelson is the top available rental? If I'm a GM watching hockey this season, I'd much rather have Zucker than Nelson (even if Nelson is a good faceoff guy). Veteran rental who can play in the top 6 - that can get a 2nd.

Jokiharju for a 4th.

Of note, Edmonton needs more ex-Sabres to increase their odds of a Cup.

I think you are underestimating what a RHD can get at the trade deadline. Especially one on a cheaper contract who was good at the 4 nations. 

I just don't see how trading any of them for a pick as low as a 4th helps much. A 4th rounder has about a 10% chance of making 200 NHL games and about a 1% chance of being a top 6 player. That's if you wait 6ish year for them to develop. 

[DarthEbriate]

12 minutes ago, LGR4GM said:

I think you are underestimating what a RHD can get at the trade deadline. Especially one on a cheaper contract who was good at the 4 nations. 

I just don't see how trading any of them for a pick as low as a 4th helps much. A 4th rounder has about a 10% chance of making 200 NHL games and about a 1% chance of being a top 6 player. That's if you wait 6ish year for them to develop. 

I'd hope for more, but Adams' recent track record is a 4th for Lyubushkin and a 4th for Erik Johnson. Jokiharju is a non-rugged player with no playoff experience. And the Sabres are unlikely to retain any salary because of EEE. Fellow GMs can play hardball.

[Mr. Allen]

14 minutes ago, LGR4GM said:

I think you are underestimating what a RHD can get at the trade deadline. Especially one on a cheaper contract who was good at the 4 nations. 

I just don't see how trading any of them for a pick as low as a 4th helps much. A 4th rounder has about a 10% chance of making 200 NHL games and about a 1% chance of being a top 6 player. That's if you wait 6ish year for them to develop. 

If all we get for Joker is a 4th then we better just keep him. 
And I really hope we don’t bring Levi up the rest of the year.  Let him and the Amerks go win a championship.  That’s more important than whatever we’ll get for Reimer in my opinion. 

[JP51]

I suspect it will be another listless day where we do nothing to improve our team and target players with a bit of grit that occasionaly initiate physical contact to ship out for draft picks... So... Greenway, Zucker, Malenstyns of the world etc...  and then run it back for the rest of the year...  we are certainly not going to be buyers being last place in the conference...  so I suppose we just get raided again and make our current and future competition better like we do every year.

[msw2112]

Unless they have a handshake deal saying "I'll trade you to a contender so you have a shot at a Cup, but you'll re-sign with us next season," I don't see the point of trading the likes of Greenway and Zucker.  The team needs veteran players who can play and lead and has a shortage of them.  These two guys are among the few that they have.  As many have stated above, the likelihood of a mid-round draft pick (or really any draft pick outside of the 1st and maybe 2nd round) making an impact at the NHL level is minimal.  The Sabres already have plenty of draft picks and development prospects.  They're better off waiting for the offseason to re-tool the roster and making player for player trades at that time.  Contending teams looking to add for a playoff run are typically not giving up good players, they're dealing future assets (draft picks and prospects) for "now" assets.  The Sabres don't need any more future assets.

[phil_soisson]

I don't really care what moves Adams makes.  He's an abject failure as an NHL GM, and I want him gone.

[mjd1001]

8 minutes ago, phil_soisson said:

I don't really care what moves Adams makes.  He's an abject failure as an NHL GM, and I want him gone.

I do care. He has made some good mores, more of them recently. This team needs a couple of key changes, I want those changes to be made.

[rickshaw]

Don’t make calls or answer any. Ride this out. Get new GM in summer and retool from there.