Not trading a first for Zucker. Not trading cozens for a dman.

Big fan of Cozens aye

Obviously he is unreal

You'd be crazy to not be willing to move your 2021 1st for Zucker, he'd really help the Sabres and he has some term, better then dealing a 1st for a rental.

You dont really think we are trading a first for a rental, right? If we cant move a d for help up front then we are stuck anyways. Not doubling down by moving firsts.

Holy Crapstorm !

So if no one is interested in the D you want to move or won't give you what you need but they would trade you a decent top 6 winger with 4 years of term for a 2021 1st you'd decline and just carry on as is?

Botterill is not moving his firsts. Unless it is a blockbuster deal . They are still trying to build assets is the system .

You have a solid nucleus, you just need to add one or two pieces and you're set, waiting around for every 1st round pick to develop could take forever and continuing a losing culture is the worst thing you can do!

They need to develop more players in the system so they re not leaving a giant hole if they make a trade . Any asset you move now that another team might want ids going to leave a hole . Botterill and Sexton have both said we still lack assets in the system

No this is not true. The sabres have a very nice first line plus skinner. They have need of middle 6 wingers, no debate from me, but the far greater need is #2 and possibly #3 center. Centers and wings dont have the same value. Zucker probably gets a late first from a playoff team, our firsts wont be moved at all, but if the right #2 center became available at this cost, it would be a real question. I think theres a logical question here- if we are so close that we should be giving up firsts, then why is it that none of our d (save dahlin) is worth a decent middle 6 forward from any of the 30 gms?

Then keep staggering along in mediocrity hoping for some draft picks to develop.
Filing a hole by acquiring a top 6 winger is leaving a giant hole?

Do you not see the trade here proposed is a 2021 1st?? You've got Cozens in the pipeline and you'd still have your 2020 1st to add to your prospect pool, you'd have Zucker for THREE more seasons, it's worth it.
And if a #2 comes available you'll be giving up far more then a 1st.

Maybe cause no one wants the dmen being offered, lots of talk that Ristolainen was being shopped but rumor and reality might be two different things.
Could be that no teams really had a need for any of the Sabres D that were available or those teams felt they needed there middle 6 forward more then a dman. For example as a Jets fan who's seen countless trades on here of Perreault for a dman I can say the Jets need Perreault WAY more then the dmen that have been suggested.

What you fail to recognize or admit is how empty the pipeline was just 2 years ago when Botts took over . A combination of bad drafting by Murray and Regier his last few years and Murray massive overpayment trades left the cupboard bare . Picks take the 3 to 6 years to develop to NHL level. We quite simply do not have enough assets in the system to do the trades you propose without leaving massive hole. Sorry you do not have the patience for the organization being rebuilt from the farm up. On top of that we finally get out of cap hell this summer and shed a bunch of bad deals and underperforming players .