Draft picks are a good point. Even dismissing them, JB just doesn't feel like the type to stir the pot like an offer sheet does.

That just puts us right back to trading pieces of real value to improve this team, trading pieces of limited value to try to improve, or doing nothing significant. I still have a hard time believing that anyone argues for the last option.
- Lunaion

we are adding casey and dahlin to the roster.. that is not enough to move the needle out of bottom 5. he needs to do something, but as you stated he has limited value to work with. maybe we could move RoR and the SJ 1st for something? but then that puts casey on the 2nd line center duties which could be too much for him

This makes perfect sense to me. Well put.
- TheHank

yeah i am basically a genius

We already tried trading all our draft picks
- mattmoulson

Yeah for Gorges, Lehner, DLo and Fasching.

It would be different to use them on good players

Yeah for Gorges, Lehner, DLo and Fasching.

It would be different to use them on good players
- jcragcrumple

blowboy2, Ror and kaner too..

NO
- IndianaSabresFan

Agreed. Botts is afraid of his own shadow. Dude should get a dog. There would be no down side. Botts would feel safer and the dog could eat the nachos off the floor.

Again, your idea of big changes is Dahlin and Middlestadt and hope:
an oft injured Bogosian finally stays healthy.
a now oft injured Okposo who's career was almost over who is now in his 30s returns to all star form.
a 4th line center can produce as a first line winger. (Cough Girgensons cough)

just because it is "differnet" doesn't make it better.

the Sabres had a -113 goal differential during the tank season. they had a -81 this year. Different number, but still really really S****y
- ImThatGuy

having watched this franchise closely for 47 of their 48 years of existence, I am well aware of how they play and most of the statistics...so no need to provide an update, thanks.
I will admit however that I do get confused between some of the advanced stats that try to lend data to support the eye test....must be old age, lol.
well I would love to hear your ideas on specifics of how to improve this team...
Who goes for what ... don't need specific names, just some profile info (i.e. LW who plays +15 and produces 25/30/55 on the 1st line for a target of $6.5m and is acquired via a trade of ROR and ... blah, blah, blah)

Seems like you have very very diefinitive ideas...so, let's go...reveal them please.

yeah i am basically a genius
- IndianaSabresFan

Which basically means you're a moron

Anthony Bourdain is basically taking a nap
- sbroads24

Homie is basically a huge Ryan Miller fan.

we are adding casey and dahlin to the roster.. that is not enough to move the needle out of bottom 5. he needs to do something, but as you stated he has limited value to work with. maybe we could move RoR and the SJ 1st for something? but then that puts casey on the 2nd line center duties which could be too much for him
- IndianaSabresFan

We've had some fun with the game of: list the players on the team worth more than their #32 pick. It's a short list. RoR, Sam, and Risto should have significant value. Hearing more and more that RoR's lockout-proof, buyout-proof contract is a bigger issue than many think, but it just takes 1 team to not care about it.

Did anyone ever figure out if we can even move a conditional pick from SJ?

Joulevi is having back surgery. Not good for the Canucks.
- Stripes77

He's basically never coming back

We've had some fun with the game of: list the players on the team worth more than their #32 pick. It's a short list. RoR, Sam, and Risto should have significant value. Hearing more and more that RoR's lockout-proof, buyout-proof contract is a bigger issue than many think, but it just takes 1 team to not care about it.

Did anyone ever figure out if we can even move a conditional pick from SJ?
- Lunaion

You can move anything in the NHL.

You can basically trade Moulson for Doughty

Ftfy
- jcragcrumple

"you can't offer sheet"--every gm since ror.


jay feaster and the flames offer-sheeted Ryan O'Reilly back in Feb, 2013...feaster was a dummy and almost got screwed...had Colorado not matched, not only would the flames had given up a first and third as compensation, but o'Reilly also would have needed to go through waivers before landing in Calgary:

"That is because O'Reilly had played two games with Metallurg Magnitogorsk in Russia's Kontinental Hockey League after the NHL lockout had ended. Johnston reports that Metallurg's head coach, Paul Maurice, and a KHL spokesperson confirmed that O'Reilly was in the lineup for games on Jan. 21 and Jan. 23.

This would denote O'Reilly as a free agent from Europe, which requires him to clear waivers."

https://www.sbnation.com/...flames-colorado-avalanche

He's basically never coming back
- TheSabresTaco

Yeah but he’s basically healthy

yeah i am basically a genius
- IndianaSabresFan

the tv in the trunk was your best work


I can't find that picture anymore

We've had some fun with the game of: list the players on the team worth more than their #32 pick. It's a short list. RoR, Sam, and Risto should have significant value. Hearing more and more that RoR's lockout-proof, buyout-proof contract is a bigger issue than many think, but it just takes 1 team to not care about it.

Did anyone ever figure out if we can even move a conditional pick from SJ?
- Lunaion

Kevin Sylvester posted a little write up about how ROR probably wants to be traded for the reasons we've been discussing, like that he wants (needs) to be THE guy. I think more and more the guy has actually asked to be traded.

we are adding casey and dahlin to the roster.. that is not enough to move the needle out of bottom 5. he needs to do something, but as you stated he has limited value to work with. maybe we could move RoR and the SJ 1st for something? but then that puts casey on the 2nd line center duties which could be too much for him
- IndianaSabresFan

I really disagree with this statement here.

Adding (granted only a prospect) a claimed best defensemen in the draft since 1973 and then your top 8 pick from 2016 who could be a 55-65 pt guy could be quite a turning point for some teams.

Look at guys like Laine, Keller, Nico, Monahan, Gaudreau, etc.... they all made significant contributions that heavily changed their respective team's standings.

He's basically never coming back
- TheSabresTaco

just take him out back behind the wood shed now and end it for him

Yeah but he’s basically healthy
- TheHank

But did he sign an offer sheet?

"you can't offer sheet"--every gm since ror.


jay feaster and the flames offer-sheeted Ryan O'Reilly back in Feb, 2013...feaster was a dummy and almost got screwed...had Colorado not matched, not only would the flames had given up a first and third as compensation, but o'Reilly also would have needed to go through waivers before landing in Calgary:

"That is because O'Reilly had played two games with Metallurg Magnitogorsk in Russia's Kontinental Hockey League after the NHL lockout had ended. Johnston reports that Metallurg's head coach, Paul Maurice, and a KHL spokesperson confirmed that O'Reilly was in the lineup for games on Jan. 21 and Jan. 23.

This would denote O'Reilly as a free agent from Europe, which requires him to clear waivers."

https://www.sbnation.com/...flames-colorado-avalanche
- Michael Pachla

Forgot about that. That definitely tops the Sabres fax machine incident.

It's rare though. Someone could have had Athanasiou on the cheap last year, but no offer sheet was made. They're just not used as much as they should be, because GMs are worried about it happening to their players.

Kevin Sylvester posted a little write up about how ROR probably wants to be traded for the reasons we've been discussing, like that he wants (needs) to be THE guy. I think more and more the guy has actually asked to be traded.
- TheSabresTaco

sounds like what he said in colorado

"you can't offer sheet"--every gm since ror.


jay feaster and the flames offer-sheeted Ryan O'Reilly back in Feb, 2013...feaster was a dummy and almost got screwed...had Colorado not matched, not only would the flames had given up a first and third as compensation, but o'Reilly also would have needed to go through waivers before landing in Calgary:

"That is because O'Reilly had played two games with Metallurg Magnitogorsk in Russia's Kontinental Hockey League after the NHL lockout had ended. Johnston reports that Metallurg's head coach, Paul Maurice, and a KHL spokesperson confirmed that O'Reilly was in the lineup for games on Jan. 21 and Jan. 23.

This would denote O'Reilly as a free agent from Europe, which requires him to clear waivers."

https://www.sbnation.com/...flames-colorado-avalanche
- Michael Pachla

OH MY.... that would have been BRUTAL. They'd be off the hook from that contract but all that work just to have someone like EDM, BUF, or ARZ claim him.. HAHAHAHA

the tv in the trunk was your best work


I can't find that picture anymore



- homiedclown

Forgot about that. That definitely tops the Sabres fax machine incident.

It's rare though. Someone could have had Athanasiou on the cheap last year, but no offer sheet was made. They're just not used as much as they should be, because GMs are worried about it happening to their players.
- jcragcrumple

I think the sabres would need to be in a better position organizationally...we know where they're real thin on the roster and the prospect pool is fairly thin as well...

when you're offersheeting a player not only are you giving up picks to fill one roster spot, you're also giving up some future flexibility as gm's may not want to deal with you because of it...

not to say it shouldn't be done, but shouldn't that be construed a short-cut?

But did he sign an offer sheet?
- TheSabresTaco

Who hasn’t?