i cant believe i haven’t thought of this yet wow

As a non-Sabres fan has this been talked about before?

Sometimes he knows how to play on the defensive, and sometimes not, here he is such a strange guy.

I mean recently his defensive game has been pretty weak, and his value is low. At RW no one gives a **** if you can play defensively if you can produce.

no lmfao

Fyi that TO trade is crap. Dermott alone is better and the rest apart from Bracco is nothing they'd want to give up for a #7 defenceman.

This is not entirely true, he plays well in segments, he can play steadily good on the defensive for a month, then a month is bad, maybe it’s fatigue, maybe something else. The idea to put him on RW has already been many times, but this is unlikely to happen.

its come up, then everyone says its dumb and we forget about it

I made it as a Leafs fan lol. This is if we can't get Brodie or DeMelo and really need a cheap guy to play with Rielly.

Thats not even true, thats just garbage that gets repeated on this site so everyone takes it as true. His defensive game improved this year

Have seen this discussed on here before.

He could probably do it, just takes a coach to try it and run with it for awhile.

DERMOTT! OR LEHTONEN! Both are cheap and possibly as good as anyone else available and we don't need to make a huge long term commitment to them. You are consumed with the whole "we need anyone who is right handed" we don't and that is just a Babs stubborn desire that never really mattered and now everyone thinks it's just a fact. It isn't.

I mean the analytics I trust say he shouldn't be anywhere near the top-4 unless he plays with a shutdown guy.

It's more there is a logjam at RD and a hole at RW. I get it's an outlandish idea but it sure as hell is better then trading him for Kerfoot.

I mean I'd want Lehtonen playing at 3RD with Sandin on his left (I REALLY want Sandin in the lineup), and although I guess Dermott could play on the 1st line it doesn't quite fit well with me.

I'm actually in the boat we don't need a "shutdown" RD and we don't need to make any trades but I'm exploring all options.

I wonder how this would work for the expansion draft protection list. Would the NHL require a certain number of games played at forward to consider him a forward in the 7/3/1 protection list? And how do they enforce his position on the ice? Could BUF list him as a forward on the official game sheet but then use him as a defensemen on the ice? This could be a sneaky loophole to avoid the 8 skaters + 1 goalie protection

Which analytics? His Corsi, Fenwick, both negatively impacted by the garbage forwards he is out with (Rodrigues, Sheary, Skinners line). HDCF%, Shot maps, when Skinner is standing at the blueline letting everyone else fight for the puck. The Sabres defense was vastly improved, including Risto. All while he lacks motivation to play in Buffalo because the fans treat him like garbage and the team is trash around him

Huh, that's something to think about.

I mean if he does count as a F they protect:

F: Eichel, Skinner, Olofsson, Risto, Kahun, Haula, Reinhart

D: Dahlin, Dermott, Jokiharu

And they probably lose Montour which isn't too bad

If he is a D then they would lose Kahun which imo would be a lot worse

It’s a great idea it would be hard to stop a 6′ 4″, 219 pound RW.

That’s an overpayment from TOR. SDA could be our 3C in two years, and potentially Tavares’s replacement.
Dermott is very underrated as a 2LD
Joseph Woll is our future starter so no.
And Bracco is, well, Bracco.

I don’t want to give up SDA, or woll. I’d give Dermott, Johnsson for Miller 50% Retained , and late 3rd/ early 4th

Dermott and Lehtonen can both play RD as can Sandin. You have to see what you have before throwing away assets because you think you have holes.

Both Johnsson and Dermott are better than Miller. He was a healthy scratch in Vegas and once again in Buffalo. He isn't good.

risto is a winger now?