The Roster Thread, Summer 2024

[MarkusKetterer]

I know Konecny was well liked here, but is there anyone who would want that new contract 8/8.75 now ?

Player, yes. Contract, no.

 

[goach]

Funny, This is the first year in many I really like the team. We have potential to make noise, and expect to! Providing goaltending isn't an issue.

 

[goach]

Funny, This is the first year in many I really like the team. We have potential to make noise, and expect to! Providing goaltending isn't an issue.

But of course every team hopes goaltending will be stable. It's an all important factor

 

[Dingo44]

Maybe its not worth it in the long run, but I feel like "kid can score" is pretty generous comparison.

Paced like 25 goals in the AHL, while laine has paced 30 goals 7 separate seasons in the NHL. Maybe rosen gets there but to this point they aren't operating in the same stratosphere as scorers

Right but you're talking about a player coming off an injury with only two years left on an expensive contract with personal and locker room issues. I'd rather take the cheap chance with Rosén than the huge risk with Laine that costs you Rosén ++.

 

[Aladyyn]

The idea that the team just made one of the riskiest trades you will ever see but acquiring a proven NHL goalscorer is just far too risky is pretty amusing.

McLeod was an overpay for a need. Laine is not a need.

 

[Zman5778]

Here's my thing with Laine:

He's a fine player and is certainly a fair bit better in his own end than Skinner most of the time. He's making $8.7M for the next 2 years. If it works well here, we'd be looking at giving him a raise......which is problematic given Skinner's cap hit and Quinn/JJP/Benson/Tuch/McLeod/Malenstyn/Byram will all either need new deals or be on new deals.

I just don't think it makes financial sense.

 

[NotABadPeriod]

Here's my thing with Laine:

He's a fine player and is certainly a fair bit better in his own end than Skinner most of the time. He's making $8.7M for the next 2 years. If it works well here, we'd be looking at giving him a raise......which is problematic given Skinner's cap hit and Quinn/JJP/Benson/Tuch/McLeod/Malenstyn/Byram will all either need new deals or be on new deals.

I just don't think it makes financial sense.

That feels like a "two years from now" problem. If the worst case scenario is you let him walk, then so be it. If he opens the window now, deal with the future cap problem in the future.

The more pressing question is, does he open the window now for playoff contention and hopefully more?

 

[Diaspora]

Here's my thing with Laine:

He's a fine player and is certainly a fair bit better in his own end than Skinner most of the time. He's making $8.7M for the next 2 years. If it works well here, we'd be looking at giving him a raise......which is problematic given Skinner's cap hit and Quinn/JJP/Benson/Tuch/McLeod/Malenstyn/Byram will all either need new deals or be on new deals.

I just don't think it makes financial sense.

Or he could walk.

 

[Zman5778]

The more pressing question is, does he open the window now for playoff contention and hopefully more?

The window for playoff contention is open with or without Laine.

The window for more......Laine doesn't move the needle in either way, IMO

 

[Fezzy126]

Bringing on a contract like Laine's makes no sense.

It would put us right near the cap when we have several players eligible for potential performance bonuses like Quinn, Benson, and Levi. Putting ourselves in a position where we could have a cap overage with Skinner's rising buyout penalty while we have several key RFAs up for contracts is terrible cap management, it would be Botteril-esque...

No thanks.

 

[Matt Ress]

But of course every team hopes goaltending will be stable. It's an all important factor

We can hear you

 

[Matt Ress]

Right but you're talking about a player coming off an injury with only two years left on an expensive contract with personal and locker room issues. I'd rather take the cheap chance with Rosén than the huge risk with Laine that costs you Rosén ++.

I agree on Laine. Would be a good add imo but there's overwhelming risk and contract. And the idea that CBJ is going to play hard ball is laughable.

But judging from CB fans, they sound like they would be more interested in a Novikov/Komarov/Strbak. Maybe even Clifton.

 

[Jim Bob]

I agree on Laine. Would be a good add imo but there's overwhelming risk and contract. And the idea that CBJ is going to play hard ball is laughable.

But judging from CB fans, they sound like they would be more interested in a Novikov/Komarov/Strbak. Maybe even Clifton.

Is CBJ playing hardball, though?

If Laine is a quality top 6 scoring winger, he should have decent trade value even given the risks that come with him because of the lack of movement of top 6 forwards outside of FA so far this summer.

I can understand if Waddell looks at is as a situation where a trade has to be worth it for CBJ. If nobody makes a decent offer, there is not a lot of risk for them to tell Laine they tried, but he will have to rehab his trade value by playing well to get out of Columbus.

 

[Matt Ress]

Is CBJ playing hardball, though?

If Laine is a quality top 6 scoring winger, he should have decent trade value even given the risks that come with him because of the lack of movement of top 6 forwards outside of FA so far this summer.

I can understand if Waddell looks at is as a situation where a trade has to be worth it for CBJ. If nobody makes a decent offer, there is not a lot of risk for them to tell Laine they tried, but he will have to rehab his trade value by playing well to get out of Columbus.

I'm not really that tuned in to the CBJ but generally if a player asks out, you move them out. Add to that the bloated contract, reported locker room issues, not being able to stay healthy for a few years now and a stint with the PAP. I'm not sure what Waddell is standing on here.

Keeping him would be odd; having a disgruntled, over paid, large chance of underachieving player around all of those young guys. Furthermore, Laine may want to move along for his own mental health but that's 100% speculation.

You just don't see a team often force a player to stay on the team against their will for lots of reasons. So idk, to me the risk lies in having that guy in the locker room.

"Playing hardball" could just be Waddell trying to have teams bring something somewhat positive to the table and not having his honeymoon disgraced with a weak move but make no mistake, he's the one with his hands tied.

 

[Jim Bob]

I'm not really that tuned in to the CBJ but generally if a player asks out, you move them out. Add to that the bloated contract, reported locker room issues, not being able to stay healthy for a few years now and a stint with the PAP. I'm not sure what Waddell is standing on here.

Keeping him would be odd; having a disgruntled, over paid, large chance of underachieving player around all of those young guys. Furthermore, Laine may want to move along for his own mental health but that's 100% speculation.

You just don't see a team often force a player to stay on the team against their will for lots of reasons. So idk, to me the risk lies in having that guy in the locker room.

"Playing hardball" could just be Waddell trying to have teams bring something somewhat positive to the table and not having his honeymoon disgraced with a weak move but make no mistake, he's the one with his hands tied.

Waddell has said that if he doesn't get an offer that makes sense, Laine will have to deal with being back.

And sometimes a team can't trade a player that wants out. That was the case with VO here last year. VO wanted a change of scenery, Adams tried to move him, but he found no takers. It happens more regularly than you think. Especially if a guy has a sizable contract like Laine does.

 

[HogtownSabresfan]

Someone, please explain why we would buy out Skinner and then trade for Laine. This would be beyond hilarious. Skinner may be the better player right now. He is not as injury-prone. No substance problems. He drives some offence five-on-five. Taking Skinner's cap penalty and then trading for Laine (let alone giving up prospects( would be one of the most Sabres things ever.

 

[Jim Bob]

Someone, please explain why we would buy out Skinner and then trade for Laine. This would be beyond hilarious. Skinner may be the better player right now. He is not as injury-prone. No substance problems. He drives some offence five-on-five. Taking Skinner's cap penalty and then trading for Laine (let alone giving up prospects( would be one of the most Sabres things ever.

I have yet to hear any explanation from someone saying the Sabres should be in on Laine explain to me like I am a 5 year old how Laine's strengths and weaknesses are all that different than Skinner.

The most I get is that Laine is younger and taller than Skinner.

Sorry, but that doesn't change my mind that Laine is not a fit with what Lindy seems to want given the Skinner buyout and the moves they have made at forward so far this offseason.

 

[Dingo44]

Someone, please explain why we would buy out Skinner and then trade for Laine. This would be beyond hilarious. Skinner may be the better player right now. He is not as injury-prone. No substance problems. He drives some offence five-on-five. Taking Skinner's cap penalty and then trading for Laine (let alone giving up prospects( would be one of the most Sabres things ever.

I agree other than I don't believe Laine had substance issues - he entered the program for his mental health.

 

[Matt Ress]

Waddell has said that if he doesn't get an offer that makes sense, Laine will have to deal with being back.

And sometimes a team can't trade a player that wants out. That was the case with VO here last year. VO wanted a change of scenery, Adams tried to move him, but he found no takers. It happens more regularly than you think. Especially if a guy has a sizable contract like Laine does.

It happens with VO, that nobody really cares about. But Laine will have more pub and reporters nagging him about the situation regularly. On top of it, forcing a guy to play for your team that doesn't want to after having mental health struggles is a really bad look. Again I know Waddell won't want to start his tenure off this way but I don't think Laine is in Columbus when the season starts.

 

[toddkaz]

Toronto signing Alex Nylander to an AHL contract was a smart move. They could be getting a top 6 player for free. Many players, especially Europeans can take years to come into their own. 25-26 seems to be that age.

Pretty much was destined to happen.

 

[BFLO]

Never been a big fan of Laine.

But he seems like the kind of reclamation project that could turn out well for a season or 2 in the right situation. Somewhere like Florida, TB, Boston, Carolina or VGK.

We are not that situation, at least not yet.

 

[TheDawnOfANewTage]

Waddell has said that if he doesn't get an offer that makes sense, Laine will have to deal with being back.

And sometimes a team can't trade a player that wants out. That was the case with VO here last year. VO wanted a change of scenery, Adams tried to move him, but he found no takers. It happens more regularly than you think. Especially if a guy has a sizable contract like Laine does.

Didn’t know that about VO- not playing like shit woulda helped his case.

Toronto signing Alex Nylander to an AHL contract was a smart move. They could be getting a top 6 player for free. Many players, especially Europeans can take years to come into their own. 25-26 seems to be that age.

Pretty much was destined to happen.

Don’t see it, personally. Dude has had a lot of chances to prove himself and has always proven mercurial at best. Wasn’t showing much before a knee injury that can really hamper guys. I hope I’m wrong, but we’ll see. Interesting how both he and William got knocked for “lack of effort”, but whereas Willie has enough talent to seemingly improve that concern, Alex is just the other side of it so far.

 

[TageGod]

Never been a big fan of Laine.

But he seems like the kind of reclamation project that could turn out well for a season or 2 in the right situation. Somewhere like Florida, TB, Boston, Carolina or VGK.

We are not that situation, at least not yet.

Bad teams are the ones that can take on projects. They are cheaper, and teams have more time and roster flexibility to give them ice time. Contenders don't want to acquire question marks. At the deadline if he looks solid, of course they will be the first in line.

 

[MOGlLNY]

Toronto signing Alex Nylander to an AHL contract was a smart move. They could be getting a top 6 player for free. Many players, especially Europeans can take years to come into their own. 25-26 seems to be that age.

Pretty much was destined to happen.

Except he can sign with whoever he wants if he gets an NHL deal. He's not beholden to play for the Leafs.

 

[DapperCam]

I have yet to hear any explanation from someone saying the Sabres should be in on Laine explain to me like I am a 5 year old how Laine's strengths and weaknesses are all that different than Skinner.

The most I get is that Laine is younger and taller than Skinner.

Sorry, but that doesn't change my mind that Laine is not a fit with what Lindy seems to want given the Skinner buyout and the moves they have made at forward so far this offseason.

Sabres seem to be going for speed, and jettisoning anybody who doesn’t fit that profile. Mitts wasn’t the swiftest and he’s gone. Skinner spent last season looking like he was skating through mud and he’s gone. Most of the UFA adds and trades have been for top percentile speed guys. Really only a few guys left on the roster that don’t have at least average to slightly above average speed.

Laine seems like a much faster skater to me than Skinner from my viewings.