The same reason Drouin wasn't shipped off for pennies on the dollar. They control his rights and won't be dictated to by some young guy who didn't get what he wants. However, he handled it light years better than Drouin, but the principle remains the same.

He was a highish pick just two years ago and they don't know what they have in him.
- Wetbandit1

I guess that's true but never really viewed Rychel in the same class as Drouin but to be fair I don't know much about him besides his stats.

and even grigo didn't make that much of a contribution...murray traded away some good pieces, but will any individually match up to o'reilly?...or even kane for that matter
- Michael Pachla

If you look at it in a vacuum maybe not. I have no beef with the O'Reilly trade, he's locked up for 7 years, and has a defined role. The Kane, Lehner, and even Fasching trades look different.

When you make deals like that, you hope you are getting a winger for Eichel, a future #1 goalie etc.

We're left with ?'s and not answers. To a different degree, same as the prospects shipped out.

I don't think any deal killed us, like maybe I exaggerated previously, but I also think that we gutted a great pool to get a few guys with ?'s.

That's true, but 100 7th round picks will (likely) never add up to Crosby, Ovechkin, et al...

So cumulative value isn't really the best thing to go by.

The Avs were able to do it because they have the horses up front to withstand the shortish term loss. The Jets really had no choice and took the best offer.
- Wetbandit1

And thats the package they had to take, ROR was not resigning in colorado so they had to take the best deal they could, and at the draft it was the Sabres. Im happy with having a future in the system for once

The same reason Drouin wasn't shipped off for pennies on the dollar. They control his rights and won't be dictated to by some young guy who didn't get what he wants. However, he handled it light years better than Drouin, but the principle remains the same.

He was a highish pick just two years ago and they don't know what they have in him.
- Wetbandit1

He almost was at the deadline to the Avs....that makes me so sad that Yzerman didn't go through with the deal

He almost was at the deadline to the Avs....that makes me so sad that Yzerman didn't go through with the deal
- DDM-Coga

Because he knew it would've been a massive mistake on multiple fronts.

Because he knew it would've been a massive mistake on multiple fronts.
- Wetbandit1

oh yeah it would have been. Kyle Wood, Nick Holden, this years 1st and a conditional 2nd rounder next year.

Ugh.....makes me so sad knowing that from good authority who covers the team.

oh yeah it would have been. Kyle Wood, Nick Holden, this years 1st and a conditional 2nd rounder next year.

Ugh.....makes me so sad knowing that from good authority who covers the team.
- DDM-Coga

Was the 1st lottery protected?

Its not that Zads couldn't break into the NHL, they want to take their time with him, let him learn the game in the AHL, the guy is good. , Roy wants guys to have some serious AHL seasoning before they start sniffing the NHL roster.

it seemed that the Ted Nolan era was a joke when it comes to development of players. Zads mentioned it afterwards when he was called back up that he was happy he got to work in the AHL, spend time getting big minutes, on the PP and hearing that a coaching staff had a development plan for him.

Grigo had an interview this offseason in Russia and he said he loved having coaches spend time with him to teach and develop after practice, working on the little things and in his time in Buffalo he didn't get that.

Glad you guys moved on from Teddy, from both those guys it seemed like he didn't give a poop about teaching young guys, just wanted to turn out an NHL roster on game day and hope not to lose
- DDM-Coga

actually it was the pre-Nolan era at the beginning of the 2013 season that turned into a joke...opening night had them with three teenagers on the roster and before Regier and Rolston were canned, they were icing six rookies...

as for Zadorov, there was a tug of war that he and his agent initiated that season as well...the sabres wanted to send him to his junior club, who he was under contract with, but a khl team had his rights so the sabres kept him up as a healthy scratch to keep the Russians at bay...dude is a monster of a d-man and has a child-like demeanor, but he didn't help matters when it came to his development in buffalo...

and that stuff about Nolan is untrue as well...Nolan wanted to win so bad he almost messed up the tank...

just tryin' to set the record straight...nothin' personal

If you look at it in a vacuum maybe not. I have no beef with the O'Reilly trade, he's locked up for 7 years, and has a defined role. The Kane, Lehner, and even Fasching trades look different.

When you make deals like that, you hope you are getting a winger for Eichel, a future #1 goalie etc.

We're left with ?'s and not answers. To a different degree, same as the prospects shipped out.

I don't think any deal killed us, like maybe I exaggerated previously, but I also think that we gutted a great pool to get a few guys with ?'s.
- sbroads24

fact is you make deals based upon your vision for the team and your knowledge of the players involved...you pay your money and you take your chance...

if it was the previous regime, we'd have all these picks and prospects, very little pro-contract room and would probably be drafting in the top three again...or, more succinctly, we'd be the oilers of the east

Was the 1st lottery protected?
- Wetbandit1

don't know the conditions, but that was the general outline of the deal that was agreed upon bw Yzerman and the Avs. Drouin and his agent met with Sakic and Roy...it was close.

But Yzerman backed out at the time, didn't want to do a trade like that moving into the playoffs.

Then Avs pulled the Boedker deal instead....and reason why the traded for Gelinas, he was going to be Holdens replacement on the roster. Oh what could have been

actually it was the pre-Nolan era at the beginning of the 2013 season that turned into a joke...opening night had them with three teenagers on the roster and before Regier and Rolston were canned, they were icing six rookies...

as for Zadorov, there was a tug of war that he and his agent initiated that season as well...the sabres wanted to send him to his junior club but the khl was lurking with a contract so the sabres kept him up as a healthy scratch to keep the Russians at bay...dude is a monster of a d-man and has a child-like demeanor, but he didn't help matters when it came to his development in buffalo...

and that stuff about Nolan is untrue as well...Nolan wanted to win so bad he almost messed up the tank...

just tryin' to set the record straight...nothin' personal
- Michael Pachla

I don't think its untrue about Nolan, he wanted to win but he didn't want to develop talent so he was worrying about how to win games like I said, trying not to lose, not spending the time developing a very young roster.

Like I said, both Grigo and Zads said it last year, could be just guys giving little jabs back at the Sabres, but they both said they were happy to hear that the Avs had a development plan for them and a vision for them, something they didn't have in Buffalo. I know you have to take it with a grain of salt when it comes to young guys who just got traded with chips on their shoulders but it can't be all un true

I don't think its untrue about Nolan, he wanted to win but he didn't want to develop talent so he was worrying about how to win games like I said, trying not to lose, not spending the time developing a very young roster.

Like I said, both Grigo and Zads said it last year, could be just guys giving little jabs back at the Sabres, but they both said they were happy to hear that the Avs had a development plan for them and a vision for them, something they didn't have in Buffalo. I know you have to take it with a grain of salt when it comes to young guys who just got traded with chips on their shoulders but it can't be all un true
- DDM-Coga

Grigorenko had a tough go of it in buffalo due to the ahl/nhl agreement...he didn't have the wherewithal to stick with the big club and he was too good for junior...in fact when the sabres tried to send him to his junior club in 2014, he refused...when he finished his time in the chl he still wasn't ready for the nhl and struggled mightily at the ahl-level before he got it...when he was up with buffalo he struggled again...

zads idea of development was coming into camp out of shape prior to that season...he also had maturity issues...obviously murray wasn't willing to babysit him so he's now in Colorado...

and good for you guys...I loved zads and thought he would compliment risto nicely...it was a hockey trade and like you said, both teams got what they wanted...

that's a good thing

Grigorenko had a tough go of it in buffalo due to the ahl/nhl agreement...he didn't have the wherewithal to stick with the big club and he was too good for junior...in fact when the sabres tried to send him to his junior club in 2014, he refused...when he finished his time in the chl he still wasn't ready for the nhl and struggled mightily at the ahl-level before he got it...when he was up with buffalo he struggled again...

zads idea of development was coming into camp out of shape prior to that season...he also had maturity issues...obviously murray wasn't willing to babysit him so he's now in Colorado...

and good for you guys...I loved zads and thought he would compliment risto nicely...it was a hockey trade and like you said, both teams got what they wanted...

that's a good thing
- Michael Pachla

I don't disagree, it was a trade that both teams will look back at and say it was big for the clubs future moving forward.

I think Grigo and Zads had their own motives with saying those sort of things so I do take it with a grain of salt, but where Roy lacks in coaching ability sometimes he has something that most coaches lack, is being that ultimate motivator. Whatever he says, or its attached with his name, guys just seem to buy into what he says and will run through a wall for him.

It probably wasn't that much different than the Sabres were telling those guys but it probably just means more coming from an hall of famer in Roy and Sakic

fact is you make deals based upon your vision for the team and your knowledge of the players involved...you pay your money and you take your chance...

if it was the previous regime, we'd have all these picks and prospects, very little pro-contract room and would probably be drafting in the top three again...or, more succinctly, we'd be the oilers of the east
- Michael Pachla

Is that a bad thing though? I'd trade O'Reilly, Kane, Bogo and whoever for Auston Matthews or Patrick Laine.

Again, I know moves had to be made. It's just a big wait and see on if they were the right ones or not.

I don't disagree, it was a trade that both teams will look back at and say it was big for the clubs future moving forward.

I think Grigo and Zads had their own motives with saying those sort of things so I do take it with a grain of salt, but where Roy lacks in coaching ability sometimes he has something that most coaches lack, is being that ultimate motivator. Whatever he says, or its attached with his name, guys just seem to buy into what he says and will run through a wall for him.

It probably wasn't that much different than the Sabres were telling those guys but it probably just means more coming from an hall of famer in Roy and Sakic
- DDM-Coga

i'd listen to them...

big question now for you guys, can you make the playoffs again with roy at the helm?...y'all took a step back last season

Is that a bad thing though? I'd trade O'Reilly, Kane, Bogo and whoever for Auston Matthews or Patrick Laine.

Again, I know moves had to be made. It's just a big wait and see on if they were the right ones or not.
- sbroads24

point taken...having one of those two would be icing on the reinhart/Eichel cake...

that said, what do you think their chances are of making the playoffs next season?

point taken...having one of those two would be icing on the reinhart/Eichel cake...

that said, what do you think their chances are of making the playoffs next season?
- Michael Pachla

I'd say pretty good. We are on the way to becoming a playoff team. Contender for the cup......that's where I see the need for another impact player or 2

i'd listen to them...

big question now for you guys, can you make the playoffs again with roy at the helm?...y'all took a step back last season
- Michael Pachla

Its a coin toss, I think he can get the job done but he has to accept and being willing to change. I think he has moments of being a really good coach, but his PP and defensive shot blocking needs to change. It does feel like he is finally getting the roster he wants to run the schemes that he wants...he did inherit a really bad roster 3 years ago and has done some good work since then turning it over

you get hints of him willing to change his way of thinking, especially at the end of the season as he stated to talk a little bit more about the values of possession and shot generation. So who knows what to expect out of him.

Either way he is going to coach the whole year, I don't see him getting canned since he is VP as well. My guess is they ride out the year and see if there is solid option in the offseason if they miss the playoffs again.

I'd say pretty good. We are on the way to becoming a playoff team. Contender for the cup......that's where I see the need for another impact player or 2
- sbroads24

yup...and I agree at least one more impact player to help them get to where they're going...but, I wouldn't reach for a player this year...I get the feeling that murray and company wanted last year to be an evaluation as to who they want to move forward with and we'll see how many made the cut

Is that a bad thing though? I'd trade O'Reilly, Kane, Bogo and whoever for Auston Matthews or Patrick Laine.

Again, I know moves had to be made. It's just a big wait and see on if they were the right ones or not.
- sbroads24

Boy oh boy.

Its a coin toss, I think he can get the job done but he has to accept and being willing to change. I think he has moments of being a really good coach, but his PP and defensive shot blocking needs to change. It does feel like he is finally getting the roster he wants to run the schemes that he wants...he did inherit a really bad roster 3 years ago and has done some good work since then turning it over

you get hints of him willing to change his way of thinking, especially at the end of the season as he stated to talk a little bit more about the values of possession and shot generation. So who knows what to expect out of him.

Either way he is going to coach the whole year, I don't see him getting canned since he is VP as well. My guess is they ride out the year and see if there is solid option in the offseason if they miss the playoffs again.
- DDM-Coga

y'all won the central three seasons ago...what happened?

yup...and I agree at least one more impact player to help them get to where they're going...but, I wouldn't reach for a player this year...I get the feeling that murray and company wanted last year to be an evaluation as to who they want to move forward with
- Michael Pachla

Stamkos plus a very good defensemen. Then find good role players. If we can't get Stamkos, we need to find more goals somewhere else

Stamkos plus a very good defensemen. Then find good role players. If we can't get Stamkos, we need to find more goals somewhere else
- sbroads24

am of the opinion that more goals will come simply because a majority of the team will be acquainted with bylsma's system...adding stamkos would be great, especially in that department

y'all won the central three seasons ago...what happened?
- Michael Pachla

horseshoes and hand grenades. They went from the 2nd worst team in the league to division winners with late 3 period come back wins, going something like 10-2 in the shootout and St Louis blowing it the last 10 games of the year.

That really hurts the team expectations in the eyes of the rest of the hockey world, they forget that they were a terrible terrible team for years before Roy came in to win that division, now if they don't make the playoffs they are a disaster? Its a little unfair.

Stamkos plus a very good defensemen. Then find good role players. If we can't get Stamkos, we need to find more goals somewhere else
- sbroads24

Man I'm squeezing so hard for those two pieces - and I think we need to find them at the right prices.