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

[Zman5778]

Craig Rivet had a huge hard-on for Wright.

That right there is enough to make me VERY wary of trading for Wright.

And I'm only half joking.

 

[Jetskiis]

Don't see why Seattle would want Norris at all. They'd likely view Norris as a guy we're dumping onto them. They've got Beniers/Stephenson/Gaudreau/Meyers with Catton and O'Brien waiting in the wings.

I also have absolutely no idea why we'd want Kakko if we're re-signing Tuch.

Byram/Levi/Mrtka/20 for Wright/Evans/7 seems like a hellacious overpay on our end.

Just simplify it: Byram/Levi/20 for Wright and 7. At least the value is far better there. I'm still not sure I do that deal.....but the value is at least close to even.

Niklas Kokko is a goalie. Not Kaappo Kakko
Botteril just hired Allvin the #1 Norris & Byram fanboy. so I doubt they see Norris as a dump.

and i had taken out mrtka i misstyped it.
Byram/Levi/Norris/20OA
for
Wright/Evans/Kokko/7OA

and Gaudreau is terrible and Meyers plays mostly wing. Stephenson needs to play wing because his contract is terrible and he's blocking all their young forwards. If they added Norris they could have
Beniers
Norris
Catton
Fisker Molgaard
a much better center group

 

[old kummelweck]

That right there is enough to make me VERY wary of trading for Wright.

And I'm only half joking.

He loved him as an underager playing Jr (Wright got some kind of exemption to play). Thought he was a special player. He was connected to his coach or something - can't remember how, but he had a lot of exposure to him as a young players.

 

[Zman5778]

Niklas Kokko is a goalie. Not Kaappo Kakko
Botteril just hired Allvin the #1 Norris & Byram fanboy. so I doubt they see Norris as a dump.

and i had taken out mrtka i misstyped it.
Byram/Levi/Norris/20OA
for
Wright/Evans/Kokko/7OA

My bad on the Kokko/Kakko thing. I've seen Kokko as a typo often enough (like Byrum or Powers) so I autocorrected in my brain. Zero idea Seattle had a goalie named Kokko.

And I honestly don't think Allvin would have that much influence on things right away....certainly not enough to make Botterill pull the trigger.

 

[Jetskiis]

My bad on the Kokko/Kakko thing. I've seen Kokko as a typo often enough (like Byrum or Powers) so I autocorrected in my brain. Zero idea Seattle had a goalie named Kokko.

And I honestly don't think Allvin would have that much influence on things right away....certainly not enough to make Botterill pull the trigger.

I mean you could be right, just take out Norris.
Byram/Levi/20OA
for
Wright/7OA
seems reasonable

a big problem with Seattle is they gave a handful of fat albatross contracts to old forwards that are actually blocking young player progression. They need Eberle and Stephenson to be gone.


edit: and Kokko is a Finnish goalie that is one of their better goalie prospects. Oddly they have 3 Finnish goalies in the pipeline, they must have a Finnish goalie scout

 

[Chainshot]

If they let Tuch walk, move Greenway in a cap related deal, lose Malenstyn and have already dealt Kesselring... That's 6'4", 6'6", 6'2", and 6'5" all departing. I would assume Stanley's also not coming back since there has been no indication from the Sabres on that or any of the agent mouthpieces who get paid as insiders. That's a lot of size coming out when everyone else in the division is still trying to get bigger. Not sure they want to go full smurf with the replacements.

 

[MagnumForce2]

We are dealing with the inheritance of Murray messing up our prospect pipeline, Botterill with one disaster after the other leading to massive dead cap this season and Adams inaction and inability to consolidate picks and prospects into a team.

Jarmo has a great situation as GM but it's also very easy to mess up and a bit of a minefield really. Not a fan of him making the team slower at the tdl and giving up resources for crap.

Would have preferred overpaying for useful players and being more selective with the moves. Jarmo so far gives a very ad hoc low impulse control vibe to me. More of a butcher than a surgeon.

The Stanley/Schenn trade was bad.

 

[sabremike]

If they let Tuch walk, move Greenway in a cap related deal, lose Malenstyn and have already dealt Kesselring... That's 6'4", 6'6", 6'2", and 6'5" all departing. I would assume Stanley's also not coming back since there has been no indication from the Sabres on that or any of the agent mouthpieces who get paid as insiders. That's a lot of size coming out when everyone else in the division is still trying to get bigger. Not sure they want to go full smurf with the replacements.

The obvious solution:

 

[Fezzy126]

I am planting my flag in the wanting to be in the Shane Wright business. I think he’s going to be a change of scenery and unlocked situation. Put him on a team with juice and he’ll find it. He’s too smart and plays the game right (Wright?) for him to not find it in a better situation.

I get that he gets inside and plays the game the right way and has good IQ, but his NHL Edge stats are scary.

He's also terrible at faceoffs (I know you don't care about that, but others do).

I don't think they want a slow, average sized guy that can't win faceoffs at center. They probably prefer the 40 or so games they'll get from Norris.

 

[Jetskiis]

I get that he gets inside and plays the game the right way and has good IQ, but his NHL Edge stats are scary.

View attachment 1256521

He's also terrible at faceoffs (I know you don't care about that, but others do).

I don't think they want a slow, average sized guy that can't win faceoffs at center. They probably prefer the 40 or so games they'll get from Norris.

Wright isn't a burner but he's not slow by any means. He played a lot better Under Bylsma, this Lambert system is clearly a bad fit for his skill set. I see him like Byfield, he could really take off under a different coach. I think Lindy and the Sabres system would unlock his potential. He's excellent at controlled entries and he'd have much better linemates in Buffalo.

And his faceoffs will improve he's still young.

Seattle has successfully stunted the development of all their young players by giving a bunch of old guys big contracts, like Stephenson, and then Lambert gives them all the Ozone ice time, sticks wright on 3rd & 4th line duties defensive with shit linemates and wonders why he's not producing.

 

[Dubi Doo]

If they let Tuch walk, move Greenway in a cap related deal, lose Malenstyn and have already dealt Kesselring... That's 6'4", 6'6", 6'2", and 6'5" all departing. I would assume Stanley's also not coming back since there has been no indication from the Sabres on that or any of the agent mouthpieces who get paid as insiders. That's a lot of size coming out when everyone else in the division is still trying to get bigger. Not sure they want to go full smurf with the replacements.

True, but given Jarmo's trades at the deadline- I think he wants to build a team that has some size and plays with tenacity.

 

[Ace]

I get that he gets inside and plays the game the right way and has good IQ, but his NHL Edge stats are scary.

View attachment 1256521

He's also terrible at faceoffs (I know you don't care about that, but others do).

I don't think they want a slow, average sized guy that can't win faceoffs at center. They probably prefer the 40 or so games they'll get from Norris.

Oh no not faceoffs.

We need to get to the top of the league in faceoffs like (checks notes) Toronto was. And not at the bottom like (check notes) the division winning Sabres were.

Throw everything at faceoffs!

 

[ValJamesDuex]

That right there is enough to make me VERY wary of trading for Wright.

And I'm only half joking.

 

[Jetskiis]

Oh no not faceoffs.

We need to get to the top of the league in faceoffs like (checks notes) Toronto was. And not at the bottom like (check notes) the division winning Sabres were.

Throw everything at faceoffs!

Faceoffs are such a jerk off stat. If we are struggling bad enough, jarmo will go get an old faceoff guy at the deadline. Like how Montreal went and got Danault.

 

[Sabre the Win]

How did Wright go from 44 points in his 1st full season to 27?

I didn't pay attention to the NHL at all this year other than follow the Sabres.