Quoting: Jdfitz77
Not a huge fan of Jt Miller
I think we need to add goal scorers, not pass first types
There’s other ways I’d rather spend that 5mil he’s making
Is the addition of Zucker and Neal and the promotions of Olofsson and Smith as full-timers not adding goal scoring?
While Miller isn't an ideal 2C, he is in Botterill's age preference (26 or younger), is a tremendous skater, is defensively-responsible but can play a high-tempo offensive system and can play all 3 forward positions. More importantly, he can fill the 2C role short-term until Mittelstadt proves ready. Lightning have to shed salary and Miller is one of the few players without an NMC-NTC limiting the teams Tampa can deal with.
Quoting: Jdfitz77
but if that’s all it would take to get him I’d have to consider it
Probably would depend on if there’s any better options out there
For 2C options that fit the age range Botterill will target, there aren't a lot that are rumored available - Nugent-Hopkins and Karlsson are two better options and could maybe be pried free but the Sabres don't have that many marketable assets to trade beyond Ristolainen, their draft picks and some of their prospects. Miller, for reasons stated above, is a reasonable way to solve the issue for Buffalo IMO.
Quoting: Jdfitz77
If Dahlin is as good as we think, then we only need to find him a solid defensive partner to play with. Much like Hedman has been playing with Straalman, or Karlsson played with Methot in Ottawa
Totally agree with you on this....and since Dahlin is clearly the # 1 defenseman, his partner would need to be top-pairing capable.....
Quoting: Jdfitz77
I don’t think we “need” Trouba
....which is why I totally disagree with you on this assessment. Trouba is a proven 2-way defender with mobility, offensive skill and still ability to log minutes in a shut down role. As a RHD, he'd be a great partner to Dahlin on the 1st pairing.
Quoting: Jdfitz77
If we did get Trouba, i think I’d actually want him on the 2nd pair so that we’d have 2 really good pairs (potentially)
But idk if bringing in a 7.5mil (-ish) defenseman is a good use of our Cap Room
First, Trouba is a top 2 defenseman and justified for the $6M salary he's going to command. While Montour and Dahlin were tried and looked OK for a short stint, they both are rovers that need to have unlimited freedom to rush up the ice. Montour is not that great defensively and when Dahlin goes up ice, his partner needs to play conservatively - which Montour would be crippled by. It's the smarter move to pair McCabe with Montour on the 2nd pairing and then find a similarly-mobile but defensively-conscious partner for Pilut (who I proposed above as being Pysyk).
Secondly, yes, Stralman was a good defensive partner to Hedman in a pairing working off same principle as just noted - but he'll turn 33 this coming season and, as an UFA, will want at least a 3-4 deal (if not longer) and a bump from the $4.5M he got in Tampa. Do you think paying someone of his age over $5.5M is a "good use of our cap room"?
Trouba will have a lot of teams contacting Winnipeg and Sabres may not have a chance - and if Myers leaves there as an UFA as well, the Jets will have to worry about filling a hole at RD. That's why I proposed Ristolainen as a cap-fixed RHD that adds almost the same amount of offense and who could slide into the 2nd pairing in Winnipeg that Myers occupied.
If not Trouba, Adam Larsson in Edmonton - who's mobile skater but much more of a defensive-lockdown type guy capable of 1st pairing minutes - would be my next choice for Dahlin's partner. He's 26 and on an affordable $4.16M contract with 2 years remaining.