Speculation: The New and Improved Sabres Summer Roster Thread, 2026-27: Now With More Fiber

[TommyDangles]

And Samoskevich went for more than people here value Quinn. My point is people here are undervaluing Quinn.

Thought you were saying that Samoskevich = Quinn. I agree with you that Quinn is being undervalued.

 

[Chainshot]

Thought you were saying that Samoskevich = Quinn. I agree with you that Quinn is being undervalued.

He should be a thin slice below McTavish or Peterka IMO and they just both went for two firsts.

 

[enthusiast]

I'm having a hard time coming up with an example.

I think for years we've told ourselves this is the Sabres model, but what team has effectively executed this? This is what Adams was so patiently managing, but what team with a cup has done it this way?

The reality is you have to lock up your players coming off their ELC, when they have JUST started to develop, long-term as soon as you can. With the cap going way up and the offer sheet ever-present, I don't see players singing those anymore - they'll just use the cap rising and offer sheet possibility and bide their time.

Carolina's the most obvious winner with ELC talent last year (Nikishin, Blake, Stankoven), but it's also worth noting that they went out of their way to acquire stankoven after he'd already established value. I also think other teams would genuinely point to Buffalo's performance with Doan, Benson, and Ostlund as successful, even if the team didn't progress further. Hell, if Buffalo had a real 1C instead of Norris, who knows how far they go leaning on the children.

With that said, Colorado and Vegas relied very little on ELC value though they cut financial corners elsewhere.

 

[Dingo44]

Dorofeyev is the player I'm using as a comparable. So.... Quinn (former top 10 first rounder), next year's first (protected), and Ryan Johnson (former second rounder) OR a second or third (this is the least consequential).

Vegas got a 2026 first (26), 2026 third (92), and a top 10 protected 2027 first. Arguably the package I just framed is a better package that what the rangers gave up for Dorofeyev.

The disagreement seems to be the value of Quinn, which I think fans under-rate but GMs wont. Quinn would certainly get back a late first round pick if traded straight up.

Not to nit pick but RyJo was a first rounder as well.