Quoting: JC1070
Well done. A lot of time went into this. Great details. Very creative additions of Pysyk and Toffoli. While I do not think TB would give up Cernak in the trade it would still work well for Buffalo without Cernak. Send this to GMJB

if he gets half of this accomplished then Sabres play meaningful games in March and April.
Thanks, there was a lot of stuff going through my mind before posting - on the Tampa trade, if the reports are accurate (and some knowledgable sources are making them), the Lightning see a need to strengthen what is now their top 4 (Hedman-McDonough, Sergachev-Cernak). Ristolainen, despite his +/- warts that get harped on, is a more polished product for a top 4 of a team ready to contend for the Cup each of the next 2 years. The rumor mill has them linked since February and they obviously value the PP ability Ristolainen could add along with the size and feistiness. While a 22-year old Cernak is ready to blossom, a lot of the reports say the Lightning really don't want to part with Sergachev - so Cernak may be the price they have to pay. If they kept the 4 defensemen mentioned, it wouldn't make sense demoting either young guy to a 3rd pairing nor would it make sense to trade for Ristolainen only to play him or McDonough on the 3rd pairing because of the numbers.
The cap dump of Callahan seems a given on both sides if the two teams do make a trade and Miller not having an NTC, plus his age, seem to qualify for what Botterill has said are his parameters for searching for a 2C - and the fact that Miller can play all 3 forward positions, has tons of speed and is a collegiate product all also fit the MO that Botterill often talks about wanting. In essence, the deal of Miller for Ristolainen is too lopsided for Buffalo to agree to so adding in a sophomore defenseman balances things out along with the swap of 1st rounders that compensate for the cap dump of Callahan. If the Sabres take on his contract, it does force the issue on doing something about shedding Okposo's contract IMO - which is why the cap dump to the team with the most cap space in the NHL (Colorado), and a roster that lacks in older veteran experience and physicality but is a team on the rise in the west that would likely not be one of the 15 teams Okposo can reject a trade to also helps.
I've been clamoring for Toffoli for the past year ever since the Kings' aging core showed signs that a rebuild in LA has to happen. Toffoli was a key part of the 2014 Cup win and has enough experience in a winning culture (again, qualities Botterill always talks about adding in Buffalo) to be tempting - along with an affordable deal set to expire in a year that makes the risk very low if he somehow doesn't click in Buffalo....but if he's put on Eichel's wing and does the netfront / corner dirty work that Reinhart did last season, he should rebound nicely. It also helps that Toffoli is from Scarborough, just 20 minutes from Toronto. So the hometown motivation that worked so well for Skinner would likely be a nice incentive for Toffoli entering a contract year.
As for Pysyk, I still think that was the dumbest trade Tim Murray made in his tenure (although the McNabb deal comes close). Pysyk is a great skater, has always had solid possession stats and would be a nice defensive anchor for Pilut to freewheel more in a low-pressure 3rd pairing. Pysyk used to play with Ekblad 2 years ago but slipped down the depth chart last year and doesn't seem like a Quenneville-type defenseman. Add in the advertised all-out pursuits the Panthers will make for Panarin and Bobrovsky, possibly adding $20M to their payroll with just those 2 signings, and it's obvious Florida will have to shed cap space of players they may not necessarily be anxious to trade otherwise (such as Pysyk). Nelson is obviously a drop-off but at same age, $1.75M less and also a RHD, he seems like a serviceable option the Panthers would accept to fill the hole. Like Pysyk, Nelson's contract expires next summer so he's not a big investment for Florida like it would be if they kept Pysyk and then have to re-sign him next summer to a $4M deal. Sabres could either let him go next summer and promote Borgen or extend him and plug Borgen into Bogosian's spot.
Like you said, from this webpage to Botterill's desk.....one can dream and hope!

What I'm nervous about - like other Sabres fans - is that Botterill could just as easily panic and make trades that land questionable quality in return (Vesey?); procrastinate and see other teams snatch up the players first that Botterill shows interest in (Zucker? Donskoi?); or make one splash and then stand pat on youth (which would be asking for trouble).