Nobody is giving up that kind off player for RR. Buffalo fans need to temper their expectations for a Ristolainen trade. I really don't think the market is there.

This rumor was started by Eklund and is bs. Yzerman is not trading Mantha for Risto. End of story.

Yeah I don’t think mantha is a stud. Risto scores more points, plays much tougher and valuable position, signed long term. I think Detroit fans overvalue aa and mantha

Buffalo still isnt a playoff team with this roster. They're stuck in the best division in hockey with 3 top 10 teams in the league, Florida will be better this year with thier changes, Montreal can go either way and well Ottawa is Ottawa. Still think Buffalo may well live behind 4 teams in that division for the foreseeable future.

Mantha isn't a Stud, but he's one of the better power forwards in a league where it's more and more difficult to find true top line power forward. Money in the bank for 20+ goals, and if he'd stayed healthy he'd have been 30/60 last year.

Also if you're expecting a "Stud" in return for Risto you're in for a rude awakening. Don't really see anyone giving up what Sabres fans are asking for him.

Who is that 3rd line shutting down? They would have a hard time containing a top line in the AHL, let alone any in the NHL. Haha

The only problem Detroit has no interest in Risto. Detroit was unwilling to give up Mantha or AA for Trouba a real 2 way defensemen who has been on their radar since he held out. You're right Detroit fans do overvalue Mantha and AA sometimes me included. About the same as Buffalo fans overvalue Risto, Thompson and Mittlelstadt. I think you'd agree Trouba is better than Risto and Detroit trading Risto instead Trouba makes no sense. Smith is what the 4th best left wing prospect in Buffalo's organization. Girgensons is a good role player 3rd or 4th line but Detroit has Helm, Abdelkader, Glendening, DLR, Ehn and now Erne as well that fill that role as well and most of the better than Girgensons.

Eklund is a clown shoe and almost never right. Now did you read that article/blog entry that mentions the same trade? Because his source is Eklund so that link does nothing to support Eklund's rumor. If you scroll down they included a post from NHL Trade Rumors:

Multiple reports earlier this summer have included how RHD Rasmus Ristolainen would prefer to play elsewhere than Buffalo this season and it’s becoming more clear he may get his wish. According to sources the Sabres have held preliminary discussions with several teams including the Detroit Red Wings. Detroit would be willing to part with Anthony Mantha to obtain the 6’4 24-year-old Finnish defenseman. Mantha finished last season with 25 goals and would provide Buffalo some much needed offense.

The source is the Sabers nothing from Detroit about it at all. It looks like wishful thinking on the Sabers part. Risto is a middle pair defensemen at best and most of the lines I've seen on proposals done by Sabers fans where they keep Risto back up my claim.

I love the fact that Detroit is giving up Mantha for Ristolainen, Yet other teams are giving up lesser players for him. Zero chance of Yzerman giving up Mantha for Risto. Unless Mantha is asking for an absurd amount of money.

Yzerman has had interest in Risto going back to Tampa Bay... as much as people are laughing at this idea, I think it’s possible.

Mantha is not elhers. He is not a stud he is not some superstar power forward. He is already 24 and will be looking for a raise next year. I am not saying Risto is trouba but you honestly think if he played with a partner better then scandella, not have to play 25 minutes a night, or against every teams top line every shift his stats would be better. If you switched trouba and risto do you honestly think trouba value would be so high. He is good RHD and on good contract. Which has a lot more value then winger who will be looking for raise and has yet to prove anything.

Bottom line is that Detroit will have Mantha locked up for 9 years or so, Risto only has 3 years left and wouldn't be guaranteed to return to Detroit. So Ristolainen alone wouldn't get Mantha. No one is saying that Mantha is a bonafide superstar but his value is every bit worth Ristolainen and more he will have a breakout season and is probably projected to be a JVR type power forward down the road.

He HAD interest for a club that was the Cup favorite. The Wings are not even projected to make the playoffS. Totally different set of variables. I doubt it is possible.

Wings are not close to contending and can lock up MAntha long term, so when in 2 to 3 years he will be an asset where as Risto will be looking to UFA.

Risto had 43 point and was a -41 so he was on the ice for 84 goals at least against his team, that means he was on the ice for more than 30% of the opponents goals.

Wings need scorers and Mantha looks to break out, if he does not then he can be traded at years end as he is still a RFA, for Wings they are in a win or sort of win situation, he plays great and he signs, if he ok he can be traded for something at TDL. Risto will be an anchor that can not play defense and will regress with the Wings and have zero value.

If Mantha is so bad and Risto is so great then why trade Risto for Mantha?

You don't see proposals done by Detroit fans trading Mantha for Risto.

Seriously for a player no one in Buffalo thinks good why is he in so many proposals done by Buffalo fans?

Eklund's rumor has absolutely nothing backing it up. The only rumor I can find about Mantha going to Buffalo from a reputable source lists the Sabers as his source. I'm pretty sure that would be wishful thinking and not a trade rumor.

Now I do think Trouba's value is higher than Risto's value, but it still wasn't enough to get Yzerman to move Mantha for AA.

I get that you don't think Mantha is very good and Risto is a great defenseman and that's fine everyone is entitled to their opinion. Most Detroit fans think Mantha is on his way to becoming a really good player and they think Risto isn't very good at defense. There is a simple way to end this argument:

STOP TRYING TO TRADE MANTHA FOR RISTO.

First, great analysis, and this is way too much for Ristolainen. Neither Girgensons (BTW please check out his possession stats, they are off the chart, 50% corsi for with only 15% OZ starts) nor Smith add much on the Sabres side of the ledger while Mastrosimone is a big asset. So even if one were to start with the assessment that Mantha and Ristolainen are close, the additions heavily tilt the scale in favor of Buffalo.
Second, I have seen the Eklund tweet regurgitated a couple of times a week, while I am not that familiar with his predictions, as you said, his post is the only source of this rumor.
Third, the reports of Ristolainen wanting out can also be traced to a single interview when he said he was unhappy that he could not lead the Sabres to the play offs, not that he was unhappy in Buffalo, nor the Sabres.
Fourth, as a Sabres fan, I would only trade Ristolainen unless a player with a similar upside as Mantha was included. I could be in error but big players take longer to develop and defensemen take even longer. Many current star NHL defensemen finally put it together just about the same age as Rasmus.
Fifth, I do not know the value of Ristolainen, it may be Mantha, it may be less, it may be more. Regardless of what we as casual observers believe it is a fair trade, it is the GM’s who decide fairness (i.e. Subban, and Skinner trades are good examples). So I would rather keep him, play him fewer minutes, give him more OZ starts, and put him in situations where he could excel.
Finally, I do not think Buffalo and Detroit are good trading partners. I can see Mantha bringing the Sabres closer to the playoffs; does Ristolainen do the same for Detroit? The teams tied with 76 pts last year, IMO Buffalo is a top RW, a 2nd line center and improved GK from being competitive. Mantha fill the first, a bulk up Mittelstadt could fill the second and Bales coaching may do the third.

See I think Mantha does a lot more the Wings than Risto could do. I've seen a bunch of Buffalo proposals talking about moving Risto to left wing that doesn't happen with good defenseman. Most proposals with Risto staying in Buffalo have him in the second pair. Now some have him in the first pair and about the same amount have him in the 3rd pair. Those are the ones done by Buffalo fans. The Ekllud rumor is BS the guy is trolling for hits to his site other wise someone else would talking about it but the only other stuff I've seen quote Eklund as their source. Buffalo has been posting the Mantha for Risto trades the entire offseason and Detroit fans have shooting down. Detroit fans would rather Mantha than Risto. I don't see any Detroit proposals trading Mantha for Risto.

Detroit is perfectly fine not trading Mantha because they want to keep him. Now I'm sorry Buffalo doesn't like Risto and has been trying the move him the entire offseason. But plain and simple Detroit wants to keep Mantha. If Risto is better than Mantha so be it but it doesn't change anything Detroit and their fans would rather have Mantha than Risto.

Buffalo fans are trading risto because Botts has been trading players he hasnt drafted. Also, they added 3 RHD in Montour, Miller and Jokiharju. The also have Bogo, Nelson and Borgen all able to play in NHL next year. That is 6 RHD not counting RIsto. Since botts traded for Montour, Miller and Jokiharju you have to assume they are here to stay and that means Risto, Bogo, Nelson and/or Borgen have to go. SInce Risto as most value by far he is the one on block.

I do not think Mantha is bad, i think he would be good fit with sabres. But to say he is more valuable then RIsto is just crazy. Risto gets bad rep. because of the team he played for. Look at O'Reilly and he went from terrible player to 12th best center better then EIchel, Malkin, Couteir, backstrom, Aho, Kuznetsov, Monahan, and many more. Just shows you what playing on winning team can change how people think of you.

Look at wings defense it is old and bad. They need players over 30 and players under year of experience to play huge minutes for the team. Risto can pretty much cover the points Mantha gets while letting older players play reduce minutes and not have to rush young players. It will be much easier to have rookie come up and play top 6 minutes on wing then play top 4 minutes as a Dman.

Also moving Risto to wing was a joke and no one around team or reporter has ever said that

We are in agreement about Mantha, it was a great pick and I do not see any reason for Detroit to trade him unless it was for a remarkable return, from where I am sitting, that is not Ristolainen
Second, Ristolainen was rushed to the NHL the same year he was drafted and he was needlessly rushed to the top spot (the Sabres were in full rebuild mode that year). I was anticipating that Housley would improve Ristolainen's defensive skills. I am not sure what happened, but the entire team stopped playing after new years and Ristolainen may have slipped more than others.
Third, I think many Sabre ACGM's that keep Ristolainen know that Dahlin is the top defenseman and do not want to pair Ristolainen with him.
Fourth, Ristolainen may be traded because the right side is very crowded and it does not make a lot of sense to trade a player after only a couple of months (Miller and Montour) so Ristolainen is the logical choice to move.
Lastly, I do not want to trade him, as this is for first time in forever that the Sabres have had this many young NHL quality defensemen (OMW Collin Miller the oldest is only 26 and Dahlin is only 19).

Risto is a defensive liability period. We can bring up a kid from GR and get the same defensive effort from a rookie and keep Mantha and his points.

Face it Wings fans say No and the Sabres fans are clamoring to trade Risto. What does that say about Risto and Mantha. It was a gorriblenpost by Ekluns without any proof and Wing"s fans hate and Sabrd fans love it.

You do realize Risto was on the ice for almost a 1/3 of all goals scored on the Sabres. Wings will be saying goodbye to several older defensemen this year, Daley, Ericcsson and Green. That will free up alot money and space to sign a free agent that plays at both ends of the ice and keep Mantha.
NEVER GOING TO HAPPEN. PLEASE STOP.

Do you realize that risto was on the ice for almost half the game. And every time he stepped on ice he went against other teams top line. So, being on the ice for a third of teams goals is actually pretty darn good. You have to stop looking at the half picture and look at the whole thing.

Ok but I think you are missing my point whatever the reason for trading Risto is unimportant along with, who's better than who or who is a stud and Who isn't a stud. Detroit just doesn't want to move Mantha. He probably would be a good fit in Buffalo and you could make an argument that he would be a good in 31 other teams as well. Look at the end of last season once Bertuzzi, Larkin and Mantha were all healthy and on a line Mantha put up 8g and 15 points, Bertuzzi had 5g and 13 points and Larkin had 5g and 8 points in last 10 games of the season playing as a line. So that gives me proof that he fits in here in Detroit. Detroit's d is slow and old but most of them are gone at the end of the season and Detroit has some good D prospects coming up. I think they do have 1 or 2 top pair guys but not a true #1. They have a few middle pair guys and a few bottom pair guys. That's what I think and agree with me or not It doesn't matter. So Detroit is lacking a real #1 defenseman and you might say Risto would be the #1 Dman in Detroit if he was here but that doesn't mean he is a true #1 Dman and if he truly was Buffalo would be trading him. He scored .55 points a game, Hronek got called up about half way through the season he had .50 points and Green missed time with an injury but he put up .60 points a game but what does that mean? Points by defensemen only tell part of the story but it's the first thing Buffalo fans bring up when defending Risto. Detroit isn't going to be good this season and I think they need to get more good pieces in place before they go out and spend good pieces on a #1 dman. Who know maybe one of their D prospects might ending being a true #1 defenseman not likely but possible. About the same amount chance as you gave to O'Reilly to becoming a #1 center. Either way they have time before they need to make that decision and nothing against Risto but I don't think he is the right fit in Detroit and I'm pretty sure they keep Mantha.

Also another point is look at the Kings. Kopitar and doughty were on ice for half of the teams goals. Are they bad now? Was a very bad year, even though the year before they had career years? Or maybe team got worse, injuries happened and when team is bad it makes your stats bad. Same goes for risto.

Yes Doughty and Kopitar had a bad year but they have a better body of work overall. Risto has had two consecutive bad seasons where he was -25 and -43. So to compare them over one season fine but over two seasons Risto looks bad by comparison. Doughty and Koptiar were both plus the year before.

Face it Sabre fans want to dump Risto and tou and many others are trying to convince people that Mantha is junk and Ristonis some star.

Do I think Mantha is a stud, no but he has trended up for the past two years and Risto has gotten worse over year 1 to year 2. Please stop trying to sell me on this trade. I do not think it is a good deal for the Wings.

So Risto is bad because he played on bad team but Kopitar are Doughty are good because they played on a good team couple years ago? Risto has played on rebuilding team that has finished in bottom of standings his entire career. He has been forced to play against top lines and 25 mins a night. How is Mantha Trending up and Risto not they are the same age.

You need to look past +/- and corsi and shots against and for. When you play on bad team they will look bad and a good team can hide bad players.