Friedman: Pittsburgh wants Buffalo’s NHL ready prospects

[elmaco]

Sure, i want a million dollars.

 

[eXile3]

This would make no sense for Buffalo

Yes it would. Buffalo gives us some nice prospects, about NHL ready and we give back the plethora of assets Dubas has aggregated like…well that part needs to be worked out.

 

[Voight]

I’m not sure Rakell is a dire need for Buffalo but people scoffing at him haven’t been paying attention. He’s been awesome this year, one of the few bright spots in Pittsburgh.

He’d be a fantastic top six add for anybody.

If he comes with Crosby, yes.

He did have a solid offensive season with 69 points (nice) pre Pittsburgh, but I dont think teams will be overpaying for him based on this season.

 

[Fjordy]

This would make no sense for Buffalo

Because we need more guys like Zucker, we need vets, we are the youngest team in the league and we don't have enough proven and experienced players. The kids are playing with each other in the lineup, they are inconsistent and we give them too big roles that they are not ready for.

 

[Empoleon8771]

I think Rosen is probably the guy the Penguins have their eyes on, it seems like he's stuck in a numbers game in Buffalo but is ready for the NHL. I think something around Rakell for Rosen would make a fair bit of sense for both sides, but I also think a recent #14 pick for Rakell is likely too much from Buffalo's side.

I also think Pettersson could make some sense for Buffalo but they're already super deep on LD. If Pettersson was a RD they'd be all over him I think.

 

[Zman5778]

So, to answer the questions asked:

What would Buffalo be looking for? Given that Pittsburgh doesn't have any RHDs that interest us (Yes, Letang and Karlsson are good....however....you want to talk about the department of redundancy department?).....we'd be looking for centers and/or top 9 sandpaper and/or someone veteran-like that can play in a top 6/9 role. Rakell and Bunting are the guys that make most sense there. I also feel very strongly that Adams went after Acciari HARD in the summer of 24, so I could see Adams maybe wanting him.

Who are the "NHL Ready Prospects" that Pittsburgh may want? Rosen certainly seems to jump to the forefront as a bit of a swiss army knife top 9 guy. Rousek....if Pittsburgh wants a 4th line type. Ryan Johnson is NHL ready -- but I can't see Pittsburgh wanting him.

So I guess that would make a BUF-PIT deal maybe centered around Rosen for Rakell or Bunting? Or maybe centered around Rousek for Acciari? I dunno.

I'm not 100% sure that BUF and PIT make great trading partners........and that's not even taking into account that Adams seems quite gunshy.

 

[Fjordy]

I think Rosen is probably the guy the Penguins have their eyes on, it seems like he's stuck in a numbers game in Buffalo but is ready for the NHL. I think something around Rakell for Rosen would make a fair bit of sense for both sides, but I also think a recent #14 pick for Rakell is likely too much from Buffalo's side.

I also think Pettersson could make some sense for Buffalo but they're already super deep on LD. If Pettersson was a RD they'd be all over him I think.

Dahlin has played a lot of RD and is comfortable there. The first pair Pettersson - Dahlin would make a lot of sense to me. The only problem with Pettersson is his contract (UFA in the summer), and we obviously won't trade for rental. If we could sign him to an extension right away, then it would make sense. Pettersson and Rakell are the two players I was most interested in from you. Even though Pettersson is LD, he is what we need in terms of the type of defenseman.

 

[FriendlyGhost92]

No? 'This toy will be ready sooner than this other toy' is more like it.

I like the part where you replied to a quote about Dubas shutting down rumors about the Penguins having a fire sale with more rumors about the Penguins about the Penguins trading away a player, and then are baffled as to why I wouldn't want to address your comments about the rumors.

Was Jarry being sent down a rumor orrrrr?

 

[Empoleon8771]

So, to answer the questions asked:

What would Buffalo be looking for? Given that Pittsburgh doesn't have any RHDs that interest us (Yes, Letang and Karlsson are good....however....you want to talk about the department of redundancy department?).....we'd be looking for centers and/or top 9 sandpaper and/or someone veteran-like that can play in a top 6/9 role. Rakell and Bunting are the guys that make most sense there. I also feel very strongly that Adams went after Acciari HARD in the summer of 24, so I could see Adams maybe wanting him.

Who are the "NHL Ready Prospects" that Pittsburgh may want? Rosen certainly seems to jump to the forefront as a bit of a swiss army knife top 9 guy. Rousek....if Pittsburgh wants a 4th line type. Ryan Johnson is NHL ready -- but I can't see Pittsburgh wanting him.

So I guess that would make a BUF-PIT deal maybe centered around Rosen for Rakell or Bunting? Or maybe centered around Rousek for Acciari? I dunno.

I'm not 100% sure that BUF and PIT make great trading partners........and that's not even taking into account that Adams seems quite gunshy.

I think Rakell and Bunting both make sense as targets for Buffalo, and Rosen is the obvious guy the Penguins would want. That said I think Buffalo would be overpaying for Bunting if they're offering Rosen for him. Bunting hasn't been that great at 5v5 this year, but he's been an absolute menace of a net front guy on the powerplay. Buffalo does have a bad powerplay so maybe that would still make him valuable, but Bunting's contributions have definitely been more on the powerplay.

I think Rakell for Rosen is the most "fair" deal there, Bunting for Rosen would be bad for Buffalo IMO.

 

[tsujimoto74]

I’m sure they do. Too bad for them their roster has basically nothing expendable that Buffalo would even want, much less give up premium young assets for.

 

[TGWL]

Why is this a thread if you don't even know who you want? May as well just say "NHL ready prospect to Pittsburgh" and leave it open to every team.

 

[Empoleon8771]

I’m sure they do. Too bad for them their roster has basically nothing expendable that Buffalo would even want, much less give up premium young assets for.

Rakell would be your leading your team in both goals and points.

Why is this a thread if you don't even know who you want? May as well just say "NHL ready prospect to Pittsburgh" and leave it open to every team.

Because Friedman didn't give any more specifics beyond what was posted in the OP.

32 Thoughts: How record revenues in NHL could impact salary cap, next CBA

When it comes to future salary ceilings in the NHL, we might be getting some clarity beyond 2025-26. Elliotte Friedman has that, fallout from the McDavid suspension, J.T. Miller updates and more on this week's 32 Thoughts blog.

www.sportsnet.ca

11. With all of the noise around the Penguins, I believe they have interest in some of Buffalo’s younger, NHL-ready prospects. It fits what they want.

 

[TGWL]

Rakell would be your leading your team in both goals and points.



Because Friedman didn't give any more specifics beyond what was posted in the OP.

32 Thoughts: How record revenues in NHL could impact salary cap, next CBA

When it comes to future salary ceilings in the NHL, we might be getting some clarity beyond 2025-26. Elliotte Friedman has that, fallout from the McDavid suspension, J.T. Miller updates and more on this week's 32 Thoughts blog.

www.sportsnet.ca

11. With all of the noise around the Penguins, I believe they have interest in some of Buffalo’s younger, NHL-ready prospects. It fits what they want.

Thanks. That should have probably been posted in the OP. Just flagging Friedman doesn't really help much without the context.

 

[HaNotsri]

Penguins are an even worse trade partner than Detroit.
Seems like something Buffalo would like to leak in order to up the prices of some of their prospects.

The other scenario is a Forsberg for Erat kind of trade. I'm sure Adams would love to do one of those.

 

[CheckingLineCenter]

Ostlund
Ryan Johnson
Rosen

All interesting. I’m assuming Kulich isn’t for sale. Idk what the Pens have that Buffalo wants. Agree Rakell is logical.

 

[tsujimoto74]

Rakell would be your leading your team in both goals and points.

I promise you he’d be scoring less if he played on the Sabres. I also highly doubt Buffalo is interested in giving up meaningful young assets for a guy who’s 31. If he were 27, sure. 31??? Not so much. Plus, he’s not really hitting a positional need as a winger. What we really need is a center or a defensive RHD.

 

[Empoleon8771]

I promise you he’d be scoring less if he played on the Sabres. I also highly doubt Buffalo is interested in giving up meaningful young assets for a guy who’s 31. If he were 27, sure. 31??? Not so much. Plus, he’s not really hitting a positional need as a winger. What we really need is a center or a defensive RHD.

This sounds like HF logic rather than actually building a good team logic. The Sabres are asininely deep in prospects and are already struggling to open up spots for them. They need proven NHL talent and veteran leadership. Saying no to something like Rosen for Rakell (Rosen is the guy that sticks out to me) because "Rakell is 31" is pure HF thinking, especially with how redundant Rosen looks to be in the Sabres system. He's like Buffalo's 5th or 6th ranked prospect.

Like do you want to have the best prospect pool or do you want to have an actually good NHL team? Saying no to a 31 year old cost controlled winger who is currently on pace for 40 goals and 70 points because "he is 31 and wouldn't be as productive here" just suggests you care more about having a good prospect pool than having a good NHL team.

It would be one thing if we were talking about Benson or Kulich, but we're talking about Rosen here. He's a fringe top-100 prospect that seems pretty redundant in Buffalo's system.

 

[Zman5778]

Ostlund
Ryan Johnson
Rosen

All interesting. I’m assuming Kulich isn’t for sale. Idk what the Pens have that Buffalo wants. Agree Rakell is logical.

Ostlund isn't NHL ready. His body needs another year of training and AHL development.....this year he's been kind of sidetracked by injury.

 

[Fjordy]

I promise you he’d be scoring less if he played on the Sabres. I also highly doubt Buffalo is interested in giving up meaningful young assets for a guy who’s 31. If he were 27, sure. 31??? Not so much. Plus, he’s not really hitting a positional need as a winger. What we really need is a center or a defensive RHD.

We also need a top 6 forward, in addition to a center and a top 4 RD.

 

[CheckingLineCenter]

Ostlund isn't NHL ready. His body needs another year of training and AHL development.....this year he's been kind of sidetracked by injury.

Yeah definitely doesn’t fit the “ready now” bucket

but he’s talented and could go to the Pen’s AHL squad with what’s looking like a decent contingent of secondary forward prospects in McGroarty, Ponomarev, Koivunen, Broz and matriculate with that group.

 

[Empoleon8771]

Dahlin has played a lot of RD and is comfortable there. The first pair Pettersson - Dahlin would make a lot of sense to me. The only problem with Pettersson is his contract (UFA in the summer), and we obviously won't trade for rental. If we could sign him to an extension right away, then it would make sense. Pettersson and Rakell are the two players I was most interested in from you. Even though Pettersson is LD, he is what we need in terms of the type of defenseman.

I could actually see Pettersson making some sense then, but it would have to come at the same time as a Byram trade for some forward help.

Maybe Pettersson with an extension for Rosen and a pick followed immediately by Byram for a 2nd line center or something like that. Run with Pettersson-Dahlin as your top pair and use Byram to fill the top-6 C (or W) opening.

 

[57special]

This would make no sense for Buffalo

What would make no sense for BUF? The "proposal", was so open ended that it could literally mean trading Letang for Ryan Johnson.

 

[Zman5778]

I could actually see Pettersson making some sense then, but it would have to come at the same time as a Byram trade for some forward help.

Maybe Pettersson with an extension for Rosen and a pick followed immediately by Byram for a 2nd line center or something like that. Run with Pettersson-Dahlin as your top pair and use Byram to fill the top-6 C (or W) opening.

Yeah, Pettersson is kind of exactly what we need to pair with Dahlin (or even Power, who has been capable off-hand). But holy crap would our LHD be overcrowded with Byram/Power/Samuelsson and Johnson wasting away in Rochester.

But you're absolutely right that a trade/extension for Pettersson only makes sense if we trade Power or Byram for either an RHD equivalent or that top 6 C.

And it's hard enough for Adams to make one impact trade, let alone two in succession. And the one "impact" trade he did make (Mitts for Byram) just muddied our defense situation terribly.

 

[toddkaz]

What team doesn't want another team's NHL ready prospects?

Its a bizarre thing to say like its breaking news.....Water is wet! Wow.

 

[Empoleon8771]

Yeah, Pettersson is kind of exactly what we need to pair with Dahlin (or even Power, who has been capable off-hand). But holy crap would our LHD be overcrowded with Byram/Power/Samuelsson and Johnson wasting away in Rochester.

But you're absolutely right that a trade/extension for Pettersson only makes sense if we trade Power or Byram for either an RHD equivalent or that top 6 C.

And it's hard enough for Adams to make one impact trade, let alone two in succession. And the one "impact" trade he did make (Mitts for Byram) just muddied our defense situation terribly.

Doesn't Samuelsson play RD as well? I was figuring they'd be running with Pettersson-Dahlin and Power-Samuelsson as their top-4 D group.

That actually brings up an interesting follow-up thought. I was going to suggest that the Sabres move Samuelsson to open up a 2nd pair RD spot, but would Buffalo move Samuelsson in a Pettersson deal? I'm not sure how highly Samuelsson is valued right now, but the Penguins have nothing on LD beyond Pickering and want to continue adding young talent. If Samuelsson isn't panning out for Buffalo, I could definitely see him being attractive to the Penguins.

Something like Samuelsson and Rosen for Pettersson with an extension would make sense if Buffalo is down on Samuelsson. This wouldn't require Buffalo to have a follow-up move with Byram although I still think they should look into it.