Of course it was.

It was also the right call to move someone who didn’t want to be here and orchestrated his way out. This was after the players basically United to get Bylsma fired and everyone thought they were running the show.

The issue has been the refusal to pony up to replace him.

Teams lose players all the time for no return

Tavares in Ny walked

Panarin walked

Taylor Hall was traded (from EDM) for a #4 D man

It doesn’t have to be a death sentence
- sbroads24

He was and still is under contract. So none of those examples are reliable since he couldn't walk for nothing.

It was a horrible trade

if it were me I would target Kadri, Rakell, RNH

additionally, I would not mind if we could get Malkin out of Pitts for the next 3 years. I would gladly give Pitts, my protected #1, Mitts, Risto and a prospect.
- hehateme

First, why are the Avs trading Kadri after just trading for him?
Rakell is a nice player on a great contract, but is he a center? He has taken 11 faceoffs this year and 48 last year. He may have came in as a center, but has moved to the wing. I think we have a couple of those already.
How much are you willing to give up for one season of RNH? Likely with him at 2C we are contending for the playoffs, so unlikely to flip him at the TDL. First time headed to free agency for him and likely going to look for top dollars. Would be Skinner all over again.
Malkin has 2 years left at $9.5m, will be 34 in July and has a NMC. Your proposal is allowing Pittsburgh to rebuild on the fly and weakening our already thin prospect pool.

Mmmmmmm special teams dont matter
- Mentalorgasm5

If you cant win a face off then its hard to be good at those.

He was and still is under contract. So none of those examples are reliable since he couldn't walk for nothing.

It was a horrible trade
- Mentalorgasm5

His point was, even though it was a bad trade, it shouldn't be the reason this team is still bad. Moving him wasn't the issue. Not getting a suitable replacement was.

First, why are the Avs trading Kadri after just trading for him?
Rakell is a nice player on a great contract, but is he a center? He has taken 11 faceoffs this year and 48 last year. He may have came in as a center, but has moved to the wing. I think we have a couple of those already.
How much are you willing to give up for one season of RNH? Likely with him at 2C we are contending for the playoffs, so unlikely to flip him at the TDL. First time headed to free agency for him and likely going to look for top dollars. Would be Skinner all over again.
Malkin has 2 years left at $9.5m, will be 34 in July and has a NMC. Your proposal is allowing Pittsburgh to rebuild on the fly and weakening our already thin prospect pool.
- adambuffalo

I was thinking these same points as well. We need to be goign after more "second tier guys"

He was and still is under contract. So none of those examples are reliable since he couldn't walk for nothing.

It was a horrible trade
- Mentalorgasm5

Hall for Larsson is a good comparable. Except Hall didn't ask for a trade and didn't lose his love for hockey.

First, why are the Avs trading Kadri after just trading for him?
Rakell is a nice player on a great contract, but is he a center? He has taken 11 faceoffs this year and 48 last year. He may have came in as a center, but has moved to the wing. I think we have a couple of those already.
How much are you willing to give up for one season of RNH? Likely with him at 2C we are contending for the playoffs, so unlikely to flip him at the TDL. First time headed to free agency for him and likely going to look for top dollars. Would be Skinner all over again.
Malkin has 2 years left at $9.5m, will be 34 in July and has a NMC. Your proposal is allowing Pittsburgh to rebuild on the fly and weakening our already thin prospect pool.
- adambuffalo

A good center isn't someone who is good at faceoffs. It's someone who can cover the middle of the ice at both ends, much more ice than a winger. More and more wingers are among the league's faceoff leaders now. If Rakell can do that, then they should get him.

I would imagine Nugent-Hopkins would come with assurances of an extension.

A good center isn't someone who is good at faceoffs. It's someone who can cover the middle of the ice at both ends, much more ice than a winger. More and more wingers are among the league's faceoff leaders now. If Rakell can do that, then they should get him.

I would imagine Nugent-Hopkins would come with assurances of an extension.
- buffalofan19

HockeyDB and Wikipedia have Rakell listed as a LW and hockey-reference has him as a RW. I don't think we should be trading for another converted center/ winger and hope he can play 2C.

Why would RNH agree to an extension, which can't be legally discussed I believe, when he is set to hit free agency for the first time in his career. Probably going to be his last chance to cash in on a huge deal.

Rest of team is older than him, and we wait 4-6 years for players to develop, he's damn near 30 by the time he has a supporting team around him.
- BeadyEyedDouche

Yzerman - 32
Ovechkin - 32

I guess you can be older when you win.

If you cant win a face off then its hard to be good at those.
- hubie

I look right at the goaltending. Bad goalies = bad PK.

The PP is 2 goals below league average.

HockeyDB and Wikipedia have Rakell listed as a LW and hockey-reference has him as a RW. I don't think we should be trading for another converted center/ winger and hope he can play 2C.

Why would RNH agree to an extension, which can't be legally discussed I believe, when he is set to hit free agency for the first time in his career. Probably going to be his last chance to cash in on a huge deal.
- adambuffalo

Any trade for Nugent-Hopkins would happen in the summer. By then, an extension could be discussed. Look how quickly Pageau reached an extension with the Islanders after being traded at the deadline.

Also, I am not saying that he would be willing to extend in Buffalo, just that if the Sabres wouldn't trade for him unless they felt they had a more than reasonable chance to agree to an extension.

I look right at the goaltending. Bad goalies = bad PK.

The PP is 2 goals below league average.
- Lunaion

you look at goaltender on the PP?

you look at goaltender on the PP?
- hubie

First point was PK, second PP. Guess I could have worded that better.

This is ridiculous.

The "wants to play for Buffalo" is a trash variable.

I won't do the work. Take a look around the league and I bet you can find 20 better and cheaper non ELC dmen.
- TheSabresTaco

Easy on paper

Everything is easy on paper

It's not just location, it's a losing culture.

Irrelevant skinner waived/ signed to get paid.

He was and still is under contract. So none of those examples are reliable since he couldn't walk for nothing.

It was a horrible trade
- Mentalorgasm5

The point is they could’ve traded him for literally nothing and it doesn’t have to ruin your team for years. Plug the hole. Move on

Any trade for Nugent-Hopkins would happen in the summer. By then, an extension could be discussed. Look how quickly Pageau reached an extension with the Islanders after being traded at the deadline.

Also, I am not saying that he would be willing to extend in Buffalo, just that if the Sabres wouldn't trade for him unless they felt they had a more than reasonable chance to agree to an extension.
- buffalofan19

And all I am saying is that it's a moot point to discuss trading for RNH due to this situation. I don't think there is any way he doesn't explore free agency unless he likes Edmonton's future and resigns there.

This is my dream place to live.
- ImThatGuy

It's nice and expensive.

you look at goaltender on the PP?
- hubie

Well, only Detroit has given up more shorthanded goals than us. 11 shorthanded goals against is pretty bad.

The salary cap could go up around 5m and the Sabres will have around 40m in cap space.


Make or break for Botts

First, why are the Avs trading Kadri after just trading for him?
Rakell is a nice player on a great contract, but is he a center? He has taken 11 faceoffs this year and 48 last year. He may have came in as a center, but has moved to the wing. I think we have a couple of those already.
How much are you willing to give up for one season of RNH? Likely with him at 2C we are contending for the playoffs, so unlikely to flip him at the TDL. First time headed to free agency for him and likely going to look for top dollars. Would be Skinner all over again.
Malkin has 2 years left at $9.5m, will be 34 in July and has a NMC. Your proposal is allowing Pittsburgh to rebuild on the fly and weakening our already thin prospect pool.
- adambuffalo

Hmmmmm,
Sounds like getting a sure fire 2C who puts up 70+ annually will require an overpayment from trades of Risto/Montour/Reino or combination of them..or they could have overpaid for a 55pt 2C for $4.75AVV.
Nice going Jason Bottom Feeder Botterill!

A good center isn't someone who is good at faceoffs. It's someone who can cover the middle of the ice at both ends, much more ice than a winger. More and more wingers are among the league's faceoff leaders now. If Rakell can do that, then they should get him.

I would imagine Nugent-Hopkins would come with assurances of an extension.
- buffalofan19

Yes, and drive puck possession with controlled zone exits and controlled zone entries, all the while being able to in 5v5 situations set-up a proven 40 goal scorer

Yes and no. The election is a matter of strategy, and Bernie Sanders did absolutely nothing to try to attract moderate voters, either in 2016 or in 2020. That's on him.
- buffalofan19

Plus he is a communist - not socialist - communist.

If he really wants to practice what he preaches, hold him accountable for all of his wealth obtained as a public servant AND have his wife explain how she absolutely incinerated Vermont College, where she was President.

Hmmmmm,
Sounds like getting a sure fire 2C who puts up 70+ annually will require an overpayment from trades of Risto/Montour/Reino or combination of them..or they could have overpaid for a 55pt 2C for $4.75AVV.
Nice going Jason Bottom Feeder Botterill!
- IonSabres

Over paying for a 2C/3C who hit 55 points once who has not been the same since his injury and is on pace for 50 points this season is not the answer.
Glad we dodged that bullet. They likely wanted a 1st from us.

This makes little sense to trade away ALL of our D-men. Who the heck is going to replace them?

maybe 1 goes and for me it would be Risto, i think you can get the most of him.
- hehateme

How are you trading them all away, and we have players to replace a spot or 2 with Pilut or Borgen.

Fake News.
Just like nobody wanted to pay Skinner $9m for his 40 goal season and realized that contract was a $1M +/- overpayment; NOBODY wants to pay Sam $7M for his 60-65 pt season.
Some, like me, believe a number of factors will conspire such that Sam does get $7m or more based on 6+ seasons and staying around 65 pts.
Does that mean I want to, hell no..I hope they can sign him for $6m or less.
Ain't going to happen.
I'm fine trading him, just first get 2 RWs that can play to close the holes trading Sam will create. If not, I don't understand the rational for trading your 2nd leading scorer.

But you go on with your narrative.
- IonSabres

Why all the sudden is everyone turning their backs on sam?

He had 3 shots last night- on net