I disagree that it is that east. if it were that east the Sabres would not be in last place.

Carlson is going to command a massive overpay because it's Jan 1.

Win the draft lottery and Draft Dahlin.

Remember Bailey and Baptiste were thought to be sure fire top 6 prospects wingers and they are now struggling to crack the lineup.
- ImThatGuy

Bailey & Baptiste have ALWAYS been “B” prospects who were seen as “sure fire” NHLers...
who could become Top6 players IF their goal scoring translated to the NHL level
Also,
I don’t think they’re struggling to crack the lineup
I think they aren’t really being given a chance bc mgmt wants to keep the kids in Rochester as much as possible this season

Yes,
Carlson is a longshot
But so is getting lucky enough to draft Dahlen

Fixing the defense is still the biggest question mark IMO

Why would we want to lock up this 30th place team?

It’s beyond me why anyone would want to do that.

We should be purging contracts and getting assets again.

This team is terrible and needs another mini overhaul
- sbroads24

Because the picks/prospects we could get for Kane are likely to turn out to be more like McCabe & Girgensons than Seth Jones & Pasternak

You know the odds of draft picks working out
What are the odds a non-lotto pick ever produces for us like Kane does?

Give me a realistic trade scenario for Kane that makes us better

Instigators about to address "a bit of a mess" with "the Carey Price situation."
- Der Kaiser

Montreal is F'd.

No team can take on that contract. Montreal will have to hold salary.

Price has a full NTC and can decide where he wants to go.

Because the picks/prospects we could get for Kane are likely to turn out to be more like McCabe & Girgensons than Seth Jones & Pasternak

You know the odds of draft picks working out
What are the odds a non-lotto pick ever produces for us like Kane does?

Give me a realistic trade scenario for Kane that makes us better
- jdfitz77

When you're in 30th place, the list of trade scenarios that make you worse is much shorter.

You're also assuming that the impact player needs to come directly from Kane. If they find another impact player (ideally cheaper than he will be) via trade, free agency, draft, etc. and the return for Kane merely serves as good depth, you're still better off. Kane's production, even at this pace which is above the norm for his career, still isn't the most difficult to replace if a GM knows what he's doing.

I dont doubt you can sign him and make tha cap work. my concern is then, you locked up your entire core, that has you sitting in 30th place.

Shouldnt you possibly wait and see if this core can pull out of this before signing any massive deals?
- ImThatGuy

Yes, I see your point
But while we are waiting, we lose Kane

And for what?
A defenseman prospect who is a “B+” and more likely to be a top4 guy than a top pair guy
And a mid-late 1st who is more likely to be a 3rd liner than a 1st

What would u rather have?
Kane
or
“Scandella” + “Girgensons”


If we can trade Kane for a “Seth Jones” then SURE... let’s do it
But I just don’t see that happening

Do you?

When you're in 30th place, the list of trade scenarios that make you worse is much shorter.
- buffalofan19

Blah blah blah

Give a realistic scenario on what we get back for Kane if we trade him

Montreal is F'd.

No team can take on that contract. Montreal will have to hold salary.

Price has a full NTC and can decide where he wants to go.
- ImThatGuy

It’ll be interesting to see how it all plays out
I agree they’re gonna have to eat $$$
Probably half of they want a decent return
And even then,
they’ll lose the trade most likely

Blah blah blah

Give a realistic scenario on what we get back for Kane if we trade him
- jdfitz77

Here’s a realistic scenario-

Kane signs massive deal, returns to injury riddled 35-43 point seasons on a bad team that regrets signing him

Blah blah blah

Give a realistic scenario on what we get back for Kane if we trade him
- jdfitz77

Kane for middling picks and prospects.

The cap space to try to dig yourself out of 30th place is far more valuable.

When you're in 30th place, the list of trade scenarios that make you worse is much shorter.

You're also assuming that the impact player needs to come directly from Kane. If they find another impact player (ideally cheaper than he will be) via trade, free agency, draft, etc. and the return for Kane merely serves as good depth, you're still better off. Kane's production, even at this pace which is above the norm for his career, still isn't the most difficult to replace if a GM knows what he's doing.
- buffalofan19

It’s a lot easier to say that then actually do it

Who we signing?
JVR? Neal?
They’re costing at or near what Kane would

I’m not counting on some cheap signing to replace Kane

Your scenarios, while possible,
are also all pretty unlikely

Kane is a good hockey player
Even if he goes back to 28goals
would u rather have that...
or a “Scandella + Girgs” who are gonna cost us almost as much to sign as Kane?

I get your theory
Just don’t see it working out in reality
Unless we get lucky

Here’s a realistic scenario-

Kane signs massive deal, returns to injury riddled 35-43 point seasons on a bad team that regrets signing him
- sbroads24

Would u rather have a guy that scores 28ish goals...
or a top4 defenseman & a 3rd liner who will cost almost as much to sign?

Stop changing the narrative & answer the damn question

What’s a reasonable trade return for Kane?

Kane for middling picks and prospects.

The cap space to try to dig yourself out of 30th place is far more valuable.
- buffalofan19

Couldn’t disagree more
You keep Good players, not ship them out for Bailey & Borgen

And what would we want to do with that Cap space?

Oh yeah... try to replace Kane!
We have other Cap space available to address the defense

It’s a lot easier to say that then actually do it

Who we signing?
JVR? Neal?
They’re costing at or near what Kane would

I’m not counting on some cheap signing to replace Kane

Your scenarios, while possible,
are also all pretty unlikely

Kane is a good hockey player
Even if he goes back to 28goals
would u rather have that...
or a “Scandella + Girgs” who are gonna cost us almost as much to sign as Kane?

I get your theory
Just don’t see it working out in reality
Unless we get lucky
- jdfitz77

See that's the point. This team has been at or near the bottom of the league for far too long. If I'm in 30th place with Kane or another "Scandella and Girgensons", I couldn't care less. The "Scandella and Girgensons" might be easier to move in separate transactions than an Evander Kane that will be locked up to a contract that his career history suggests he won't be able to live up to throughout its life.

And what would we want to do with that Cap space?

My guess would be REPLACE KANE!!!
We have other Cap space available to address the defense
- jdfitz77

I would want to build a much less top-heavy top 6, which is all I get with Kane at the money he's rumored to get at this point.

Other than Eichel and O'Reilly (more for the reason that moving him just isn't going to happen), I'm at the point where I just want to see four new faces next to them.

See that's the point. This team has been at or near the bottom of the league for far too long. If I'm in 30th place with Kane or another "Scandella and Girgensons", I couldn't care less. The "Scandella and Girgensons" might be easier to move in separate transactions than an Evander Kane that will be locked up to a contract that his career history suggests he won't be able to live up to throughout its life.
- buffalofan19

But at some point we gotta pay somebody
We already KNOW that Kane is good
Hoping that we can get a “Pasternak” just isn’t very likely
And even if we did draft a viable replacement for Kane,
we wouldn’t have to pay him for 4 years at the absolute earliest

There’s Cap room to keep Kane
Trading him for lotto tickets is just so dumb to me
UNLESS
u really feel that Kane will turn out to be another Moulson-like signing

I do not think that’s likely
I think he will continue to score above or at least near 30goals for us

I would want to build a much less top-heavy top 6, which is all I get with Kane at the money he's rumored to get at this point.

Other than Eichel and O'Reilly (more for the reason that moving him just isn't going to happen), I'm at the point where I just want to see four new faces next to them.
- buffalofan19

Like???
A guy we draft in the 20s to replace Kane likely isn’t gonna be here for at least 3 years

I don’t see what’s wrong with
Jack, ROR, Sam, Kane...
4 guys we know can produce

And then Mittelstadt & Nylander...
who we can reasonably expect to produce

Can we trade Kane for 2 more guys like Mittelstadt?
Ok... I’m listening
But I’m not trading him for 2 more guys like Bailey... F that (and I like Bailey)

Like???
A guy we draft in the 20s to replace Kane likely isn’t gonna be here for at least 3 years

I don’t see what’s wrong with
Jack, ROR, Sam, Kane...
4 guys we know can produce

And then Mittelstadt & Nylander...
who we can reasonably expect to produce

Can we trade Kane for 2 more guys like Mittelstadt?
Ok... I’m listening
But I’m not trading him for 2 more guys like Bailey... F that (and I like Bailey)
- jdfitz77

I think most of the concern is you have those 4 guys now "locked up" under contract and the result of your team is 30th place.

The cap will go up and cap space can be cleared, but something major has to happen to shake this team up, Minor tweaks happen when the team sitting in the last playoff spot.

major tweaks need to happen when you are in last place.

I think San Jose is the best trade partner at this time. They only score more goals per game than us (2.3 gpg) and are tied with Montreal (2.4 gpg). I don't see them trading one of their roster Dmen at this time, but maybe they would trade one of their prospects. I would look at a trade of Kane for something like Jérémy Roy and say Thomas Hertl or Mikkel Boedker. Hertl and Boedker have not really been doing much this year and would be close in salary to Kane. SJ is weak on the left side and could benefit adding Kane right away. I don't think we will get a huge haul for Kane, but I think adding a prospect like Roy would be better than getting a 1st round pick.

But at some point we gotta pay somebody
We already KNOW that Kane is good
Hoping that we can get a “Pasternak” just isn’t very likely
And even if we did draft a viable replacement for Kane,
we wouldn’t have to pay him for 4 years at the absolute earliest

There’s Cap room to keep Kane
Trading him for lotto tickets is just so dumb to me
UNLESS
u really feel that Kane will turn out to be another Moulson-like signing

I do not think that’s likely
I think he will continue to score above or at least near 30goals for us
- jdfitz77

Here's the disconnect. When looking at his entire body of work, I don't find the production that you would be losing to be all that great. Would it hurt in the short term? Perhaps it will be, if he keeps this pace up (not sustainable for most), and stays healthy (history says that's a question mark at its most optimistic). But in that short term, you're a 30th place team, so what are you really getting? A player that makes a the blue collar portion of the fanbase feel good about itself? You're certainly not getting more wins.

I think most of the concern is you have those 4 guys now "locked up" under contract and the result of your team is 30th place.

The cap will go up and cap space can be cleared, but something major has to happen to shake this team up, Minor tweaks happen when the team sitting in the last playoff spot.

major tweaks need to happen when you are in last place.
- ImThatGuy

But those 4 guys aren’t why we are in last place
They’re good players!!!

It’s guys like Girgensons not being a 20goal scorer that’s hurting us
Trading Kane is much more likely to get us back the type of players who are currently not producing for us!!!

Like???
A guy we draft in the 20s to replace Kane likely isn’t gonna be here for at least 3 years

I don’t see what’s wrong with
Jack, ROR, Sam, Kane...
4 guys we know can produce

And then Mittelstadt & Nylander...
who we can reasonably expect to produce

Can we trade Kane for 2 more guys like Mittelstadt?
Ok... I’m listening
But I’m not trading him for 2 more guys like Bailey... F that (and I like Bailey)
- jdfitz77

Dude he's a rental and we suck. Get the cap space and address the D with it at a later time. Mittelstadt and nylander will replace his production and dumbass penalties in time.

I think San Jose is the best trade partner at this time. They only score more goals per game than us (2.3 gpg) and are tied with Montreal (2.4 gpg). I don't see them trading one of their roster Dmen at this time, but maybe they would trade one of their prospects. I would look at a trade of Kane for something like Jérémy Roy and say Thomas Hertl or Mikkel Boedker. Hertl and Boedker have not really been doing much this year and would be close in salary to Kane. SJ is weak on the left side and could benefit adding Kane right away. I don't think we will get a huge haul for Kane, but I think adding a prospect like Roy would be better than getting a 1st round pick.
- adambuffalo

If SJ came to the Sabres with that offer, and I was the GM, I'd call Anaheim and LA and see if they want to beat it.

That would be a huge upgrade for SJ if they moved a struggling winger for a dude who is on pace for a career year.

But those 4 guys aren’t why we are in last place
They’re good players!!!

It’s guys like Girgensons not being a 20goal scorer that’s hurting us
Trading Kane is much more likely to get us back the type of players who are currently not producing for us!!!
- jdfitz77

If you are a GM, and you have to figure out where you're going to get the most value to help your team in the long run, who are you trading?

Kane or Girgensons?

Dude he's a rental and we suck. Get the cap space and address the D with it at a later time. Mittelstadt and nylander will replace his production and dumbass penalties in time.
- Sabresfan-365

I was going to go there, but just didn't have it in me.

The guy's production isn't irreplaceable, especially when you consider the fact that he still has yet to eclipse 30 goals more than once.

If you are a GM, and you have to figure out where you're going to get the most value to help your team in the long run, who are you trading?

Kane or Girgensons?
- thatsapickle

I can listen to the argument that you are getting more value for services rendered for Kane than in a trade. The question is when are you getting that value? Is he still going to be producing at this pace in three years from now when we all hope this team at least resembles a contender? If you're not, you're just signing him for the sake of signing him. This team needs to start looking 2 or 3 years down the road, not next year. That's how big of a mess this is.

My position on re-signing Kane would be much different if this team was a perennial playoff team. Hell, I still could be talked into it if you can move Okposo for an expiring contract or for futures.