Value of: Sabres #1 round pick (unprotected) in 2025

[HogtownSabresfan]

I'm prepared to trade this pick and even add for a serious RD option on our backend. And it has to be an RD. It is the Sabres' most glaring weakness. Still, our D is horrid with no depth. What we have is all LD.

The player must be team-controlled for multiple years, preferably younger but well under 30. We are not getting him, but a guy like Moritz Seider comes to mind. A guy like Simon Nemec maybe. David Reinbacher. I said unprotected because I would be willing to roll the dice with a non-playoff team (or less likely a playoff team) on an 11.5% chance at Matthew Shaefer who will be a #1 overall.

The goal would be to get a guy further along in development. A guy like Adam Fox would change the Sabres overnight, but clearly you are adding beyond.

And, yes, Sabres will be too timid to do any of this but the first pick should be in play.

 

[hamzarocks]

Brandt Clarke for 4th/5th OA maybe?

 

[Zman5778]

Brandt Clarke for 4th/5th OA maybe?

We need someone actually good at playing defense.

Clarke is the right-handed version of Power or Byram -- solid offensively, but can get lost defensively.

 

[HogtownSabresfan]

Brandt Clarke for 4th/5th OA maybe?

He has four team-controlled years. I'm in. Price goes down after the balls drop. Kings in the playoff hunt, so I can't see them trading anything like this until after the season end but the Sabre pick is now a #3 overall. LA could get a big bruiser winger for the future.

 

[benfranklin]

lol a lot. Would be a moron move to trade this ahead of the lottery. Suck next year and go for McKenna. This team is not good and youre not 1-2 players away from competing unless you magically get Marner and trade for McDavid's rights because he tells EDM to f off.

The fact Buffalo fans here were convinced they need more D is sad and sad you all bought into this. A RHD would be great since you have 4 solid LHD, but c'mon, that isnt going to be a game changer for this team.

You have your top 4. Trade Samuelsson for a 3C and sign Chris Tanev in the offseason. Band aid for a bit, but still suck suck suck.

 

[Gregor Samsa]

Not a Sabres fan but I feel for them. It’s time they make a serious move to try and get to the playoffs. I wonder what they can get with their 1st + a good prospect + player (for salary cap reasons). The Sabres management owe it to their fans to go for it a bit. Another subsequent rebuild could spell doom for the franchise and I’m not sure they can wait another 4-5 years

 

[Jay Gray]

RD is the hardest position to find. Maybe Andersson from Calgary could be an option. Not the biggest fan of him but he is about the only one I can think off of the top of my head.

 

[Oneiro]

I'd easily do this for Nemec. Takes away a bullet for up front but you're getting a player closer to an NHL roster than most prospects.

 

[Panthaz89]

lol a lot. Would be a moron move to trade this ahead of the lottery. Suck next year and go for McKenna. This team is not good and youre not 1-2 players away from competing unless you magically get Marner and trade for McDavid's rights because he tells EDM to f off.

The fact Buffalo fans here were convinced they need more D is sad and sad you all bought into this. A RHD would be great since you have 4 solid LHD, but c'mon, that isnt going to be a game changer for this team.

You have your top 4. Trade Samuelsson for a 3C and sign Chris Tanev in the offseason. Band aid for a bit, but still suck suck suck.

We are up there in goals but give up near the most in the league.....of course this team needs better D

 

[benfranklin]

We are up there in goals but give up near the most in the league.....of course this team needs better D

So draft the top ranked RHD with that likely top 5 pick. You guys arent competing anytime soon.

I think it needs a blow up, but ill play the none rebuilding game. Retool via McKenna.

2025 1st - If you win, you go for Schaefer and trade Byram or Power for a RHD. If not, trade down for Mrtka or Hensler assuming you HAVE to draft a D with that pick.

2026 1st - suck for McKenna! Hes worth it!

Ugh capwages is sad for the Sabres. Paying Skinner until 2030. What losers. This team isnt close to being good.

 

[tsujimoto74]

Brandt Clarke for 4th/5th OA maybe?

Setting aside value, how is an offensive D who can’t hack a regular NHL shift solving any problems for Buffalo?

 

[Panthaz89]

So draft the top ranked RHD with that likely top 5 pick. You guys arent competing anytime soon.

I think it needs a blow up, but ill play the none rebuilding game. Retool via McKenna.

2025 1st - If you win, you go for Schaefer and trade Byram or Power for a RHD. If not, trade down for Mrtka or Hensler assuming you HAVE to draft a D with that pick.

2026 1st - suck for McKenna! Hes worth it!

Ugh capwages is sad for the Sabres. Paying Skinner until 2030. What losers. This team isnt close to being good.

The OP is already suggesting that we would get a young D in the trade....

 

[Great Panda 2]

I think its more affordable than many might think.

This isn't a strong draft, Sabres aren't at the absolute basement of the league (only third last). The top pick of the draft is a left shooting dman, even then I don't think he's on the level of Dahlin. I'm imaging the Sabres will have a LD available soon enough (it should be Power, likely will be Byram since they can't do much right).

I think that's a carrot you got to dangle to improve the forwards. I'd even go as far as saying that they should make an impossible swing by attaching Power to the first round pick to see if they can get a true impact forward or if they can get a couple really good forwards. I'm thinking (not that any of these are available) Byfield, Barzal, Hischier, Kyrou, Thomas, Keller.

Or just do the hilarious thing and trade for Elias Pettersson in the offseason.

 

[TageGod]

I am all for moving it for the right price. Not beholden to it being for D though. We could always do a Byram swap for a more defensive oriented D.

 

[TageGod]

I think its more affordable than many might think.

This isn't a strong draft, Sabres aren't at the absolute basement of the league (only third last). The top pick of the draft is a left shooting dman, even then I don't think he's on the level of Dahlin. I'm imaging the Sabres will have a LD available soon enough (it should be Power, likely will be Byram since they can't do much right).

I think that's a carrot you got to dangle to improve the forwards. I'd even go as far as saying that they should make an impossible swing by attaching Power to the first round pick to see if they can get a true impact forward or if they can get a couple really good forwards. I'm thinking (not that any of these are available) Byfield, Barzal, Hischier, Kyrou, Thomas, Keller.

Or just do the hilarious thing and trade for Elias Pettersson in the offseason.

Why would they have to add a 1st to power to get any of those guys? 3 years removed from #1 overall. D take way longer to develop.

 

[hamzarocks]

How is an offensive D who can’t hack a regular NHL shift solving any problems for Buffalo?

The type of D that Sabres will want wont be worth a top 3/4 pick or likely isnt on the market

The names that come up (these arent even guaranteed RHD but more so two way top pairing D who are strong defensively)

Faber (not on market and worth too much to the wild)

Parayako - likely worth less then a tpp 3/5 pick but not sure if hes on the market and he has some injury issues and age concerns

Slavin - not on the market since Canes are contenders

Brodin - Think he can play both sides but is he worth a top 5 pick? Also are the Wild going to deal him for any less?

I cant think of any elite defensive/two way dman players that would be on the market for the Sabres to target.

The sabres can try to build a high offense overload Defense for top portion (Makar, Toews, Girard, Byram in 2022 cup run).

 

[TageGod]

The type of D that Sabres will want wont be worth a top 3/4 pick or likely isnt on the market

The names that come up (these arent even guaranteed RHD but more so two way top pairing D who are strong defensively)

Faber (not on market and worth too much to the wild)

Parayako - likely worth less then a tpp 3/5 pick but not sure if hes on the market and he has some injury issues and age concerns

Slavin - not on the market since Canes are contenders

Brodin - Think he can play both sides but is he worth a top 5 pick? Also are the Wild going to deal him for any less?

I cant think of any elite defensive/two way dman players that would be on the market for the Sabres to target.

The sabres can try to build a high offense overload Defense for top portion (Makar, Toews, Girard, Byram in 2022 cup run).

If we had Forwards that were not AWFUL in their own zone, this would be an option.

 

[benfranklin]

The OP is already suggesting that we would get a young D in the trade....

Right and Im saying that its dumb thinking youll get an NHL ready dman in their low 20s from anyone for that pick, but ill try.

Heres an alternative idea:

Find a way to ship Power+ to the Bruins for McAvoy (RHD). Theyre rebuilding obv and maybe McAvoy/Pasta can be had. Highly unlikely but im dreaming.
Ship the 1OA pick to the Stars for Harley (LHD) (I think theyre going to have trouble re-signing him without moving others)
Ship Byram out for a not so fancy RHD, Jamie Drysdale maybe. Mirror type move, but LHD for RHD. Win/win trade.

Dahlin-McAvoy
Harley-Drysdale
Samuelsson-Who cares

 

[Mattilaus]

lol a lot. Would be a moron move to trade this ahead of the lottery. Suck next year and go for McKenna. This team is not good and youre not 1-2 players away from competing unless you magically get Marner and trade for McDavid's rights because he tells EDM to f off.

The fact Buffalo fans here were convinced they need more D is sad and sad you all bought into this. A RHD would be great since you have 4 solid LHD, but c'mon, that isnt going to be a game changer for this team.

You have your top 4. Trade Samuelsson for a 3C and sign Chris Tanev in the offseason. Band aid for a bit, but still suck suck suck.

Do you just have this saved in a word document, then anytime a Sabres thread pops up you can just paste it? You are as bad as the guy who always just posts about how we should trade Dahlin.

 

[benfranklin]

Do you just have this saved in a word document, then anytime a Sabres thread pops up you can just paste it? You are as bad as the guy who always just posts about how we should trade Dahlin.

I know wild, someone thinks the Sabres arent good and should rebuild. I think McKenna is franchise changing and worth tanking for. This year, not so much.

 

[Mattilaus]

I know wild, someone thinks the Sabres arent good and should rebuild. I think McKenna is franchise changing and worth tanking for. This year, not so much.

No, it's wild that you say the exact same thing in every Sabres thread regardless of whether it is relevant to the OP or not.

 

[TageGod]

Right and Im saying that its dumb thinking youll get an NHL ready dman in their low 20s from anyone for that pick, but ill try.

Heres an alternative idea:

Find a way to ship Power+ to the Bruins for McAvoy (RHD). Theyre rebuilding obv and maybe McAvoy/Pasta can be had. Highly unlikely but im dreaming.
Ship the 1OA pick to the Stars for Harley (LHD) (I think theyre going to have trouble re-signing him without moving others)
Ship Byram out for a not so fancy RHD, Jamie Drysdale maybe. Mirror type move, but LHD for RHD. Win/win trade.

Dahlin-McAvoy
Harley-Drysdale
Samuelsson-Who cares

Curious what you think Powers value is. I don't think there is an add to get Charlie. Power is on his ELC as a #1 overall D. That is easily 3 firsts of value.

 

[benfranklin]

Curious what you think Powers value is. I don't think there is an add to get Charlie. Power is on his ELC as a #1 overall D. That is easily 3 firsts of value.

Power is not on his ELC.
We need to forget Powers draft position becuase it is irrelevant now.

My hope would be to convince a rebuilding team that you have a 22yo young stud locked up for 7 more years. Power and Benson? Power and Peterka? Probably right that nothing but Power + the 2025 1st gets McAvoy, but spitballing here.

 

[benfranklin]

No, it's wild that you say the exact same thing in every Sabres thread regardless of whether it is relevant to the OP or not.

I gave some potential options that would make Sabres fans happy. I dont think its realistic, but its what you guys want to hear.

 

[Poppy Whoa Sonnet]

Who is even selling any more? Who even has players without NMC that they could sell? I think this market was so wacky cause there's actually no longer any sellers, as in teams explicitly trying to tear down for a rebuild, the closest is maybe Pittsburgh?

A guy like Simon Nemec maybe.

Devils would do that deal without question I think, then immediately try and trade that pick for forward help.