Here's a wild thought...Montour is the guy to trade.

Long term the right side is Miller, Risto, Joker. The left is Dahlin, McCabe, Pilut. Short term Scandella plays instead of Pilut.

The advantage is we run with the six we have, who are working well together, and more importantly, Montour has huge value while Scandella or Risto don't. If Montour gets you a 60 point forward, it's worth considering.
- matty12345

I think you’re spot on. I think it’s most likely. I have been arguing this was going to happen for a few weeks now.

If they’re keeping Risto option B should be to see if you get something for McCabe.

Not getting a forward back for Scandella or selling low on Montour after just getting him is moronic IMO
- sbroads24

The chance that Botterill would actually trade Montour now is almost nonexistent

“He makes no one better”

Marcus Johansson is on pace for a career year
- sbroads24

I was informed that Skinner Is Irrelevant. Please confirm.

I just mean they're both 2nd pair RHD

Although, Homie has talked up Montour's ability to play the left side, so perhaps as you said, he takes McCabe's spot at LD
- jcragcrumple

They won’t health scratch their A when he hasn’t been playing poorly. Unlikely IMO that McCabe comes out.

Yea man, I’m looking forward to Dahlin’s 82 point game season as a 19 year old as well.

Those assists, especially secondary assists are still pointless though right so it doesn’t matter ? Goals are worth 2X assists right ? Skinners goal tonight just appeared right on his tape in the slot. Eichel’s secondary assist on the Reinhart goal was useless ?

Skinner has to score goals don’t you get it ? If he doesn’t we’d be paying him $9M to draw penalties cause he has no play making ability nor does he defend well at all.
- Swedish_Jesus

You are all over the place on this ramble. I have no clue what your point(s) is/are

They won’t health scratch their A when he hasn’t been playing poorly. Unlikely IMO that McCabe comes out.
- Beethoven

Forgot about that. The plot thickens

The chance that Botterill would actually trade Montour now is almost nonexistent
- jcragcrumple

Disagree. It is definitely not nonexistent. If he is serious about creating a better team, Montour is the most likely to have enough value to get you a decent forward. I think it’s likely, teams desperate for D, if ever there was a year for it to happen it’s this year.

Fine? He was great. He deserved a star over Reinhart.
- Beethoven

I was responding to someone who said risto was a disaster tonight

The chance that Botterill would actually trade Montour now is almost nonexistent
- jcragcrumple

It.. is.. non existent.

I think you’re spot on. I think it’s most likely. I have been arguing this was going to happen for a few weeks now.
- Beethoven

It’s really sad people would want to trade a better offensively , cheaper version of Ristolainen because Ristolainen hits people every once and a while.

It’s so weird.

The chance that Botterill would actually trade Montour now is almost nonexistent
- jcragcrumple

Agreed he’s not trading Montour. Montour has the potential to be our 2nd best dman longterm

I was informed that Skinner Is Irrelevant. Please confirm.
- TheSabresTaco

Consider the Swedish source

Disagree. It is definitely not nonexistent. If he is serious about creating a better team, Montour is the most likely to have enough value to get you a decent forward. I think it’s likely, teams desperate for D, if ever there was a year for it to happen it’s this year.
- Beethoven

The only argument for a potential Montour trade is Jbotts trades for him before he traded for joker and miller and this have changed depth wise. I still don’t see it. Trade Scandella and/or mccabe

It.. is.. non existent.
- TheSabresTaco

It's Scandella, right? It has to be Scandella

Even if they trade Scandella and Bogosian never comes back, we still have Montour, Dahlin, Miller, Joker, Risto, McCabe as a deep top six, with gilmour as the 7th D and Pilut in Rochester who honestly should be in the NHL. That's insanely deep.

Scandella is just going to sit in a press box if we don't move him.
- matty12345

You guys worry too much.

Last I checked, you are posting to a blog and are not employed by any PROFESSIONAL hockey team.

Please let me know if I am wrong.

I was informed that Skinner Is Irrelevant. Please confirm.
- TheSabresTaco

Skinner scored 40 last year, could very well score close to that again this year.

However, do you think it’s a coincidence that since we are much better down the middle (Addition of Mojo + Mitts coming out party) plus much better on the back end (Miller, Joker) that this team is performing much better at this point ? The coaching change definitely plays a role, as well as the fact being there is a lot of season left for this to turn around on us but the point still stands for now.


I was wrong to say wingers are completely irrelevant, but they are still the least important position in hockey and I won’t change my sentiment on that.

The best goal scoring winger possibly ever didn’t win a ring until he played on a team with two top 20 pivots (Kuznetsov, Backstrom) a Norris trophy caliber d-man in Carlson and got the saves needed from Holtby. Kuznetsov also had 34 points that year and it was the most since Malkin 5 years prior in the playoffs

The Penguins won 2 cups with Sheary in the top 6.

The Blues won the cup because they had ROR, Schenn, Bozak down the middle with horses on the back end and strong goaltending.

Agreed he’s not trading Montour. Montour has the potential to be our 2nd best dman longterm
- turbo044

It will be interesting to see who does get traded, Botts has options and will trade the one who gets him the return he wants. We all might be surprised.

It’s really sad people would want to trade a better offensively , cheaper version of Ristolainen because Ristolainen hits people every once and a while.

It’s so weird.
- sbroads24

I'm not a Risto fan. I like Montour better by a lot. The thing is, Montour is a big-time asset with high value. When botteril got him for our best d prospect and a 1st NHL people called it a good trade. What if Montour + gets me Laine? What does this team look like with one more star?

Montour, Sobotka (for cap reasons), and Pekar/Ruotsoleinen for Laine. You heard it here first!

You are all over the place on this ramble. I have no clue what your point(s) is/are
- turbo044

This goes back months. Sbroads said assists don’t matter to make a long story short.

Skinner scored 40 last year, could very well score close to that again this year.

However, do you think it’s a coincidence that since we are much better down the middle (Addition of Mojo + Mitts coming out party) plus much better on the back end (Miller, Joker) that this team is performing much better at this point ? The coaching change definitely plays a role as well as the fact being there is a lot of season left for this to turn around on us but the point still stands.


I was wrong to say wingers are completely irrelevant, but they are still the least important position in hockey and I won’t change my sentiment on that.

The best goal scoring winger possibly ever didn’t win a ring until he played on a team with two top 20 pivots (Kuznetsov, Backstrom) a Norris trophy caliber d-man in Carlson and got the saves needed from Holtby. Kuznetsov also had 34 points that year and it was the most since Malkin 5 years prior in the playoffs

The Penguins won 2 cups with Sheary in the top 6.

The Blues won the cup because they had ROR, Schenn, Bozak down the middle with horses on the back end and strong goaltending.
- Swedish_Jesus

Pound for pound, centers are absolutely more valuable than wingers. I would never argue that. But watching Eichel play with Foligno and Girgensons would just be (frank)ing sad.

You guys worry too much.

Last I checked, you are posting to a blog and are not employed by any PROFESSIONAL hockey team.

Please let me know if I am wrong.
- TC4145

Discussing the roster is kinda what we do here. If that somehow offends you, SIR YOU CAN SIMPLY NOT READ MY POSTS, SIR!

Risto has the capability of playing great games.

Tonight ain’t it. He and McCabe were absolutely horrendous in our zone
- sbroads24

Only Scandella was better in CF% rel, and only Jokiharju and Scandella were better in xGF%. See? I can make the stats say whatever I want too!

I'm not a Risto fan. I like Montour better by a lot. The thing is, Montour is a big-time asset with high value. When botteril got him for our best d prospect and a 1st NHL people called it a good trade. What if Montour + gets me Laine? What does this team look like with one more star?

Montour, Sobotka (for cap reasons), and Pekar/Ruotsoleinen for Laine. You heard it here first!
- matty12345

Err...

I wonder if 89 thinks he’s a $10M dollar player yet.
- Swedish_Jesus

Really? From the kid who thinks they shouldn't have re-signed Skinner to his deal?

The Sabres are still oblate spheroid earthers in a flat Earth world.
- TheSabresTaco

FIFY