NHL trade deadline thread

[Archie Lee]

Any interest in Kyrou ?

https://bleacherreport.com/articles/25163179-5-trade-landing-spots-blues-forward-jordan-kyrou-amid-nhl-rumors

Kyrou and Robert Thomas have identical contracts that pay $8.125 for 6 more years. Neither has trade protection until summer. I doubt the Blues have any interest in dealing Thomas. But he is the type of centre it would be nice to get if we were trading Power. Thomas and Kyrou for Cozens, Power, ++. The ++ would likely need to include another future centre option, like Kulich or Helenius. Again, not likely realistic.

Also, does anyone know if Villardi can actually play centre. He is an RFA but I think is playing wing in Winnipeg.

 

[thewookie1]

Still don't see it happening. There are so few teams in playoff position who have their own first this year and most of the teams that have multiple picks aren't in playoff position. If the season ended today, the following teams have their 1st pick in 2025:

Capitals
Jets
Hurricanes
Kings
Canucks
Red Wings
Senators

I don't see any of those teams offering a first for Zucker. The other 9 picks are all held by non-playoff teams.

The Penguins and Flames don't own their own pick right now and aren't in playoff position.

One thought as well would be if Zucker’s value may outweigh any possible trade value available on the market.

To say he’s worth a late 1st isn’t exactly wrong regardless if he only gets a 2nd + more.

If Vegas had their 1st; Zucker would be likely sent there for it based on how Vegas throws 1sts around like candy. If we can’t lock him up prior to the deadline; there’s nothing preventing us from saying “Jason, we still like you and when July 1st comes around we’d still be interested in talking with you.”

 

[Fjordsen]

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.

I think this is bad and you are making the same mistake as Adams.

McLeod is a great 3C, he can play top 6 for a while, but that means your top 6C is injured or fell off a cliff like Cozens. Tage is literally playing on the wing, plus he plays on a line with Kulich, and he also gets those little injuries sometimes. Kulich is still a kid, and if he has a slump or inconsistency we're going to be making the same mistakes Kevyn makes every season (don't give kids those kinds of impossible roles unless you have the insurance to do it).

Honestly I would rather add any potential or similar top 6 C player than just a good winger. Because we will have no one to replace Tage (if he is a center), Kulich (if he is a top 6 C). Kyrou won't replace any of them in the center.

 

[My Cozen Dylan]

I think this is bad and you are making the same mistake as Adams.

McLeod is a great 3C, he can play top 6 for a while, but that means your top 6C is injured or fell off a cliff like Cozens. Tage is literally playing on the wing, plus he plays on a line with Kulich, and he also gets those little injuries sometimes. Kulich is still a kid, and if he has a slump or inconsistency we're going to be making the same mistakes Kevyn makes every season (don't give kids those kinds of impossible roles unless you have the insurance to do it).

Honestly I would rather add any potential or similar top 6 C player than just a good winger. Because we will have no one to replace Tage (if he is a center), Kulich (if he is a top 6 C). Kyrou won't replace any of them in the center.

I said it's far from ideal. But without EP40, please show me another attainable option that supplants Tage at center.

 

[Fjordsen]

I said it's far from ideal. But without EP40, please show me another attainable option that supplants Tage at center.

Why would we want to supplants Tage out of the centre when he's not playing there anymore and looks great on the wing?

We need a top 6 C, it could be a proven veteran from UFA or a trade, which is not realistic, but there is always a chance. It could be someone like Rossi, if for some reason he is available, it could be someone like Zegras or Hayton for example, who is not exactly a top 6 C, but they have that potential. I think there are always options.

 

[toddkaz]

I said it's far from ideal. But without EP40, please show me another attainable option that supplants Tage at center.

To me Granlund at 2x6m seems to be a good option. You lose nothing in trades and although Granlund isn't an elite 1C he is still good enough to play 1C.

Just trying to keep things realistic. The only issue with Granlund is he is 33 next year so sooner or later his play will drop off but his last two seasons statistically have been very good

 

[ValJamesDuex]

Pagnotta said Zucker could fetch a late first at the deadline. Not likely imo, but "someone" is trying to prop his value going to the deadline.

 

[Jimmybarndoor2]

Sabres won’t be making the playoff this year
But they need to learn how to win

the moves that I want to see are ones that make the roster better for next year and beyond

Keep the players that are helping them win for now and forfeit the low value magic beans. 3 and above picks not worth the disruption on learning how to win

Don’t need the disarray when they are finally figuring out how to play. Not worth the 5th round gems. Just my opinion

 

[Fjordsen]

Sabres won’t be making the playoff this year
But they need to learn how to win

the moves that I want to see are ones that make the roster better for next year and beyond

Keep the players that are helping them win for now and forfeit the low value magic beans. 3 and above picks not worth the disruption on learning how to win

Don’t need the disarray when they are finally figuring out how to play. Not worth the 5th round gems. Just my opinion

Picks are assets in the trade, and if Zucker and Greenway don't want to sign an extension right now, you trade them at TDL for picks, so that later you can flip those picks for a top 4 RD and replace Zucker and Greenway.

 

[Jim Bob]

Picks are assets in the trade, and if Zucker and Greenway don't want to sign an extension right now, you trade them at TDL for picks, so that later you can flip those picks for a top 4 RD and replace Zucker and Greenway.

They are not going to be able to flip the picks that they get for Zucker and Greenway for a quality top 4 RHD in all likelihood.

Zucker went for a 6th round pick at last year's trade deadline. Just because he's having the second best season of his career doesn't mean that GMs will vastly change their valuation of him at the trade deadline. I think they will be lucky to get a 3rd round pick for each guy. And you aren't getting a quality top 4 RHD for 2 3rds.

Sabres won’t be making the playoff this year
But they need to learn how to win

the moves that I want to see are ones that make the roster better for next year and beyond

Keep the players that are helping them win for now and forfeit the low value magic beans. 3 and above picks not worth the disruption on learning how to win

Don’t need the disarray when they are finally figuring out how to play. Not worth the 5th round gems. Just my opinion

They need to learn how to win when there is pressure and not merely win when all the pressure is off because they have no real shot at making the playoffs.

We have seen this all before and it did not lead to lessons learned and built upon in following seasons.

 

[Fjordsen]

They are not going to be able to flip the picks that they get for Zucker and Greenway for a quality top 4 RHD in all likelihood.

Zucker went for a 6th round pick at last year's trade deadline. Just because he's having the second best season of his career doesn't mean that GMs will vastly change their valuation of him at the trade deadline. I think they will be lucky to get a 3rd round pick for each guy. And you aren't getting a quality top 4 RHD for 2 3rds.

I think it's debatable and you're wrong. Sometimes you can get top 4 RD even for free (Fabbro) or for 4th (Kovacevic) or two 2nd (Marino). It doesn't matter anyway, they're still assets and Zucker is having a great season and someone could very well pay for him 2nd.

 

[Jimmybarndoor2]

They are not going to be able to flip the picks that they get for Zucker and Greenway for a quality top 4 RHD in all likelihood.

Zucker went for a 6th round pick at last year's trade deadline. Just because he's having the second best season of his career doesn't mean that GMs will vastly change their valuation of him at the trade deadline. I think they will be lucky to get a 3rd round pick for each guy. And you aren't getting a quality top 4 RHD for 2 3rds.


They need to learn how to win when there is pressure and not merely win when all the pressure is off because they have no real shot at making the playoffs.

We have seen this all before and it did not lead to lessons learned and built upon in following seasons.

You are not wrong
I just think that it’s just not gambling and winning (which is what I believe they did in past). But a change to a defence first mindset. Zucker and greenway big part of that. They can get different players for those roles next year but not this year

Not worth the late round picks to spoil their play and wreck Rochester season. Imo

 

[truthbluth]

They need to learn how to win when there is pressure and not merely win when all the pressure is off because they have no real shot at making the playoffs.

We have seen this all before and it did not lead to lessons learned and built upon in following seasons.

It's debatable whether this matters. Having more assets for trades almost certainly does. So the safer bet is to collect as many assets as possible.

CBJ is in the final playoff spot playing at a 90pt pace. The Sabres would need to go 16-5-5 down the stretch to get to 90 pts. That is a 117 pt pace. I don't care how "loose" they are, that is extremely unlikely.

If Greenway, Joker, and Zucker aren't re-signing, you have to deal them. I'd also like to see Isak Rosen, Brett Murray and Zach Metsa get a look down the stretch.

 

[Jim Bob]

You are not wrong
I just think that it’s just not gambling and winning (which is what I believe they did in past). But a change to a defence first mindset. Zucker and greenway big part of that. They can get different players for those roles next year but not this year

Not worth the late round picks to spoil their play and wreck Rochester season. Imo

It's not even a defense first mindset, it's being committed to making the smart, right play consistently and not just the "make an offensive play" one.

Don Granato talked about the mindset shift that a lot of players need to make as they turn pro. When you ask most forwards what their goal is every shift, they will say "Score a goal." But, no NHL forward line has ever scored a goal on ever shift.

If a line gets 2 or 3 goals, that is a good game if they can play even the rest of their shifts which is the majority. The key for this team is learning that most shifts need to end with neither team scoring and limiting the big mistakes that lead to high danger chances against. And then knowing that they need to jump on mistakes by the other team when they happen.

And that needs to happen for 82 games. I don't think trading away pending UFAs that want to go to market will change the learning opportunities for guys that will be here in 2025-26 and beyond.

The not wanting to decimate Rochester is the only legit consideration to me.

 

[Chainshot]

Just a reminder - only four teams firmly in playoff spots (not wild card) have their first round picks in 2025. Only eight such picks are out there out of 16 playoff positions if we include the current wild card teams and the firsts they hold (CBJ has a 2nd, the Flames don't have their own pick but do have the Devils' pick). Similarly, only 11 of the 32 picks in the 2nd round are held by teams currently in playoff position.

There is a shortage in the market for picks and it has been deemed a weaker draft year. I would expect some 2026 picks to be in play where even some contenders are out their early picks. Vegas is without their first next year and the Leafs, CBJ and Avs are without their own 2nd rounders.

 

[My Cozen Dylan]

Real Kyper's Trade Board 4.0: Why the Blues are open for business

(In the section about Quinton Byfield)

"There are rumblings that the Buffalo Sabres and Los Angeles Kings have held talks and both sides may be interested in a package that includes top assets coming from Buffalo."

It's Kypreos so take it with a huge grain of salt, but...yeah I'm definitely intrigued.

 

[Chainshot]

Real Kyper's Trade Board 4.0: Why the Blues are open for business

(In the section about Quinton Byfield)



It's Kypreos so take it with a huge grain of salt, but...yeah I'm definitely intrigued.

So there is this bit -

Staying in the West, I hear the Kings are desperate to shake things up to give themselves the best shot of getting out of the first round of the playoffs and not suffer another defeat against Edmonton.
Quinton Byfield isn't a name we've heard come up in trade rumours until this week, but suddenly he could be in play. Perhaps he is the player Los Angeles can move to change their look for an opening playoff round.

...which sure.

And then he Kyper's himself with this bit of fiction -

Finally, there is a big and physical player who intrigues me: Buffalo's Alex Tuch. The six-foot-four winger will be appealing to any Stanley Cup contender. Once projected as a possible captain of the Sabres, he no longer appears destined to be part of their long-term plans.

I love how the Toronto based and Toronto centric media try to influence the outcome in other markets. There has been zero indication of this from anywhere and we're supposed to believe someone whose biggest impact around the Sabres involved -



or even

 

[Zman5778]

Real Kyper's Trade Board 4.0: Why the Blues are open for business

(In the section about Quinton Byfield)



It's Kypreos so take it with a huge grain of salt, but...yeah I'm definitely intrigued.

It's Kypreos? So.......LA and Buffalo will NOT be making a deal of any sort any time soon.