Ristolainen is a nightmare, you'd be replacing TJ Brodie with a defensively worse TJ Brodie for your top LW. If the Flames go for any D from Buffalo it will be Montour or Miller

It's been reported the Flames have no interest in Ristolainen, and if you take the Flames 1st round pick out of this deal I'm on the fence whether to do it or not, definitely not doing it just to move up a handful of spots in the 1st round.

Ig he is jsut a fourth line center you dont get a second rounder for him

Buffalo already has 2 first line LW, they could me interested in Monahan, or Lindholm.

they do?

Jeff Skinner
Victor Olofsson
Marcus Johannson or Dominic Kahun will be their 3rd line LW (and the other will probably play 3L C)

Left side if actually pretty good in Buffalo, Center and RW are pretty thin once you get past Jack and Sam

The Sabres have 2 LW that have played on and performed to the level of first line NHL players. Neither are on the level of Gaudreu this is not a position of great need for the Sabres. On top of that after Oloffson signs the Sabres will have roughly 18 million committed to left wing for next year. If you bring in Gaudreau that takes up 1/3 of your salary cap to that position and would likely leave the roster very unbalanced. All that being said Buffalo is just not a good fit for this move unless the Sabres are getting Gaudreu at a discount because he had a down year and only has two years remaining prior to UFA. I would suggest Oloffson or Kahun, Calgarys preference and then Risto, Montour or Miller Calgarys preference + Miidlestadt and 38 o/a or 2021 first top 10 protected. Anything more than that and this is too cost prohibitive for the Sabres. I would expect the Sabres to give up similar value and be more interested in Monahan.