Speculation: The 2026-27 Roster Speculation Thread: Summer Edition - Throw in All The Oars, We're Trading for Battleships

[Jetskiis]

So much for the "Robert Thomas is not for trade"

 

[itwasaforwardpass]

The Sabres should be able to beat a McTavish led offer.

 

[Ace]

The Sabres should be able to beat a McTavish led offer.

If it’s giant question marks their after (based on this rumor) Kulich and Ostlund’s health shouldn’t matter lol. At least the league has seen them play well in it.

 

[Jetskiis]

The Sabres should be able to beat a McTavish led offer.

If I'm being generous.

Byram > McTavish
Mrtka > Mintyukov
Ostlund > McQueen
Plus a 1st at least.

 

[DJN21]

i would ONLY trade Byram if he refuses to extend this summer, and in that case I would prefer that they traded Byram for an elite forward OR one with truly elite top end potential. Tippett, Eklund, Kyrou dont quite meet that imo. Players like Robertson, Dorofeyev, Connor, Forsberg, Nylander, Michkov, Lafreniere, Byfield, Fantilli would have me interested.

One name here is not like the others lol

 

[Chainshot]

This aggregating POS twitter account again... never any context, never any hint of it. The key in there? "WAS".

 

[Beerz]

This aggregating POS twitter account again... never any context, never any hint of it. The key in there? "WAS".

Yes. I thought it was pretty obvious that it was from the trade deadline.

 

[HaNotsri]

My moves would end up with a roster like this. I think we could add some picks on top of this by slimming down the roster.
Norris will get injured, then you add a fit Kulich to the lineup and move Helenius to center.

Östlund-Norris-Thompson
Benson-Trocheck-Doan
Helenius-Wright-Quinn
Greenway-McLeod-Carrick
Kozak
AHL: Kulich

Dahlin-Samuelsson
Power-Byram
Johnson-Timmins
Metsä

Lyon
Levi
Ellis

 

[Jetskiis]

My moves would end up with a roster like this. I think we could add some picks on top of this by slimming down the roster.
Norris will get injured, then you add a fit Kulich to the lineup and move Helenius to center.

Östlund-Norris-Thompson
Benson-Trocheck-Doan
Helenius-Wright-Quinn
Greenway-McLeod-Carrick
Kozak
AHL: Kulich

Dahlin-Samuelsson
Power-Byram
Johnson-Timmins
Metsä

Lyon
Levi
Ellis

I have liked the idea of adding Wright for awhile, i think he desperately needs a change of scenery and would thrive in Buffalo. Seattle has been actively shopping him for awhile, I think maybe a sign and trade tuch + picks or b tier prospects could land us wright.

 

[toddkaz]

Yes. I thought it was pretty obvious that it was from the trade deadline.

Pretty underwhelming return for Thomas and Parayko.

 

[toddkaz]

My moves would end up with a roster like this. I think we could add some picks on top of this by slimming down the roster.
Norris will get injured, then you add a fit Kulich to the lineup and move Helenius to center.

Östlund-Norris-Thompson
Benson-Trocheck-Doan
Helenius-Wright-Quinn
Greenway-McLeod-Carrick
Kozak
AHL: Kulich

Dahlin-Samuelsson
Power-Byram
Johnson-Timmins
Metsä

Lyon
Levi
Ellis

I think Helenius starts at center. He played center in the playoffs so I don't think this is a situation where he needs to play wing to learn the game and then move to center. I think he starts as the 3C

 

[HaNotsri]

I have liked the idea of adding Wright for awhile, i think he desperately needs a change of scenery and would thrive in Buffalo. Seattle has been actively shopping him for awhile, I think maybe a sign and trade tuch + picks or b tier prospects could land us wright.

It's hard to decide on his value. They have way too many centers and maybe the GM has a rhd fetish.
Kesselring for Wright would be a double deflated value trade with some risk for both teams.

 

[HaNotsri]

I think Helenius starts at center. He played center in the playoffs so I don't think this is a situation where he needs to play wing to learn the game and then move to center. I think he starts as the 3C

Could flip him and Norris for better balance when it comes to handedness.

With the top 4 set I like the idea of securing the middle of the lineup.

I wouldn't mind a big winger down the line but letting Tuch walk and trading for Knies seems like weird priorities. Kept Zucker and Greenway to ensure enough meatshields on the team.
I hate B Tkachuk but if Ottawa unintentionally tanks towards a multi year rebuild he could be an (unlikely) option.

 

[Jim Bob]

He does not need a top line F.

If they want to build off of last season, I do think they need to do more than bank on internal development to replace Tuch.

If they are OK with possibly taking a step back to bank on the kids in 2026-27, then they do not need to make a meaningful addition to replace Tuch.

 

[Jim Bob]

Wouldn't the other way around be trying to Regier things by signing the little rocks first?

I'm just saying that I don't think the Tuch contract talks being stalled is going to hold Jarmo up from trying to make a big trade around the draft.

 

[Jim Bob]

there's one on the roster that would like a crack at that spot acquired via the perterka trade.

That's great. I would not expect Jarmo to bet on him being a 22 minute per game top 4 D after last season and given that he's never played in that role for a whole NHL season in his career.

 

[Chainshot]

I'm just saying that I don't think the Tuch contract talks being stalled is going to hold Jarmo up from trying to make a big trade around the draft.

I'm talking about any of their own business regarding UFA or RFA players.

 

[Jim Bob]

I'm talking about any of their own business regarding UFA or RFA players.

I wouldn't be surprised if the three big rocks (Tuch, Byram, and Benson) don't completely block Jarmo from doing something with a guy like Malenstyn.

I wonder if there are any other pending UFAs they are talking to besides Tuch and likely Malenstyn. Maybe Dunne since he's a low cost depth guy.

 

[toddkaz]

It's hard to decide on his value. They have way too many centers and maybe the GM has a rhd fetish.
Kesselring for Wright would be a double deflated value trade with some risk for both teams.

I like taking a shot with Wright but he doesn't really fit at center for Buffalo unless McLeod was traded.

 

[Jetskiis]

I like taking a shot with Wright but he doesn't really fit at center for Buffalo unless McLeod was traded.

Wright is more than capable of playing wing, in fact, he might do even better there.

 

[toddkaz]

Wright is more than capable of playing wing, in fact, he might do even better there.

Why trade for an underperforming natural center only to play him at wing to see if he can play better?

We are past that stage with Buffalo. We should just trade for a winger then instead of trying to experiment.

Also our wingers are set and all of them are more productive than Shane Wright.

 

[Dingo44]

 

[sabremike]

I wouldn't be surprised if the three big rocks (Tuch, Byram, and Benson) don't completely block Jarmo from doing something with a guy like Malenstyn.

I wonder if there are any other pending UFAs they are talking to besides Tuch and likely Malenstyn. Maybe Dunne since he's a low cost depth guy.

Malenstyn would low key be just as big a loss as Tuck.

 

[TheMistyStranger]

I wouldn't be surprised if the three big rocks (Tuch, Byram, and Benson) don't completely block Jarmo from doing something with a guy like Malenstyn.

I wonder if there are any other pending UFAs they are talking to besides Tuch and likely Malenstyn. Maybe Dunne since he's a low cost depth guy.

Any Byram extension wouldn't take effect until 27-28, for what that's worth

 

[Jetskiis]

Why trade for an underperforming natural center only to play him at wing to see if he can play better?

We are past that stage with Buffalo. We should just trade for a winger then instead of trying to experiment.

Also our wingers are set and all of them are more productive than Shane Wright.

because the plus side is, he can turn into a productive center, with a low end 1c to 2c ceiling. At worst he's probably a 3c. and to get that, we probably don't have to give up much. Right now we have Kulich, Ostlund, Helenius who we hope can turn into productive Centers and we would be very fortunate if 1 of them hits as a 1c. The more bites at the apple, the more likely you are at getting a hit. Wright put up 44 pts in 79 games with 3rd-line usage and PP2 in his rookie season, one of the highest points per 60 in the NHL. He had a points regression this year in the same limited role with worse linemates. And honestly, having Lambert as a coach isn't doing him any favors.

I would be willing to take that bet that we could turn him into a legit Center. And we could use any of Kulich/Ostlund/Helenius/Wright on the wings as necessary.

I don't believe the cost to acquire Wright will be high should be a flyer we take.