Why would a team make a trade of a top 4 d man? I dunno, because you offer quality back in the form of forwards.
Our top 4 is a top 3. Look at the game today against Bruins. Three guys played 81 minutes. Bryson was in our #4. He stinks. Sorry, Jokiharju is not really doing it for me, even when he gets back. We don't have any D men in the pipeline ready for 2023-24 or maybe even 2024-25.
Johnson? He didn't sign and is a UFA soon.
The Sabres overloaded on forward depth with Savoie/Kulich/Rose/Nadeau/Poltapov looking like our best bets to make the NHL.
On D? Maybe Novikov/Lindgren make the NHL. Maybe.
It simply doesn't matter if we screwed the pooch on multiple drafts, we don't have much on D coming up.
we did not screw the pooch because our drafted D skipped AHL time.
Novikov/ Lindgren Recently drafted. You likely see neither on the Sabres until 25/36 or 26/27 season when buffalo needs the young and cheap depth.
with Samuekson, Power, and a Dahlin on team long term I see
Jokiharju signed to 3-4 yr extension taking him thru summer 27 or 28 who would be replaced by a high pick 1st/2nd in 23-25 drafts
If they sign Johnson. He plays mainly in Rochester next year and in too 6 in 2024-25 Basically replaces Lyub.
if they dont sign Johnson thrn thry get a comp pick. Thst comp pick has real value.
in 27 or 28 Joki salary spot could transition to Johnson
it would be nice to get someone who can fill a mid pair role fir a few years but I’m not mortgaging the future to get that player because they do need to restock the shelves on D.
if they compete in 24-26/cup runs thrn they likely burn 1st/2nd in rental deals.
You guys think a under the radar vet like Luke Schenn would work? Hed be a rental but I would imagine he wouldn't cost more then a mid round pick and/or mid level prospect.
Schenn because of his salary and other teams lack of cap space make him very valuable at TDL. It will cost 2nd+ to get him.
Copying this from the Chychrun to Buffalo thread on the main board, which is where I originally posted this:
I’d make the trade I mentioned earlier in this thread that
@rt agreed to (Hayton + Vejmelka for Buffalo’s 1st (top 8 protected) but I’ll add that we send one of Anderson (if he agrees) or Comrie back.
And I’d try to pry Peeke out of Columbus. I dunno what they’d want (Mitts @50% + PHI 2023 2nd or Johnson (both?) may get it done.
Afterwards:
Skinner - Tage - Tuch
Peterka - Cozens - Quinn
Hayton - Jost - Olofsson
Girgensons - Krebs - Okposo
Asplund - Hino
Dahlin - Samuelsson
Power - Peeke
Jokiharju - Lyubushkin
Bryson - Fitzgerald/Clague
Vejmelka
Luukkonen
Anderson/Comrie
Thoughts? Opinions? Family recipes?
not trading a 1st for that. Trade other things sure.
You'd hope Johnson is paying attention to the team. Are there better situations in the league? Sure. But there's plenty of opportunity to play himself into this teams future. He could be a guy next to Power, with Joker driving his own pair. Clague had a clanger last night but he's played well this month and their styles aren't miles apart. Team has shown no aversion to playing D on their off side. Team will of course lean towards a Rochester education as they have with all prospects. But after a year with the Amerks, Bryson and Lybushkin are up, Dahlin and Power need mega deals so his ELC will be beneficial as cap becomes a factor.
Buffalo is a very good opportunity for him to get a top 4 role but it won’t be granted to him.
he signs with buffalo he can burn an ELC year. He waits to go as a UFA he has to wait a full season before he can get a new contract.
I'd rather pull in a top-4 and have Joker anchor the third pair.
this year the team needs to be looking like
Sam-Dahlin
xxx-Joki
Power-Lyub
Power does not have the full season conditioning like a full season in A or CHL could bring.
next year Power is a 2nd pair D and who they get moves to 3rd pair
