Confirmed with Link: Sabres acquire 20th pick in the 2026 draft from SJS for Kesselring + 27

[Djp]

Don't like selling low on Kesselring. Would've much rather just kept him at/near his QO for a year to see if he bounced back, then sold off other pieces to create cap space.

Thats not how it works. They give him the QO, he can go to arbitration and get a bigger than expected raise and then he walks as a free agent. His award handcuffs the Sabres with the cap.

Nor do I like the value coming back. If we were really hellbent on moving Kesselring for some reason (which, again, we shouldn't have been), there were likely better offers than this. I don't really see any delta between the 20th and 27th picks.

I think he’s worth more than a mid 2nd, I don’t know this years draft and if there is a talent cliff between 20 and 27.

 

[Beerz]

Kesselring nad a tough year with injuries. He was thought of as a top 4 defenseman when we traded for him.

Thought of.

He wasn't. And has never been one.

 

[ValJamesDuex]

I don’t know this years draft and if there is a talent cliff between 20 and 27.

There is some chatter they like Morozov which most think he will go right about 20.

It could also be a stepping stone to move up higher (@Zman5778 has some good theories) or another deal for a player.

I have seen mention of the Canucks wanting another pick in the 1st for the Ruck twins

 

[Selanne00008]

Anyone upset over Kesselring has to do it while ignoring one kind of fact or another.

“He could have turned it around!” …. And walked in free agency if he did since the best case realistic scenario was singing his QO to take him to UFA.

“It’s because we didn’t play him.” … He couldn’t beat out anyone for a spot. When Lindy literally tried gifting him one in the playoffs….he lasted four bad minutes.

“He should have had more value” …. What value should the guy beat out by an undrafted rookie, Logan Stanley and Luke Schenn have, exactly? People are quick to tell you how much they hate a couple of those players and refuse to acknowledge he was BEHIND them for a reason.

“I wish we wouldn’t have given up those medium and lower level assets for other guys if they’re all going to be gone now” …. Blame Kesselring for being unplayable. If he could have managed to be their sixth best option they wouldn’t have had to. He couldn’t.

“We could have signed him cheap and rehabbed him” …. Why in the world would he do that? He earned his way to Lindy’s doghouse and can be a UFA in a year. Being trapped here…guy would never have a shot at signing a decent contract in the league. Zero chance he was signing here this offseason to this mythical team friendly deal. What does team friendly for your #7 D before you even make off-season additions look like anyway? Because he isn’t playing above Timmins or Metsa at this point.

I get it. You wanted Kesselring to work and be an answer. We’ve known since pretty much the moment he took the ice that he wasn’t. That’s a lot of months to just ignore the truth and embrace the fantasy.

He was Jacob Bryson here. Finally a GM who doesn’t need to commit to that for the better part of a goddamned decade.

I agree with Ace in general here. I wanted him to work out and I hadhopes until Olympic break even. Major point being the arbitration situation + him not even beaing able to crack the lineup. He 'should' have nice value at his size/age/position, but you have to be able to get into a lineup.

I'm good with it as it asctually. It's mid 2nd round value. It's not like he played his way into even late 1st round value.

Even better if it's for another move (be it moving up again, or 20th + Mrtka, + for a bigger piece.

 

[RecycledEichel]

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