NHL trade deadline thread

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It's really wild when you think about it. This season has been kind of weird where there's been a bunch of interesting/semi-interesting moves (e.g., Farabee/Frost; Fabbro; Carrier; Kaako; Jiricek; Blackwood (a personal favorite of mine); Kaliyev). Yet Adams just dithers. You don't like some of those moves? Sure. But all of them? Really? You're in last place. How do none of these moves interest you? Makes no sense. Take a swing man.
It's almost like someone else is pulling the strings ;)
 
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Dylan Cozens, Sabres​

The Cozens situation checks many of the classic change-of-scenery boxes.

The player and team are underperforming for a second straight season. The front office is under fire locally (coming up on 14 seasons of no playoffs in Buffalo!) and must be, at the very least, considering a major shakeup to the roster. Multiple reports have surfaced regarding several clubs inquiring about the player, and each team surely believes Cozens would excel in a new environment.

Ultimately, the Sabres are weighing the risk and reward of moving a two-way center who put up 31 goals and 68 points as a 21-year-old. Cozens may not be confident or productive right now, but there's a difference-maker in there.

The 24-year-old nicknamed the "Workhorse from Whitehorse" is locked in at $7.1 million per year through 2029-30 - in other words, his entire prime. In a rising cap world, that AAV will soon be peanuts if he can regain his form.

Sabres general manager Kevyn Adams is likely selling low here. Yet, desperate times call for desperate measures.

Some of the other names have been kicked around here before:

Lawson Crouse, Utah​

Crouse has missed one game this season - a healthy scratch on Feb. 4.

One sitting doesn't necessarily mean the player's permanently in the coach's doghouse, even if said player is the club's associate captain. Yet, Crouse's scratch signaled to the league that not everything is going according to plan.

Crouse, 27, is on pace for only 17 points in 81 games after back-to-back 40-point campaigns. While the 6-foot-4 power forward contributes in other ways through physicality and responsible two-way play, the lack of offense is concerning. Utah GM Bill Armstrong is motivated to build a sustainable winner. And unlike in the cash-poor Arizona era, Armstrong has a green light to be proactive in the trade market. Crouse is a serviceable NHLer, but you have to give to get in needle-moving deals. His team-friendly contract ($4.3 million through 2026-27) would make him highly desirable to a specific demographic of teams.

Winnipeg and Buffalo both struggle to attract talent in free agency and need middle-six help. The Jets, who sit atop the Western Conference, are motivated to add in the lead-up to the deadline. Could Crouse be the missing piece to Winnipeg's forward group? Or does a club like the Sabres swoop in?

Crouse already has a scenery change on the resume. The Panthers sent him to the Coyotes in August 2016, just 14 months after picking him 11th overall.

Max Domi, Maple Leafs​

Erik Karlsson, Penguins​

Casey Mittelstadt, Avalanche​

Vladimir Tarasenko, Red Wings​

Trevor Zegras, Ducks​

Zegras accepted a pass at the center red line and was off, two-on-one during four-on-four action. He completed a nifty give-and-go passing sequence with Ducks teammate Jackson LaCombe, then fired the puck into the back of the net. Anaheim 1, Boston 0, in an eventual 3-2 Ducks win.

On Saturday night, we saw the best of Zegras. He'd be excused from all change-of-scenery discussions if he consistently showcased that version of himself. However, the fact of the matter is that Zegras has long been a frustrating winger for Anaheim GM Pat Verbeek and his head coaches.

To summarize, the 2019 ninth overall pick is a supremely skilled playmaker who's simultaneously not productive enough (0.69 career points per game) and not strong enough defensively to warrant "star" status of any kind.

Zegras, who's in the middle season of a three-year deal paying him $5.75 million annually, is reportedly available for the right price. A recent run of poor health luck - Zegras missed 51 games last season and 22 games this campaign due to three different injuries - is undoubtedly giving rival teams reason for pause.

The 23-year-old is miscast as a franchise cornerstone in Anaheim. He's closer to being a complementary piece than a superstar. An acquiring club would be betting on Zegras flourishing in a more insulated role on and off the ice.
 
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Not interested in Kyvyn making any trades involving underperforming youth. f*** and no. Sell off UFAs. Leave roster building to his successor.
 
i must admit I don’t watch much of Vegas but would Kolesar be of interest? We seem to be a much better team with Greenway in the lineup and I don’t think Kolesar has his talent but could fill in when Greenway is inevitably injured. Obviously Whitecloud bigger priority but in the event of a larger deal I’m wondering if Kolesar is available.
 
No one knows yet when his contract ends. Considering that Terry extended it in September 2022 for several years and it is now 2025.
If there's one thing that the Sabres' local media does......it absolutely loves drama (for that matter, so do all the national pundits). Hell, it'll CREATE drama if needed (PHam's crusade against Dahlin, for example)

If there was any drama whatsoever around Kevyn's job security/status........SOMEONE would be reporting SOMETHING. Given that literally everything is quiet around his job......I personally have no choice but to assume he's safe for the foreseeable future.

I hope my assumption is wrong.
 
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If there's one thing that the Sabres' local media does......it absolutely loves drama (for that matter, so do all the national pundits). Hell, it'll CREATE drama if needed (PHam's crusade against Dahlin, for example)

If there was any drama whatsoever around Kevyn's job security/status........SOMEONE would be reporting SOMETHING. Given that literally everything is quiet around his job......I personally have no choice but to assume he's safe for the foreseeable future.

I hope my assumption is wrong.
I have no idea when his contract ends and why he is safe. Well, at least Marek and Friedman said before the season that Adams' head would roll if he missed the playoffs again, we'll see.
 
He has a NMC, so Buffalo is a highly unlikely landing spot, but should we be concerned about Seth Jones?

Superficially, he fills two big needs on the roster - veteran and right-shot d-man. Most teams won't be interested in a disappointing, fading d-man who turns 31 at the start of next season, with an albatross of a contract that has 4 years remaining, regardless of retention.

Sadly, I can picture Adams believing this would be a major coup, and would finally provide Power a suitable partner. Talk me off this ledge.
 
He has a NMC, so Buffalo is a highly unlikely landing spot, but should we be concerned about Seth Jones?

Superficially, he fills two big needs on the roster - veteran and right-shot d-man. Most teams won't be interested in a disappointing, fading d-man who turns 31 at the start of next season, with an albatross of a contract that has 4 years remaining, regardless of retention.

Sadly, I can picture Adams believing this would be a major coup, and would finally provide Power a suitable partner. Talk me off this ledge.
Considering Jones is not a suitable partner for Power, this of course doesn't make sense. If we add Jones (I don't know why), then Byram probably gone somewhere in another deal and then you don't want to play Jones with Power, but play him with Dahlin.
 
i must admit I don’t watch much of Vegas but would Kolesar be of interest? We seem to be a much better team with Greenway in the lineup and I don’t think Kolesar has his talent but could fill in when Greenway is inevitably injured. Obviously Whitecloud bigger priority but in the event of a larger deal I’m wondering if Kolesar is available.

Vegas fans have a nickname for him when he's not engaged physically - Koleslaw. There are times when he is, there are times when he isn't. If they do look there, he's an occasionally dirty player and given his history with Byram, I would assume there is no way to fit that into the room. Jumping into someone's head (and the root of most of Byram's missed games) -

 
Kyrou? Hated the show about that whiney little bastard.
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I don't think any of our wingers have his talent. His contract will keep looking better as the years go on. If Cozens is the main piece going back, I'm for it.

Then all we have to do is wait 3 years for Ostlund to have a 2nd line center hopefully... while we are waiting we can enjoy Peyton Krebs in that role
 
Then all we have to do is wait 3 years for Ostlund to have a 2nd line center hopefully... while we are waiting we can enjoy Peyton Krebs in that role
I think Thompson-Kulich-McLeod is a perfectly fine center spine if an EP40 deal doesn't happen IF they are surrounded by sufficiently skilled wingers.

Is it ideal? No. But top-six Cs with no trade protection don't exactly grow on trees.
 
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I took out the two weeks in the title since the thread keeps going.

I think Thompson-Kulich-McLeod is a perfectly fine center spine if an EP40 deal doesn't happen IF they are surrounded by sufficiently skilled wingers.

Is it ideal? No. But top-six Cs with no trade protection don't exactly grow on trees.
The problem with Thompson at center is he is not really a 1C and is much better on wing. Since being taken off center and paired with Kulich he offense has really picked up. I am not smart enough to understand all the advanced stats but when it comes to the eye test the last 10 games I find Tage to be much more dangerous on wing.

For the greater good of the team we really need a 1C and a 4RHD. The team also needs two 5-6 defensemen. I don't see these issues resolved at the trade deadline.

I would be in favor of trading Power for a 1C. I am not sure Power will reach his full potential but many defensemen take 3-4 years to do it. If Power++ is traded for a 1C and Power becomes a 1-2D I would not be upset.
 

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