Speculation: Roster Speculation, 2018 Off-Season

[sabrebuild]

Because Sam Reinhart has really shown the ability to play C at this level every time given the chance. Can we stop fascinating over this. He's not an NHL caliber C. In junior you can get away with this.

Huh?

 

[beerme1]

Off topic but do you guys think Johan Larsson has a future on this team?

Hope not.

 

[dasaybz]

I would really be pumped if we landed Hutton. Would be a perfect compliment to Ulmark with the opportunity to also be a starter. I think he would thrive being a #1 .

 

[DJN21]

I would really be pumped if we landed Hutton. Would be a perfect compliment to Ulmark with the opportunity to also be a starter. I think he would thrive being a #1 .

He's the best option available for sure but several other teams will be vying for his service too...

 

[dasaybz]

He's the best option available for sure but several other teams will be vying for his service too...

But we will offer the most.

 

[DJN21]

But we will offer the most.

I want hutton but I'm not in the business of overpaying for goalies that clearly aren't longterm starters. All depends on the term

 

[dasaybz]

3 years 13.5. You ok with that?

 

[Rasmus CacOlainen]

3 years 13.5. You ok with that?

This is way too much for what Hutton is - 1B with no upside (and likely plenty of downside frankly as I doubt he ever has another year like last) and no future due to age.

 

[DJN21]

3 years 13.5. You ok with that?

Honestly no. I want Hutton but only short term and less money...i.e we will get outbid.

I might not be the one to ask however because I don't think he's our 3 year solution and I don't think ullmark is either. I'm not comfortable sinking that investment in Hutton and going all in on ullmark. Because if both tank this year now you have an overpaid backup in Hutton and have to decide wether to give ullmark away for an upgrade or keep both aforementioned goalies.

Hutton is the best option but not at 3 years 4.5 mill. At that point I'd hope I could get Howard or varlamov for simply one year...see how ullmark does and reassess than be stuck with hutton, ullmark, and needing a long term solution under contract.

 

[NotABadPeriod]

Off topic but do you guys think Johan Larsson has a future on this team?

Only if he gets his head out of his ass.

I think he could be an asset to a good team as a bottom 6 center an PKer, but he's just way too inconsistent, and it might never happen.

 

[DJN21]

Only if he gets his head out of his ass.

I think he could be an asset to a good team as a bottom 6 center an PKer, but he's just way too inconsistent, and it might never happen.

He's an interesting case...I like him and want to see him succeed.

So many posters will say reinhart, ror, eichel didn' succeed because their wingers were garbage...well hell...can' we say the same for larsson? If the wings our top guys got were hot garbage imagine what larsson had to deal with?! I'd like to see him center 2 competent 4th liners or at least a bailey and baptiste combo of speed and potential to score.

That being said I'm not opposed to moving on. Not sure there is a ton of upside left in him. I will say if we trade ror and move on from larsson the face off department might be problematic...

 

[dasaybz]

This is way too much for what Hutton is - 1B with no upside (and likely plenty of downside frankly as I doubt he ever has another year like last) and no future due to age.

I think you are highly downplaying his upside. Just because he isn't young doesn't mean he couldn't thrive as a#1 .

 

[Rasmus CacOlainen]

I think you are highly downplaying his upside. Just because he isn't young doesn't mean he couldn't thrive as a#1 .

Hes 32 and has had a grand total of 2 good seasons in the NHL and they are not even with starter workload. I think some around here need to pump the breaks a bit on the Hutton type. Any goalie, even the crap that is Lehner, can put together the odd good season. I still take Bernier over Hutton due to the theoretical upside even though even Bernier by now is what he probably ever will be.

 

[dasaybz]

Hes 32 and has had a grand total of 2 good seasons in the NHL and they are not even with starter workload. I think some around here need to pump the breaks a bit on the Hutton type. Any goalie, even the crap that is Lehner, can put together the odd good season. I still take Bernier over Hutton due to the theoretical upside even though even Bernier by now is what he probably ever will be.

I think Hutton has much more upside than Bernier. Lehners best season is still not as good as Hutton last year. Fleury showed that older goalies can still play in this league .

 

[Sabre the Win]

I would love to get Dubnyk. 3 years left, play him for 2 and than trade him and let Ullmark take over. By then we would be able to stock our goalie pipeline over again rather than rushing goalies or putting band aids in place as stop gaps.

I would give prospect+2nd but that might not get it done.

 

[UnleashRasmus]

He played third line with trash wingers for all of 20 games.

He also didn't exactly inspire the ability in the face off circle and I'm not trying to pigeon hole him, but he's good at what he does. Creating the pass off the wall, being a sneaky fast first step slightly above average skater who can create and bang it in around the goal. Yes, he has the vision however he's never really shown the greatest ability to play a two way center role.

 

[UnleashRasmus]

I think Hutton has much more upside than Bernier. Lehners best season is still not as good as Hutton last year. Fleury showed that older goalies can still play in this league .

Mrazek has more upside than both, however I understand the liking of Hutton for consistency, ability to be a good character player and willing to be okay carrying the back up load. To come to Buffalo, he'd be paid more than he's ever gotten.

 

[Rasmus CacOlainen]

I think Hutton has much more upside than Bernier. Lehners best season is still not as good as Hutton last year. Fleury showed that older goalies can still play in this league .

Fleury has been a starter in this league for agea. Hutton is a career backup with a couple of OK seasons without starter workload after he passed 29-30 years of age. This does not inspire upside.

 

[SECRET SQUIRREL]

So I know all the talk is around what we'll get in a potential O'Reilly return, but rumor is Trouba is asking for 8 million a year. Could that finally be the straw that breaks the camels back with a cap crunch looming in Winnipeg? Does something around Ristolainen make sense? Giving them a cheaper defenseman that can play a similar role. We could still eat a contract like Mason that could still provide us with some value.

I wouldn't, I've soured a little bit on Risto recently but he's still just as good as Trouba and signed for a few years. Trouba is not 2.5 mil a year better player so I'd def pass. Now a Risto for PK or OEL deal and I'm all ears.

 

[SECRET SQUIRREL]

I like Hutton but I wouldn't want him on more than a 2 year deal at 3ish, he's not anything more than a 1b/great backup. I'd rather trade for Varlamov or sign Bernier honestly.

 

[Jim Bob]

I think you are highly downplaying his upside. Just because he isn't young doesn't mean he couldn't thrive as a#1 .

Hutton scares me.

He could be this year's Scott Darling.

I'd go as high as 2 years $3M per.

 

[sincerity0]

If he is “guy” we get to play with Jack, ur looking at another bottom 5 finish. On the bright side, I hear this Hughes guy is good...

Building a complete NHL roster does not happen overnight. Even before Botterill joined the Sabres, this team was lacking depth.

Sheary doesn’t need to be “the guy” to play with Jack, rather, he needs to be “a guy” that can play with him. Playing something like 50% of his minutes with Pomminville and 40% with Girgensons is evidently a recipe for a bottom 5 finish.

Botterill should never turn down offers to trade 4/5 and later round draft picks for quality NHLers, which at this point the team sorely needs.

 

[sincerity0]

Off topic but do you guys think Johan Larsson has a future on this team?

No. There are too many bodies that Botterill has brought in that better fills the team’s need and direction.

Larsson was statistically one of the worst forwards in the league last year. The only reason he’s coming back is because the Sabres need some NHL vets at the position + his contract is cheap.

 

[1972]

I like the idea of Hutton, but that third year is a tough one for me.

 

[1972]

Guhle/Mittelstadt/Dahlin/Asplund/Pilut/Baptiste/Smith all being on the cusp could make this an exciting year...