Detroit isn't trading Mantha and they are also set with right defensemen.

What if it was this year's first instead of next years?

Pittsburgh isn't trading a solid goalie and a 40 goal scorer on a great contract

Guentzel is better than Reinhart so that trade 1 for 1 would be ridiculous

On paper certainly but Guentzel plays with Crosby. Sheary was a point a game guy playing with Sid so it's hard to compare them. Reinhart doesn't get the luxury of playing with one of history's best centers

I'm not sure Mantha is hands down Detroit's most talented player and Hronek, Seider and Lindstrom and a couple of RD prospects they are set. Is the pick protected?

I would add that although Sam plays with Jack, Buffalo has been a one line team for a while, and with Pittsburgh teams have to defend against several lines who are a threat to score every time they are on the ice.

Wanted to get this in before the 'but Sam plays with Jack' comments.

Detroit passes unless buff adds this year's first + more

Doesn't he play with Eichel though? Of course Jake has been extremely lucky to play with Sid and Geno the first 4 years of his career but 40 goals is 40 goals. Its kinda like how people said Panarin was only good because he played with Kane but that was really good for his development and he eventually became just as good as Kane. Sheary IMO was a bit of a flukey year considering he was playing with Sid and Jake and every other year he was like a 30 point guy. In respect to that Jake's been much more consistent

Top 3 maybe

I think I would look for a different 2C. This would be I think Haula's 5th team in 5 years? Might be a red flag there.

BUF would be stupid to do any of that (either this year or next year). BUF has plenty of talent on the F side, but some of it is stuck in the AHL/Europe, being pushed out by the likes of Wayne Simmonds, Kyle Okposo, Curtis Lazar, etc. They need to stop adding on AHL level players to play the bottom half of their lineup, and get some of the kids in there. Adding Mantha won't fix that part of the lineup.

Also, their Cs can't win a faceoff to save their life. Eichel is one of the worst FO men in the league (factoring in regular Cs), he's at 47% (for comparison, Larkin is at 53%, Barkov is at 54%, Horvat is at 57%). Not winning a faceoff puts you behind immediately (in either end of play), which is a major structural issue that is being exploited.

If you want to improve BUF, they need a true #2 C that can win faceoffs, chip in 45 points, and center the 2nd PP unit. They need a top defensive C (that can also win a draw). They need an infusion of youth at the bottom end. They also need a true defensive dman that can play 20+ minutes a night. Mantha doesn't fix any of these.

Everybody rejects except like Lazar and maybe CBJ, Jarry also gets close to 3 mil more

Guentzel was just as good if not better without Crosby this year as he was with him...

Ok switch Montour with Ryan Johnson and then ask again after the lottery draft.

I disagree. What youth do you speak of that will magically improve the roster? Mittelstadt is a black hole on both ends of the ice, Thompson does nothing, and I put Cozens in the lineup. Trading this years 1st is more than likely the 7th or 8th overall pick. I'd rather have Mantha, a player who we know can put up 65-70 points with Eichel than some random prospect who could be a bust just like Mittelstadt. I also signed Erik Haula for decent term and $ until Cozens can fill 2c role.

Sure he plays with Eichel but the Sabres stink and hardly score.