Confirmed with Link: Casey Mittelstadt traded to COL for D Bo Byram. Straight up.

[Rowley Birkin]

I can't believe there is so much negativity towards this trade... No wait it's HF Sabres - of course I can.

With TT/Cozens already signed long term there was simply no room for Mitts to join them. Mitts wasn't ever being extended long term. Surely that should be obvious? Would it have been better to walk him to UFA & lose him for nothing? Either way - it's not like there is a dearth of offensively talented forwards in the pipeline to replace his production...

We badly needed another bona fide top 4 D & we needed to make a big 'Ffor D' type trade for what seems like forever. Byram might not be the guy any of us were expecting - but now that it happened i really like it. Forget about handedness - the guy is a stud in the making. A top 4 comprising he, Dahlin & Power is tantalising, the type of core perennial contenders are built upon. A competent coach will make it work.

I agree that we now likely need to acquire another centre unless you really believe in Krebs. But the centre we need is a completely different type of player to Mitts.

 

[TehDoak]

I can't believe there is so much negativity towards this trade... No wait it's HF Sabres - of course I can.

With TT/Cozens already signed long term there was simply no room for Mitts to join them. Mitts wasn't ever being extended long term. Surely that should be obvious? Would it have been better to walk him to UFA & lose him for nothing? Either way - it's not like there is a dearth of offensively talented forwards in the pipeline to replace his production...

We badly needed another bona fide top 4 D & we needed to make a big 'Ffor D' type trade for what seems like forever. Byram might not be the guy any of us were expecting - but now that it happened i really like it. Forget about handedness - the guy is a stud in the making. A top 4 comprising he, Dahlin & Power is tantalising, the type of core perennial contenders are built upon. A competent coach will make it work.

I agree that we now likely need to acquire another centre unless you really believe in Krebs. But the centre we need is a completely different type of player to Mitts.

The problem was never trading Mittelstadt. They needed to change the makeup of their center group. The problem is their need is complementary d-men to play with Dahlin and Power. Bryam is too Similar. We will see what happens long term, but this feels like a square peg in a round hole type fit. Especially with Power and Dahlin here and locked up long term.

We will see how it works next year.

 

[Sabresfansince1980]

I can't believe there is so much negativity towards this trade... No wait it's HF Sabres - of course I can.

With TT/Cozens already signed long term there was simply no room for Mitts to join them. Mitts wasn't ever being extended long term. Surely that should be obvious? Would it have been better to walk him to UFA & lose him for nothing? Either way - it's not like there is a dearth of offensively talented forwards in the pipeline to replace his production...

We badly needed another bona fide top 4 D & we needed to make a big 'Ffor D' type trade for what seems like forever. Byram might not be the guy any of us were expecting - but now that it happened i really like it. Forget about handedness - the guy is a stud in the making. A top 4 comprising he, Dahlin & Power is tantalising, the type of core perennial contenders are built upon. A competent coach will make it work.

I agree that we now likely need to acquire another centre unless you really believe in Krebs. But the centre we need is a completely different type of player to Mitts.

I can't believe the faith some posters have in TT/Cozens as a top 2, or that just because they're signed long-term puts an imaginary NMC on their contracts that was never negotiated, or that Buffalo doesn't need three pretty good Cs instead of just the two that are incomplete players. It's also a leap of faith to think the guy that couldn't crack the top 4 on a well structured team will somehow come to Buffalo and be a steady defensively solid player that they need. The trade makes them younger, less experienced, and even less defensively responsible. It kicks the can down the road and says KA wants to stay on auto-pilot, waiting for a bunch of draft picks to hit and make him look good in another 2-4 years. Wait and watch Krebs be starting as 3C in October, D-pairs playing run-and-gun, and try to tell yourself about how great this trade was.

 

[Gabrielor]

I'm glad I was spared a 3rd Sabres center immediately winning the cup after leaving.

 

[Rowley Birkin]

The problem was never trading Mittelstadt. They needed to change the makeup of their center group. The problem is their need is complementary d-men to play with Dahlin and Power. Bryam is too Similar. We will see what happens long term, but this feels like a square peg in a round hole type fit. Especially with Power and Dahlin here and locked up long term.

We will see how it works next year.

I disagree. It's maybe not conventional - but i think Dahlin is such a unicorn that it opens up any number of possibilities with our top 4. Or if you do want to be more conventional - you have the opportunity to roll three pairs & have a Dahlin/Power/Byram on the ice at all times. Not to mention the PP flexibility. Either way i think it's an incredible foundation to build this team upon that literally every other fanbase will be envious of.

I can't believe the faith some posters have in TT/Cozens as a top 2, or that just because they're signed long-term puts an imaginary NMC on their contracts that was never negotiated, or that Buffalo doesn't need three pretty good Cs instead of just the two that are incomplete players. It's also a leap of faith to think the guy that couldn't crack the top 4 on a well structured team will somehow come to Buffalo and be a steady defensively solid player that they need. The trade makes them younger, less experienced, and even less defensively responsible. It kicks the can down the road and says KA wants to stay on auto-pilot, waiting for a bunch of draft picks to hit and make him look good in another 2-4 years. Wait and watch Krebs be starting as 3C in October, D-pairs playing run-and-gun, and try to tell yourself about how great this trade was.

You're certainly one of the better regular posters, who I've tended to agree with more often than not with over the years. So I'll just say that on this occasion I think this is a terrible take.

Adams is not going to trade either TT/Cozens so soon after extending them in the manner that he did. Adams undoubtedly made those decisions with Mitts clearly in the picture... Mitts was always going to be the odd man out

TT/Cozens are our guys & i think it's fickle at best to describe them as you have done in this post.

Nobody has said 'we don't need three pretty good centres' but it's clear that we do need a different type of player to Mitts. It is possible that Krebs could develop into the guy we want him to be - i haven't completely given up on him - but i think at this point we do add someone from outside the organisation. We have the biggest war chest in the league in terms of tradable assets - i have at times been as frustrated as anyone with Adams - but i truly believe that he's on the right path & have loved everything he has said in recent presses. I think he's going to back his words up with actions this offseason. At least wait until the season starts before criticising him for not making moves.

I think your take on Byram is way off too. You're entitled to that opinion of course - but i would at least give him & this coaching staff a chance before instantly dismissing him as worthless. As I've written above in my reply to Doak - i think having that trio really puts us in a unique position.

 

[Krieger Bot]

I'm glad I was spared a 3rd Sabres center immediately winning the cup after leaving.

By God @Gabrielor, that's Sam Reinhart's music!

 

[Rowley Birkin]

I'm glad I was spared a 3rd Sabres center immediately winning the cup after leaving.

I appreciate that the run of events we have suffered over the years has been ridiculous... But i really wish we weren't so focused on other teams & particularly former players.

It is possible for trades to be 'win/win' & this one has obvious potential to be one of them.

 

[Gabrielor]

By God @Gabrielor, that's Sam Reinhart's music!

It wasn't immediate, and I'd be real happy for Sam.

I appreciate that the run of events we have suffered over the years has been ridiculous... But i really wish we weren't so focused on other teams & particularly former players.

It is possible for trades to be 'win/win' & this one has obvious potential to be one of them.

I hate every team that isn't Buffalo. My hockey fandom is a dictatorship.

 

[Willgamesh]

It wasn't immediate, and I'm be real happy for Sam.


I hate every team that isn't Buffalo. My hockey fandom is a dictatorship.

I would be happy for Sam, and upset with Okie,Mountour,Kulikov TBH Panthers have been pretty dirty since their resurgence. I'm pulling for the winner of Edm/Van after Col got eliminated they really missed not having Landeskog.

 

[KrakenSabresMike]

I can't believe there is so much negativity towards this trade... No wait it's HF Sabres - of course I can.

With TT/Cozens already signed long term there was simply no room for Mitts to join them. Mitts wasn't ever being extended long term. Surely that should be obvious? Would it have been better to walk him to UFA & lose him for nothing? Either way - it's not like there is a dearth of offensively talented forwards in the pipeline to replace his production...

We badly needed another bona fide top 4 D & we needed to make a big 'Ffor D' type trade for what seems like forever. Byram might not be the guy any of us were expecting - but now that it happened i really like it. Forget about handedness - the guy is a stud in the making. A top 4 comprising he, Dahlin & Power is tantalising, the type of core perennial contenders are built upon. A competent coach will make it work.

I agree that we now likely need to acquire another centre unless you really believe in Krebs. But the centre we need is a completely different type of player to Mitts.

Right on buddy! Great post

 

[Gras]

By God @Gabrielor, that's Sam Reinhart's music!

Sam is a center?

 

[Sabre the Win]

Well after elimation Colorado fans are still saying they need a 2C.

 

[Beerz]

Well after elimation Colorado fans are still saying they need a 2C.

They should look at their 1C .. 1W and 1D

 

[Sabre the Win]

They should look at their 1C .. 1W and 1D

All over a PPG

 

[Beerz]

All over a PPG

They were terrible against Dallas

 

[Sabre the Win]

They were terrible against Dallas

I think you're really extending far on the reach to protect Mittlestadt here.

 

[Beerz]

I think you're really extending far on the reach to protect Mittlestadt here.

I think you didn't bother watching the series

 

[Sabre the Win]

I think you didn't bother watching the series

What I saw overall he's not a surefire 2C so I think the crying and hand wringing about losing Mittlestadt needs to stop.

 

[Krieger Bot]

Sam is a center?

Not to derail the thread with what was meant to be a light hearted post, but yes. He's been effective virtually every time he's ever played center. He just had bad coaches in Buffalo who didn't know how to use him, and now he plays on a team with lots of center depth.

To come at it a bit differently, let's say that, hypothetically, Vancouver decides to let Lindholm walk, and instead brings Sam home to play 2C behind Pettersson. Do you really think he couldn't fill the role? I've seen enough of Sam over the years to feel pretty confident he'd handle it just fine.

 

[MOGlLNY]

Mitts was good, happy for him finding his stride there. Dallas is super deep and the better team.

 

[MOGlLNY]

I appreciate that the run of events we have suffered over the years has been ridiculous... But i really wish we weren't so focused on other teams & particularly former players.

It is possible for trades to be 'win/win' & this one has obvious potential to be one of them.

In fairness I think that will stop very quickly once we have success. Pretty easy to do it now when we aren’t

 

[Dingo44]

Someone wrote an article a couple of days ago saying the Sabres won the trade. I think he makes some decent points.

I will add yesterday Casey ultimately came up empty and today Bo got the whole package.

Why the Sabres Are Winning the Mittelstadt Trade

We’re just over 70 days from the one-for-one trade of Casey Mittelstadt for Bowen Byram between the Buffalo Sabres and Colorado Avalanche. One player, Mittelstadt, is still alive in the Stanley Cup Playoffs while the other, Byram, has failed to reach the NHL postseason. Byram is now competing in...

buffalohockeynow.com

 

[Beerz]

What I saw overall he's not a surefire 2C so I think the crying and hand wringing about losing Mittlestadt needs to stop.

No?

 

[Chainshot]

Someone wrote an article a couple of days ago saying the Sabres won the trade. I think he makes some decent points.

I will add yesterday Casey ultimately came up empty and today Bo got the whole package.

Why the Sabres Are Winning the Mittelstadt Trade

We’re just over 70 days from the one-for-one trade of Casey Mittelstadt for Bowen Byram between the Buffalo Sabres and Colorado Avalanche. One player, Mittelstadt, is still alive in the Stanley Cup Playoffs while the other, Byram, has failed to reach the NHL postseason. Byram is now competing in...

buffalohockeynow.com

If people missed today’s world championship game, they might not understand that reference in the future. Solid joke, though.

 

[Dreakon13]

I appreciate that the run of events we have suffered over the years has been ridiculous... But i really wish we weren't so focused on other teams & particularly former players.

That'll stop once the Sabres stop sucking. Which has to happen eventually... right?