Joe Yerdon's take, on why McCabe and Risto must exist, and together.

"Let me just crack my knuckles before digging into this one because it’s got multiple layers to it.

A few things have conspired to make this happen. Part of it has to do with how Rasmus Dahlin has been a bit off at the start of the season. Part of it has to do with how the defense has been built. But a huge part of it is how both Jake McCabe and Rasmus Ristolainen check a lot of boxes that other guys don’t.

Both guys play physical hockey and can clear the area around the net. Ristolainen can be the puck-mover on that pairing while McCabe, ideally, is the heads-up defenseman. When you look at the other players who could play 20+ minutes per game, there are questions.

Dahlin will do it eventually, but right now it’s probably not the best time. Brandon Montour is getting back into the mix and if/when Ristolainen is traded, he’s probably your top pair righty defenseman. Marco Scandella and Henri Jokiharju have been solid, but that pairing was on ice for both of Kirby Dach’s goals Sunday against Chicago. Colin Miller was a healthy scratch for three games because they’re working things out for him. John Gilmour has played in three games and is clearly their No. 8 guy and probably headed to Rochester when Zach Bogosian is ready to go. And you have to think Lawrence Pilut will be back at some point, but he’s still getting back to it after offseason shoulder surgery.

So… they’re a little stuck at least until they make a trade. And they will make one."
- TheSabresTaco

What are they “working out” for Miller ?

I never thought we would be clamoring for Scandella to not be in the press box this year.
- buffalofan19

Two years in a row, a renaissance has occurred. Larsson last season after a despicable first season under Housley, and Scandella this year, playing a reduced role with a partner that helps him succeed.

My vote would be to trade McCabe or Scandella. As long as you try out Risto with Pilut. Those two had a lot of success in a limited capacity last year because they complemented one another, like Joker (Yogurt) and Scandella.

Ya know, just get off your (frank)ing thumb and do something.

If Sheary, Vesey, Mitts, and ERod played like middle 6 guys, it wouldn't be so glaring.
- Lunaion

Even doing something simple like getting rid of Sobotka and signing pominville would have helped. Going into the season with him at 2RW was a horrible omen

What are they “working out” for Miller ?
- Pairo11

(frank) if I know. Been wondering that all day TBH.

If it was that easy it would be done already. Looking at your lists I see you filled holes and dug others.

team could have used a middle 6 vet or 2, looking back in hindsight
- homiedclown

Eric Staal would fill that role nicely. Too bad he has a 10-team no-trade list and Buffalo is probably on it

Joe Yerdon's take, on why McCabe and Risto must exist, and together.

"Let me just crack my knuckles before digging into this one because it’s got multiple layers to it.

A few things have conspired to make this happen. Part of it has to do with how Rasmus Dahlin has been a bit off at the start of the season. Part of it has to do with how the defense has been built. But a huge part of it is how both Jake McCabe and Rasmus Ristolainen check a lot of boxes that other guys don’t.

Both guys play physical hockey and can clear the area around the net. Ristolainen can be the puck-mover on that pairing while McCabe, ideally, is the heads-up defenseman. When you look at the other players who could play 20+ minutes per game, there are questions.

Dahlin will do it eventually, but right now it’s probably not the best time. Brandon Montour is getting back into the mix and if/when Ristolainen is traded, he’s probably your top pair righty defenseman. Marco Scandella and Henri Jokiharju have been solid, but that pairing was on ice for both of Kirby Dach’s goals Sunday against Chicago. Colin Miller was a healthy scratch for three games because they’re working things out for him. John Gilmour has played in three games and is clearly their No. 8 guy and probably headed to Rochester when Zach Bogosian is ready to go. And you have to think Lawrence Pilut will be back at some point, but he’s still getting back to it after offseason shoulder surgery.

So… they’re a little stuck at least until they make a trade. And they will make one."
- TheSabresTaco

Sound reasoning.

Eric Staal would fill that role nicely. Too bad he has a 10-team no-trade list and Buffalo is probably on it
- Michael Pachla

He’d be a perfect fit. Size, leader, still scores. This team has been screaming for a veteran leader that can still perform for a long time.

We need a GM with a set of balls to correct his mistakes. Botterill brought in too many defensemen and ignored the lack of top six talent.

It’s not like nobody is available. It’s not like there aren’t teams who need what we have with whom we could make a deal.

It just takes some balls to do it.

Hall is available. It would take a player, a prospect and a pick.

Trade Miller, Thompson and a first for Hall. If they say no add picks until they say yes.

Winnipeg has playoff aspirations but is very short on quality defensemen.

Trade Ristolainen and Olofsson for Ehlers. If they say no, add picks until they say yes.

Detroit needs defense help.

Trade Montour for Athanasiou. If they say no, add picks until they say yes.

Salary in is equal to salary out.

Hall(6) Eichel(10) Skinner(9)
Reinhart(3.65) Athanasiou(3) Ehlers(6)
Johansson(4.5) Mittelstadt(.925) Sheary(3)
Girgensons(1.55) Larsson(1.6) Vesey(2.25)
Okposo(6) Sobotka(3.5)

Scandella(4) Jokiharju(.925)
Bogosian(5.14) Dahlin(.925)
McCabe(2.85) Pilut(.925)
Gilmour(.700)

Hutton(2.75)
Ullmark(1.33)

Hodgson buyout(.792)

Total Salary: 81.312
Cap: 81.5

We are under the cap with no LTIR relief for Bogosian, Okposo and Sobotka

In the off-season...
Sign all RFAs, Vesey and Erod take paycuts or I trade them for scraps and replace them.

Sign Hall at 8 years 9 per.

Choose one of Scandella or Bogosian to sign. Sign Gilmour a UFA. Let all other UFAs walk.

20/21

Hall(9) Eichel(10) Skinner(9)
Reinhart(7) Athanasiou(5) Ehlers(6)
Johansson(4.5) Mittelstadt(2.25) Okposo(6)
Asplund(.845) Erod(1.5) Vesey(1.5)
Lazar(.700)

Scand/Bogo(4.25) Jokiharju(3.25)
McCabe(2.85) Dahlin(.925)
Borgen(.925) Pilut(.925)
Gilmour(1)

Ullmark(2.75)
Hutton(2.75)

Hodgson(.792)

Total salary: 83.712
Projected cap: 84M

We can afford adding Hall and the other contracts. Dahlin’s contract will fit with Johansson, McCabe, Hutton coming off the books and the increase in cap. It would even allow us room for an upgrade to McCabe inFA if we decide not to keep him.

21/22

Hall(9) Eichel(10) Skinner(9)
Reinhart(7) Athanasiou(5) Ehlers(6)
Cozens(.925) Mittelstadt(2.25) Okposo(6)
Pekar(.925) Asplund(1.5) Vesey(1.5)
Lazar(.700)

Scand/Bogo(4.25) Dahlin(8)
UFA(4) Jokiharju(3.25)
Borgen(.925) Pilut(.925)
Gilmour(1)

Ullmark(2.75)
UPL(.925)

Hodgson(.792)

Total salary: 85.962
Projected cap: 86-87

I realize the Seattle draft would have happened and we could have lost Ullmark or a dman.

Then Okposo falls off the books and we have that salary along with continued increases in the cap for raises for RFAs, a replacement for Okposo or upgrades to the defense or bottom six.

If Okposo retires early or is on LTIR we can use that cap space earlier to keep Johansson, bring in a better talent for the third line, or upgrade our defense.

We would have a legitimate top six locked in long term. Jokiharju and Dahlin maturing will compensate for losing Montour, Risto and Miller.

Seriously, it doesn’t have to be these exact trades. I chose Ehlers because he has a longterm contract, Athanasiou because he is an RFA, and Hall because he is available.

If Botterill wants to keep his job, this is the type of change he needs to make. Because one forward isn’t going to make the difference. We need multiple moves and to change the way the roster is constructed.
- Beethoven

That is a lot of thought. Desperation and want. Some good thoughts there.
Hall will not resign for 9. He will get 11 somewhere.
Skinner got 9! Hall > Skinner.

Eric Staal would fill that role nicely. Too bad he has a 10-team no-trade list and Buffalo is probably on it
- Michael Pachla

the scuttlebutt on him is he loves Minnesota even signed for less to stay

Even doing something simple like getting rid of Sobotka and signing pominville would have helped. Going into the season with him at 2RW was a horrible omen
- jcragcrumple

Focus where you like, but he won the job. Doubt that was the plan. This 3rd line should not be among the worst in the league. I focus there.

Pommer was invisible as a middle 6 last year.

the scuttlebutt on him is he loves Minnesota even signed for less to stay
- hubie

They have six underperforming contracts that are huge. I believe someone said that they were the last place team. Seems like they need to move something.

Focus where you like, but he won the job. Doubt that was the plan. This 3rd line should not be among the worst in the league. I focus there.

Pommer was invisible as a middle 6 last year.
- Lunaion

You were talking about the middle 6, where Sobotka lived for 15 games. That should have been addressed over the summer but it wasn't. The options were Okposo, Sobotka, tall guy and Sheary. None of them were good candidates for L2 duties, though Sobotka was undoubtedly the worst

You were talking about the middle 6, where Sobotka lived for 15 games. That should have been addressed over the summer but it wasn't. The options were Okposo, Sobotka, tall guy and Sheary. None of them were good candidates for L2 duties, though Sobotka was undoubtedly the worst
- jcragcrumple

Agreed, I hated the list going into camp as well. In fairness, there were a few others mentioned as capable of playing RW (which I still laught at). No one really outplayed Sobotka, which is sad. I don't blame Sobotka for that, I blame the cast of under achievers. ERod literally played his way into the press box for the 2nd straight year.

At least when they were good, I knew it wasn't real, but it gave me energy to post.

Now I can't even bother to dig up stats and make long posts about xGF or whatever. The glaring holes were there and obvious all summer. The only people who refused to see them were the ones who generally always find a reason to be pumped up about the new season. It wasn't that they genuinely thought the team was great, they just like to be upbeat.

So either Botts knew his team sucked and went into the season like that, not caring, or he's dumber than the average fan. Both options make me want to cry.

Agreed, I hated the list going into camp as well. In fairness, there were a few others mentioned as capable of playing RW (which I still laught at). No one really outplayed Sobotka, which is sad. I don't blame Sobotka for that, I blame the cast of under achievers. ERod literally played his way into the press box for the 2nd straight year.
- Lunaion

None of the names I mentioned are L2 names. It doesn't matter who would have won. The talent wasnt good enough

Even doing something simple like getting rid of Sobotka and signing pominville would have helped. Going into the season with him at 2RW was a horrible omen
- jcragcrumple

Lmao.

Who's lining up for Sobotka?

Lmao.

Who's lining up for Sobotka?
- Powerslave

He should have been bought out or waived. Honestly it's not worth rehashing. People are undoubtedly sick of hearing about it. The wild suck. We might win tonight

He should have been bought out or waived. Honestly it's not worth rehashing. People are undoubtedly sick of hearing about it. The wild suck. We might win tonight
- jcragcrumple

Exactly, he is part of the 100 million we have coming off the books

CaptainRivet needs to post more

That’s all I got
- sbroads24

The best.

At least when they were good, I knew it wasn't real, but it gave me energy to post.

Now I can't even bother to dig up stats and make long posts about xGF or whatever. The glaring holes were there and obvious all summer. The only people who refused to see them were the ones who generally always find a reason to be pumped up about the new season. It wasn't that they genuinely thought the team was great, they just like to be upbeat.

So either Botts knew his team sucked and went into the season like that, not caring, or he's dumber than the average fan. Both options make me want to cry.
- matty12345

Brah, 8-1-1.

Lmao.

Who's lining up for Sobotka?
- Powerslave

Not really defending him, just blaming the cast of characters who couldn't beat him out and haven't outplayed him.

Have to imagine JB wanted to flip a D for a RW, and couldn't pull it off. I'm certain plan B wasn't Sobotka, with ERod in the press box.

I would give my kingdom for a trade.

I would give my kingdom for a trade.
- jochfr

I will trade you my lunch for future considerations and an ice tea and package of starburst minis

Joe Yerdon's take, on why McCabe and Risto must exist, and together.

"Let me just crack my knuckles before digging into this one because it’s got multiple layers to it.

A few things have conspired to make this happen. Part of it has to do with how Rasmus Dahlin has been a bit off at the start of the season. Part of it has to do with how the defense has been built. But a huge part of it is how both Jake McCabe and Rasmus Ristolainen check a lot of boxes that other guys don’t.

Both guys play physical hockey and can clear the area around the net. Ristolainen can be the puck-mover on that pairing while McCabe, ideally, is the heads-up defenseman. When you look at the other players who could play 20+ minutes per game, there are questions.

Dahlin will do it eventually, but right now it’s probably not the best time. Brandon Montour is getting back into the mix and if/when Ristolainen is traded, he’s probably your top pair righty defenseman. Marco Scandella and Henri Jokiharju have been solid, but that pairing was on ice for both of Kirby Dach’s goals Sunday against Chicago. Colin Miller was a healthy scratch for three games because they’re working things out for him. John Gilmour has played in three games and is clearly their No. 8 guy and probably headed to Rochester when Zach Bogosian is ready to go. And you have to think Lawrence Pilut will be back at some point, but he’s still getting back to it after offseason shoulder surgery.

So… they’re a little stuck at least until they make a trade. And they will make one."
- TheSabresTaco

Was the bolded written with a straight face?