Speculation: Sabres Roster Speculation - Pre-season 2023 Edition

[Diaspora]

That requires finding 2 defensemen.

I will hold out hope for that.

 

[Der Jaeger]

Luneau just won the Q defenseman of the year. I don't think they're keen to move him at this time. Warren is coming off a season ending injury.

I'd look at a trade like this:

Comtois: RFA with a disappointing past few years after a strong start. May need a change of scenery. I think Johnson moving as an unsigned college player is around the right value, assuming Anaheim thinks he signs (similar to the Portillo move).

Jones: he's got younger Marcus Foligno potential.

Helleson: seems like a lesser version of Samuelsson. Moves well, good decision maker, strong defensive hockey IQ.

For Jones and Helleson, I'd offer a 4th and Rosen. Rosen for Helleson is tilted toward Anaheim. 3rd for Jones is somewhat tilted to Buffalo. I'd up the 4th to a 3rd just to make the deal enticing.

Rights to Ryan Johnson, Isak Rosen, and 2023 3rd for RFA rights to Comtois, Jones, and Helleson.

 

[Fjordy]

I'd look at a trade like this:

Comtois: RFA with a disappointing past few years after a strong start. May need a change of scenery. I think Johnson moving as an unsigned college player is around the right value, assuming Anaheim thinks he signs (similar to the Portillo move).

Jones: he's got younger Marcus Foligno potential.

Helleson: seems like a lesser version of Samuelsson. Moves well, good decision maker, strong defensive hockey IQ.

For Jones and Helleson, I'd offer a 4th and Rosen. Rosen for Helleson is tilted toward Anaheim. 3rd for Jones is somewhat tilted to Buffalo. I'd up the 4th to a 3rd just to make the deal enticing.

Rights to Ryan Johnson, Isak Rosen, and 2023 3rd for RFA rights to Comtois, Jones, and Helleson.

I understand about Helleson, but where are we going to find a place for Comtois and Jones?

 

[Sabre the Win]

I've seen two rumors so far.

Hellbyuck trade
Alec Martinez

Not sure I care for either

 

[TheMistyStranger]

I'd look at a trade like this:

Comtois: RFA with a disappointing past few years after a strong start. May need a change of scenery. I think Johnson moving as an unsigned college player is around the right value, assuming Anaheim thinks he signs (similar to the Portillo move).

Jones: he's got younger Marcus Foligno potential.

Helleson: seems like a lesser version of Samuelsson. Moves well, good decision maker, strong defensive hockey IQ.

For Jones and Helleson, I'd offer a 4th and Rosen. Rosen for Helleson is tilted toward Anaheim. 3rd for Jones is somewhat tilted to Buffalo. I'd up the 4th to a 3rd just to make the deal enticing.

Rights to Ryan Johnson, Isak Rosen, and 2023 3rd for RFA rights to Comtois, Jones, and Helleson.

That feels like selling low on Rosen, and getting two forwards who are reclamation projects in return.

 

[Fjordy]

That feels like selling low on Rosen, and getting two forwards who are reclamation projects in return.

Well, I think this Rosen for Helleson as a base.

 

[My Cozen Dylan]

I'd look at a trade like this:

Comtois: RFA with a disappointing past few years after a strong start. May need a change of scenery. I think Johnson moving as an unsigned college player is around the right value, assuming Anaheim thinks he signs (similar to the Portillo move).

Jones: he's got younger Marcus Foligno potential.

Helleson: seems like a lesser version of Samuelsson. Moves well, good decision maker, strong defensive hockey IQ.

For Jones and Helleson, I'd offer a 4th and Rosen. Rosen for Helleson is tilted toward Anaheim. 3rd for Jones is somewhat tilted to Buffalo. I'd up the 4th to a 3rd just to make the deal enticing.

Rights to Ryan Johnson, Isak Rosen, and 2023 3rd for RFA rights to Comtois, Jones, and Helleson.

A 1st+2nd+3rd for Helleson and spare parts is an awful deal.

 

[Irie]

“Joker will look surprisingly better when his partner isn’t 20”

Fine let’s break it down. This sentence puts the onus for Joker’s play on his partner’s inexperience. Meanwhile…Joker’s problems are

1. He passes handgrenages up the wall instead of utilizing his offensive minded defensive partner. He stifles what makes Power special because he lacks offensive IQ

2. He throws badly timed point shots for easy turnovers, again, instead of utilizing his partner because he lacks offensive IQ

3. He constantly wanders to the wrong side of the ice leaving his man open for backdoor tapins (it’s why so many highlights against show Joker standing in the crease…looking the wrong way). Power often has his man covered…looks to his right…and sees Joker has made his way where he shouldn’t be again.

So you can explain to me…what you think it is about Owen Power being 20 that has any effect on Jokiharju not having the awareness in either zone. Awareness that he’s shown not to have with Dahlin for years. Dahlin isn’t 20.

Teach to me read.

Explain to me how his partner carrying him even further as he improves says anything positive about the lump of shit he’s carrying up and down the ice. Explain to me how that anchor will even allow Power to reach his potential when he’s throwing away possession and defending like someone who has never played defense before? Better yet…explain why he’s worse with Dahlin. Who, again, is not 20. Thus disproving your entire snarky bullshit take that makes you sound like you have less awareness than Jokiharju

You should learn to watch hockey

Telling someone else that they should learn to watch hockey is extremely comical given your daily posts calling out the players you disklike in gameday threads for plays that often are not remotely their fault.

Power's offensive creativity is amazing for a player his age, and Jokiharju is not a great defender, and the two of them together are not a good pairing. But if you watch the games and are unable to undertand that most of the time when Jokiharju "wanders to the wrong side of the ice" it is because there are two high danger threats and he is trying to cover both of them because Power read the play wrong, then you either aren't paying attention to what is going on on the ice, or you just don't understand what you are watching.

Think back to all those goals where Jokiharju is standing between two wide open guys and ask yourself, why are there two wide open forwards right on top of the crease? The answer is not because Jokiharju screwed up, although he is not half the defender he needs to be to make a play in those situations - that is the real problem.

 

[Chainshot]

I'd look at a trade like this:

Comtois: RFA with a disappointing past few years after a strong start. May need a change of scenery. I think Johnson moving as an unsigned college player is around the right value, assuming Anaheim thinks he signs (similar to the Portillo move).

Jones: he's got younger Marcus Foligno potential.

Helleson: seems like a lesser version of Samuelsson. Moves well, good decision maker, strong defensive hockey IQ.

For Jones and Helleson, I'd offer a 4th and Rosen. Rosen for Helleson is tilted toward Anaheim. 3rd for Jones is somewhat tilted to Buffalo. I'd up the 4th to a 3rd just to make the deal enticing.

Rights to Ryan Johnson, Isak Rosen, and 2023 3rd for RFA rights to Comtois, Jones, and Helleson.

Not interested in putting a guy like Rosen in for that pile of questions. If the Ducks want to shuffle up the deck, that's fine, but I see nothing there to make me think the three of them alone are worth Rosen let alone putting in additional pieces.

 

[Club]

Everyone's talking about adding another D. I agree with it.

But what's stopping Pilut from getting a roster spot next season? He's been great for the Amerks

 

[Ehran]

Everyone's talking about adding another D. I agree with it.

But what's stopping Pilut from getting a roster spot next season? He's been great for the Amerks

IMO, Pilut is a tweener. Really good at the AHL level but not quite good enough for a regular roster spot at the NHL level.

Plus, his skill set doesn't really fill what I think are our pressing needs on defense. Size, physicality, and a stalwart in our own zone are not how I would describe Pilut.

I like Pilut, just don't see him getting a spot in Buffalo next year.

 

[Der Jaeger]

I understand about Helleson, but where are we going to find a place for Comtois and Jones?

That feels like selling low on Rosen, and getting two forwards who are reclamation projects in return.

A 1st+2nd+3rd for Helleson and spare parts is an awful deal.

Not interested in putting a guy like Rosen in for that pile of questions. If the Ducks want to shuffle up the deck, that's fine, but I see nothing there to make me think the three of them alone are worth Rosen let alone putting in additional pieces.

When power forwards come available, they cost a boatload in a trade. Any affordable trade for a power forward is going to be for a project, and will be trading for some questions, spare parts, and reclamations.

 

[Ace]

Everyone's talking about adding another D. I agree with it.

But what's stopping Pilut from getting a roster spot next season? He's been great for the Amerks

That he isn’t a top 4 D which is what the team needs so badly. You want to throw him in the pile of bottom pair guys to rotate in…fine. He’s not worse than Bryson. I doubt he’s worse than Joker.

 

[TheMistyStranger]

When power forwards come available, they cost a boatload in a trade. Any affordable trade for a power forward is going to be for a project, and will be trading for some questions, spare parts, and reclamations.

We just got Greenway for a 2+5, and I'd argue that he's roughly equally established as Comtois. And Jones is behind either.

 

[Gabrielor]

Id do:

1st-23 (13)
Olofsson
Luukkonen
Rosen

for

Hellebuyck

That's the highest price I'll pay for a 1 year merc.

 

[joshjull]

His limited minutes on the left are the only indicator we have of what to expect from him on his offside. With the position the team is in right now, do you want to play an unknown quantity on his left and hope for the best?

Just seems to make more sense to go with what you know in someone who is proven in that role. I'm not even saying to trade joker. Long term he could be their best fit as the 3rd pairing RD given Boosh is only signed for another season. Perhaps him and Stillman provide a solid 3rd pairing longer term, or another LD in that Lyubushkin mold fits next to him

We can use common sense and logic

Joker struggled playing a ton of top 4 minutes paired with much better offensive dmen. Which put him into a defensive support role that doesn’t play to his strengths.

We’re discussing moving him to the bottom pairing with a defensive RHD. Which puts him into an offensive role that suits him well while also playing fewer and easier minutes. Its an easier assignment than last year even with him playing on his offhand for 50-60% of those minutes.

This debate started off ass backwards with two other posters asserting he can‘t play his offhand. Which is an awfully bold assertion that can’t be supported with the evidence available. What is true is he’s never been asked to do so. Or as you put it, he hasn’t proven he can.

So let Joker, Boosh and Stillman have a three way battle for the bottom pairing spots. I see no reason any should be locks. Or why any combo of them can’t work.

EDIT: Assuming of course Joker isn’t used as part of a package to land a better dman.

 

[Perry Tegula]

Rosey is borderline Savoie/Ostlund/Kulich tier. Don't see him shipping out for any short-term return.

 

[Chainshot]

When power forwards come available, they cost a boatload in a trade. Any affordable trade for a power forward is going to be for a project, and will be trading for some questions, spare parts, and reclamations.

Trading a reclamation isn't done by shipping out a recent first round pick who is still on the upswing. That's for guys who have stalled in their environment and that's not Rosen. Most non-reclamation PF's of note recently are internally developed players for the teams that have them on reasonable deals or they are overpaid in payroll/trade resources. No issue with trying to shop for those types, but wildly overpaying for unproven or middling players? Nah.

 

[thewookie1]

Id do:

1st-23 (13)
Olofsson
Luukkonen
Rosen

for

Hellebuyck

That's the highest price I'll pay for a 1 year merc.

No way, I’m not moving that much for a 1 year mercenary

 

[Chainshot]

Everyone's talking about adding another D. I agree with it.

But what's stopping Pilut from getting a roster spot next season? He's been great for the Amerks

They showed no faith in him during his recalls and while he's been a very good player for the Amerks, the question of if he's able to provide that level of play consistently at the next level has to be there. A bunch of sub-10 minute nights is troublesome, especially when they were already playing an AHL scrub like Fitz 12-14 minutes in those same games. I could see him coming back if they give him a 1-way deal which likely scares a team off from a possible waiver claim to compete for the 8 role but he's not a top 4 NHL defenseman and the staff didn't trust him early in the season enough that he had to re-assess his game.

 

[Chainshot]

Id do:

1st-23 (13)
Olofsson
Luukkonen
Rosen

for

Hellebuyck

That's the highest price I'll pay for a 1 year merc.

Too much for me. Rosen and Luukkonen? Or Luukkonen and the 2024 first? Sure. But not three parts for an expiring contract. Too much risk baked into that for me.

 

[Gabrielor]

No way, I’m not moving that much for a 1 year mercenary

Too much for me. Rosen and Luukkonen? Or Luukkonen and the 2024 first? Sure. But not three parts for an expiring contract. Too much risk baked into that for me.

Good. I was hoping I was into 'too much' territory.

 

[Djp]

Id do:

1st-23 (13)
Olofsson
Luukkonen
Rosen

for

Hellebuyck

That's the highest price I'll pay for a 1 year merc.

Thst is awful overpay.

 

[tsujimoto74]

Id do:

1st-23 (13)
Olofsson
Luukkonen
Rosen

for

Hellebuyck

That's the highest price I'll pay for a 1 year merc.

Your highest price is much, much higher than mine.

 

[The Blunder Years]

Top 10 protected 24’ 1st and UPL is probably the most I would be willing to pay for Hellebucyk… although I hate trading 1st rounders unless you’re getting a good player under a decent contract in return. Throw in Demelo and I would be open to adding more to that package.

I think plugging in Hellebuyck would not be a as easy of a fix as It seems though. Team defense and our defensive depth is equal parts or more of the equation.