NSH says no thanks.

I think the last thing NSH needs is another dman.

think it'd be closer than you think.

Nah. Nobody is trading a 4.25m 30 goal scorer for a #4 D.

Keep dreaming. Arviddson has one of the best contracts in the league. He had over half a goal a game last year. That's nuts

Big mobile right shot D-men vastly out value small diminutive wingers. That's the case everywhere. Not saying it's a perfect trade but there's no way it's not at least considered. Nashville's strength is their D and the brutal Subban trade left a hole on the right side. Both contracts are reasonable and there's injury risk with Arvidsson as well. He missed 24 games last year and had 0 points in 6 playoffs. So get off the high horse.

Just because you think the value is there (it isn't) doesn't mean the team needs what you're offering. Nashville has one of the best D corps in the league, why would they need ristolainen? Arviddson was on pace for almost 50 goals this season, and makes half of what he would make on the open market if he was a UFA this summer.

I think it's a interesting trade. Throw in a pick or a prospect from Buffalo's side and I think it's a longer conversation than a click. Nashville has 3 top defenseman and then a complete nose dive off a cliff. And that's if Ellis stays healthy. Fabbro could be the most overrated D prospect in the league. Ristolainen might thrive in NSH and fit into their system. It's Armchair GM for a reason guys haha

big mobile right shot defenseman that can't play defense - talk about high horse.
Risto sucks, $5.4M is alot of money for a 3rd pairing dman...

You can think fabbro is overrated, but he is a good prospect and he looked good in the games he played for Nashville this season - and who cares what we think, Nashville thinks he's ready for a top 4 role. Arviddson makes 4.25 mill and like I said was on pace for almost 50 goals 75 + pts. He brings similar value to eichel if you take into consideration their contracts. The only way you're getting Arvidsson is if you overpay. Reinhart, mittelstat, and a pick for Arvidsson

The problem is not being specific enough. That first sentence for example, is too vague. Dougie Hamilton is a big RHD dman that is mobile. Johnny Gaudreau is a diminutive forward. Would Cgy make that trade? Of course not.

The specific reason why Nashville wouldn't do this is because they have a decent replacement for Subban already. Fabbro. They may not have traded Subban had they not thought so. In addition to that, Arvidsson's value is more than just a winger. He's cheap and signed long term. 4.25M for a perennial 30 goal scorer is worth more than just average wingers. Maybe he doesn't score as much as Ovechkin but he comes close enough and does it at half the cost. In a cap world that would raise a players value. Even if the actual player was less talented than another winger with equal numbers.

Although I don't believe the over exaggeration on here of Ristolainen's lack of value. I think you place him on a good team where he doesn't have to be the "guy" anymore, he'd be an absolute stud. That doesn't mean just because he is mobile and he's big he could land any winger in the league. If he could Buffalo would have moved him already.

Nashville doesn't even consider, arrvidsson is a goal scorer which is valued very high!. Look at Skinner's contract.

Example of Exaggeration: This comment right here.

A 4th pairing RHD making 5.4 mil...

What part is exaggerating?? He's a 3rd pairing dman that has no idea how to play defense...

Yeah huge no from Nashville

This is beyond horrible. Poile laughs his ass off then when he realizes its serious he hangs up to call other gms so they can get a laugh too. Arvi is the heart and soul of the preds. He not only broke the franchise goal record but his game isn't limited. He plays PP and pk and he draws penalties. Getting under the oppositions skin. And his contract is amazing. He's probably the most untouchable player on the preds if not forsberg

You thought wrong.

So he isn’t a 3rd pairing Dman?
If he is better than 3rd pairing, he hasn’t shown it in the past 5 years...

I would be exaggerating if I said he was the worst in the league, I just said he sucks.

Buffalo has been trying to Risto for how long now?
Nashville gives even small whiff they'd move Arvidsson, the line up to get him... oh man.

I think what's more important is to define a 3rd pair dman then? Because Victor Mete is Montreal's 1st pair dman by some people's logic simply because he plays alongside Weber but somehow manages only 17 mins a night on average. There is nothing to suggest he is a 3rd pair dman, in fact there is more evidence to show he is the contrary. You just said "I don't like him and he sucks" and that's your argument.

Regardless of that fact though, find any 3rd pair dman in the league to have the same numbers Risto has. That's ok I'll wait..........

Four 40+ point seasons in a row.
Averaged over 25 mins a game throughout those 4 seasons..
Plays PK, Plays PP, can play 3v3 OT.
Makes only 5.5M a year for RHD.
Is only 24 mind you. Just entered his prime.....

This exaggeration has to stop! Is he the best ******* dman in the league? No. Is he going to win the Norris? No. You know what? Neither has Ekman-Larsson and he is one of the better dman in the league.

Buffalo as a team sucks balls. There is a reason they finish near last every year. Playing a lot of minutes for a bad team is going to show your blemishes more. That's the same for any player. Erik Karlsson two years ago in Ottawa was getting lit up every night too. That's what happens when your on a bad team. Can't judge a player solely on the time he played on a bad team. What happens if Risto was traded to Nashville and played on their top 4 alongside Ekholm or Josi? He'd be a -40 while everyone else is +40? Puh-leese.

You need to actually watch the player and project how they'd look if they didn't have a siv for a goaltender all these years and generally overall a lacklustre team surrounding him. Ristolainen has all the tools to be a solid top 4 dman. In many cases a lesser top pairing dman. He's simply not good enough to do it on his own on a bad team. News flash, neither is 99% of NHL dman.

So yes, saying he sucks and that he is a 3rd pairing dman, is EXAGGERATION. He doesn't suck and he would easily be a few teams top 4 RHD. Players that suck don't play 25 mins a night. Its actually the contrary. If it was one coach playing him that much, fine but he's had multiple coaches now and they all played him ahead of every other Buffalo dman. That's not a fluke.

Disclaimer: I mentioned above I don't think Nashville should make this trade either but the overexaggeration of how Risto "sucks" is unneeded.

thanks for the book. i respect your work and effort.
with that said, Risto does have ALL the physical tools to play the game, no argument there. his problem is that he has a 10 cent head, zero hockey sense.
if you ever played the game or watch the game enough you would know that all the talent in the world means nothing if you can't see the ice.

to summarize, Risto has the physical ability to play in any teams top 4 - but he barely has the brain to play in most teams top 6, which rounds me out to a solid 3rd pairing dman.

also worth note: he plays all those minutes including PP and PK out of necessity because the team blows and up until late last year he was the best option. they go out and make a couple nice trades and all of the sudden he is 3rd man in the RD chart, on Buffalo...ON BUFFALO!

Two of the most telling things:

Sabres have been working all off season to trade Ristolainen. No takers.

Sabres traded for 3 RHD since Feb.

If his hockey sense was so bad, why would multiple coaches play him that much? I mean hockey sense is an important aspect that makes or breaks a player in the NHL, yet he gets placed ahead of everyone on the team every year.....Not only that, he gets used a lot more than most other teams best dmen get used.

Scandella was a decently ok top 4 dman in Minny. He's gets bottom pairing minutes in Buffalo. Zach Bogosian, when he's healthy in WPG/ATL played big minutes, barely top 4 pairing numbers when he's in Buffalo. Risto for some reason, is the only one who can be trusted with 25 mins a night....

Your last sentence is why you are over exaggerating. I use facts and stats to back it up. You use a sentence that has not even been proved yet to try and make a point. The season hasn't even started yet and Montour and Miller, two guys who have never played 25 mins a night on average in their career and were cast off from teams they were on previously, are going to be placed ahead of Risto all of a sudden? What was Montour's excuse last year when he was acquired? He still played less than Risto?

Risto plays for a bad team, I don't know if you noticed but everyone looks bad in Buffalo. Once the team fixes the structural problems they have, everyone will start looking better. All of sudden some of those mistakes he makes don't turn into goals every dang time and the players he's feeding passes to and receiving passes from are better as whole and playing in the offensive zone more often. Now you get to see Risto not the positive side of the equation instead of always the negative one. In between both you'll see a more balances picture.

BTW Im not even a Sabres fan, I just get to see Risto plenty on a regular basis to know he isn't as bad as people like you tend to lead on. He's certainly not perfect, don't get me wrong but 3rd pair dman is overly harsh. You don't put up the numbers he has if you are a 3rd pair dman.

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