Confirmed with Link: FLA acquires forward Sam Reinhart from Buffalo, for 1st rounder (2022) & prospect Devon Levi

[FLpanthers16]

If you guys had had the choice between Reinhardt and Ristolainen, who would you have chosen?

I really like the Reinhardt pick, but we still need a top-4 Dman. Risto would probably be too expensive anyway in the long-run but he still has 1 year left on his contract at a reasonable price.
Curious what Reinhardt will end up at but I guess it will be not far off of what Risto is making currently (5.4 million)

Reinhart all the way, Risto is so overrated not even a good defender.

 

[austropanther]

Reinhart all the way, Risto is so overrated not even a good defender.

Just asking because Risto rather fits our need. But of course, there are alternatives

 

[BB88]

Just asking because Risto rather fits our need. But of course, there are alternatives

Reinhart is a far better player and usually much harder to get via trade.

There’s guys like Savard& Suter who could be had for just money and fit very well

 

[pb1300]

If you guys had had the choice between Reinhardt and Ristolainen, who would you have chosen?

I really like the Reinhardt pick, but we still need a top-4 Dman. Risto would probably be too expensive anyway in the long-run but he still has 1 year left on his contract at a reasonable price.
Curious what Reinhardt will end up at but I guess it will be not far off of what Risto is making currently (5.4 million)

Reinhart for sure. Risto is not good defensively, and not what we need.

 

[SimbaThePanther]

If you guys had had the choice between Reinhardt and Ristolainen, who would you have chosen?

I really like the Reinhardt pick, but we still need a top-4 Dman. Risto would probably be too expensive anyway in the long-run but he still has 1 year left on his contract at a reasonable price.
Curious what Reinhardt will end up at but I guess it will be not far off of what Risto is making currently (5.4 million)

Reinhart for me. Always wanted him on the team and I kind of feel he is a need as well at this time, fills out the top 6 real nice. Though yes, I too feel there is a rather high need for a decent top 4 d-man, really hoping Zito can find someone to get. I think we are fine on D to start the year, but in the long run and a PO run they need to add there...

Not sure if they are looking to re-sign Montour? He is a little meh for me, but stats wise he did alright during the regular season though, I guess he is better then other option we have there right now and I suppose he might get more of a PP look with Yandle gone now too?

 

[batting1k]

What I liked most about this trade is that there was no loyalty. Lu has been given credit a few times by Zito (last year and this year) for basically making the Levi pick. And I’m sure Lu spent a lot of time talking to Levi and watching him at World Juniors, etc over the course of this last year. But that didn’t stop him and the team from trading him away if it meant the team getting better. They weren’t stuck on the guy just because they drafted him.

Guaranteed, Dale would’ve come out of this draft and someone would asked him if there were any deals that were close, and he would’ve said, yeah there were a few things that were close but in the end we didn’t want to mortgage the future for a bandaid.

At the end of the day, these draft picks are basically free assets that the league gives you. Sure, at the end of the day you should try to draft guys with them. But them and the players you get with them are just pieces, use them how you want in order to get better.

 

[zeroG]

What I liked most about this trade is that there was no loyalty. Lu has been given credit a few times by Zito (last year and this year) for basically making the Levi pick. And I’m sure Lu spent a lot of time talking to Levi and watching him at World Juniors, etc over the course of this last year. But that didn’t stop him and the team from trading him away if it meant the team getting better. They weren’t stuck on the guy just because they drafted him.

Guaranteed, Dale would’ve come out of this draft and someone would asked him if there were any deals that were close, and he would’ve said, yeah there were a few things that were close but in the end we didn’t want to mortgage the future for a bandaid.

At the end of the day, these draft picks are basically free assets that the league gives you. Sure, at the end of the day you should try to draft guys with them. But them and the players you get with them are just pieces, use them how you want in order to get better.

i think we all agreed that this was a great use of assets but your point here is a good one and something that hasn't been brought up yet.

 

[Chessarmy]

I'm really excited about this acquisition. Reinhart solidifies our top 9 and adds even more scoring depth to a team that already lit the lamp plenty of times last year. An awesome trade right here. I can't wait to see how he fits - I'd plug him in on Barkov's wing

 

[Chaos2k7]

If you guys had had the choice between Reinhardt and Ristolainen, who would you have chosen?

I really like the Reinhardt pick, but we still need a top-4 Dman. Risto would probably be too expensive anyway in the long-run but he still has 1 year left on his contract at a reasonable price.
Curious what Reinhardt will end up at but I guess it will be not far off of what Risto is making currently (5.4 million)

Sam without a doubt. Risto is a train wreck.

 

[Doohickie]

Big issue he seemed to have in Buffalo was shortterm contracts he kept getting given

Yeah, we Buffalo fans were not happy about that. It was a way to manage cap space considering some of the big contracts the Sabres have (Kyle Okposo paid scoring winger wages for 4th line duty, Jeff Skinner getting paid 40-goal wages then dropping off a cliff, the Eichel contract, the needed $ for Dahlin eventually, etc.) Reino was repeatedly put on "prove-it" contracts, continually proved it, and the Sabres never rewarded him. And they never made the playoffs while he was there. He was disgruntled as hell last season but the only sign of it was he finally started to bark back at the Buffalo reporters he'd hated for years; you'd never know it from his on-ice performance which has always improved year-on-year.

 

[Doohickie]

he is going to score 50 playing with Barkov.

That's a stretch. He had pretty good setup guys in Ryan O'Reilly early on, then Jack Eichel. As good as he is, I'd be surprised if he got to 50.

 

[MintyFresh88]

 

[I am not exposed]

Now he's our player, can people start spelling his name correctly. It is Reinhart, not Reinhardt...

 

[Doohickie]

If you guys had had the choice between Reinhardt and Ristolainen, who would you have chosen?

I really like the Reinhardt pick, but we still need a top-4 Dman. Risto would probably be too expensive anyway in the long-run but he still has 1 year left on his contract at a reasonable price.
Curious what Reinhardt will end up at but I guess it will be not far off of what Risto is making currently (5.4 million)

Risto is a physical presence guy but not a very good defender. Look at has fancy stats and they're not very good. He does have some scoring prowess (he scored a few as the net front guy on the Buffalo power play in addition to some goals from the point), and can change a game with a big hit, but his vision on the ice is limited and he can get caught out of position. His first pass out of the zone is too often just a panicky dump out to open ice to no one in particular. Between the two, I take Reinhart every day, twice on Sunday.

 

[Doohickie]

Now he's our player, can people start spelling his name correctly. It is Reinhart, not Reinhardt...

It was a running joke on SabreSpace to insert the extraneous d in his name. I rotated it around.... Redinhart? Rdeinhart? Reinhdart?

 

[Ryuji Yamazaki]

Verhaeghe 5 x 5
Reinhart 5 x 6.5

 

[Doohickie]

What I liked most about this trade is that there was no loyalty. Lu has been given credit a few times by Zito (last year and this year) for basically making the Levi pick. And I’m sure Lu spent a lot of time talking to Levi and watching him at World Juniors, etc over the course of this last year. But that didn’t stop him and the team from trading him away if it meant the team getting better. They weren’t stuck on the guy just because they drafted him.

With Knight ahead of him, the Panthers are doing Levi a favor by trading him, imo. The Sabres have a couple goalies in the pipeline but no clear #1. Ulmark is a UFA and could sign elsewhere this offseason. Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen is highly regarded as a prospect but so far at the NHL level he hasn't impressed. Portillo and Levi can fight it out when they are ready. It could be that the Sabres end up with a quality 1A and 1B out of those four and Levi has just as much chance at being one of them as any.

 

[Doohickie]

Reinhart 5 x 6.5

Don't be surprised if Reinhart signs for only a year or two. But we'll see.

 

[MintyFresh88]

Don't be surprised if Reinhart signs for only a year or two. But we'll see.

I think 2 years makes a lot of sense given that's when Huberdeau's deal is up as well. We may not be able to keep both beyond that.

 

[FrolikFan67]

We were rumored to be in on several centers this offseason, so I wonder if they plan on using reinhart as a center? Also, didn’t zito say when he acquired Bennett that he’ll most likely be a winger here? Wonder what setups they try

 

[letsgrowcactus]

What I liked most about this trade is that there was no loyalty. Lu has been given credit a few times by Zito (last year and this year) for basically making the Levi pick. And I’m sure Lu spent a lot of time talking to Levi and watching him at World Juniors, etc over the course of this last year. But that didn’t stop him and the team from trading him away if it meant the team getting better. They weren’t stuck on the guy just because they drafted him.

Guaranteed, Dale would’ve come out of this draft and someone would asked him if there were any deals that were close, and he would’ve said, yeah there were a few things that were close but in the end we didn’t want to mortgage the future for a bandaid.

At the end of the day, these draft picks are basically free assets that the league gives you. Sure, at the end of the day you should try to draft guys with them. But them and the players you get with them are just pieces, use them how you want in order to get better.

Agreed, but I'd say this is also good for Levi. Even though it's sucky Buffalo, he will get a good chance to be a starter, while here he'd have a really tough competition in Knight. And who knows, maybe in four years when he's ready for a bigger role in the NHL, the Sabers won't be the total dumpster they are now.

 

[Egblad]

I think 2 years makes a lot of sense given that's when Huberdeau's deal is up as well. We may not be able to keep both beyond that.

I'd be disappointed in a 2 year for Reinhart. I would like Zito to lock him up longer and shed some of the fat instead.

 

[batting1k]

Don't be surprised if Reinhart signs for only a year or two. But we'll see.

In his presser after the trade, he mentioned it was disappointing in Buffalo because he was always prepared to sign long term, but they kept doing short deals.

My guess is he wants to sign long term if possible.

Is it just me or does it seem like all Buffalo fans are hoping he signs short term so that we lose him and to spite us? I don’t really get it lol

 

[Great8Cam]

Now he's our player, can people start spelling his name correctly. It is Reinhart, not Reinhardt...

The stupid auto correct keeps doing that and I’m too lazy to fix it before hitting post reply.

 

[kirby11]

Sabres fan chiming in here to say: unless extending Sam long-term would put you in massive cap hell (I haven't followed the rest of the league as much recently since we've been a dumpster fire for so long), you'll probably wanna do that. He's still only 25, turning 26 early in the season, plays a cerebral game that will age well, and he's had very few injury issues. He can plug in basically anywhere in a team's top 6 and make the guys around him better and plays a solid two-way game. About the only part of his game that's kinda weak is killing penalties; he doesn't really have the stop-start quickness to excel there. I still can't believe Botterill was too stupid to extend him long-term back in 2018 on a $6.5ish x 8 year deal or something like that, it would've been a bargain after a couple years. Hope he tears it up for the Panthers except when you're playing us.