2024-2025 Blues Trade Proposals Thread.

[ezcreepin]

To the first bolded, I agree that he mentioned picks and prospects, as well as stop gaps, in his response. However, I continue to assert his answer of “Not really” indicates his mindset leading up to this deadline. It’s evident that he spent a significant portion of his time this deadline fielding offers for Schenn. Therefore, it’s understandable that he was in the mindset of selling, which you oppose. If he dedicated so much time to Schenn, how much time did he have to work on hockey trades? Furthermore, if he sold Schenn, what other players does he sell? Easily Faska, Sutter, and Binny, but what about Buchnevich, Kyrou? Do you think he established the value and market for these pieces? How much time did he devote to selling compared to hockey trades, futures trades, and stop gaps? You can continue to take issue with my hockey trades statement, but there is more evidence he spent more time on other trades. Also my overall point in the original post was disappointment in his answers and that I considered the interview to be quite poor. I also mentioned that I wish he had invested the assets to acquire Dobson, Nemec, or Clarke. Doug Armstrong’s one weakness is that he rarely loses a trade. I wish he had overpayed for Dobson or Nemec, as that is the piece we really need in both the short and long term.

To your second bolded, I never advocated for any of that quite the opposite I was mad he didn’t add. Now to be fair, going off reporting that Armstrong was unhappy with the locker room and everyone was available prior to the four nations break, I speculated on a Scheen trade and asserted he had value to bring back Nemec to much derision. However, even in those post I said I thought it was a bad idea to trade Schenn. I also said that changes were needed at the time as it seemed like this team would miss the playoffs like 2011 and Army might clean house. Had we continued to play that way I would have been all for it. Since the break though I have been rooting for playoffs and really wish Armstrong had helped the team out after Colt went down.

I would disagree heavily that he was in the mindset of selling, otherwise we would've seen it. Not one player besides Schenn was rumored to be a possible trade chip, and to what extent that went is anyone's guess. All that was reported was per McKenzie and it was only in regard to the Leafs. I'll grant you that Army fielded offers, but did he fully exercise his no move or was it only for the Leafs? There's only one report, so I don't think we can read far into that. I think if he really wanted to sell, he could have easily sold on players like Texier, Joseph, Faksa, and Suter. Plenty of bottom of the barrel players were being traded for some decent draft assets, so why not do that if you're in the mindset of selling? If he wanted to add, which I can't say one way or another, what extent are you willing to go in that direction? What if the Canes were asking for Neighbours, Bolduc, Snuggerud, and a 2nd? Are you going to make that trade? What if he inquired about Dobson, Nemec, and Clarke but the ask was just as insane? What if, for any one of those players, the final ask was Neighbours, Snuggerud, and a 1st? If that trade even worth it at that point to clear out nearly a quarter of your top 9 for the near future? And as I said, even if those players were available, it's obvious that there was no team willing to pay the asking price for them, otherwise we would've seen a deal similar to the Norris/Cozens trade.

You absolutely advocated for him to sell. You believe that if you want to make the playoffs, then pay the prices for players like Dobson, Nemec, or Clarke, which btw only Dobson would provide immediate value for a team pushing for the playoffs. You also believe that if this team can't make the playoffs then they should sell. You believe he attempted to sell, which by definition means you would agree to selling players on the team. Now to be fair to you, I see that you were not in favor of Schenn being traded, so you personally are not advocating for that type of behavior, but you are advocating for GMs to either do it or don't, is that a fair statement?

Ultimately, I think we just have a difference in opinion about the press conference and what the goals and/or motivations a GM should have, which is fine. I personally am not willing to give up the cost for a player like Dobson, Nemec, or Clarke unless it's something akin to a top prospect not named Dvorsky and a pick. I would understand people telling me that's not fair value for those defenseman, but honestly I couldn't care less because we have a serviceable playoff d-corp currently and a lacking forward group. I think if that group of defensemen were forwards, then I might be more willing to give up quantity for one of them. Someone like Zetterlund I think I would've begrudgingly traded Kaskimaki and a 2nd to improve the wing position in the top 9 if that gives you some sort of clarity in my personal logic.

PS: Love you, all in good hockey debate fun

 

[Xerloris]

I wish I had a better understanding of the challenges in Bufallo.

A deadline passes. The Sabres do hockey trades flipping a center and defense slot.

Then the teams captain and highest paid player goes to gm with desire to be better.

I wonder if Dahlin had expectations for the roster and deadline. It’s a lot of good young players in key roles. I wonder what he thinks the fix is considering he’s also a young player in a key role. Should the team not build with the good young talent it has? Are others not putting in the work?


I wonder if a big islanders trade comes?

Horvat and Dobson for Dahlin and Krebs or something.

I wonder if Dahlin realizes a 24-26 yo perennial norris finalist d with tons of term will cost so much that wherever he goes probably will need to go through a build up phase just like he’s in now. Going to be hard for the Sabres to get a fair return but I still guess it would be absolutely massive.

I don't think the players talent is the reason they're terrible. No trade is going to help them.

 

[ezcreepin]

I wish I had a better understanding of the challenges in Bufallo.

A deadline passes. The Sabres do hockey trades flipping a center and defense slot.

Then the teams captain and highest paid player goes to gm with desire to be better.

I wonder if Dahlin had expectations for the roster and deadline. It’s a lot of good young players in key roles. I wonder what he thinks the fix is considering he’s also a young player in a key role. Should the team not build with the good young talent it has? Are others not putting in the work?


I wonder if a big islanders trade comes?

Horvat and Dobson for Dahlin and Krebs or something.

I wonder if Dahlin realizes a 24-26 yo perennial norris finalist d with tons of term will cost so much that wherever he goes probably will need to go through a build up phase just like he’s in now. Going to be hard for the Sabres to get a fair return but I still guess it would be absolutely massive.

Well, for a good long while, management was f***ing awful. Couple that with bad coaching, and you have a recipe for disaster for many years. Now that the Sabres are in a "better" place, they haven't necessarily had time to surround their young players with veteran talent that can help them progress; the young guys have had to pull the rope by themselves.

Really, if they would have just invested in a decent coach, surrounded their young players with decent veteran talent in 2015 they probably would have been just fine today. Instead, they sign O'Reilly which is a big win and then..... what else? Okposo? Kane? Ok so you have two good players, a good player with possible locker room issues, and then who else? Gionta? McGinn? Moulson? There's literally no one there to help these guys (btw ROR was 24 years old lmao what). Point is, Sabres had so much quality in terms of prospects and basically gave the keys to a 5 year old. What else did management expect out of a very young core?

TL;DR - Acquire quality prospects and young players and fail to surround them with veteran talent and good coaching.

 

[ChicagoBlues]

I don't think the players talent is the reason they're terrible. No trade is going to help them.

Agreed. They will not be successful anytime soon and the reason is not the players.

 

[Spear]

So, does Buffalo can Lindy Ruff at the end of the year and target a younger coach like Steve Ott who now appears to be blocked by Monty?

 

[joe galiba]

So, does Buffalo can Lindy Ruff at the end of the year and target a younger coach like Steve Ott who now appears to be blocked by Monty?

they need to if they want to have any hope at all

 

[bleedblue1223]

Buffalo is just a prime example of how a burn it to the ground rebuild goes poorly. It's very difficult properly developing young players in a mess where there is no solid culture and a revolving door of vets.

 

[ChicagoBlues]

Pegula purchased the Sabres in 2011. The Sabres have not qualified for the playoffs since 2011.

Coinkadink?

What deal does he have in place to keep the team as a feeder organization for the NHL?

Because, effectively, that’s all they are.