What if the sabres didn't give up youth for aging players?

That Winnipeg trade is straight crap for the pens. Try adding another 2 1st going the pens way, take out the 3rd going Winnipeg’s way and add Johnson instead.
Buffalo would have to add a 1st.
And then just a Simon and 2nd for Timmons alone.

The Vegas trade is by far the worst one, the value is just way off. Although the Crosby trade is pretty bad too.

Then they'd continue to not win stanley cups.

Or they continue to build for the future so they can consistently be in the conversation. Interesting to see how trading away younger studs has worked for Chicago...

Three cups ain't bad. But you're exactly right, it was trading away young studs who were starting to produce in the NHL. Don't you dare call Nylander a stud. Good upside prospect, but some people are already calling him a bust for being taken 8th overall.

You are correct, Buffalo wins that trade easily. But could you imagine a top line of Skinner, Eichel and Kessel

Yup, at some point one has to carpe diem

YTD Kessel has one less goal and 4 fewer pts than Okposo and Nylander (BTW these are AHL pts) combined. Kessel is one year older than Okposo and has a cap hit of only $800,000 more/yr but the term is only four years v Okposo's five year. Kessel scored 92 pts last year and is just a few pts behind that pace this year. Remember, Kessel played on the third line in Pittsburgh I wonder what he could do with Eichel and Skinner.