Michael Pachla: Flames are hot, Swords are cold. Plus, moving on from Monday' 7-2 loss.

carried over:

so to all you arm chair GM's, what would you give up for Kadri? Kadri has scored 32 goals the last few years and has a Friendly contract. Perfect #2 center...

HYPOTHETICALLY speaking of course.

What would you offer the Leafs??
- hehateme



The first question should be, what do the Leafs need? Then we can make some trade proposals.

Leafs need Defense and Cap Space..... I'll hang up and listen now...

carried over:

so to all you arm chair GM's, what would you give up for Kadri? Kadri has scored 32 goals the last few years and has a Friendly contract. Perfect #2 center...

HYPOTHETICALLY speaking of course.

What would you offer the Leafs??
- hehateme



The first question should be, what do the Leafs need? Then we can make some trade proposals.

Leafs need Defense and Cap Space..... I'll hang up and listen now...
- hehateme

I'd offer the Leaf NOTHING....

I'd offer the Leaf NOTHING....
- gordong

This ^^

Let the Leafs overpay to get D help. No reason to help them ourselves. Either we get a massive overpayment or you walk.


Time to reeed.

I'd offer the Leaf NOTHING....
- gordong

Why not? Kadri no good in your eyes or you just don't want to trade with Toronto?

Michael Pachla: Flames are hot, Swords are cold. Plus, moving on from Monday' 7-2 loss.
- Michael Pachla

Song of Ice and Fire?

53 Jeff Skinner - 9 Jack Eichel - 23 Sam Reinhart
43 Conor Sheary - 37 Casey Mittelstadt - 72 Tage Thompson

17 Vladimir Sobotka - 71 Evan Rodrigues - 29 Jason Pominville
28 Zemgus Girgensons - 22 Johan Larsson - 21 Kyle Okposo


everyone in Bold needs to go, they are bringing nothing to the sabres other than taking up space.

I would trade Skinner at the deadline, unless you can sign him for less than 8X6 (8 year contracts only go to franchise players) Right now we have one, probably two.

Casey and Tage should be on the third line.... this team really is not close, who in Rochester is really to step up???. not much there currently that's ready to play in the NHL maybe one or two guys??

At least Pilut is back in

Song of Ice and Fire?
- buffalofan19

had to look that one up...if that's any indication

Why not? Kadri no good in your eyes or you just don't want to trade with Toronto?
- hehateme

why would I trade with a division Rival?? they have nothing that I couldn't find someplace else. and Kadri is nothing special

Trying to Aquire Kadri, is costing us a defenseman, Im not helping Toronto win a cup in any way shape or form...

53 Jeff Skinner - 9 Jack Eichel - 23 Sam Reinhart
43 Conor Sheary - 37 Casey Mittelstadt - 72 Tage Thompson

17 Vladimir Sobotka - 71 Evan Rodrigues - 29 Jason Pominville
28 Zemgus Girgensons - 22 Johan Larsson - 21 Kyle Okposo


everyone in Bold needs to go, they are bringing nothing to the sabres other than taking up space.

I would trade Skinner at the deadline, unless you can sign him for less than 8X6 (8 year contracts only go to franchise players) Right now we have one, probably two.

Casey and Tage should be on the third line.... this team really is not close, who in Rochester is really to step up???. not much there currently that's ready to play in the NHL maybe one or two guys??
- gordong

The 4th line is not the problem.

It's a lack of a 2nd line.

Get a 2nd line, then Sheary and Casey (for the time being) can slot on the 3rd where they belong

53 Jeff Skinner - 9 Jack Eichel - 23 Sam Reinhart
43 Conor Sheary - 37 Casey Mittelstadt - 72 Tage Thompson

17 Vladimir Sobotka - 71 Evan Rodrigues - 29 Jason Pominville
28 Zemgus Girgensons - 22 Johan Larsson - 21 Kyle Okposo


everyone in Bold needs to go, they are bringing nothing to the sabres other than taking up space.

I would trade Skinner at the deadline, unless you can sign him for less than 8X6 (8 year contracts only go to franchise players) Right now we have one, probably two.

Casey and Tage should be on the third line.... this team really is not close, who in Rochester is really to step up???. not much there currently that's ready to play in the NHL maybe one or two guys??
- gordong

now or in the off season?

53 Jeff Skinner - 9 Jack Eichel - 23 Sam Reinhart
43 Conor Sheary - 37 Casey Mittelstadt - 72 Tage Thompson

17 Vladimir Sobotka - 71 Evan Rodrigues - 29 Jason Pominville
28 Zemgus Girgensons - 22 Johan Larsson - 21 Kyle Okposo


everyone in Bold needs to go, they are bringing nothing to the sabres other than taking up space.

I would trade Skinner at the deadline, unless you can sign him for less than 8X6 (8 year contracts only go to franchise players) Right now we have one, probably two.

Casey and Tage should be on the third line.... this team really is not close, who in Rochester is really to step up???. not much there currently that's ready to play in the NHL maybe one or two guys??
- gordong

Girgensons and Larsson have played well in their roles as 4th liners/PKers

Okposo goes away and E-Rod moves down to the 4th line

A second line of:

Smith Player Y Thompson

A third line of:

Sheary Mittlestadt Nylander

EK says the Sabres are buyers, which means we are sellers

now or in the off season?
- Michael Pachla

off season.... Honestly I see this taking probably two years...

Girgensons and Larsson have played well in their roles as 4th liners/PKers

Okposo goes away and E-Rod moves down to the 4th line

A second line of:

Smith Player Y Thompson

A third line of:

Sheary Mittlestadt Nylander

EK says the Sabres are buyers, which means we are sellers
- Stripes77

i'm still having reservations of Thompson in the top six, at least at this juncture and am still unsure how much (if any) of an impact Nylander would have next year

off season.... Honestly I see this taking probably two years...
- gordong

it's a massive overhaul in the forward ranks after having huge roster changes the prior two years

Girgensons and Larsson have played well in their roles as 4th liners/PKers

Okposo goes away and E-Rod moves down to the 4th line

A second line of:

Smith Player Y Thompson

A third line of:

Sheary Mittlestadt Nylander

EK says the Sabres are buyers, which means we are sellers
- Stripes77

Not a big fan of that 2nd line.... Even if we got Duchene as the center would they be good enough?? Not sure Thompson is more than a third line player (even with that shot)

Third line maybe has some merit but Nylander is a huge question mark even in his third year in the AHL.

Not a big fan of that 2nd line.... Even if we got Duchene as the center would they be good enough?? Not sure Thompson is more than a third line player (even with that shot)

Third line maybe has some merit but Nylander is a huge question mark even in his third year in the AHL.
- gordong

It's something I would like to see this year

If they aren't going to make a big move they need to see who would work because lets face it, what they are doing now is not working.

it's a massive overhaul in the forward ranks after having huge roster changes the prior two years
- Michael Pachla

well lets face it there not a lot to work with... I guess you could make a case that some of the guy are fine on the fourth line... but still.... Right now I don't see anyone currently on the sabres that is 2nd line material.

It's something I would like to see this year

If they aren't going to make a big move they need to see who would work because lets face it, what they are doing now is not working.
- Stripes77

100% agree on that!

it's a massive overhaul in the forward ranks after having huge roster changes the prior two years
- Michael Pachla

yeah the only Rochester forward who looks anything close to a potential lock is CJ. That'd require a lot of overhaul for one summer

i'm still having reservations of Thompson in the top six, at least at this juncture and am still unsure how much (if any) of an impact Nylander would have next year
- Michael Pachla

I agree, with everything you said here...

the sabres' middle 6 is atrocious. and im not even going to mention the 4th line as needing attention, because theyre playing at the same level as the 2nd and 3rd lines - which doesnt bode well for said 2nd and 3rd lines.

sobotka is a literal shell of a hockey player and has no business even suiting up - where is cj smith? the guy came up here and produced along with gave a much needed energy boost - and you send him down and then lay an absolute rotten egg in edmonton. the kid shouldve (never been sent down in the first place) been called back up after his hat trick against the marlies.

milan lucic matched his 20187 goal total against this club because the middle 6 forwards are awful and 75% of the defense is two steps too slow. its not the package, its the personnel.

The guys here now in the locker room need to figure it out. That's the only way they have a chance this season. Botts most likely won't make some magical trade that will fix things.

It's going to take another offseason like he had this past one for him to get things really turned around.

Perhaps unpopular given the struggles but i'd give E-Rod another shot on line 3 next year.

His D-zone usage has gone up dramatically since last year. He's basically being used like Larsson which is questionable since the guys mostly know for offensive play.

I think once the third line looks like an actual scoring line rather than some make shift Sami Pahlsson tribute line, he'll start to produce again.

Something like Smith-Mittelstadt-Erod could work, assuming they get someone to take over 2nd line duties.