I agree, I would be Ok with that for this year, but is that what the player wants? I guess you don't know until you try, but with that, I would only offer a 4th (or later) round pick for his rights since you are not sure what the salary demands are.
- Lilroot9

I haven't looked yet, but one thing to consider in dealing off draft picks is the potential limitation they have on eliminating the option of extending an Offer Sheet for a desirable player in the next off-season.
Yes, they are rarely given, rarely. But we saw one yesterday.
Just saying, it should be a consideration for when this team finally has mega-bucks to spend next season (as it stands now).

It will be interesting to see what Carolina does. I do like their attitude in F'g the Habs by intending to take the full week to decide an locking them out of other moves for that period of time.
That was the best story of yesterday.

I agree, I would be Ok with that for this year, but is that what the player wants? I guess you don't know until you try, but with that, I would only offer a 4th (or later) round pick for his rights since you are not sure what the salary demands are.
- Lilroot9

Right that's what I mean. I think if the player views himself as a stud (they all do) why not take a chance on yourself like the bread man did while also taking a nice raise from your KHL salary? Buffalo possibly isn't the destination, but if he thinks that highly of himself, maybe take a chance?

Botts believes he and Nylander can both play RW.
- TheSabresTaco

Convenient that we all found that out at the conference call since he has yet to address the RW position. Suddenly Sheary is a RW

I haven't looked yet, but one thing to consider in dealing off draft picks is the potential limitation they have on eliminating the option of extending an Offer Sheet for a desirable player in the next off-season.
Yes, they are rarely given, rarely. But we saw one yesterday.
Just saying, it should be a consideration for when this team finally has mega-bucks to spend next season (as it stands now).

It will be interesting to see what Carolina does. I do like their attitude in F'g the Habs by intending to take the full week to decide an locking them out of other moves for that period of time.
That was the best story of yesterday.
- IonSabres

I would never operate a franchise and not improve my team right now just for the remote chance that I would issue an offer sheet that would highly likely be matched anyways.

I haven't looked yet, but one thing to consider in dealing off draft picks is the potential limitation they have on eliminating the option of extending an Offer Sheet for a desirable player in the next off-season.
Yes, they are rarely given, rarely. But we saw one yesterday.
Just saying, it should be a consideration for when this team finally has mega-bucks to spend next season (as it stands now).

It will be interesting to see what Carolina does. I do like their attitude in F'g the Habs by intending to take the full week to decide an locking them out of other moves for that period of time.
That was the best story of yesterday.
- IonSabres

The punishment of not being able to OS should not ever determine any move, one way or the other. I don't think any GM would say that it does. CAR easily matches that, and yes I think most teams will give the middle finger to the team that OS their player by waiting the whole week. That said, when the GM says thanks for doing my negotiating for me so I don't have to wait the whole summer, you know they're signing it.

Don't assume Lazar is going to be a regular forward here.
- TheSabresTaco

Yeah, I don't. Could he beat out Girgs? Sure, maybe

Convenient that we all found that out at the conference call since he has yet to address the RW position. Suddenly Sheary is a RW
- jcragcrumple

I think he said it to dispel depth concerns. He knows what these players are. He's not dumb. He knows Vesey and Sheary are 3rd line wingers that can move up in a pinch.

He even answered the question in typical Honest Jason form.

"Do you believe he's a top 6 F?"


".........I believe he's a top 9 F"

Convenient that we all found that out at the conference call since he has yet to address the RW position. Suddenly Sheary is a RW
- jcragcrumple

I mean, he has to be better at RW, right, lol!
I wanted him gone and I think Vesey now makes him redundant...but since they can't find another home for him elswhere... poof, he is a RW now.

I think he said it to dispel depth concerns. He knows what these players are. He's not dumb. He knows Vesey and Sheary are 3rd line wingers that can move up in a pinch.

He even answered the question in typical Honest Jason form.

"Do you believe he's a top 6 F?"


".........I believe he's a top 9 F"
- TheSabresTaco

He did it because we have Reinhart and then a pile of steaming wreckage at 2RW, 3RW and 4RW. Our old-ass former captain was the 2nd best one on the team, and he can't say Nylander or Okposo is fine for the 2LW when none of the fans trust Nylander, and we all know what Okposo is. So it was the perfect time to suddenly announce that Sheary is a RW. Very convenient for him. The position sucks, and he knows it

I would never operate a franchise and not improve my team right now just for the remote chance that I would issue an offer sheet that would highly likely be matched anyways.
- TheSabresTaco

Well, they were talking about taking a flyer on a guy...so like a 20% chance he hits.
And I didn't nix the thought, just another consideration to roll into the equation.

Don't assume Lazar is going to be a regular forward here.
- TheSabresTaco

I don't think it's a real chance, at all.

I think he is slated for ROC with a possibility of callups during injuries

Convenient that we all found that out at the conference call since he has yet to address the RW position. Suddenly Sheary is a RW
- jcragcrumple

No one was more shocked to hear this than Sheary.

He did it because we have Reinhart and then a pile of steaming wreckage at 2RW, 3RW and 4RW. Our old-ass former captain was the 2nd best one on the team, and he can't say Nylander or Okposo is fine for the 2LW when none of the fans trust Nylander, and we all know what Okposo is. So it was the perfect time to suddenly announce that Sheary is a RW. Very convenient for him. The position sucks, and he knows it
- jcragcrumple

He didn't say he's a RW. He said he can play both wings.

The punishment of not being able to OS should not ever determine any move, one way or the other. I don't think any GM would say that it does. CAR easily matches that, and yes I think most teams will give the middle finger to the team that OS their player by waiting the whole week. That said, when the GM says thanks for doing my negotiating for me so I don't have to wait the whole summer, you know they're signing it.
- SDSabre

I suspect so as well...since the Habs tried to be cute and came in a less than the 4-1sts cost, the resulting remuneration isn't worth the value to Carolina. However, they front-loaded that MFer. A lot of money for a team who monitors their spend very, very closely. And yes, I know the owner is loaded.

Well, they were talking about taking a flyer on a guy...so like a 20% chance he hits.
And I didn't mix the thought, just another consideration to roll into the equation.
- IonSabres

Yeah. So that's like, well, I could take the brand new yacht, or I could take the mystery box, which could also be a yacht.

No one was more shocked to hear this than Sheary.
- Lunaion

I have little doubt that's true.

Hey, Conor, we're going to be changing your position in a contract year. Thanks for being a good sport

So, as it stands today at 8:30am the Sabres are marginally better than last years roster by
-replacing Housley with Krueger
-adding Miller as 3rd pairing pushing Nelson down to 7th D
-adding Vesey as 3LW, replacing a whole lot of crap there

They may realize additional improvements through
- Olofsson as 2LW, pushing Sheary to 4th?

Given the above assumptions, could we peg a WAR-like guess of say +10 - 15pts / 5 - 7 Wins...and project 85sh points?

If so, not good enough...yet.
The Q as we all know is can Botts improve the roster more?
He simply hasn't addressed their primary needs so far.
- IonSabres

Nelson was a 7D last year.

ERod was 3LW.

If they are much better, it's because a young team improved internally. I think there's still trades coming.

I don't think it's a real chance, at all.

I think he is slated for ROC with a possibility of callups during injuries
- Der Kaiser

Precisely. This org takes Rochester very seriously, and they signed some very high quality AHL talent that supplements the strong base they have there now. The guys they let go of have been replaced with better players.

I have little doubt that's true.

Hey, Conor, we're going to be changing your position in a contract year. Thanks for being a good sport
- jcragcrumple

The context was that he could play RW if he needed to, not that they intend on putting him there when all is said and done.

Also, the transition from one wing to the other isn't that difficult, even in the NHL. It's much, much easier to be effective opposite your natural wing than going from your natural wing to center. In fact, it's not even close.

Nelson was a 7D last year.

ERod was 3LW.

If they are much better, it's because a young team improved internally. I think there's still trades coming.
- Lunaion

I'd bet on it. Jason was "very comfortable" he'd be addressing our needs in Buffalo as well as Rochester. He only uses that word when he knows he can get poop done.

The context was that he could play RW if he needed to, not that they intend on putting him there when all is said and done.

Also, the transition from one wing to the other isn't that difficult, even in the NHL. It's much, much easier to be effective opposite your natural wing than going from your natural wing to center. In fact, it's not even close.
- buffalofan19

Sure, but some can do it, and some can't. Okposo isn't playing LW. Can he do it? No idea.

My personal opinion is that his statement was an ass-covering move in case he can't swing a trade to address C/RW before the season.

Just a point of reference for everyone:

After July 4, 2016, there were 5 trades before the season

After July 4, 2017, there were 6 trades before the season

After July 4, 2018 there were 12 trades.

I'd bet on it. Jason was "very comfortable" he'd be addressing our needs in Buffalo as well as Rochester. He only uses that word when he knows he can get poop done.
- TheSabresTaco

Agreed. JB is always very calculated in everything he says publicly. He was never going to say they are desperate to add a RW.

Sure, but some can do it, and some can't. Okposo isn't playing LW. Can he do it? No idea.

My personal opinion is that his statement was an ass-covering move in case he can't swing a trade to address C/RW before the season.

Just a point of reference for everyone:

After July 4, 2016, there were 5 trades before the season

After July 4, 2017, there were 6 trades before the season

After July 4, 2018 there were 12 trades.
- jcragcrumple

He stated his goals before UFA day. He was clear. He absolutely knows he did not address his goals yet. And those goals include a 2C. He is absolutely aware that neither Sheary nor Vesey are top 6 RWs. He knows that. And he wasn't trying to hide it.

Sure, but some can do it, and some can't. Okposo isn't playing LW. Can he do it? No idea.

My personal opinion is that his statement was an ass-covering move in case he can't swing a trade to address C/RW before the season.

Just a point of reference for everyone:

After July 4, 2016, there were 5 trades before the season

After July 4, 2017, there were 6 trades before the season

After July 4, 2018 there were 12 trades.
- jcragcrumple

So the number of trades are trending up, which makes sense, in a world where league executives are finally starting to realize that the good teams treat cap space like currency. There will absolutely be more than that this year.

Jeremy White destroy this team with his trade ideas.

Risto, Mitts, 1st

for

Huberdeau.