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In this edition of the hotstove, we share our thoughts on the big trade between the Buffalo Sabres and Carolina Hurricanes.
Todd Cordell
I love this deal for Buffalo.
Over the last two years, Jeff Skinner ranks 5th in 5v5 goals and has averaged more points per 60 (2.01) than Blake Wheeler, John Tavares, Jack Eichel, Claude Giroux, Tyler Seguin and Anze Kopitar, among many others. Skinner is legitimately one of the best producers in the league at 5v5 and will really help a Sabres team that desperately needed to improve in that game state.
Cliff Pu is a promising prospect but I don't think his upside is *that* high. That the Sabres didn't have to attach any of their three 2019 1st rounders to Pu has to be considered a big win.
From Carolina's perspective, accepting a bunch of lottery tickets for a high-end scoring winger in a year where the goal is to take a big step forward seems less than ideal.
James Tanner
I think that the Hurricanes did good from the perspective of what they got in total value one-year rental player, but what is puzzling is that teams always seem to forget about the value that player would provide now.
Skinner was was worth 9 Goals Above Replacement last year (http://corsica.hockey ) and that is worth at least three wins. They are taking that off their current team. Now people might say 'so what, they're not winning the Cup anyways' but the thing is - they might. The Hurricanes have a great blue line, and last season with just some average goaltending they were easily a playoff team. They aren't in league with the Penguins, Leafs, Bruins, Lightning, Preds or Jets, but they are in the next group where a couple of wins would likely be the difference between making or missing the playoffs, and once you're in, who knows what could happen?
The Hurricanes could still use the picks they got from Buffalo to improve now, but if they don't re-invest Skinner's cap hit in their current team, then this is a bad move that could potentially cost them a playoff birth. However, we don't know what their GM is thinking. Maybe he just realized that that is a crazy price to get for a rental and that he could add part of that to a Faulk deal and really improve his team. So while I love to just blurt out a harsh verdict instantly, I think we have to wait a bit to see if there is a subsequent move.
Peter Tessier
What on god’s green earth was Waddell thinking with that trade? There’s no justification to get that quantity back for that level of quality in Jeff Skinner. My lord, this one is a head a scratcher in all capacities. Bravo Buffalo you dump Kane and people laugh at you but you add skinner for spare pieces...
Yeah, this is one of those deals that Peter Chiarelli has no clue how to make. Honestly didn’t think Buffalo had it in them but they did and this could work out very well.
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