Speculation: 2024-25 - Free Agency/Trade Thread

Hey234

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I wouldn't trade any of Zelly, Lacombe, Hellesen or Minty unless its an absolute homerun deal for a star. We need to continue to build and develop from the back end out

I think those 4 should be untouchable unless for a clear position upgrade. Solberg and Luneau should be in that category too. That's the young defense core unless a huge player falls into their lap.
 

Hey234

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I was looking at the standings thinking about which teams would be bad enough at the deadline and would they be open to trading a good forward for futures.

Chicago and San Jose have already sold off their best pieces and are keeping the good ones. They are out. Nashville and Detroit are trading older players and not in full teardown mode. They are out. Columbus, Rangers, Philadelphia, St. Louis, Seattle, and Montreal either don't have the pieces or are not rebuilding. Most likely out. Pittsburgh doesn't have the pieces. All the other teams above the Penguins in the standings are pushing for playoffs, not selling off.

The only team, IMO, who I could see making a core shakeup or teardown this season is Buffalo. They have a number of players who would fit the bill as young, offensive top 6 forwards. Most likely have to wait until things get even worse with Buffalo, but that may be their best opportunity this season because I don't see another team selling off their core.
 

Der Jaeger

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Sabres fan here. I think Buffalo will eventually deal Owen Power. He’s being wasted behind Dahlin, relegated to running the 2nd power play. He need to be a 1D somewhere.

The Ducks have 3 good young LHD but Power projects much higher than any of the three. If Anaheim traded for Power, they’d probably need to move a LHD back in return. Moving Mintyukov makes no sense for either team, especially since Buffalo has Byram.

Between LaCombe and Zellweger, what would make more sense for Anaheim? Assume that Anaheim is calling about Power if you would, as I understand that some fans think there’s no deal to be made.

Thanks
 

Rasp

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Sabres fan here. I think Buffalo will eventually deal Owen Power. He’s being wasted behind Dahlin, relegated to running the 2nd power play. He need to be a 1D somewhere.

The Ducks have 3 good young LHD but Power projects much higher than any of the three. If Anaheim traded for Power, they’d probably need to move a LHD back in return. Moving Mintyukov makes no sense for either team, especially since Buffalo has Byram.

Between LaCombe and Zellweger, what would make more sense for Anaheim? Assume that Anaheim is calling about Power if you would, as I understand that some fans think there’s no deal to be made.

Thanks
What sort of price would Sabres want for Power? If Bob Murray was still GM he would be all over this.

IMO Zellweger would be the guy being moved for him because he least fits into Verbeek's idea for the team.
 
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Der Jaeger

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I would trade either of LaCombe or Zellweger for Power.

What sort of price would Sabres want for Power? If Bob Murray was still GM he would be all over this.

IMO Zellweger would be the guy being moved for him because he least fits into Verbeek's idea for the team.
This post is just spitballing and meant to start a discussion for value.

Sabres need centers and complimentary defensemen. They’ve got too many offensive minded D and need more solid D in their own end.

Power
Quinn (or Peterka)
Krebs

-for-

McTavish
Zegras
LaCombe (or Zellweger)
 

Hockey Duckie

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Sabres fan here. I think Buffalo will eventually deal Owen Power. He’s being wasted behind Dahlin, relegated to running the 2nd power play. He need to be a 1D somewhere.

The Ducks have 3 good young LHD but Power projects much higher than any of the three. If Anaheim traded for Power, they’d probably need to move a LHD back in return. Moving Mintyukov makes no sense for either team, especially since Buffalo has Byram.

Between LaCombe and Zellweger, what would make more sense for Anaheim? Assume that Anaheim is calling about Power if you would, as I understand that some fans think there’s no deal to be made.

Thanks

Is that the case or could is also be that Byram will need a new contract that might be in the $8 mil range with his current production.

LD Dahlin: $11 mil AAV until 2032
LD Power: $8.350 mil AAV until 2031
LD Samuelsson: $4.286 mil AAV until 2030
LD Byram: $3.850 mil AAV until 2025 (this season)
RD Clifton: $3.333 mil AAV until 2026.

That will be $27 mil for four defensemen next year without Byram's next contract. Let's say Bryam commands $8 mil AAV, then that's about $35 mil for five defensemen. That's a whole lotta money tied up on your defense for a bottom feeder team. For perspective, the Ducks salary for their whole defense this season is about $19 mil and could drop even more if Dumo is jettisoned at the TDL.

I think acquiring Power will be expensive for the Ducks. A young NHL D and a young NHL forward as a starting point.

As for a defenseman in return, either LaCombe or Zellweger would be great for Buffalo because both can actually play RD. You'd probably want LaCombe as he is the more refined two-way D, who is much further along the way defensively than Zell or Minty.

For a young NHL forward, then it will probably be between Z and Mac.

The Ducks' defense is ahead of its offense. I dunno if the Ducks would give up a young NHL forward because it wouldn't make much sense since we need more offense from our forwards. And most of us blame our head coach for the lack of offensive production from our youth forwards.

Maybe Buffalo has a coaching problem instead as well. That is a lot of money tied up on the defense if Byram does get an $8 mil extension.
 
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Kalv

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Mar 29, 2009
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This post is just spitballing and meant to start a discussion for value.

Sabres need centers and complimentary defensemen. They’ve got too many offensive minded D and need more solid D in their own end.

Power
Quinn (or Peterka)
Krebs

-for-

McTavish
Zegras
LaCombe (or Zellweger)
Ducks need to upgrade forwards. They're not great but very promising going forward on D.

Downgrading from Zegras and McT to Quinn (who I understand is struggling) and Krebs, would be something that Pat would just not do. And neither would fans, I believe.

So, what can you offer us to upgrade our forward lines?
 

tomd

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This post is just spitballing and meant to start a discussion for value.

Sabres need centers and complimentary defensemen. They’ve got too many offensive minded D and need more solid D in their own end.

Power
Quinn (or Peterka)
Krebs

-for-

McTavish
Zegras
LaCombe (or Zellweger)
This just seems like rearranging deck chairs on the Titanic for both teams.
 

Der Jaeger

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Feb 14, 2009
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Is that the case or could is also be that Byram will need a new contract that might be in the $8 mil range with his current production.

LD Dahlin: $11 mil AAV until 2032
LD Power: $8.350 mil AAV until 2031
LD Samuelsson: $4.286 mil AAV until 2030
LD Byram: $3.850 mil AAV until 2025 (this season)
RD Clifton: $3.333 mil AAV until 2026.

That will be $27 mil for four defensemen next year without Byram's next contract. Let's say Bryam commands $8 mil AAV, then that's about $35 mil for five defensemen. That's a whole lotta money tied up on your defense for a bottom feeder team. For perspective, the Ducks salary for their whole defense this season is about $19 mil and could drop even more if Dumo is jettisoned at the TDL.

I think acquiring Power will be expensive for the Ducks. A young NHL D and a young NHL forward as a starting point.

As for a defenseman in return, either LaCombe or Zellweger would be great for Buffalo because both can actually play RD. You'd probably want LaCombe as he is the more refined two-way D, who is much further along the way defensively than Zell or Minty.

For a young NHL forward, then it will probably be between Z and Mac.

The Ducks' defense is ahead of its offense. I dunno if the Ducks would give up a young NHL forward because it wouldn't make much sense since we need more offense from our forwards. And most of us blame our head coach for the lack of offensive production from our youth forwards.

Maybe Buffalo has a coaching problem instead as well. That is a lot of money tied up on the defense if Byram does get an $8 mil extension.
Great post, thanks for the feedback.
Ducks need to upgrade forwards. They're not great but very promising going forward on D.

Downgrading from Zegras and McT to Quinn (who I understand is struggling) and Krebs, would be something that Pat would just not do. And neither would fans, I believe.

So, what can you offer us to upgrade our forward lines?
Peterka?
 

dracom

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Dec 22, 2015
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Vancouver, WA
This post is just spitballing and meant to start a discussion for value.

Sabres need centers and complimentary defensemen. They’ve got too many offensive minded D and need more solid D in their own end.

Power
Quinn (or Peterka)
Krebs

-for-

McTavish
Zegras
LaCombe (or Zellweger)
I think most fans would rather remove an asset from the Sabres side to not include Zegras. He’s should be off limits personally
 
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Der Jaeger

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What type of player is Quinn ? What are is strengths ?

I see he plays RW on NHL.com with a RHS which is a need for us.

Peterka would be an interesting add to Power for LaCombe/Zellweger and McTavish though I think Buffalo would want an add of some type.
Quinn is a playmaker from the wing who is also a former 50 goal scorer in the OHL. Smart player who wins with smarts.

Maybe a bigger deal? Power, Peterka, and Quinn for Zegras, McTavish, and LaCombe?
 

tomd

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Quinn is a playmaker from the wing who is also a former 50 goal scorer in the OHL. Smart player who wins with smarts.

Maybe a bigger deal? Power, Peterka, and Quinn for Zegras, McTavish, and LaCombe?
Been following hockey for many decades but can't ever remember a trade where six NHL roster players all 23 or under were traded for each other.
 

Hockey Duckie

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Jul 25, 2003
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southern cal
What’s the deal with McTavish?

Too high of an expectation from Mac this season. He was a ppg player during two long stretches last year in a 20-game set and a 7-game set, but also oft injured last year. This year, we were expecting him to take the next step in his progression, but he is just as 0.50 ppg player to this point. A few of those points have come in garbage time.

I believe head coach Cronin has stunted all of our youth forwards. I also believe that Mac is a good soldier who tries to appease his head coach. In following what the head coach wants, it has left Mac looking out of place often. Coach Cronin wants Mac to play like Tkachuk, but Mac doesn't play that constant physical style; Mac is more optimal as a transition offensive mind than a constant physical dump-and-chase player like Tkuchuk.

Proof of misuse of our youth forwards is that none of them have taken a lift-off the past two seasons save Mac last year. We can use Zegras as the control group since he played before coach Cronin got here. Before Cronin arrived, Zegras had scored over 60 points and 23 goals in each of his first two full seasons with the Ducks. With Cronin... a dud and made out of glass.

1735108363985.png

Our top youth forwards are Carlsson, Gauthier, McTavish, and Zegras. Our youth defensemen are Helleson, LaCombe, Mintyukov, and Zellweger. Our youth d-men are scoring similarly to our youth forwards. It is scary and disappointing when a youth defenseman is a better goal scorer than three out of the four youth forwards.

1735108722719.png


The league average for GF and GA is 105 goals. The Ducks GF is 80 goals, or 25 fewer goals than the average and the league's worst GF production. The Ducks' GA is 102 goals allowed, or 3 goals allowed better than the average. This is why I don't think the Ducks need to move any forward youths until we have a new head coach with an offensive mind. Hell, we called up our best scoring youth forward from the AHL in Sam Colangelo and made him into a 4th line checker for eight NHL games without a sniff in the top-6 despite needing more scoring.
 

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