Rumor: Sabres trying to trade Ristolainen

[Moskau]

Somehow I think Brandon Montour and Colin Miller as your two best RHDs isn't going to end well.

As opposed to Ristolainen who has been pinned in his own zone for the last 6 seasons.

 

[is the answer jesus]

Did Ristolainen suddenly morph into a good player? Last time I checked, he SUCKS.

Yawn. He is what he is. A very good offensive defenseman who has too many gaffes in his own zone. A smart coach would load his OZ starts, scale down his minutes, and pair him up with a guy who isn't a pylon. Unfortunately we haven't had a smart coach in Ristolainen's entire tenure here.

 

[Beville]

Cody Ceci coming right up.

 

[wankstifier]

Lmao are you kidding

No. Zaitsev is a cap dump to make it work for the Sabres, one that would need to be compensated for them to even consider a deal

I feel like it’d be close-ish if terms matched.

Both players are mediocre to bad versus decent competition at 5v5. Ristolainen at least has some PP ability

 

[tsujimoto74]

Is Ristolainen for Zaitsev+ a fair basis for a trade?

No.

 

[is the answer jesus]

Neither player is very good.

I think Zaitsev’s term kills it, never mind.

Yeah sure, it's just the "term" that kills it.

 

[RWatson29]

I feel like it’d be close-ish if terms matched.

Both players are mediocre to bad versus decent competition at 5v5. Ristolainen at least has some PP ability

Mediciocre to bad when just looking at analytic stats, perhaps. How about watching actual gameplay?

 

[wankstifier]

Mediciocre to bad when just looking at analytic stats, perhaps. How about watching actual gameplay?

You think he looks good?

 

[RWatson29]

You think he looks good?

He’s definitley a capable #3 dman in my opinion while people on this boards compare him to like Jeff finger for some reason because people who don’t even watch buffalo play, chime in on his analytics. Put 90% of the leagues D in that Risto spot, on those buffalo teams, with that kind of usage and no insulation and let me know how it goes. The fact that buffalo’s D Is getting better overall, means his usage is going to go down and will play against less top lines constantly and it will definitely benefit his analytic numbers. For whoever even cares about that shit.

 

[Eye Test]

im on the opposite side than most leaf fans but i think risto could be useful if the price was low and they retained.

 

[sabresEH]

im on the opposite side than most leaf fans but i think risto could be useful if the price was low and they retained.

Sabres likely won't retain and will need scoring help in return. The cost won't be as low as you want it to be.

 

[wankstifier]

He’s definitley a capable #3 dman in my opinion while people on this boards compare him to like Jeff finger for some reason because people who don’t even watch buffalo play, chime in on his analytics. Put 90% of the leagues D in that Risto spot, on those buffalo teams, with that kind of usage and no insulation and let me know how it goes. The fact that buffalo’s D Is getting better overall, means his usage is going to go down and will play against less top lines constantly and it will definitely benefit his analytic numbers. For whoever even cares about that ****.

Fair enough. I don’t mean to pile on. Maybe you’re right

 

[Havok89]

As opposed to Ristolainen who has been pinned in his own zone for the last 6 seasons.

All four of Risto, Montour, Miller, Bogo are pretty lousy defensively, but I don’t see how moving Risto for scraps makes us a better team.

Lots of teams need help on RD, Botts needs to be patient with this and willing to keep Risto into the season if it means getting a return that fits a need for Buffalo.

 

[Ukkosenjumala]

This happens in all countries because the NHL is changing and kids, and coaches alike, at various levels recognize it.

In the modern day NHL, defensemen who can skate, lead the rush, and generate offense are trending up. They are becoming a more crucial part of the game, regardless of their size, etc.

The NHL has been looking to increase its value proposition for years now... and a big part of that is creating more offense, and offensively-gifted players. Defensemen generally get the puck on their stick and are key to the offensive transition game, hence why kids like Makar and Hughes are being drafted higher and higher.

Erik Karlsson, PK Subban and Brent Burns shattered the mold with their Norris trophies. All of them are good, but not exceptional, defensively. It's their offense that makes them elite.

I predict in 10-12 years, offensive D are by far the most valued commodities in the entire NHL, as the game continues to shift and kids all want to be the next Karlsson, Subban, Klingberg, Gostisbehere, Dahlin, Makar, Hughes, etc.

"It's funny, people are always saying how the future of D in the NHL is all about puck support, offensive upside, being able to facilitate breakouts, QB.ing a PP and that "stay at home" guys are less valuable and you have a poster boy of that in Ristolainen yet supposedly nobody wants to touch him? Don't play him 25-30 minutes a night, give him someone that covers for him like they do with other guys like Karlsson, Burns, Bufyglien and countless others."

This is from my previous post and I've actually defended Risto a few times here so you might have misunderstood my position. Most high tier defencemen need to be able to breakout effectively, have a good amount of offensive upside and things I mentioned, however I'm saying there's plenty of younger prospects who don't emphazise the good fundamentals of defense early on and they end up never making the NHL because whatever offense they have is not enough to compensate for their lack of defence. The Honka brothers come to mind as an example although the book is still open on Anttoni,

 

[Striiker]

If the Flyers could make the dollars work, I'd be in favor of trading Gostisbehere for Ristolainen straight up.

Absolutely horrific idea.

The goal is to make the Flyers better, not worse.

 

[WeDislikeEich]

im on the opposite side than most leaf fans but i think risto could be useful if the price was low and they retained.

So, in other words, you’d be interested if Buffalo treated trading their best right handed defenseman (and guy who plays the most, and hardest, minutes on the team) like he is a straight cap dump, and to a division rival no less?

Yeah, that’s not gonna happen.

 

[Ledge And Dairy]

I can see the Isles pursuing him if the Panarin/Bob plan falls apart. If Leddy is on his way out they need a PP specialist (Risto is better then Leddy on the PP even if he stays). The team lead the league in goals against last year, they can probably afford to risk Risto's defensive flaws (maybe even fix it with their coaching).

 

[DaBolts]

Hell, I'd give Gourde + 2nd round pick for Risto. Hedman-Risto would be a nice pairing.

 

[Yatzhee]

All four of Risto, Montour, Miller, Bogo are pretty lousy defensively, but I don’t see how moving Risto for scraps makes us a better team.

Lots of teams need help on RD, Botts needs to be patient with this and willing to keep Risto into the season if it means getting a return that fits a need for Buffalo.

Botterill wouldn't have pulled the trigger on the Miller trade if an offer or 2 he's willing to accept for one of Bogo or Risto wasn't already in play.

As I've posted a couple of times now, a friend that works for the Sabres said he wasn't being shopped but they are listening. The Miller trade was initiated by Botterill, and it happened rather quickly from what I'm told.

Also, the Sabres won't be going in to the season with Risto, Bogo, Monty and Miller, so you can see what's coming here.

 

[valet]

Hell, I'd give Gourde + 2nd round pick for Risto. Hedman-Risto would be a nice pairing.

Lol no

 

[Asymmetric Solution]

I feel like it’d be close-ish if terms matched.

Both players are mediocre to bad versus decent competition at 5v5. Ristolainen at least has some PP ability

Zaitsev isn’t in the same universe as Risto. Leafs can’t give him away. 30 teams would take Risto with his current contract. Risto gets more hate than any other player on HF yet every team seems to want to trade for him. I want Risto I’m Buffalo. He’s had his gaffes but the team around him is getting much better. Risto is going to thrive playing with help.

 

[Asymmetric Solution]

im on the opposite side than most leaf fans but i think risto could be useful if the price was low and they retained.

Risto is worth his contract. Let me guess, Brown, Zaitsev and a 3rd?

 

[Havok89]

Botterill wouldn't have pulled the trigger on the Miller trade if an offer or 2 he's willing to accept for one of Bogo or Risto wasn't already in play.

As I've posted a couple of times now, a friend that works for the Sabres said he wasn't being shopped but they are listening. The Miller trade was initiated by Botterill, and it happened rather quickly from what I'm told.

Also, the Sabres won't be going in to the season with Risto, Bogo, Monty and Miller, so you can see what's coming here.

Bogo isn’t going to be ready to start the season and he’s proven time and time again he can’t be relied on to stay healthy.

And why would he not pull the trigger on Miller for a future STL 2nd if there wasn’t another trade? You’re getting an nhl defenseman for a late 2nd round pick two years away.

 

[flying v 604]

Miller is a bottom 6 scub Vancouver overpaid for.

He is not a center.

A bottom six scrub? I wasnt aware that bottom 6 scrubs averaged around 60 points a season. All while only averaging around 15 mins a game. Thankyou very much for enlightening me.

 

[DatDude44]

Anyone with eyes and even a mediocre understanding of hockey knows risto is a hell of a lot better than his stats indicate. He’s been in a horrible situation playing 25-30 a night on a team that played pure man-man in the D-zone with linemates and forwards that were of no help in the D-zone and constantly make mistake after mistake. Hopefully for the Sabre’s sake Krueger implements more structure and actually teaches his players after they make mistakes rather than doing absolutely nothing about it....