Caveat this opinion with I know, I know: O'Reilly, Reinhart, and Okposo are nothing special, but if Buffalo can add Mittlestadt and one of Zadina or Svechnikov, the top 6 would be in very good shape, no?
- kingcong39

They would, but two of these forwards would probably have to go to get us two competent defensemen.

Nice glory run that you have going there Buffalo. My Leafs used to do this all of the time. Be in the bottom 3 in the standings and go on a garbage glory run at the end of the year and blow their draft positioning. Keep it up and you'll be drafting 8th or 9th.
- PrinceLH

Ugh, we know, and there are some here who cheer for this.

They would, but two of these forwards would probably have to go to get us two competent defensemen.
- Sabresfan-365

Why not just keep them all and roll that top 6 next year and see what happens?

They would, but two of these forwards would probably have to go to get us two competent defensemen.
- Sabresfan-365

The Oilers would have to do the same.

Why not just keep them all and roll that top 6 next year and see what happens?
- kingcong39

They'll score a lot and concede a lot. leading them to the conclusion that they should trade one or two of those guys to get decent d-men.

The top 6 (especially in mittelstadt and lets say Zadina's rookie year) won't be nearly good enought to compensate for the fact that nobody on the defence can actually play above average defence.

The Oilers would have to do the same.
- Wetbandit1

Klefbom, Nurse > anyone on the sabres right now

I keep forgetting about Barzal.

Holy hell that team would be unreal.

McDavid
Draisaitl
Barzal
Hall
Eberle
Nuge
Jesse P


My lord. They wouldn’t lose
- sbroads24

I notice how u didn’t list any goalies or defensemen
That would be a heck of a top9 though
Or at least top6...
who knows if they’d have picked Barzal or not?

They'll score a lot and concede a lot. leading them to the conclusion that they should trade one or two of those guys to get decent d-men.

The top 6 (especially in mittelstadt and lets say Zadina's rookie year) won't be nearly good enought to compensate for the fact that nobody on the defence can actually play above average defence.
- Sabresfan-365

Adding Guhle & hopefully another “Guhle” from the Kane trade should help

We’d still need a top pair guy...
but would ROR or Sam get us that?

Top Pair guys generally don’t get moved

Adding Guhle & hopefully another “Guhle” from the Kane trade should help

We’d still need a top pair guy...
but would ROR or Sam get us that?

Top Pair guys generally don’t get moved
- jdfitz77

Even if he gets a haul (and he very well might) you'd have to concede the fact that just based on what UFA's bring back this isn't happening, assuming you view Guhle highly and therefore are expecting something similar in a kane trade.

Like it's conceivable that Carolina might trade picks and prospects and maybe even a roster guy for kane (doubtful but i could see it) but they're not giving up Haydn Fleury for him.

As for the top pair guy, always bet on the draft.

I notice how u didn’t list any goalies or defensemen
That would be a heck of a top9 though
Or at least top6...
who knows if they’d have picked Barzal or not?
- jdfitz77

Offense is the best defense

Charelli makes Murray look competent, Christ did he mangle that project.

Keep Eichel AND Reinhart in the players lounge until draft day. Looooooooose with dignity

Draft a defenseman or trade Nolan for Nurse...ya never know

Adding Guhle & hopefully another “Guhle” from the Kane trade should help

We’d still need a top pair guy...
but would ROR or Sam get us that?

Top Pair guys generally don’t get moved
- jdfitz77

Would trade Ror before Sam. Sign Sam to 5.5 for 3 yrs
we are seeing the Sam he am.

Offense is the best defense

Charelli makes Murray look competent, Christ did he mangle that project.

Keep Eichel AND Reinhart in the players lounge until draft day. Looooooooose with dignity

Draft a defenseman or trade Nolan for Nurse...ya never know
- washedup20

I can't believe their management team came to the decision that to rectify what chiarelli did the best move was to keep him and bring in Paul Coffey.

Even if he gets a haul (and he very well might) you'd have to concede the fact that just based on what UFA's bring back this isn't happening, assuming you view Guhle highly and therefore are expecting something similar in a kane trade.

Like it's conceivable that Carolina might trade picks and prospects and maybe even a roster guy for kane (doubtful but i could see it) but they're not giving up Haydn Fleury for him.

As for the top pair guy, always bet on the draft.
- Sabresfan-365

That’s my point though
If we aren’t gonna get a top pair guy from a trade...
then why are we trading good forwards?

2nd pair guys can be acquired cheaper
Like how we got Scandella

Would trade Ror before Sam. Sign Sam to 5.5 for 3 yrs
we are seeing the Sam he am.
- cabin

I don’t think Sam is gonna end up having the numbers at the end of this season to justify 5.5 per

I was thinking more like 3.5 or 4 per

That’s my point though
If we aren’t gonna get a top pair guy from a trade...
then why are we trading good forwards?

2nd pair guys can be acquired cheaper
Like how we got Scandella
- jdfitz77

As i've mentioned before, 2nd pair is vague. Risto is probably better suited on the 2nd pair, and he's miles ahead of scandella.

Acquiring a bunch of scandella's does nothing for your team. He's literally good at nothing, just okay at a bunch of things.

At least those forwards would bring back guys with upside, maybe even game changer ability.

Would trade Ror before Sam. Sign Sam to 5.5 for 3 yrs
we are seeing the Sam he am.
- cabin

3.5x3 or 4.5x2 sounds better
At the very most.

I can't believe their management team came to the decision that to rectify what chiarelli did the best move was to keep him and bring in Paul Coffey.
- Sabresfan-365

They’re probably gonna give Chiarelli next season to see if this year was just a blip on the radar, or if the plane is really crashing

As i've mentioned before, 2nd pair is vague. Risto is probably better suited on the 2nd pair, and he's miles ahead of scandella.

Acquiring a bunch of scandella's does nothing for your team. He's literally good at nothing, just okay at a bunch of things.

At least those forwards would bring back guys with upside, maybe even game changer ability.
- Sabresfan-365

Yeah... i hear ya...
but do u think we can trade for another “Risto” like player?

They’re probably gonna give Chiarelli next season to see if this year was just a blip on the radar, or if the plane is really crashing
- jdfitz77

“Yeah, we can make it another season”

3.5x3 or 4.5x2 sounds better
At the very most.
- TheHank

it's 2018 . Even walmart workers are gettin a raise .

Yeah... i hear ya...
but do u think we can trade for another “Risto” like player?
- jdfitz77

I think they could. You'd be looking for the defensive version of him which may actually come cheaper but yeah. They don't come around very often, hopefully they can amass enough assets to be ready for when it happens.

Other than that you're probably looking at high risk high reward trades. Like flipping Reinhart for whatever his defensive equivalent is and hoping that guy figures it out.

it's 2018 . Even walmart workers are gettin a raise .
- cabin

3.5 mil would be a pretty hefty raise off an entry level deal....

They’re probably gonna give Chiarelli next season to see if this year was just a blip on the radar, or if the plane is really crashing
- jdfitz77

Im guessing they'll regret that when he trades RNH for Bogosian

3.5 mil would be a pretty hefty raise off an entry level deal....
- Sabresfan-365

Seen Jacks raise ?

Sam isn't worth 1/2 of that ?
Really ? Specially if he keeps it up.

Seen Jacks raise ?

Sam isn't worth 1/2 of that ?
Really ? Specially if he keeps it up.
- cabin

negotiations are all about what you can leverage. even with a strong second half, he can't leverage poop.

The team needs defence and for the majority of his career he's been a passenger.