I’d probably say no
But you realize you’re just talking about worst case in every angle of this discussion, right?
I just don’t have any reason to think it’ll all go so wrong
But i guess I’m just more positive about the situation than you? Idk
Also...
i don’t think 2mil is necessarily “team friendly”
I think it’s very close to fair
- jdfitz77

2yr 2m is team friendly. Everyone here would do that. UFA's aren't usually team friendly. I'd bring him back for [email protected], so I guess I like him more than you.

Once that $ or term rises, you are walking away pretty fast for as much as you're arguing this topic.

That's the task of most bottom6 groups. Try to get offensive zone draws while limiting the chances of opposing top lines.

Right around 2.5M though, you can sign a defensive forward to do the same thing for less. Sheahan, Maroon, Brassard, Clifford, Schaller, Fast, Archibald, Pitlick, Thompson, Boyle....all under 1.5M salaries, similar point production and all are deployed in bottom6s playing against opposing top lines.
- RhinoFan

But what i see HERE is that ppl are just slotting in a 4th line of something like
Asplund-Lazar-Okposo
And thinking it can be just as effective

Maybe they can put up the points?
Playing as well defensively & tilting the ice like the LOG line is not only risky, it’s not likely

Are there slightly cheaper guys out there you feel good about being able to do the job?
Yeah, probably
But paying .5mil more for the guys already here doing it doesn’t seem like it’ll kill us either

Again though...
there is a walk away point of the $$$ gets too high
I think I’d go 2.5mil tops
But even that is pushing it for me

Don't fall for it.

He's 27 years old having a career year. You might squeeze a year or two of 50ish points out of him but he's probably going to drop back to being a 30~ point guy pretty quickly.
- BINGO!

I see him as a 40ish point guy who can play a good 2way game with high energy/effort
Eventual 3C who can score 15+ goals & 20+ assists

Is $5mil per too much for that?
It’s pricy
But I’d do think 3C is an important slot when it comes to building a contender

2yr 2m is team friendly. Everyone here would do that. UFA's aren't usually team friendly. I'd bring him back for [email protected], so I guess I like him more than you.

Once that $ or term rises, you are walking away pretty fast for as much as you're arguing this topic.
- Lunaion

Well let’s just pick this back up when we see how it all plays out then
I think we’ve done enough speculating on both sides

Talking about the limit is much more interesting than saying you'd bring him back on a team friendly deal. That's just boring.

I think Larrson's comps put him at 2.5m. 3m is on the high end. The question then was: would you sign him for 3x3, if that's what it took to keep him from testing the market. Still think that is a very reasonable question. There's plenty of reasons to think he'd want to see his options.
- Lunaion

This.
Can't over pay everyone.
IMO, anything more than 2 years, $2.0 per and they need to walk away.

Unfortunately
- it becomes the additional cost of overpaying for Skinner, Okposo, Johansson, Risto, Miller;
- while still having gaping holes at 2C, 2RW, 1RhD, 2LhD, G
- AND needing new contracts for Rhino, Kahun, Montour, Ulmark, etc.

I see him as a 40ish point guy who can play a good 2way game with high energy/effort
Eventual 3C who can score 15+ goals & 20+ assists

Is $5mil per too much for that?
It’s pricy
But I’d do think 3C is an important slot when it comes to building a contender
- jdfitz77

40ish points is pretty optimistic though.

2014-2015: 31 point pace
2015-2016: 43 points
2016-2017: 33 points
2017-2018: 30 point pace
2018-2019: 25 point pace

There's very little evidence that this year is anything but a mirage.

So the Colorado game was great. Sam isn't doing it for me at all. Buffalo cannot give him more than 5-6 max per year. I don't see him making any impact other than playing with Jack. If he was on the second line, I see the second-line woes continuing forever. Especially if he gets 7.5. Skinner rode Jack to the bank last year.

What is the vote on trading him to Ottawa for their second-first round pick and their last 2nd round pick. Ottawa gets an immediate player and we get potentially top 6 pick. I just don't see Sam as a top 4 core player that will lead them to the Cup. He is good, but he seems like a role player which can be swapped. Victor is so much more noticeable than Sam.
- Tragically Buffalo

Good post :

Be ready to duck

40ish points is pretty optimistic though.

2014-2015: 31 point pace
2015-2016: 43 points
2016-2017: 33 points
2017-2018: 30 point pace
2018-2019: 25 point pace

There's very little evidence that this year is anything but a mirage.
- BINGO!

I think he's a classic case of production spiking when he gets 1st line + 1st PP minutes, coupled with an unsustainable shooting %. Going to a very defensive minded team, I think you're right.

This.
Can't over pay everyone.
IMO, anything more than 2 years, $2.0 per and they need to walk away.

Unfortunately
- it becomes the additional cost of overpaying for Skinner, Okposo, Johansson, Risto, Miller;
- while still having gaping holes at 2C, 2RW, 1RhD, 2LhD, G
- AND needing new contracts for Rhino, Kahun, Montour, Ulmark, etc.
- IonSabres

Shouldn’t let past mistakes keeps you from keeping guys who play their roles well though either
Trade MoJo, Okposo isn’t here forever, Miller is also tradable, etc etc
We don’t have to keep all our “mistakes” forever

40ish points is pretty optimistic though.

2014-2015: 31 point pace
2015-2016: 43 points
2016-2017: 33 points
2017-2018: 30 point pace
2018-2019: 25 point pace

There's very little evidence that this year is anything but a mirage.
- BINGO!

On terrible teams
If he’s the 3C on Tampa, what’s he look like?
I think he can be a good player in a 2way role
We’ll see why he does with NyI
They pod a high price, but i think they’ll like the player

On terrible teams
If he’s the 3C on Tampa, what’s he look like?
I think he can be a good player in a 2way role
We’ll see why he does with NyI
They pod a high price, but i think they’ll like the player
- jdfitz77

Probably about the same. His production is spiking with extra usage. he's not going to be the primary option on another team like he is in Ottawa.

On terrible teams
If he’s the 3C on Tampa, what’s he look like?
I think he can be a good player in a 2way role
We’ll see why he does with NyI
They pod a high price, but i think they’ll like the player
- jdfitz77

Probably pretty good, because that's where he belongs on a team that considers itself a contender. The same goes for Trocheck.

Probably about the same. His production is spiking with extra usage. he's not going to be the primary option on another team like he is in Ottawa.
- BINGO!

At the same time, teams aren't going to defend against him like he is, either.

Don't fall for it.

He's 27 years old having a career year. You might squeeze a year or two of 50ish points out of him but he's probably going to drop back to being a 30~ point guy pretty quickly.
- BINGO!

Carolina has been paying Staal more for less for years...........

So the Colorado game was great. Sam isn't doing it for me at all. Buffalo cannot give him more than 5-6 max per year. I don't see him making any impact other than playing with Jack. If he was on the second line, I see the second-line woes continuing forever. Especially if he gets 7.5. Skinner rode Jack to the bank last year.

What is the vote on trading him to Ottawa for their second-first round pick and their last 2nd round pick. Ottawa gets an immediate player and we get potentially top 6 pick. I just don't see Sam as a top 4 core player that will lead them to the Cup. He is good, but he seems like a role player which can be swapped. Victor is so much more noticeable than Sam.
- Tragically Buffalo

Let's throw out the question of IF Ottawa would trade for Sam, because that SJ picks could be top 3...meaning they could grab Byfield and another beast upfront or Drysdale on the D.
That being said...

If Ottawa gave up that pick in the top 5 I'd do it.

Sam is one of the least of the Sabres problems currently....that story changes a bit when he is making $7.25m.

As much as Sam gets bashed, the notion of Anyone can play with Jack just isn't true.
Jack has played with most if not all wingers, Rhino has been the best by lightyears.

I would like to see Kahun there...if he can produce nearly as well, you'd have to give it very serious consideration for sure.

Shouldn’t let past mistakes keeps you from keeping guys who play their roles well though either
Trade MoJo, Okposo isn’t here forever, Miller is also tradable, etc etc
We don’t have to keep all our “mistakes” forever
- jdfitz77

I mean, there is a hard Cap.
There are glaring holes elsewhere.
You're buying at a relative high for positions where the value difference just isn't warranted.
Having a 2C pop in 25/35/60 and getting Skinner to 35/20/55 provides far more value than the difference between Lazar and Larsson.

Shouldn’t let past mistakes keeps you from keeping guys who play their roles well though either
Trade MoJo, Okposo isn’t here forever, Miller is also tradable, etc etc
We don’t have to keep all our “mistakes” forever
- jdfitz77

I mean, there is a hard Cap.
There are glaring holes elsewhere.
You're buying at a relative high for positions where the value difference just isn't warranted.
Having a 2C pop in 25/35/60 and getting Skinner to 35/20/55 provides far more value than the difference between Lazar and Larsson.

I mean, there is a hard Cap.
There are glaring holes elsewhere.
You're buying at a relative high for positions where the value difference just isn't warranted.
Having a 2C pop in 25/35/60 and getting Skinner to 35/20/55 provides far more value than the difference between Lazar and Larsson.
- IonSabres

{COUGH} Ryan Johansen {COUGH}

{COUGH} Ryan Johansen {COUGH}
- ImThatGuy

Hasn’t scored 20 goals in 5 years..........

We're getting Tyler Johnson and Josh Anderson.

I know we all want to see that big move for a 2C but who is that guy? And what does he cost?

Could it be better to bring in a cheap 3c that can spot in the 2nd line until cozens or mitts is ready? I'm thinking someone like Bonino or Tierney. Good Penalty killers as well.

I'd also move Risto for whatever we can get. Use those assets for a 2RW, or cap space to sign someone.

Carolina has been paying Staal more for less for years...........




- dadeadhead

his 30 point pace this year is the worst of his career. He's been a pretty consistent 40-45ish points for forever.

not what they wanted out of him, to be sure, but it's not like you're going to buy that contract out either.

We're getting Tyler Johnson and Josh Anderson.
- Powerslave

Dont see Johnson waving to come here

And Anderson I don't trust

his 30 point pace this year is the worst of his career. He's been a pretty consistent 40-45ish points for forever.

not what they wanted out of him, to be sure, but it's not like you're going to buy that contract out either.
- BINGO!

His best hockey was almost 10 years ago.

I mean, there is a hard Cap.
There are glaring holes elsewhere.
You're buying at a relative high for positions where the value difference just isn't warranted.
Having a 2C pop in 25/35/60 and getting Skinner to 35/20/55 provides far more value than the difference between Lazar and Larsson.
- IonSabres

This should be a huge concern. Any roster these days starts with 6-8 guys making less than 1m. If your 4th line is making 10.5m, it comes at a cost somewhere else.