Off-Season Roster Thread #2 -- Nothing to do but wait

[ValJamesDuex]

Wonder if KA will take a look at PLD as well ?

 

[HaNotsri]

Wonder if KA will take a look at PLD as well ?

I don't think Adams wants PLD anywhere near the Sabres locker room.

 

[EichHart]

I don't think Fiala's production is an anomaly. His 3 full years in Minny yielded 179 points in 196 games (0.91 ppg). He's not PPG, but he's darned close. His 7.875x7 deal is actually a bit lower than I thought he'd get -- I thought his deal would start at an 8.

The value for LA is good in a vacuum. It's kinda like us trading Johnson and 16 plus a little something for Fiala. The issue I have here is that I didn't want to throw crazy money at another winger. We've already got Skinner's contract and a bunch of kids that will need extensions soon.

You’re right 7.9 is not bad at all. Still don’t think we’re quite there yet for a trade like this.

 

[ValJamesDuex]

I don't think Adams wants PLD anywhere near the Sabres locker room.

well let the team who made the semi's get better then

 

[NotABadPeriod]

PLD would be a 2 year rental, because if he's already told Winnipeg he's testing FA 2 years from now, you can be damn sure he'll do the same to us. Not worth the assets it might take to get him.

Maybe NYR thinks they can sign him long-term, and perhaps they can, but the Sabres should 100% expect that he will leave in FA when it comes.

 

[HaNotsri]

well let the team who made the semi's get better then

They'll implode from cap casualties in two years when we enter our window.

 

[jmelm]

Edit fix (sorry @jmelm ) : "Ryan" Johnson as part of a Fiala deal ?

No worries.

p.s. I guess not

The aversion to acquiring established talent on this board is tiresome.

“Sit back and wait” is a great strategy to finally eek into the playoffs in 3 years (hopefully you haven’t alienated ALL of your fans by then) and have consecutive 1st round losses thereafter.

I love a lot of the players we have (Thompson, Cozens, etc). But aside from Quinn, we don’t have any forwards who have elite potential. We’ve seen that (aside from St. Louis) you can’t win in the playoffs without elite talent.

Fiala right now is better than most of our players’ ceiling. His age fits with the core. I’d give up 16+ for him easily, and then move Olofsson in a separate deal where we’d probably recover a late first.

Everything you say is fair, but given where we are in our development cycle, the delta between Fiala (now traded) and one of Burakovsky/Copp/Paul is not significant enough to warrant giving up one of our best prospects or #9 & #16 picks for.

In 2-3 years, if/when we're a serious contender but need one or 2 players to push us over the edge, I don't care if we trade our 1st rounder 5 years in a row. But now is not the the time. UFA route is much smarter.

 

[My Cozen Dylan]

Everything you say is fair, but given where we are in our development cycle, the delta between Fiala (now traded) and one of Burakovsky/Copp/Paul is not significant enough to warrant giving up one of our best prospects or #9 & #16 picks for.

In 2-3 years, if/when we're a serious contender but need one or 2 players to push us over the edge, I don't care if we trade our 1st rounder 5 years in a row. But now is not the the time. UFA route is much smarter.

What are the odds #16 becomes a player of Fiala's caliber? Or #9 (at least in this draft) becomes a player of DeBrincat's caliber? Slim to none.

I am rather skeptical that big ticket UFAs will want to come here at this juncture.

 

[Blitz]

PLD would be a 2 year rental, because if he's already told Winnipeg he's testing FA 2 years from now, you can be damn sure he'll do the same to us. Not worth the assets it might take to get him.

Maybe NYR thinks they can sign him long-term, and perhaps they can, but the Sabres should 100% expect that he will leave in FA when it comes.

A) There's no such thing as a 2yr 'rental'. 2 yrs remaining would be considered term.

B) Why would he be guaranteed to leave after 2yrs? He would be playing in a core of elitely talented peers, under a very popular "player-friendly coach", on an ascending team which SHOULD absolutely be a playoff contender. Just because he doesn't want to go through the pending retooling in WPG on a L/T deal, doesn't mean he wouldn't feel differently w a change of scenery. Baseless speculation.

 

[tsujimoto74]

What are the odds #16 becomes a player of Fiala's caliber? Or #9 (at least in this draft) becomes a player of DeBrincat's caliber? Slim to none.

I am rather skeptical that big ticket UFAs will want to come here at this juncture.

That's not how trades work. What are the odds Florida's pick this draft turns into a Sam Reinhart? Or Vegas' into a Jack Eichel?

 

[TehDoak]

With Regards to PLD, his production really hasn't matched his draft hype or his likely contract demands.

If we traded for him, who says he's not saying 'I'm not signing here'. And even if he was to sign here, it'd be for a skinner level bad deal.

As a guy who wants the team to be aggressive and improve the team this summer, unless its a truly elite level talent that is available....we need to win the small and medium sized moves and address both short term and long term issues. i'm not swinging for the fences unless its a truly elite level talent available.

 

[The Blunder Years]

What are the odds #16 becomes a player of Fiala's caliber? Or #9 (at least in this draft) becomes a player of DeBrincat's caliber? Slim to none.

I am rather skeptical that big ticket UFAs will want to come here at this juncture.

I 100% get this argument. But I guess grooming a guy and having him cost controlled for 8 years is some incentive to keep the pick. That pick could be a good cheap player in a time when we don’t have oodles of cap space

 

[Selanne00008]

What are the odds #16 becomes a player of Fiala's caliber? Or #9 (at least in this draft) becomes a player of DeBrincat's caliber? Slim to none.

I am rather skeptical that big ticket UFAs will want to come here at this juncture.

Speaking of. Would love to see DeBrincat a Sabre. I know it's similar to a Fiala deal (not the right time), and the ask is high. But still, he's young and could be a leader in the room with Tuch.

 

[My Cozen Dylan]

That's not how trades work. What are the odds Florida's pick this draft turns into a Sam Reinhart? Or Vegas' into a Jack Eichel?

Which is why NHL teams need to be WAY more comfortable moving draft picks.

 

[KrakenSabresMike]

Which is why NHL teams need to be WAY more comfortable moving draft picks.

Yes but they also become cost controlled assets for 8 years when you do it right. With a high paid future core they are more valuable than 60-70 pt wingers that can be found a lot of places for not that much ….

 

[sabremike]

I don't think Adams wants PLD anywhere near the Sabres locker room.

Yeah, the guy literally quit in the middle of the game before he got moved to Winnipeg. KA is going to want no part of that guy and I can't blame him one bit.

 

[ValJamesDuex]

They'll implode from cap casualties in two years when we enter our window.

They been predicting Tampa's cap collapse for almost 10 years now. The Sabres haven't made the playoffs in 11.

Yeah, the guy literally quit in the middle of the game before he got moved to Winnipeg. KA is going to want no part of that guy and I can't blame him one bit.

I'm giving him a Tort's pass on that one. As for Jets, those winters in the plains are horrible (Temps below 0F) and that team isn't going anywhere so can't blame him or anyone for not wanting to stay out there.

 

[Rowley Birkin]

I thought Fiala's trade return was pretty much as expected. IE a little more value than what we got for Reinhart but not drastically more.

I also thought that his extension with LA was about fair value for both team / player.

I wouldn't want us to trade for Fiala & glad we seemingly weren't interested.

I have even less interest in trading for PLD. Locker room cancer is a phrase which gets thrown around too much - but it probably applies perfectly to him.

I completely agree with @TehDoak 's sentiments above. The only' swing for the fences'type move I'd make is acquiring a RHD such as Dumba for futures if he were to become available.

Otherwise - just make smart small/Medium sized moves which pushes everything forward.

 

[Reddawg]

Speaking of. Would love to see DeBrincat a Sabre. I know it's similar to a Fiala deal (not the right time), and the ask is high. But still, he's young and could be a leader in the room with Tuch.

I would love to see DeBrincat on our team too, but that’s $18m locked up on two LW’s

 

[ValJamesDuex]

I thought Fiala's trade return was pretty much as expected. IE a little more value than what we got for Reinhart but not drastically more.

I alao thought that his extension with LA was about fair value for both team / player.

I wouldn't want us to trade for Fiala & glad we seemingly weren't interested.

I have even less interest in trading for PLD. Locker room cancer is a phrase which gets thrown around too much - but it probably applies perfectly to him.

I completely agree with @TehDoak 's sentiments above. The only' swing for the fences'type move I'd make is acquiring a RHD such as Dumba for futures if he were to become available.

Otherwise - just make smart small/Medium sized moves which pushes everything forward.

NRD said the Sabres have been in the mix on Fiala (I pretty much trust him and Brett). I'm sure it was combination of things including price, better offer, and the player preferring an extension in LA over NJ, Ott, Buf. So it's obvious then that KA wants to tweak his lineup despite having Quinn/JJ coming.

Some players/people stand up for what they believe, if standing up to psycho Torts and Winterpeg is locker room problems I would take a shot at PLD if the price is fair after seeing how well he did with Cozens.

 

[Rowley Birkin]

I really don't know why anyone is so eager to add high priced wingers to this team. It would be akin to adding a high priced LD given what we currently have on the roster / coming in the future:

-Skinner signed 5 more years
-Tuch signed 4 more years
-Olofsson potentially signed long term
-Cozens/Krebs long term (presumably no space for them both to play C)
-Quinn on the verge of the NHL
-JJP on the verge of the NHL

That's not accounting for the glut of wingers we have in the system who might well develop into solid NHLers.

This team's needs are a starting goalie, top 4 RHD & a shut down C.

 

[Zach716]

I'm giving him a Tort's pass on that one. As for Jets, those winters in the plains are horrible (Temps below 0F) and that team isn't going anywhere so can't blame him or anyone for not wanting to stay out there.

These guys make millions of dollars playing hockey so being a professional is the bottom of the barrel for expectations.

PLD specifically 5 million and due for a raise, bad weather just isn't gonna cut it as an excuse for me.

He can live in a 15 million dollar mansion in a waterfront Florida mansion after retirement all he wants. He has screwed each team over since he's entered the league, which is his right sure, but I don't see why Adams would be willing to pay what it'll cost for him. It would go against the culture we are starting to build post-Jack here completely.

 

[Fjordsen]

No PLD please

 

[Sabre Dance]

 

[ValJamesDuex]

These guys make millions of dollars playing hockey so being a professional is the bottom of the barrel for expectations.

PLD specifically 5 million and due for a raise, bad weather just isn't gonna cut it as an excuse for me.

He can live in a 15 million dollar mansion in a waterfront Florida mansion after retirement all he wants. He has screwed each team over since he's entered the league, which is his right sure, but I don't see why Adams would be willing to pay what it'll cost for him. It would go against the culture we are starting to build post-Jack here completely.

So why is Chris Drury rumored to be interested ?