Trade for Roussel and Reaves. Get some truculence back in the lineup.

Trade for Roussel and Reaves. Get some truculence back in the lineup.
- mhp

https://www.hockeybuzz.co...ern-Conference/187/100800

discuss

- BeadyEyedDouche

I wanted him when he was a UFA last year. Perfect 3rd line energy guy. Somebody takes a shot at Eichel or Dahlin, he'll clean it up.

I’ll try to paste the new athletic article

When the Sabres’ season ended and the look ahead to next season began in earnest, the biggest thing going in the team’s favor was the amount of salary cap space they had to fix the roster. Fast forward to the beginning of August and that cap cushion has been mostly used up. Now the question of how the team will be set up to stay cap compliant begins.

We talked often prior to the offseason about how their cap space would allow them to make improvements. We also looked ahead to next summer when they could truly go big game hunting in free agency and also forecasted how their cap might look in the seasons to come. Yet right now the Sabres are looking at the possibility of pushing up hard against the upper limit.

According to CapFriendly.com, the Sabres have 22 players signed on the roster and $3,115, 476 in cap space with Linus Ullmark and Jake McCabe awaiting their arbitration dates. Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reported Ullmark was looking for $2.65 million in arbitration (the Sabres are seeking an $800,000 contract). McCabe is looking for a raise on the $1.775 million salary he made in the past two seasons of his three-year, $4.8 million deal, asking for $4.3 million while the team seeks $1.95 million.

The Sabres’ other two cases saw Evan Rodrigues sign a one-year, $2 million deal based on the arbitrator’s ruling. Friedman reported the Sabres sought a $1.5 million deal and Rodrigues aimed for $2.65 million. Meanwhile, Remi Elie settled for a one-year, $700,000 two-way deal on Thursday.

Many arbitration cases are solved by finding the soft, cushy middle zone between the two desires. That’s more or less how Rodrigues’ case went. If it goes the same for Ullmark and McCabe, Ullmark would get a raise to $1.725 million and McCabe up to $3.125 million. If that’s the result, Buffalo will go over the cap by $1,734,524.

Looking back on last season, cap maneuvering was commonplace as the Sabres pushed toward the upper limit. Patrik Berglund’s sudden departure helped loosen things up for a bit in December at a time when they needed long-term injured reserve cap relief. Being cap compliant is one thing, but having wiggle room against the cap to make moves sure would be good. So what can the Sabres do now and later to make that happen? Let’s look at the options:

Now

The grumbles that arose from the Sabres fan base were a bit louder than in previous years when they opted against buying out any players when the NHL window opened in late June. Thanks to the arbitration cases, however, the Sabres will have a second window to use a buyout. That window opens up for 48 hours on the third day after the settlement of the final arbitration case. We’ve seen the New York Rangers take advantage of that, buying out defenseman Kevin Shattenkirk this week.

In theory, using a buyout is the easiest answer, especially for a player with one year left on their contract. Using CapFriendly.com’s buyout calculator helps find the right candidates to save over $1.7 million, but the math (a buyout is two-thirds the cap hit over twice the remaining years left on the contract) means finding players with larger hits to save more against the cap.

For example: Buying out, say, Vladimir Sobotka, who has one year left at $3.5 million against the cap would leave Buffalo with a $1.5 million cap hit this season and $1 million next year. But buying out the final year of Matt Hunwick’s contract that has a $2.25 million hit would come with a cap hit of $1,083,333 this season and $583,333 next year.

That leaves the viable candidates to get cap compliant at Sobotka and Marco Scandella. A buyout of Scandella’s final year would result in saving $3,166,667 against the cap this season and have just over a $1.5 million cap hit next year.

Buyouts are hard decisions, but in this case they make for the easiest path to getting back under the cap ceiling.

There’s also the trade option to consider. Yes, it’s been thought about by just about everyone with an interest in what the Sabres are doing. Instead of buying out one of these players you could ship them elsewhere, but with elevated cap hits you’re probably taking another one in return. Trading guys like that for a low-round draft pick is the sort of thing that you can do in a video game but not real life.

We could go back down the well about a Rasmus Ristolainen trade, but even with his $5.4 million cap hit going out, getting the kind of player you want in return means you could be taking an equal amount of salary (or more) back in return, unless you’re taking back prospects on entry-level contracts or not-as-expensive second contracts.

Later

If the Sabres don’t have other moves up their sleeves and they want to ride it out until the start of the season to get level with the cap, there could be the option of long-term injured reserve if Zach Bogosian isn’t ready to start the season.

If Bogosian’s return from a second hip surgery doesn’t allow him to start the season, the Sabres could save his cap hit ($5,142,857) immediately. If Jason Botterill doesn’t want to commit to a buyout, this could be the option, but how long would that relief last? Bogosian had surgery in late-April with a five-to-six month window for recovery. That would put him in line to potentially be ready for training camp or the early part of the season.

Adjusting to the cap limit on a daily basis is something Jason Botterill had to do often last season but there’s no question life is easier if you don’t have to do that. The hope is that when you spend this close to the cap that you’ll be a team competing for the Stanley Cup deep into May and June.

Although it’s the arbitration settlements putting the squeeze on now, adding Colin Miller ($3.875 million cap hit) and Jimmy Vesey ($2.275 million) via trade accounted for just over $6 million and Marcus Johansson’s two-year, $9 million free agent contract added another $4.5 million onto that. $10 million in cap space is a lot and the Sabres did well to make use of it, but now piecing together things to give them some freedom to make moves will again test Botterill’s dexterity with the books.

Right now, as of today, Skinner is the better player and that’s 1000% indisputable
- sbroads24

If you want to argue last season, you have a great case. Who is going to be better this season? very debatable

If you want to argue last season, you have a great case. Who is going to be better this season? very debatable
- Lunaion

Skinner has been better 2 of the 3 years they’ve been in the league together.

I really don’t think people get how horrible Laine is away from shooting the puck.

It’s below replacement level bad right now

floating pp specialist


skinner is 3 times the player laine will ever become
- homiedclown

Laine will score more goals than skinner this year.

He is a superstar. He will be paid more as well, because he is younger and his 8 year 80 million $ deal will be in his prime.

I love skinner, not trying to slight him or you

Skinner has been better 2 of the 3 years they’ve been in the league together.

I really don’t think people get how horrible Laine is away from shooting the puck.

It’s below replacement level bad right now
- sbroads24

Laine had a bad year
Skinner had the best year in his career

I dispute your %1,000 claim. They are pretty even

I watch a ton of Winnipeg games, like I said, he had an off year last year.

9 years skinner had 204 goals
Laine 3 years had 110 goals

Explain this, other then pp specialist lol

Skinner has been better 2 of the 3 years they’ve been in the league together.

I really don’t think people get how horrible Laine is away from shooting the puck.

It’s below replacement level bad right now
- sbroads24

I watch a fair amount of WPG. I think last year was a big wake up call for him and expect a significant rebound.

The idea that a 21 year old coming off his worst season will improve and a 27 year old coming off his best will regress isn't crazy to argue.

Laine had a bad year
Skinner had the best year in his career

I dispute your %1,000 claim. They are pretty even

I watch a ton of Winnipeg games, like I said, he had an off year last year.
- Boss34

Nah, they aren’t. But you’re entitled to that opinion.

Laine is a negative impact player beyond his shooting talent.

Skinner legit has a positive on ice impact with every single player he plays with

They aren’t close to even right now

But I’m sure Laine will get better as time goes on

I watch a fair amount of WPG. I think last year was a big wake up call for him and expect a significant rebound.

The idea that a 21 year old coming off his worst season will improve and a 27 year old coming off his best will regress isn't crazy to argue.
- Lunaion

Good post

Nah, they aren’t. But you’re entitled to that opinion.

Laine is a negative impact player beyond his shooting talent.

Skinner legit has a positive on ice impact with every single player he plays with

They aren’t close to even right now

But I’m sure Laine will get better as time goes on
- sbroads24

I can appreciate your opinion
But:

Laine 3 years 110 goals
Skinner 9 years 244 goals

I can appreciate your opinion
But:

Laine 3 years 110 goals
Skinner 9 years 244 goals
- Boss34

I’m aware of how many goals they score

For the 100th time on this thread

*Beyond shooting talent, Laine is a terrible hockey player, Skinner is way better in almost every other aspect of the game *

I watch a fair amount of WPG. I think last year was a big wake up call for him and expect a significant rebound.

The idea that a 21 year old coming off his worst season will improve and a 27 year old coming off his best will regress isn't crazy to argue.
- Lunaion

Again it’s not that Laine won’t improve, it’s the rate at which he does and the extent he does.

I’m positive he gets better at other parts of the game as 99% of the players do, but it’s a big red flag that he has dropped off a Cliff since his rookie year.

It’s very Myers-esque

Again it’s not that Laine won’t improve, it’s the rate at which he does and the extent he does.

I’m positive he gets better at other parts of the game as 99% of the players do, but it’s a big red flag that he has dropped off a Cliff since his rookie year.

It’s very Myers-esque
- sbroads24

I understand your concerns. I don't understand your 1000% certainty.

I understand your concerns. I don't understand your 1000% certainty.

I think you see this with a lot of young stars in the league. They are allowed to be lazy. He doesn't suffer from lack of ability, he clearly lacks focus and effort.
- Lunaion

Oh I’m 1000% certain Skinner is the better player right now because that’s the 1000% truth.

I’m not certain he won’t improve enough to be worth the massive deal he gets.

Hes always going to be a great goal scorer which will always help

Oh I’m 1000% certain Skinner is the better player right now because that’s the 1000% truth.

I’m not certain he won’t improve enough to be worth the massive deal he gets.

Hes always going to be a great goal scorer which will always help
- sbroads24

Even if Laine rebounds next year and score 35, or even 40, if he's just as bad in all the other areas of the game he currently is and was last year, is he worth $9M+?

Instead of a buyout would sending a few guys to the ahl do the trick? I am not a fan of buying players out on the last year of their deal, doesn’t seem to make sense to extend the cap hit for another year.

I understand your concerns. I don't understand your 1000% certainty.
- Lunaion

His even strength goal scoring going from 27, to 24, to 15 is troubling.

Instead of a buyout would sending a few guys to the ahl do the trick? I am not a fan of buying players out on the last year of their deal, doesn’t seem to make sense to extend the cap hit for another year.
- Sabres1523

That's what I would do, along with the trade route.

Buying a player out with only this season remaining on their contract is not something I'm a fan of.

Even if Laine rebounds next year and score 35, or even 40, if he's just as bad in all the other areas of the game he currently is and was last year, is he worth $9M+?
- kingcong39

If he’s as bad in those areas as he is now? Definitely not

Goals cost $$, and I’d expect 35-40 min for him, but he just has a long way to go everywhere else.

If he’s as bad in those areas as he is now? Definitely not

Goals cost $$, and I’d expect 35-40 min for him, but he just has a long way to go everywhere else.
- sbroads24

Agreed on the above.

I’m aware of how many goals they score

For the 100th time on this thread

*Beyond shooting talent, Laine is a terrible hockey player, Skinner is way better in almost every other aspect of the game *
- sbroads24

Maybe last year, but laine's value around the league is way higher. We paid skins some extra too stay.


You'll see with the next contract. Starting at 10 million per