Goals are one thing... but the longest he went without at least a point was only 5 games last year.


The Sabres with Skinner makes Eichel a 100 pt player and Samson a 55-70 point player (if progression holds true).... without Skinner.. .both lose 20 pts a season.
- JVince11

Eichel would probably crack 100 if he played with an elite winger. Almost every elite Centre has an elite winger to play with. Eichel would not lose 20 points if he didn’t play with Skinner that is insane. Skinner would go back to being a 25-30 goal scorer and hardly crack 50 points a year. I guess that is what $9M buys you these days or the “buffatax” if you will.

This is the horrible lineup I have put together. I am not sure what else can be done.

Trade Risto to Tampa for Paquette,Miller, Callahan)

Scandella to Ottawa for a 3/4

Sign Eberle
Sign Jordie Benn

Skinner - Eichel - Reinhart
Paquette - Miller - Eberle
Sheary - Mitts - Oloffsson
Erod - Sobotka - Callahan
Okposo

Montour - Dahlin
Bogo - McCabe
Nelson - Benn
Hunwick


As I was doing it I wanted to vomit.
- ImThatGuy

I’m still not sold in trading a top 4 dman when we need a top 4 dman

This is the horrible lineup I have put together. I am not sure what else can be done.

Trade Risto to Tampa for Paquette,Miller, Callahan)

Scandella to Ottawa for a 3/4

Sign Eberle
Sign Jordie Benn

Skinner - Eichel - Reinhart
Paquette - Miller - Eberle
Sheary - Mitts - Oloffsson
Erod - Sobotka - Callahan
Okposo

Montour - Dahlin
Bogo - McCabe
Nelson - Benn
Hunwick


As I was doing it I wanted to vomit.
- ImThatGuy

So you trade Risto for 2nd line help... very common.. but then putting in Bogo who won't even play for 2 months and McCabe who has injury concerns every year. Is Pilut not listed because he's in Rochester or because his injury is taken into account? Not to mention now Montour is rehabbing this summer now too.


I just cannot see a realistic scenario where good depth like Risto is traded when our D Corps could be Nelson, Benn, Hunwick, etc playing 2nd line minutes if one guy takes a shot off the ankle or hand.

I’m still not sold in trading a top 4 dman when we need a top 4 dman
- lulags

That's why Cernak for Risto makes so much sense (with adds) Risto gives them offense on PP2, Cernak gives us actual defense.

Rather have Trouba.

So you trade Risto for 2nd line help... very common.. but then putting in Bogo who won't even play for 2 months and McCabe who has injury concerns every year. Is Pilut not listed because he's in Rochester or because his injury is taken into account? Not to mention now Montour is rehabbing this summer now too.


I just cannot see a realistic scenario where good depth like Risto is traded when our D Corps could be Nelson, Benn, Hunwick, etc playing 2nd line minutes if one guy takes a shot off the ankle or hand.
- JVince11

Botts pretty much said the injuries on D won't affect his plan this summer.

If there's a trade to be made, he'll make it

Eichel would probably crack 100 if he played with an elite winger. Almost every elite Centre has an elite winger to play with. Eichel would not lose 20 points if he didn’t play with Skinner that is insane. Skinner would go back to being a 25-30 goal scorer and hardly crack 50 points a year. I guess that is what $9M buys you these days or the “buffatax” if you will.
- Pegullaville

Skinner + another really good winger for him to crack 100 IMO but doable

Goals are one thing... but the longest he went without at least a point was only 5 games last year.


The Sabres with Skinner makes Eichel a 100 pt player and Samson a 55-70 point player (if progression holds true).... without Skinner.. .both lose 20 pts a season.
- JVince11

I dunno about that one... I mean, I know he had 40 goals this year, but he still tied his career high in points, which he set while playing on a line with... Victor Rask and Lee Stempniak.

Eichel would probably crack 100 if he played with an elite winger. Almost every elite Centre has an elite winger to play with. Eichel would not lose 20 points if he didn’t play with Skinner that is insane. Skinner would go back to being a 25-30 goal scorer and hardly crack 50 points a year. I guess that is what $9M buys you these days or the “buffatax” if you will.
- Pegullaville

If my memory serves me right, Jack without Kane or Skinner the last 3+ years of experiments all ended terribly. They tried him with Pommer, Okposo, Sheary, etc.. and every time it didn't work so he went back to Kane or Skinner on his wing.

Maybe 20 pts was drastic but his trajectory right now is 100 pts a season.. if he doesn't have Skinner or an elite winger as his LW... I think he stays at 85-90 pts if healthy. Which is still nothing to be upset about but just saying.. Skinner effect.

So you trade Risto for 2nd line help... very common.. but then putting in Bogo who won't even play for 2 months and McCabe who has injury concerns every year. Is Pilut not listed because he's in Rochester or because his injury is taken into account? Not to mention now Montour is rehabbing this summer now too.


I just cannot see a realistic scenario where good depth like Risto is traded when our D Corps could be Nelson, Benn, Hunwick, etc playing 2nd line minutes if one guy takes a shot off the ankle or hand.
- JVince11

Pilut starts in Roch yes. Gets called up. Number game basically.

I just don’t know what else to do with this lineup.

It is so tough to make this team competitive this year.

It’s just so full of bad players.

I wish we could just dump Hunwick, Okposo but it doesn’t work like that.

Unless you are up for trading the 30th pick which I don’t know what you get for that.

That's why Cernak for Risto makes so much sense (with adds) Risto gives them offense on PP2, Cernak gives us actual defense.
- TheSabresTaco

Risto has had too much on his plate. If he were to average 18-20 per game I bet he could develop into a good defensive D as well

That's why Cernak for Risto makes so much sense (with adds) Risto gives them offense on PP2, Cernak gives us actual defense.

Rather have Trouba.
- TheSabresTaco

I would trade Risto for Trouba

That's why Cernak for Risto makes so much sense (with adds) Risto gives them offense on PP2, Cernak gives us actual defense.

Rather have Trouba.
- TheSabresTaco

Tampa is not going to trade any young d-man.

They are losing 4 d-men to UFA this year.

They are going to call up whatever body is ready. Cernak and Foote are untouchable for them, IMO.

I would trade Risto for Trouba
- lulags

What about conditional 30th + a prospect for Trouba

If my memory serves me right, Jack without Kane or Skinner the last 3+ years of experiments all ended terribly. They tried him with Pommer, Okposo, Sheary, etc.. and every time it didn't work so he went back to Kane or Skinner on his wing.

Maybe 20 pts was drastic but his trajectory right now is 100 pts a season.. if he doesn't have Skinner or an elite winger as his LW... I think he stays at 85-90 pts if healthy. Which is still nothing to be upset about but just saying.. Skinner effect.
- JVince11

Or a superstar Centre entering his 4th professional season took the next step. He averaged a point a game the year before as welll but only played in 67 games. Skinner inflated him by a few points. The goals he scored barely offset the lack of assists.

Botts pretty much said the injuries on D won't affect his plan this summer.

If there's a trade to be made, he'll make it
- Powerslave

I do remember him saying that but Miller and Pacquette?

Miller has played on some of the best teams in the NHL EVERY year... and he barely puts up Samson numbers.

Meanwhile Paquette has 13 goals over 3 seasons before 13 goals this past season on the best team in hockey. Paquette has a .21 PPG average vs Girgensons who has a .29 career PPG. YUCK.

and.... you will have to pay them about 7-8M AAV combined? Yowie Wowie

Tampa is not going to trade any young d-man.

They are losing 4 d-men to UFA this year.

They are going to call up whatever body is ready. Cernak and Foote are untouchable for them, IMO.
- ImThatGuy

We shall see. It makes sense, still hope you're wrong. Risto is our best chip. Botts will be expected to have his pulse on the market, trade and UFA both. Let's see what he decides to do at center.

Both.

The ankle thing is unrelated. He's been streaky as hell his entire career. Most players are. It just gets more pronounced when you're so good at it.
- BINGO!

Dr bingo I presume ?


His ankle looked season ending and possibly career threatening, but .....

What about conditional 30th + a prospect for Trouba
- ImThatGuy

I bet Peg would be ultra excited about that

I do remember him saying that but Miller and Pacquette?

Miller has played on some of the best teams in the NHL EVERY year... and he barely puts up Samson numbers.

Meanwhile Paquette has 13 goals over 3 seasons before 13 goals this past season on the best team in hockey. Paquette has a .21 PPG average vs Girgensons who has a .29 career PPG. YUCK.

and.... you will have to pay them about 7-8M AAV combined? Yowie Wowie
- JVince11

I just don’t see Ristos value being that high with his underlying numbers.

We shall see. It makes sense, still hope you're wrong. Risto is our best chip. Botts will be expected to have his pulse on the market, trade and UFA both. Let's see what he decides to do at center.
- TheSabresTaco

I hope I am wrong too. I just don’t see a way to make this team ultra competitive next year without what we would assume to be unrealistic moves.

I do remember him saying that but Miller and Pacquette?

Miller has played on some of the best teams in the NHL EVERY year... and he barely puts up Samson numbers.

Meanwhile Paquette has 13 goals over 3 seasons before 13 goals this past season on the best team in hockey. Paquette has a .21 PPG average vs Girgensons who has a .29 career PPG. YUCK.

and.... you will have to pay them about 7-8M AAV combined? Yowie Wowie
- JVince11

That wasn't MY trade scenario.

That trade would be horrible.

Except to maybe Hatboro, who would get his wish of a new GM.

Cirelli has to be in (and only one part of) the conversation, if I'm trading Risto to Tampa. Or maybe there's another team.

I've heard that the Canucks desperately want a top 4 RH D. Who do they have that we'd want?

I just don’t see Ristos value being that high with his underlying numbers.
- ImThatGuy

A 4 straight 40+ point defensemen playing 27+ minutes a game on the worst team in hockey his entire career? What'd you expect?

His offensive point share numbers this past season were within .5 below of Doughty, Ellis, Ekblad, and above Subban, Sanheim, and Buff.

Eichel would probably crack 100 if he played with an elite winger. Almost every elite Centre has an elite winger to play with. Eichel would not lose 20 points if he didn’t play with Skinner that is insane. Skinner would go back to being a 25-30 goal scorer and hardly crack 50 points a year. I guess that is what $9M buys you these days or the “buffatax” if you will.
- Pegullaville

Also no.

You ever notice that Jeff doesn't really do much off of set plays or really utilize the other guys on the ice? He likes to have the puck on his stick, and he likes to put it on net. That's his game. Part of why he ended up on lines with guys like Derek Ryan in the first place was because he's about equally dangerous regardless of who his linemates are.

Obviously playing with players of Eichel's ability helps, but it doesn't provide him with the sort of exponential boost to production that you would expect, because Jeff generally tries to get it done on his own all the time anyway.

That wasn't MY trade scenario.

That trade would be horrible.

Except to maybe Hatboro, who would get his wish of a new GM.

Cirelli has to be in (and only one part of) the conversation, if I'm trading Risto to Tampa. Or maybe there's another team.

I've heard that the Canucks desperately want a top 4 RH D. Who do they have that we'd want?
- Powerslave

No one that they'd be willing to give up that would fit what we want.

They aren't giving up Juolevi, Pets, Boeser, Horvat, Roussel, or Virtanen.

You'd probably get offering an unproven kid and then to take Eriksson, Sutter, or Spooner.

The only 2C they have would be Markus Granlund

A 4 straight 40+ point defensemen playing 27+ minutes a game on the worst team in hockey his entire career? What'd you expect?

His offensive point share numbers this past season were within .5 below of Doughty, Ellis, Ekblad, and above Subban, Sanheim, and Buff.
- JVince11

A lot of people will point to his numbers and say they're inflated BECAUSE he played so many minutes on account of the Sabres having no other options.