GARTH'S CORNER: Holiday Hall

They weren't even mentioned by Friedman so Botts clearly doesnt have Sheros ear...

Also pretty sure Ray is going to be more focused trying to pry players like Bowen Byram then he is a cluster of 25yro players that are what they are and have very little room for growth.

If Buffalo was very serious about landing Hall my guess would be Ray would want 2 firsts and a possible conditional 3rd first. No prospects or additional picks.

Roll the dice that Buffalo is still crap and collect the high draft picks.

Other then that I dont really think Shero has much interest in doing a trade that promises he gets not one star piece back, at least with the first round picks you have the oppertunity to hit home runs with those picks.

shero will do whats best for the devils. who cares he is buddies with botteril. who cares his former coach is now the sabres coach. all of it is irrelevent. sabres will be bridesmaids once again.

miller isnt a top 4 dman either. stop with that nonsense.

As much as you like to think Botts relationship with Shero matters in a deal for Hall, you ignore Hall’s accomplishments and the value that brings when comparing him to Stone.

Last i checked, Stone didn’t win a Hart.

And before you say “it doesn’t matter, his recent play matters”, that’s fine.
But Botts isn’t in the same organization as Shero anymore. Their recent standing being paid by competing teams should matter.

Hall won’t fetch the world. Hell, he may not even fetch a first AND a top prospect like many assume. But you have to figure he would pull one of the two. In that case, Buffalo’s prospects don’t stack up to the other teams in the mix, in my opinion.

What does "Holiday Hall" even mean? How did you miss the opportunity to use Hall-iday?

What does "Holiday Hall" even mean? How did you miss the opportunity to use Hall-iday?
- Sashamook

I think he was aiming for Holiday Haul.

But then again i think Garth is drunk half the time he posts so who knows.

Man, if the best we can do is what Todd is proposing with Buff, time to just pack it. Nothing mentioned would be attractive.

I think he was aiming for Holiday Haul.

But then again i think Garth is drunk half the time he posts so who knows.
- FLdevilsFAN

I got so excited reading this when I thought it was a NJ writer. Then the more I read, the more i recognized the writings style and realized it was Garth. So disappointing

So early this morning my sons hockey team was knocked out of a tournament by the top seeded team in a very closely contested game. I was asked to run the D as we were a bit short on players and had only one coaches.

Short story long is the kids played their hearts out and didn’t quit a bit. Even as they saw it start to slip away with a late goal against us they just fought and fought. And sadly I knew it was an uphill fight for them and not likely to end well but as a coach you have to encourage them to keep going and show them a path forward to turn the tide.

I only briefly visited the locker room after the game since our head coach didn’t seem inclined. I thanked them sincerely for playing the type of game they should be proud of and that I was truly impressed with their valor. But you know I could see it really hurt them. Meaning a loss that they had poured so much into. Because it’s easy to say garbage like this team won because they wanted it more but that’s not really how it works.

But regardless it sort of got me to wonder how the guys on our other favorite hockey team feel. Because I think the NJ Devil players are trying or trying to try and they just feel like they keep getting beat down. How hard it must make it all.

My sons team will lick our wounds and think of the weekend two wins and epic tie before this and move on. But the Devils have a long road this season and you can’t just ask the players to fight their way out of it playing the same system that isn’t working.

It’s time for a change. I’m convinced there is no other way to reasonably expect better until that happens.

Man, if the best we can do is what Todd is proposing with Buff, time to just pack it. Nothing mentioned would be attractive.
- redmonsters

Apologies, I was fooled and thought it was a real writer, so nevermind.

there is no way hall re-signs with buffalo. so there is no way buffalo makes a deal like you are suggesting for a rental. hall will not sign an extension with anyone and will wait until he is a ufa to decide where he wants to play. it's that simple....

Expecting the same type of return that Stone garnered Ottawa is a tad overzealous. That trade included an extension signed by Stone. Hall and his agent seem to be intent on seeing what he can get on open Market. If that is the case I can't see the Devils getting that much for a rental. ... He is certainly a "rental" that can be the difference in winning a cup for a top tier team, but giving up 2 top prospects and a second seems a bit much. .. my guess is if someone offers a first and a decent prospect it gets done.

Expecting the same type of return that Stone garnered Ottawa is a tad overzealous. That trade included an extension signed by Stone. Hall and his agent seem to be intent on seeing what he can get on open Market. If that is the case I can't see the Devils getting that much for a rental. ... He is certainly a "rental" that can be the difference in winning a cup for a top tier team, but giving up 2 top prospects and a second seems a bit much. .. my guess is if someone offers a first and a decent prospect it gets done.
- niteislander

There is that arguement but the Devils can easily eat half Halls 6 million dollar cap hit making it 3 mil at the deadline for a superstar rental is going to have teams lined up and bidding.

Its kind of salty to assume Hall isnt going to garner an impressive return when plug depth players go for a second rounder and sometimes 2 at the tdl to desperate gms so I am going to wait and see hoe it plays out but this is an asset pretty much every team even close to the playoffs can add to their roster to make a run.

Aslo just because his agent his telling him one thing now doesnt mean he wouldnt tell his agent to change his tune once rolling with a contender, so it isnt impossible that he wouldnt work out an extension but as things are now as a Devil he is being told to wait.

What Douglas Murray fetch at the tdl ? Or what did Lee Stempniak fetch the Devils at the deadline? And those are nobodies compared to Hall so ill just wait and see.

It may be lower then expected and it might not, but there is no way im going to shut that down isntantly knowing how stupid gms get.

I would not say I am Salty. I just think without an Extension in place before the trade I can't see anyone giving up 2 top prospects and a pick for a rental.

I can only speak as an Islander fan. Hall would be perfect for them as it's the one piece that could be the difference in a decent cup run. I would certainly give up a first round pick and a "B" type prospect for that rental. Without the extension though you would not be able to pry a Dobson or Whalstrom out of Lou (top prospects). I am not sure if Lou would even give up a first round pick for a rental (I certainly would).

and for the record I don't see you guys trading him to the Isles. Just giving you my opinion on what a rental is worth. If you can get a first and an ok prospect it's a very solid trade.

There is that arguement but the Devils can easily eat half Halls 6 million dollar cap hit making it 3 mil at the deadline for a superstar rental is going to have teams lined up and bidding.

Its kind of salty to assume Hall isnt going to garner an impressive return when plug depth players go for a second rounder and sometimes 2 at the tdl to desperate gms so I am going to wait and see hoe it plays out but this is an asset pretty much every team even close to the playoffs can add to their roster to make a run.

Aslo just because his agent his telling him one thing now doesnt mean he wouldnt tell his agent to change his tune once rolling with a contender, so it isnt impossible that he wouldnt work out an extension but as things are now as a Devil he is being told to wait.
- Devilish4

The retained salary would be prorated so it's not a big deal. Adds some value but I don't think it's huge.

A lot depends on the market. Some crappy rentals get overpriced and some underpriced. We got more then expected for Ben Lovejoy last year but didn't took a hit on MoJo compared to his expected value. Before that we overpaid for Grabner and ended up with Maroon for cheap. Anything can happen.

I think Hall is intent on becoming a free agent and picking where he plays for the next 7 years and he won't sign an extension. He's a rental. A damn good one (if he stays healthy) but really I'm guessing a 1st rounder and another asset (like a 2nd or a good prospect or a roster player).

The track record says Shero does well when he trades early and not at the deadline. I'm expecting this to go down soon because the team is tire fire and he (hopefully realizes) he needs to move Hall and fire Hynes.

Suggesting Hall is packed to stay in Buffalo is very over-zealous. I don't think the pieces Buffalo is offering, at least those shown in this article, would knock Shero's socks off to the point he wouldn't take that offer to the other interested teams to see if they can do better.

I mean, Rasmus was being offered before the season started. He should not be the biggest piece in this return by any means. A second round pick doesn't exactly sweeten the pot either. Seems like we can get a lot more for a player than can slide in on the first line of just about every team in the league.

So the Sabres own their own pick in 2020 and 2020?


You actually didn’t tell us that Hall would be traded. Well known fact that players on expiring contracts on a bad team get dealt

Suggesting Hall is packed to stay in Buffalo is very over-zealous. I don't think the pieces Buffalo is offering, at least those shown in this article, would knock Shero's socks off to the point he wouldn't take that offer to the other interested teams to see if they can do better.

I mean, Rasmus was being offered before the season started. He should not be the biggest piece in this return by any means. A second round pick doesn't exactly sweeten the pot either. Seems like we can get a lot more for a player than can slide in on the first line of just about every team in the league.
- ShoresideDevil

Biggest piece would be a 1st rounder. Doubt you’d get a first liner TBH. The point of a Hall trade for you guys would be to start a rebuild with Hughes and Hischier being your main pieces.

Probably see a trade being 1st, 2nd, Ristolainen and a prospect or two. Maybe even Mittlestadt being that 4th piece.

They weren't even mentioned by Friedman so Botts clearly doesnt have Sheros ear...

Also pretty sure Ray is going to be more focused trying to pry players like Bowen Byram then he is a cluster of 25yro players that are what they are and have very little room for growth.

If Buffalo was very serious about landing Hall my guess would be Ray would want 2 firsts and a possible conditional 3rd first. No prospects or additional picks.

Roll the dice that Buffalo is still crap and collect the high draft picks.

Other then that I dont really think Shero has much interest in doing a trade that promises he gets not one star piece back, at least with the first round picks you have the oppertunity to hit home runs with those picks.
- Devilish4

Lol how many times has a trade gone down by teams that Friedman didn’t mention? Probably like 80-90 percent.

Lol how many times has a trade gone down by teams that Friedman didn’t mention? Probably like 80-90 percent.
- Jammerz04

Still doesnt make it any more likely he goes to the Sabres. I would also say given he is a reliable source that it is more likely buffalo isnt a serious contender for Hall or they would have been mentioned... Plus do you not think Shero is going to go big game shopping before he starts on looking in the bargain bin and reclaimation project pile ?

He has months till the deadline so he is in no rush and I think he will have a lot of other assets a lot higher on his wish list than what Buffalo has or is willing to Dish out.