2018-19 Roster Speculation Pt. 3: Started from the bottom now we're here

[Uberpecker]

I'd go a few routes to fix center.

My big target is Tierney. If Ottawa is serious about re-signing Duchene, they'll have Pageau and White at center with Brown on the way. He might shake free. The cost would be in the Samuelsson range, and I make that move. Borgen and a pick?

Then Sissons. Won't take that much. 3/4 in the draft pending how the Sheary trade works out, and Bailey.

Then Brassard. Sobotka and a 5th. Brassard helps build scoring depth. He's losing some but he's also a bad fit in the Pens system as a 3C.

Skinner - Eichel - Pominville
Sheary - Brassard - Reinhart
Thompson/ERod - Tierney - Okposo
Berglund - Larsson - Girgensons
x Sissons

Gives the team playoff depth, and lets Thompson go to Rochester if needed.

Some Sens fans were targeting Scandella early in the season and seemed pretty high on him. Sens definitely need veteran d so I wonder if something around Scandella for Tierney would work. The Brassard for Sobotka trade is a no brainer should it become available.

 

[DJN21]

This is the wrong time to think about trades. Lets get Scandella and McCabe back for a few games...even Nelson and/or Hunwick and see how we play. Our losing started when we lost Scandella and McCabe. Trading now seems counter productive unless the doors got knocked off. I wanna see this team at full strength again for a few games before going nuts.

 

[rt]

Well liked in the room and competes very well down low. We hated it when he was on PP1. Started out the season with too many minutes but has looked better with 12-14. Not worth his contract. Hence considered a camp dump.

So if a team offered some shorter, less expensive contracts in exchange that might be considered? Is there a realistic scenario where the Sabres retain any percentage of his contract without actual value coming back?

 

[MackAttack26]

So if a team offered some shorter, less expensive contracts in exchange that might be considered? Is there a realistic scenario where the Sabres retain any percentage of his contract without actual value coming back?

Not sure where the team stands but hoping they would be open to these options.

Our cap crunch will likely take place in 2-3 seasons from now I would say. So if we could move Okposo for a shorter contract that would be ideal. I would also say retaining a portion of his contract without value coming back should be an option. To what amount, I am not sure? 20%, 25%?

 

[CaptPantalones]

Anyone know much about Miles Wood?
Good size and apparently very fast.
LW born in Buffalo.

Good skater. Uses his size pretty well. Dad is former Sabre Randy Wood

 

[rt]

Not sure where the team stands but hoping they would be open to these options.

Our cap crunch will likely take place in 2-3 seasons from now I would say. So if we could move Okposo for a shorter contract that would be ideal. I would also say retaining a portion of his contract without value coming back should be an option. To what amount, I am not sure? 20%, 25%?

What’s your initial reaction to the idea of Richard Panik (27yo pending UFA 2.8m CapHit) for Okposo with 20-25% retained?

 

[MackAttack26]

What’s your initial reaction to the idea of Richard Panik (27yo pending UFA 2.8m CapHit) for Okposo with 20-25% retained?

I'd do it rather easily. 3-4 years from now Okposo taking up a roster spot and 6m in space could really hurt us. 1.5m in dead space for that long would suck, but would be more manageable imo.

 

[debaser66]

@OkimLom & @debaser66, when you dressed this morning, you forgot to wind your sarcasm meter.

[It's a poke back at the ROR trade.]

You forgot yours too so mine was already running (tough its quite hard to start up in cold weather ;-)

 

[Der Jaeger]

TSN trade bait:

Parayko would be great but he'd cost a ton. Same with Pesce. Coyle would be a solid add but he's not the net front power forward everyone envisions. Niederreiter is, however, and would be a solid add. Faulk is only 26 but that might be too many offense first D for the corps.

The rest are either too old, too expensive, or too much in a trade without gutting the organization.

 

[Team Cozens]

We are going to have too many bodies soon. Something has to give.
Would love to give VO a few games on top of that....

Skinner - Eichel - Goaloffson
Sheary - Mitts - Reinhart
Thompson - Erod - Okposo
Girgs - Larry - Berglund

Pommer
Sobotka - Trade for anything. + spare D for Brassard?

 

[tsujimoto74]

Is Okposo a cap dump candidate at this point or does the team value him?

He's definitely still got value on and off the ice. He's a drag to the 1st PP unit when Housley lines him up there, but he's still a solid even strength contributor, and he's part of the leadership group in the room. I don't have any issue with him as a 2nd line winger. The concern with him isn't really now; it's a few years down the road when Dahlin and Mittelstadt are coming off their ELCs and Reinhart is coming off his bridge. He's almost certainly not going to be worth his contract at that point, and we need to make sure we have the cap space to lock in our young core guys.

 

[Djp]

Not sure where the team stands but hoping they would be open to these options.

Our cap crunch will likely take place in 2-3 seasons from now I would say. So if we could move Okposo for a shorter contract that would be ideal. I would also say retaining a portion of his contract without value coming back should be an option. To what amount, I am not sure? 20%, 25%?

If they try to get another higher salary player in a trade long term at $7M or more will create a cap crunch. This is with Reinhart signing and Mitts getting 3 yr bridge taking him to the end of KO contract.

In a trade for someone like Tarasenko/Kane would involve KO going back.

With expansion happening in 2021 He would have just 2 yrs so not hard to get him to be taken. The last year is buyout friendly.

 

[Uberpecker]

There is no wrong time to think about trades. Especially not on an Internet forum entitled "roster speculation".
For an actual GM that holds true as well. Doesn't mean he has to make trades for the sake of making them. But if an opportunity to
better the team presents itself, you take it, period.

 

[UnleashRasmus]

TSN trade bait:

Parayko would be great but he'd cost a ton. Same with Pesce. Coyle would be a solid add but he's not the net front power forward everyone envisions. Niederreiter is, however, and would be a solid add. Faulk is only 26 but that might be too many offense first D for the corps.

The rest are either too old, too expensive, or too much in a trade without gutting the organization.

Faulk has fallen lost a step for sure. If there's anyone here that I'd love to see on the roster it would be Niederreiter and Parayko. I'm not convinced Pesce is much more than a solid stay at home guy. Sure we could use that, but if we're going to pay for an established RHD, it's Parayko and nothing else.

 

[dkollidas]

Faulk has fallen lost a step for sure. If there's anyone here that I'd love to see on the roster it would be Niederreiter and Parayko. I'm not convinced Pesce is much more than a solid stay at home guy. Sure we could use that, but if we're going to pay for an established RHD, it's Parayko and nothing else.

I’d pay more for Trouba than Parayko personally. Also I think he’s more likely to be dealt than Parayko.

 

[Club]

What would it cost to obtain Nyquist? He's been playing pretty well this year.

 

[sabresfan129103]

IDK where to put this, but I figured this thread was as good as any. The Botterill interview starts around the 28 minute mark.

 

[Yatzhee]

Interesting thread discussion on several topics these past few pages.

Okposo won't be moved this season imo. Off season? Maybe, but I fully expect him here next season, Bots has the time and his veteran presence isn't a negative.

Youngsters from Rochester won't see the roster in any significant time barring injuries imo. You have to remember, we are in the middle of a battle for a playoff spot, and to date, are succeeding. Expect next season's arrival of Nylander and Olofsson to be sure.

I expect a trade, the defense is ripe and over flowing. Imo, Scandella is the one moved, given the emergence of Pilut and the necessity of his 4 mil cap hit. What we get in return, regardless of who is moved, is very interesting to me.

The need for secondary scoring that is consistent is glaring. That trade mentioned above may in fact address or start to address that.

I see no rentals inbound this year.
The draft picks Bots will keep and use unless one of them is required to secure a controlled young center that is NHL ready or already playing. That is the only way I see one of those picks moved.

We can of course, discuss which young-ish center Bots may target, that is always fun..........so speculate away.......

 

[Ace]

IDK where to put this, but I figured this thread was as good as any. The Botterill interview starts around the 28 minute mark.

He was pretty candid when asked about the four first rounders and the deadline. Said he would never say they wouldn’t include them in a deal but didn’t envision moving them for rentals. A young player that could be a part of the team would be more the play. Said he knows the team isn’t one top player away from being in the elite team group right now. Said they have guys in Roch they think will come in and contribute in the second half.

This is the exact answer I want to hear. Dahlin is 18. Give me four first round prospect shots to enter the league when he’s 21-23. That’s not a window...that’s a whole missing wall.

 

[Der Jaeger]

We are going to have too many bodies soon. Something has to give.
Would love to give VO a few games on top of that....

Skinner - Eichel - Goaloffson
Sheary - Mitts - Reinhart
Thompson - Erod - Okposo
Girgs - Larry - Berglund

Pommer
Sobotka - Trade for anything. + spare D for Brassard?

We’ve got too many players said no team ever.

Faulk has fallen lost a step for sure. If there's anyone here that I'd love to see on the roster it would be Niederreiter and Parayko. I'm not convinced Pesce is much more than a solid stay at home guy. Sure we could use that, but if we're going to pay for an established RHD, it's Parayko and nothing else.

I think Pesce would be perfect for Dahlin.

 

[Fezzy126]

Interesting thread discussion on several topics these past few pages.

Okposo won't be moved this season imo. Off season? Maybe, but I fully expect him here next season, Bots has the time and his veteran presence isn't a negative.

Youngsters from Rochester won't see the roster in any significant time barring injuries imo. You have to remember, we are in the middle of a battle for a playoff spot, and to date, are succeeding. Expect next season's arrival of Nylander and Olofsson to be sure.

I expect a trade, the defense is ripe and over flowing. Imo, Scandella is the one moved, given the emergence of Pilut and the necessity of his 4 mil cap hit. What we get in return, regardless of who is moved, is very interesting to me.

The need for secondary scoring that is consistent is glaring. That trade mentioned above may in fact address or start to address that.

I see no rentals inbound this year.
The draft picks Bots will keep and use unless one of them is required to secure a controlled young center that is NHL ready or already playing. That is the only way I see one of those picks moved.

We can of course, discuss which young-ish center Bots may target, that is always fun..........so speculate away.......

I agree with this... Looking at guys under contract for next year we have:

Forwards:

XXX	Eichel	Reinhart
Sheary	Mitts	Okposo
Thompson	Sobotka	XXX
XXX	XXX	Berglund
Wilson

[TBODY] [/TBODY]

Defense

Dahlin	Bogo
Pilut	Risto
Scandella	Nelson
Hunwick

[TBODY] [/TBODY]

and of course Hutton in goal.

Our RFAs are Girgs, Larsson, Erod, Elie, McCabe, Beaulieu, Ullmark

Assuming we qualify most of these guys (which I assume we do, no one likes to lose assets for nothing), we're basically bringing back the same team sans Pommers & Skinner. I wonder how Botts sees our potentially NHL ready prospects cupboard for next season:

Nylander

Smith

Olofsson

Malone

Asplund

Oglevie

Guhle

[TBODY] [/TBODY]

My way way way too early offseason wishlist would be:

1. Sign Skinner
2. Bring back all RFAs except Beaulieu (try and sell him at this year's TDL)
3. Swap Scandella for a depth-level RH PMD
4. Scour the trade block for a mid-6 level center with faceoff ability (Carter, Jenner, Kadri)
5. Either find a sucker for Sobotka or buy him out

The biggest question mark in my mind right now is what to do with Girgs & Larsson. I wouldn't mind bringing them back as they've been quite effective this year. But, re-signing them almost certainly blocks the kids ability to make the big club.

 

[Sabresfansince1980]

The biggest question mark in my mind right now is what to do with Girgs & Larsson. I wouldn't mind bringing them back as they've been quite effective this year. But, re-signing them almost certainly blocks the kids ability to make the big club.

Girgensons and Larsson aren't going to block the Rochester guys, unless maybe you include Malone in that group. None of Nylander, Smith, or Olofsson will be checking line FWs. Pominville and Elie will be gone, and maybe Rodrigues or Wilson get traded. I'd like to hope Sobotka gets traded, but that's only an option if Asplund tears it up, but Asplund probably stays in Rochester regardless next season. Of course, if Skinner goes that's another spot...but we don't want to plan for that.

 

[joshjull]

 

[La Cosa Nostra]

Man if we could acquire Jeff Carter and not move Nylander, Pilut, Samuelsson and the 4 1sts that would be a major coup. He would be the perfect target. He can be the 2C rest of this year and start of next until 37 is fully ready. His aav is very nice also.

Carter could take this team to the next level. legit top 6 two way CUP winning center. He is cheaper then Okposo. Carter is definitely my TDL dream acquisition.

 

[hizzoner]

I think LA would want good prospects with cost controlled low salaries to help them going forward in FA. I would tender an offer that included a second next year, Guhle, Rodrigues. LA probably would not bite but it would be a decent opening bid to try and work something out.