I think the only fair criticism of Adams in this deal was his inability to get any kind of conditional first from Boston, even if the parameters were outrageous and unlikely.

I dont agree with the hardball stuff at all. If Adams got nothing that would have been ridiculous
- jcragcrumple

Agree

Did they have a morning skate today, any line combo's come out.

I think the only fair criticism of Adams in this deal was his inability to get any kind of conditional first from Boston, even if the parameters were outrageous and unlikely.

I dont agree with the hardball stuff at all. If Adams got nothing that would have been ridiculous
- jcragcrumple

How would you grade his deadline? Did the bare minimum, didn't get good value.... D? If Ullmark leaves or he overpays, that might drop to an F.

https://mobile.twitter.co...amp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Etweet
Come on Sabres you can do it to. Or atleast become highly functional.

How would you grade his deadline? Did the bare minimum, didn't get good value.... D? If Ullmark leaves or he overpays, that might drop to an F.
- Lunaion

I thought he'd get a 2nd and a 3rd for Hall so he underperformed there. I thought he'd get a 4th for Montour and he got a 3rd. Staal was fine

I'd say C currently. Depending what he does with the 2nd, two 3rds and 5th it'll change. And if he loses Ullmark for nothing, yes it's an F for me

I didn't mean he was a bruiser, but he will do what it takes to get the puck.
- Buff36

For sure, I've heard he was a "new age power forward" but his size said differently, so this confirms what I've heard. He's not a bruiser, but he's not another "soft euro" either. Good.

Yet, Adams traded him for virtually
+'s:
-Got a 2nd round pick
-dumped $4m in Cap

-'s:
-took on a Cap Dump to reduce the Cap Savings to just $2m+
-traded away a decent, cheap 4th liner who was good in the locker room
-got a 2nd in a very unusual draft year in which their Scouting Dept is in a state of shambles...not very confident the 2nd will amount to anything

Yes, Hall had a full NMC...he controlled the situation ..
That is until a sharp GM points out his value is severely depressed based on past 3 months...and likely to further erode over next month...but going to a PO team would give him the opportunity to rebuild his image...so allow Sabres to trade him to one of several PO teams...or rot in potentially Buffalo costing himself $M's.
It wasn't a 1 way street as painted on this board.
- IonSabres

So Hall says no and we'd be furious. Adams should be canned for not trading Hall out of spite, in this scenario.

I'm not sure Seattle takes on a 9M contract even if so, think I'd be talking to Francis first to gauge his interest before going to Jeff. Even asking could sour the milk and it's pretty putrid already.
- RhinoFan

i think it depends a lot on what other players they draft.. they will need to hit the floor so that part could be attractive.

I think the only fair criticism of Adams in this deal was his inability to get any kind of conditional first from Boston, even if the parameters were outrageous and unlikely.

I dont agree with the hardball stuff at all. If Adams got nothing that would have been ridiculous
- jcragcrumple

Boston had to know that Hall really, really wanted to go there because he said as much in the offseason. From what I read they had offered a third before that changed to a second on sunday. Knowing that, why would Boston give up a first? Would you? I'd be shocked if he didn't at least ask for a conditional first and they said no. Again, they had him over a barrel.

How would you grade his deadline? Did the bare minimum, didn't get good value.... D? If Ullmark leaves or he overpays, that might drop to an F.
- Lunaion

B

I thought he'd get a 2nd and a 3rd for Hall so he underperformed there. I thought he'd get a 4th for Montour and he got a 3rd. Staal was fine

I'd say C currently. Depending what he does with the 2nd, two 3rds and 5th it'll change. And if he loses Ullmark for nothing, yes it's an F for me
- jcragcrumple

I'm telling you, the name recognition on Hall far outweighs his actual value combined with his NMC. Everyone's poopting all over Adams and barely dusting over the 2 goals and the NMC, instead of those being the two specific reasons for his low value. Like, (frank) off, media.

Obligatory statement to say I'm not defending KA, but I understand the value of the player and why he didn't receive what everyone wanted.

i think it depends a lot on what other players they draft.. they will need to hit the floor so that part could be attractive.
- SabresFaninIndiana

After watching Vegas, the floor seems like a complete non-factor.

Rot for no reason, nothing. Rot in Buffalo or accept the better offer that was presented potentially has huge upside but is a gamble. KA does not strike me as a gambler so I’m sure Boston smelled the desperation and got Lazar out of the deal plus a cap dump and salary dump on us
- lulags

every gm worth his salt shoulda smelled not only the desperation, but also the inexperience and the rot that has been this franchise under this ownership

How would you grade his deadline? Did the bare minimum, didn't get good value.... D? If Ullmark leaves or he overpays, that might drop to an F.
- Lunaion

Give him a C for the deadline. Hall hurt and got basically what I thought for Montour. Stall IMO helped his grade. And Ullmark is hard to judge, Demko hurt us, and I would have given him 2 or 3yr deal last year instead of 1. I am thinking he won't sign for anything under 5m. Especially if you look at what FA goalie's that are gonna hit the market.

B
- gerbe75pts

Same.

There's nothing he did that was like oh wow that was nice. Drake and Anders could be nice role players for us going forward. Sending an old horse to the glue factory for a 3rd and a 5th was a nice piece of business, getting a 3rd for a defenseman who can't play defense was fine, and the Hall trade, considering there was one team to deal with, along with his entire 2 goals for 4M, was fine.

B-, C+.

I'm telling you, the name recognition on Hall far outweighs his actual value combined with his NMC. Everyone's poopting all over Adams and barely dusting over the 2 goals and the NMC, instead of those being the two specific reasons for his low value. Like, (frank) off, media.

Obligatory statement to say I'm not defending KA, but I understand the value of the player and why he didn't receive what everyone wanted.
- TheSabresTaco

Don't forget the cap hit. Look at the gymnastics that other teams had to go through to fit much smaller cap hits onto their team.

Yet, Adams traded him for virtually
+'s:
-Got a 2nd round pick
-dumped $4m in Cap

-'s:
-took on a Cap Dump to reduce the Cap Savings to just $2m+
-traded away a decent, cheap 4th liner who was good in the locker room
-got a 2nd in a very unusual draft year in which their Scouting Dept is in a state of shambles...not very confident the 2nd will amount to anything

Yes, Hall had a full NMC...he controlled the situation ..
That is until a sharp GM points out his value is severely depressed based on past 3 months...and likely to further erode over next month...but going to a PO team would give him the opportunity to rebuild his image...so allow Sabres to trade him to one of several PO teams...or rot in potentially Buffalo costing himself $M's.
It wasn't a 1 way street as painted on this board.
- IonSabres

Yeah, let's play hardball w pending UFA players so no free agents want to sign here, ever.

Good idea.

It's a two way street.

i think it depends a lot on what other players they draft.. they will need to hit the floor so that part could be attractive.
- SabresFaninIndiana

I'd be damned if Seattle took Skinner. I think we'd need to pay the PRICE for them to take him.

I'm telling you, the name recognition on Hall far outweighs his actual value combined with his NMC. Everyone's poopting all over Adams and barely dusting over the 2 goals and the NMC, instead of those being the two specific reasons for his low value. Like, (frank) off, media.

Obligatory statement to say I'm not defending KA, but I understand the value of the player and why he didn't receive what everyone wanted.
- TheSabresTaco

It's a free asset so I have a hard time getting too worked up over the return. That said, I think he should have been able to swing a conditional 1st if he said "cup win, playoff MVP and re-signs"

Boston would have no reason not to agree to that. At least that's what I think but yeah, maybe they just told him to take a 2nd or kick rocks.

We got a 2nd for nothing so idk, it's whatever. C

Yeah, let's play hardball w pending UFA players so no free agents want to sign here, ever.

Good idea.

It's a two way street.
- Powerslave

The human element is generally ignored. I try to include it in my thinking a lot these days. Some will say (frank) em they're assets, but the human element matters. Players talk.

https://mobile.twitter.com/CurtisTCB716/status/1381926988772958213?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Etweet
Kid is playing some good hockey
- Buff36

Hopefully the red bulls release him from his contract this summer so he can come over
Like I said we basically got a player that Should've went top 5 now ..( Ottawa Is probably kicking themselves right now)

This is why this draft is money for us we could be getting player Potentials like Peterka in the 3rd round..

Boston had to know that Hall really, really wanted to go there because he said as much in the offseason. From what I read they had offered a third before that changed to a second on sunday. Knowing that, why would Boston give up a first? Would you? I'd be shocked if he didn't at least ask for a conditional first and they said no. Again, they had him over a barrel.
- Slump Buster

pham said that the thumping they took that night vs. washington changed their tune...it sounds like adams felt it was the best he could do...come to find out through various sources that pittsburgh was never in on him, nor was colorado and vegas was a late entry into the game

It's a free asset so I have a hard time getting too worked up over the return. That said, I think he should have been able to swing a conditional 1st if he said "cup win, playoff MVP and re-signs"

Boston would have no reason not to agree to that. At least that's what I think but yeah, maybe they just told him to take a 2nd or kick rocks.

We got a 2nd for nothing so idk, it's whatever
- jcragcrumple

Right. Staal (from Mojo) and Hall were free assets, it's just too bad we turned a 1st, 2nd and 3rd into a 3rd and 6th.

Same.

There's nothing he did that was like oh wow that was nice. Drake and Anders could be nice role players for us going forward. Sending an old horse to the glue factory for a 3rd and a 5th was a nice piece of business, getting a 3rd for a defenseman who can't play defense was fine, and the Hall trade, considering there was one team to deal with, along with his entire 2 goals for 4M, was fine.

B-, C+.
- TheSabresTaco

accurate in every aspect...

imo, of course

Same.

There's nothing he did that was like oh wow that was nice. Drake and Anders could be nice role players for us going forward. Sending an old horse to the glue factory for a 3rd and a 5th was a nice piece of business, getting a 3rd for a defenseman who can't play defense was fine, and the Hall trade, considering there was one team to deal with, along with his entire 2 goals for 4M, was fine.

B-, C+.
- TheSabresTaco

The only thing I question is not moving Ristolainen again but that will be a summer thing