Botts has got some thinking to do, he has a good problem on his hand. But after they get back from Sweden he is gonna have some hard choices to make.

Botts has got some thinking to do, he has a good problem on his hand. But after they get back from Sweden he is gonna have some hard choices to make.
- Buff36

Funny that Pilut basically doesn't fit into the plans at all. You cant tell me he isn't an every day player on a team like Winnipeg

Sabres have depth on depth on depth.

Let's flip some for a RW

Funny that Pilut basically doesn't fit into the plans at all. You cant tell me he isn't an every day player on a team like Winnipeg

Sabres have depth on depth on depth.

Let's flip some for a RW
- jcragcrumple

Yep something will give / if we don’t have injuries on D other teams will. Botts is in the power position

I liked how we won the game and grinded out a win.

My problem is: we played like garbage and like last years team.

Yep something will give / if we don’t have injuries on D other teams will. Botts is in the power position
- turbo044

Interesting how Pittsburgh just flipped Gurbanson to Anaheim for a cap dump and basically nothing in return. Rust must be getting close to coming off LTIR. Pitt need D, don't know if it is true, but maybe a little more to that Scandella for Rust rumor

Risto looks good in a jets jersey though


Sabres are playoff bound this spring
- homiedclown

Let’s say we do trade Risto

Are we pairing Montour with McCabe for those tough defensive minutes?
Idk about that
I don’t think Montour is that kind of defenseman

Funny that Pilut basically doesn't fit into the plans at all. You cant tell me he isn't an every day player on a team like Winnipeg

Sabres have depth on depth on depth.

Let's flip some for a RW
- jcragcrumple

After watching Detroit I feel there is a trade to be made there. Pilut would be a big piece of their core going forward probably, and he just seems like he has no place here.

Pilut for Athanasiou straight up ain't happening, but maybe throw in a first or Pekar.

After watching Detroit I feel there is a trade to be made there. Pilut would be a big piece of their core going forward probably, and he just seems like he has no place here.

Pilut for Athanasiou straight up ain't happening, but maybe throw in a first or Pekar.
- matty12345

Getting AA would be incredible for this team

Pekar, Pilut and a 2nd? Absolutely

Getting AA would be incredible for this team
- jcragcrumple

Is Detroit shopping him?
Or is this just wishful thinking?

Is Detroit shopping him?
Or is this just wishful thinking?
- jdfitz77

I've been watching the wings board here and more than a few have mentioned flipping him.

In a recent blog one fan actually mentioned he thought they waited too long to do so

He's also having a horrible year. Might be the time to strike

Getting AA would be incredible for this team

Pekar, Pilut and a 2nd? Absolutely
- jcragcrumple

I'd do it. I see Pekar as more of a 35 point, third line gritty energy guy. Nice player, but nothing I can't live without.

Sabres really have no exciting forward prospects to make a huge trade with other than Cozens, and I just don't see him being available for any deal.

I've been watching the wings board here and more than a few have mentioned flipping him.

In a recent blog one fan actually mentioned he thought they waited too long to do so

He's also having a horrible year. Might be the time to strike
- jcragcrumple

I think they need to flip him honestly. They wouldn't flip Larkin, mantha, or bertuzzi, and they need a D who can move the puck and create offense. Drafting one doesn't help because he's probably not ready to play for a couple years.

Athanasiou is all they have to get that guy.

I think they need to flip him honestly. They wouldn't flip Larkin, mantha, or bertuzzi, and they need a D who can move the puck and create offense. Drafting one doesn't help because he's probably not ready to play for a couple years.

Athanasiou is all they have to get that guy.
- matty12345

That's the kind of move that would have me believing for sure

Great job overall, just wish the loss wasn’t a sloppy, embarrassing asswhooping!
- Chris16

You don't like to see it, but sometimes it's probably better to take an asswhooping rather than losing a close game when you played like crap. A reality check every once in a while isn't neccesarily a bad thing to keep the players grounded. The important thing is how they respond to a loss like that. So far this year they haven't let a bad loss negatively affect them going forward which is a huge improvement from the last few years.
Learn from your mistakes and move forward.

Haven't heard anything about it, but does anyone know if they are able to take extra players with them to Sweden? If so, would you think they take Asplund and Pilut because they are Swedes. Or take the guys that would be the likely call up if it was regular game like Tage and Borgen?

Haven't heard anything about it, but does anyone know if they are able to take extra players with them to Sweden? If so, would you think they take Asplund and Pilut because they are Swedes. Or take the guys that would be the likely call up if it was regular game like Tage and Borgen?
- adambuffalo

Interesting question. A couple injuries that far away from home could really leave a team in a lurch.

I've been watching the wings board here and more than a few have mentioned flipping him.

In a recent blog one fan actually mentioned he thought they waited too long to do so

He's also having a horrible year. Might be the time to strike
- jcragcrumple

Fan chatter doesn’t mean much
Especially now that they have Yzerman as GM
He obviously knows what he’s doing

Let’s say we do trade Risto

Are we pairing Montour with McCabe for those tough defensive minutes?
Idk about that
I don’t think Montour is that kind of defenseman
- jdfitz77

Are any of them, including Ristolainen, consistently good at handling tough defensive minutes?

The answer is no.

Getting AA would be incredible for this team

Pekar, Pilut and a 2nd? Absolutely
- jcragcrumple

A few questions on Athanasiou.

Was last season's production what he will produce going forward, or was it a bit of an aberration?

How much is he going to command in salary?

If he's a 30-25 guy now, he's going to want $6M? More?

If you're giving up both Pekar and Pilut (who is definitely in their long terms as an LHD as you could easily argue he's their 2nd best option at LHD over McCabe unless Montour shifts to the left), you'd better be damn sure in what you believe Athanasiou's production and cost are starting next year, or you'll end up having give up to low cost controlled players for an overpaid, underproducing player.

Just a counter argument to something people seem to believe is a no brainer move.

Does anybody know what position Athanasiou plays? Is it center?

Are any of them, including Ristolainen, consistently good at handling tough defensive minutes?

The answer is no.
- kingcong39

As The clown has said all along Risto isn’t being traded. You don’t trade the player on 9-2-1 team who’s leading the team in minutes and top 10 in the NHL. Fails all logic. You aren’t trading your A captain (McCabe) not are you flipping any of your young acquisitions (miller/Montour/joker) - so that leaves scandella and his expiring contract to trade and maybe a depth dman like Gilmore/pilut.

As The clown has said all along Risto isn’t being traded. You don’t trade the player on 9-2-1 team who’s leading the team in minutes and top 10 in the NHL. Fails all logic. You aren’t trading your A captain (McCabe) not are you flipping any of your young acquisitions (miller/Montour/joker) - so that leaves scandella and his expiring contract to trade and maybe a depth dman like Gilmore/pilut.
- turbo044

I cannot agree with your statement about Pilut as he is more than a depth defenseman.

Getting AA would be incredible for this team

Pekar, Pilut and a 2nd? Absolutely
- jcragcrumple

But AA is probably going to ask for a lot on his upcoming contract. He was great last year but pretty dreadful this year (which is a buy low/lower opportunity I suppose). Imagine if we traded Risto for him before the season (as some wanted) and he put up the stats he has so far (0 goals, 2 assists, -11).

AA is a center for those who asked

I cannot agree with your statement about Pilut as he is more than a depth defenseman.
- kingcong39

No it for us he’s not, at least not right now, but for other teams he’s a top 6 alas the trade value

Does anybody know what position Athanasiou plays? Is it center?
- kingcong39

I'm not sure, but he shoots left.
BTW, interesting roster that Detroit has...only two players of 23 that shoot right (and only a few that shoot correctly apparently).

AA is 25 now and has had 1 good season, last year. Off to a rough start this year with only 2 A's and a -11 already. He shoots left.

We need right wings more than anything, and a 2C for another year or 2. I don't think AA fits our needs as much as I would like. Further, since we need more depth in the forward ranks I'm not especially motivated to trade away young assets there just yet. Botts needs another two solid drafts to source reinforcements much needed there.