Salary Cap: Dr Dubas Cap Thread: He wants the Nurse

[Ryder71]

Novak out, Wright in, somehow. Not in the same trade

I like this methodology. Take a chance, maybe our coaches can get something out of him. Novak is what he is.

We should emphasize youth and high end skill when and where we can. Gotta move Raks. Maybe Raks and 22OA for a top 10. Although I'm not sure any team there would bite.

 

[TojoP]

Yeah it's four more years and not exactly a great hit for what is likely a like 45-60 point player these days. But I dunno... I think he would serve fine as roster filler while this team rebuilds.

Like I said... not exactly jumping for joy over a deal like that but then again I don't see ANY deals other than straight asset acquisition that makes much sense for this team anymore so YMMV. At least something like this gets you a potential rare commodity and a viable roster player to dump tough minutes on so guys you are actually trying to develop have a bit of leeway.

That's where we disagree. I don't think we're getting some rare player here. If we were, I have no problem taking a bad contract to do it.

Honestly I am probably not the best person to bounce roster ideas off of. I am utterly disinterested and more or less done with this team after they got mega clowned in the playoffs by a garbage team. All that just to coil that out on my carpet... nice one, guys. At this point I just... kinda want a lot of these guys out of my face. Call it boredom... call it disgust either way I just don't feel the need to get max value out of these player... I just want to finally kinda move on.

It's probably not a terrific deal at 50% retained but if I played with that percentage a bit it could be more palatable. I dunno. I don't think Raks is anything that special at this stage of the game and would field some fairly questionable offers for him and a bunch of other guys on this team at this point just to get them down the road.

Which is what I was arguing against in the first place and is why we disagree. I don't really want a questionable offer just to make a trade. But if they move Rakell for something that might help them rebuild, that's great.

 

[TojoP]

Ugh there goes one of our better targets. Love this trade for SJ. They probably get a similar prospect while filling a big need.

 

[Empoleon8771]

Tbh Kesselring mostly made sense for the Penguins as either a partner for Girard or if they traded for Nurse. Frankly I’d rather do neither of those

 

[BlindWillyMcHurt]

That's where we disagree. I don't think we're getting some rare player here. If we were, I have no problem taking a bad contract to do it.

Young right handed defensemen that can potentially play a two way game on the second pairing are rare enough to perk anyone's ears up. But I don't know enough about him to say whether or not he could live up to that. If you are of the opinion he cannot then fair enough I don't have any evidence to push back on that.

But the position dude plays and at least SOME of what he has shown is VERY desirable. Moreso than a pushing mid 30s decent winger. Or mediocre center. Whatever he is.

But yeah either way I don't care. This is a retirement tour, now. Officially. These guys aren't doing shit so I guess I can't be too arsed about serious roster construction ideas since I am basically going to echo @Ragamuffin Gunner from this point forward -- "#!&% losers." Lose games... get better picks. Kinda the only thing to look forward to, now.

 

[Jag68Sid87]

Trading roster players to move up in the draft. That is the way to go.

 

[Ulf5]

Nah. Dubas will do some things. Dude trades more than Jim Rutherford lol.

Yeah I was shocked when I saw the two totals.

 

[PensandCaps]

I guess I would say I am equally curious as to why people are so determined to hold on to Rickard Rakell like grim death. Do people think you could still get a first out of him? I rather doubt it.

Why wouldnt you get a 1st for a top 6 wing who scores 25-30 goals and 60-70 points.

And his contract is good value 2 years at 5 mil is a steal. much worse players have gotten 1sts.


Frankly Raks should bring back 1st +. if not, keep him.

 

[BlindWillyMcHurt]

Why wouldnt you get a 1st for a top 6 wing who scores 25-30 goals and 60-70 points.

And his contract is good value 2 years at 5 mil is a steal. much worse players have gotten 1sts.


Frankly Raks should bring back 1st +. if not, keep him.

If Dubas can get a first for him then hey he's a terrific GM.

I think the time to do that was LAST offseason but I'd be happy to be wrong I suppose.

 

[Ulf5]

That doesn't seem like much value. Certainly not what Sabres' fans said he was worth.
In fact, they said they didn't want/need any picks or prospects.

 

[PensandCaps]

If Dubas can get a first for him then hey he's a terrific GM.

I think the time to do that was LAST offseason but I'd be happy to be wrong I suppose.

Raks had a fantastic season. Dont see why his value would be any worse than last season.

I'd definitely want more than just a 1st for a very good top 6 wing with 2 years left. Easily will get that.

You're underrating Rakell.

 

[PensandCaps]

Nicolas Roy got a 1st+ and hes nowhere near the impact player of Rakell.

Colton just got two 3rds as a bottom 6 wing.

Raks would bring back a 1st at the very worst.

 

[eXile3]

That sucks about Kesselring. Really hoped Dubas would take a shot at him.

Of course maybe he did and just didn’t want to meet the price.

 

[BlindWillyMcHurt]

Raks had a fantastic season. Dont see why his value would be any worse than last season.

I'd definitely want more than just a 1st for a very good top 6 wing with 2 years left. Easily will get that.

You're underrating Rakell.

I think he had a great year in 2025. I don't see much fantastic about his year last year. It was fine.

He is a very up and down player who vacillates between good to very good seasons and down seasons and has some dietary/health issues that cause him to miss games pretty consistently. He is on a good contract and has some position flexibility. He is 33.

I don't think I am underrating him at all. I think he is what he is. That isn't bad but I don't think he is drawing a first, anymore. But Dubas has pants'd other GMs before so maybe he does again I dunno.

People are very weird about the complimentary players on this team. This team hasn't done diddly in a longggggggggg time. I do not understand the sentiment if I am being honest.

 

[PensandCaps]

I think he had a great year in 2025. I don't see much fantastic about his year last year. It was fine.

He is a very up and down player who vacillates between good to very good seasons and down seasons and has some dietary/health issues that cause him to miss games pretty consistently. He is on a good contract and has some position flexibility. He is 33.

I don't think I am underrating him at all. I think he is what he is. That isn't bad but I don't think he is drawing a first, anymore. But Dubas has pants'd other GMs before so maybe he does again I dunno.

People are very weird about the complimentary players on this team. This team hasn't done diddly in a longggggggggg time. I do not understand the sentiment if I am being honest.

Kiefer Sherwood got 2 2nds, washed up Perry got a 2nd, McMann got a 2nd and a 4th.

i have no problem trading Raks, but you better get more than just a 1st for a 30/60 winger when bottom 6 guys are bringing back those type of prices. Like Sherwood for 2 2nds was insane, Raks is waay better. im looking for a 1st+2nd or 3rd.

 

[SEALBound]

That sucks about Kesselring. Really hoped Dubas would take a shot at him.

Of course maybe he did and just didn’t want to meet the price.

Hard to argue with the price that Buffalo got.

 

[PensFutures]

That doesn't seem like much value. Certainly not what Sabres' fans said he was worth.
In fact, they said they didn't want/need any picks or prospects.

I wouldn't be shocked if this pick is used to trade for a Tuch replacement.

 

[Dipsy Doodle]

CAR didn't have to play FLA this year, who's smoked them like 3 years in a row, because FLA was too injured ot make the POs.

Exactly, shit happens. Good thing they didn't throw in the towel last summer because it was hopeless, eh?

Injuries are a very common reason why favourites don't live up to expectations, but even if they were the only one (they aren't), it'd still be enough reason not to fold up shop.

And even if you wanna use CAR as a template, you need high picks to draft or trade for important pieces, while also hitting a number of late-round homeruns. It also took them like 15 years to get back the SCF after trading for Staal.

The Canes only made one draft pick that was higher than Kindel who was an impact player for them on this run.

 

[eXile3]

Hard to argue with the price that Buffalo got.

Yeah it was even trade.

 

[Koivunsons]

Wish we would have made that trade.

 

[eXile3]

Exactly, shit happens. Good thing they didn't throw in the towel last summer because it was hopeless, eh?

Injuries are a very common reason why favourites don't live up to expectations, but even if they were the only one (they aren't), it'd still be enough reason not to fold up shop.

The Canes only made one draft pick that was higher than Kindel who was an impact player for them on this run.

Two.

 

[Jag68Sid87]

I wouldn't be shocked if this pick is used to trade for a Tuch replacement.

Someone like...Bryan Rust?

 

[Koivunsons]

Sure, why not? It's one of many possibilities. In my world, the possibilities are endless for Kindel. You keep harping on the negatives.

The kid is 19 going into his second season. The future is very bright. You sound like a 1990s grunge song when you talk about Kindel.

Yeah, he wore down last season. If he had NOT done that, it would be news.

Growth in a prospect is not exponential. I see no problems with trying to insulate a 19 year old in his second season. I think expecting him to come in and play 2C minutes is legitimately insane given what he did this year.

 

[TojoP]

Young right handed defensemen that can potentially play a two way game on the second pairing are rare enough to perk anyone's ears up. But I don't know enough about him to say whether or not he could live up to that. If you are of the opinion he cannot then fair enough I don't have any evidence to push back on that.

But the position dude plays and at least SOME of what he has shown is VERY desirable. Moreso than a pushing mid 30s decent winger. Or mediocre center. Whatever he is.

But yeah either way I don't care. This is a retirement tour, now. Officially. These guys aren't doing shit so I guess I can't be too arsed about serious roster construction ideas since I am basically going to echo @Ragamuffin Gunner from this point forward -- "#!&% losers." Lose games... get better picks. Kinda the only thing to look forward to, now.

I don't hate him as a target, but I don't see a sure fire 2nd pairing.

Even at 33, Rakell at half retained is a top 6 forward that can play all 3 forward positions and does the defense and board work adequately. I do think that's a more valuable trade chip than getting a 4-5 defenseman AND getting a player on a bad contract.

I would be interested in cashing in Rakell for something more valuable. I just don't get why we keep making these proposals for guys with bad contracts and only get mediocre returns.

 

[Koivunsons]

I don't hate him as a target, but I don't see a sure fire 2nd pairing.

Even at 33, Rakell at half retained is a top 6 forward that can play all 3 forward positions and does the defense and board work adequately. I do think that's a more valuable trade chip than getting a 4-5 defenseman AND getting a player on a bad contract.

I would be interested in cashing in Rakell for something more valuable. I just don't get why we keep making these proposals for guys with bad contracts and only get mediocre returns.

Is it though? What player like Rakell has returned a lot in a trade recently?

The idea here is the same as some of the other trades we've made. Upmaxx value. A RHD that can potentially become a 20 minute a night guy and contribute some points is going to have a ton more value than a 30+ year old goal scoring winger.