SalarySwishSalarySwish
Forums/Armchair-GM

Complete Offseason guide

Created by: sabertooth12
Team: 2020-21 Buffalo Sabres
Initial Creation Date: Aug. 11, 2020
Published: Aug. 11, 2020
Salary Cap Mode: Basic
Description
Roster construction:
***I left $4.7 million in cap space because Botterill was an idiot and will likely have cap overage penalties due to the Simmonds move and Dahlin bonus

Forwards:
-1st line: nothing changes
-2nd line: Cirelli is the responsible 2 way center we haven't had since O'Reilly. He can get Skinner's form back and the line as a whole can give Cozens some freedom to develop his game. Cirelli's arrival closes the door to Cozens becoming 2C, but he will thrive on this wing to start his career. If Cirelli can't be had, I try to go for Domi and D. Strome in that order
3rd line: I'm pretty down on Mitts, but if he can't pull his weight with Larsson and Kahun, then he will never be an NHL player. Larsson is fantastic defensively and good in transition, which complements Mitts' game, so these 3 can really be a force of a 3rd line offensively and defensively. I don't want to risk Mitts at 3C and I think Cozens' upside would be wasted there
4th line: Not much to write home about, maybe a cheap player comes in a Risto deal, but these guys can probably hold their own in a defensive role

1st pairing: Dahlin and Miller played great together last season for a small stint, I think they compliment each other
2nd pairing: Gardiner takes needed pressure off Dahlin and is the perfect 2 way mentor for Jokiharju. Also replaces Risto with some toughness in the lineup and PP2. Gardiner and Miller will compete for the last protection from the expansion draft, and it is not the end of the world if we lose one, hence Gardiner's 3 year deal not being too concerning. Gardiner is a risk, and if his health remains a concern, we simply move on and don't protect him
3rd pair: A defenseman who is only good at defense paired with one who is only good at offense, it only makes sense. Let both walk after this year and bring up Bryson and Borgen as cheaper options

Goaltending: Ullmark is a great starter, but Hutton sucks and needs to be bought out. Greiss comes in for 2 years as proper stopgap for UPL and improves this unit
Free Agent Signings
RFAYEARSCAP HIT
2$3,000,000
1$700,000
1$1,000,000
1$4,000,000
5$5,500,000
5$7,000,000
1$800,000
2$2,500,000
6$6,500,000
UFAYEARSCAP HIT
3$2,500,000
2$3,000,000
Trades
1.
BUF
  1. Cirelli, Anthony [RFA Rights]
Additional Details:
Even out picks somewhere if needed to make it fair. The Lightning should heavily consider this trade given their cap situation and having a NMC on all of their long term, expensive contracts. The chance to land a cheap, top-tier talent in the top 10 of this draft is hard to pass up on.
TBL
  1. 2020 1st round pick (BUF)
Additional Details:
Can't see why this trade wouldn't make sense for both teams. Cirelli has improved every year, is very young, and has amazing analytics. Perfect 2C, Sabres need to win now and this is how to do it.
2.
BUF
  1. Gardiner, Jake
Additional Details:
Mojo may not fit in Carolina's lineup with a stacked roster and good young players coming up, but they can't turn down the chance to get rid of Gardiner's contract to use elsewhere in the squad. He is expendable, with Slavin, Skjei, Fleury, and Bean, and that's even if they let Vatenen and Edmundson walk.
CAR
  1. Johansson, Marcus
Additional Details:
Picks to even out if needed. Sabres fans may think it's bad to be taking on a 3 yr deal for a recently injured 30 yr old defenseman, but I believe his struggles on Carolina were due to his fit in the system and their stacked blueline. They didn't really need Gardiner. I think he would a perfect second line pairing for Joki and a perfect stopgap for Samuelsson/Johnson. Gardiner has great analytics and a great 2-way game, a fair contract, and can step in on the PP2 to replace Risto. Other guys I would target: Brodie (UFA, probably can't afford him and probably wouldn't come here), Gostisbehere (worse option analytically, but not terrible, can likely be had for a Risto 1 for 1 deal), Ryan Murray (the Sabres don't have much that CBJ would want in exchange, plus is a UFA in a year. Great analytically, but worse injury concerns than Gardiner).
3.
BUF
  1. 2021 3rd round pick (WPG)
WPG
  1. Ristolainen, Rasmus
Additional Details:
Who cares, just get rid of him and don't bring too much of a cap hit back
Buyouts
Buried
DraftRound 1Round 2Round 3Round 4Round 5Round 6Round 7
2020
Logo of the BUF
Logo of the BUF
Logo of the BUF
Logo of the BUF
Logo of the DAL
2021
Logo of the BUF
Logo of the BUF
Logo of the WPG
Logo of the BUF
Logo of the BUF
Logo of the BUF
2022
Logo of the BUF
Logo of the BUF
Logo of the BUF
Logo of the BUF
Logo of the BUF
Logo of the BUF
ROSTER SIZESALARY CAPCAP HITOVERAGES TooltipBONUSESCAP SPACE
20$81,500,000$78,260,001$1,487,500$4,337,500$3,239,999
Left WingCentreRight Wing
Logo of the Buffalo Sabres
$5,500,000$5,500,000
RW, LW
UFA - 2
Logo of the Buffalo Sabres
$10,000,000$10,000,000
C
UFA - 6
Logo of the Buffalo Sabres
$7,000,000$7,000,000
RW
UFA - 1
Logo of the Buffalo Sabres
$9,000,000$9,000,000
LW, RW
NMC
UFA - 7
Logo of the Buffalo Sabres
$894,167$894,167 (Performance Bonus$850,000$850K)
C, LW
UFA - 3
Logo of the Buffalo Sabres
$1,000,000$1,000,000
LW, C
RFA - 1
$6,500,000$6,500,000
C, LW
UFA - 3
Logo of the Buffalo Sabres
$3,000,000$3,000,000
LW, RW, C
UFA - 1
Logo of the Buffalo Sabres
$845,000$845,000
LW, C
RFA - 1
Logo of the Buffalo Sabres
$2,500,000$2,500,000
C, LW
UFA - 2
Logo of the Buffalo Sabres
$6,000,000$6,000,000
RW
M-NTC
UFA - 3
Logo of the Buffalo Sabres
$700,000$700,000
RW, C
UFA - 2
Left DefenseRight DefenseGoaltender
Logo of the Buffalo Sabres
$925,000$925,000 (Performance Bonus$2,850,000$3M)
LD/RD
UFA - 1
Logo of the Buffalo Sabres
$3,875,000$3,875,000
RD
UFA - 2
Logo of the Carolina Hurricanes
$4,050,000$4,050,000
LD
M-NTC
UFA - 3
Logo of the Buffalo Sabres
$2,850,000$2,850,000
LD/RD
UFA - 1
Logo of the Buffalo Sabres
$925,000$925,000 (Performance Bonus$637,500$638K)
RD
RFA - 1
Logo of the Buffalo Sabres
$2,500,000$2,500,000
G
UFA - 1
Logo of the Buffalo Sabres
$4,000,000$4,000,000
RD
UFA - 1
$3,000,000$3,000,000
G
UFA - 2

Embed Code

  • To display this team on another website or blog, add this iFrame to the appropriate page
  • Customize the height attribute in the iFrame code below to fit your website appropriately. Minimum recommended: 400px.

Text-Embed

Click to Highlight
Aug. 11, 2020 at 4:59 p.m.
#1
Avatar of the user
Joined: Jul. 2020
Posts: 15,607
Likes: 6,912
The Jets can't afford Risto cap wise. Sorry.
Aug. 11, 2020 at 5:01 p.m.
#2
Avatar of the user
Joined: Jun. 2020
Posts: 9,163
Likes: 2,942
Canes don’t need to get rid of Gardiner’s contract.
Aug. 11, 2020 at 5:02 p.m.
#3
Thread Starter
Avatar of the user
Joined: Mar. 2019
Posts: 332
Likes: 83
Quoting: Windjammer
The Jets can't afford Risto cap wise. Sorry.


It doesn't matter what team he goes to, Winnipeg was just a placefiller
Windjammer liked this.
Aug. 11, 2020 at 5:05 p.m.
#4
Thread Starter
Avatar of the user
Joined: Mar. 2019
Posts: 332
Likes: 83
Quoting: ecupirate07
Canes don’t need to get rid of Gardiner’s contract.


How do you think you're going to eventually pay for Hamilton, Svechnikov, and a goaltender? That's roughly $25 million right there. By that time Bean should be good enough to make Gardiner look like an afterthought. That $4 million will be desperately needed. It's just a forward thinking move that benefits both sides imo
Sabres923 liked this.
Aug. 11, 2020 at 5:21 p.m.
#5
Avatar of the user
Joined: Jun. 2020
Posts: 9,163
Likes: 2,942
Quoting: sabertooth12
How do you think you're going to eventually pay for Hamilton, Svechnikov, and a goaltender? That's roughly $25 million right there. By that time Bean should be good enough to make Gardiner look like an afterthought. That $4 million will be desperately needed. It's just a forward thinking move that benefits both sides imo


*exaggerated Souther accent* well durn mister I never considered that. All dem fellas will be expensive. But I read on The Internet that there is an expansion draft. Not sure what dat is but maybe that’ll work. *ends accent* ::eyeroll

So we have the expansion draft. Gardiner or Nino
We have 30 million of space right now for 21-22
We have a top 5 prospect pool that will fill in very nicely.
If push comes to shove, which it wont, we can trade Trocheck and slide Necas over.

Canes cap situation isn’t a mess or that hard to figure out. Even for us bumpkin Hurricanes fans
Aug. 11, 2020 at 6:18 p.m.
#6
Thread Starter
Avatar of the user
Joined: Mar. 2019
Posts: 332
Likes: 83
Quoting: ecupirate07
*exaggerated Souther accent* well durn mister I never considered that. All dem fellas will be expensive. But I read on The Internet that there is an expansion draft. Not sure what dat is but maybe that’ll work. *ends accent* ::eyeroll

So we have the expansion draft. Gardiner or Nino
We have 30 million of space right now for 21-22
We have a top 5 prospect pool that will fill in very nicely.
If push comes to shove, which it wont, we can trade Trocheck and slide Necas over.

Canes cap situation isn’t a mess or that hard to figure out. Even for us bumpkin Hurricanes fans


I understand that the Canes don't NEED to make this deal for cap reasons. I'm more of just going off of the fact that the Canes in all honesty don't really seem to need Gardiner, so why not do this move for cap saving reasons down the line? It just doesn't seem to make sense to have Gardiner at $4 million to be on the 3rd pair when you have Fleury and Bean (who might already be better than Gardiner straight up). Am I wrong to assume that next year the defense would look like: Slavin/Hamilton, Skjei/Pesce, Gardiner/Van Reimsdyk? Bean, Fleury, and Kaski all seem more than able to take on a 3rd pair role, so why not go with the cheaper options?
Aug. 11, 2020 at 10:31 p.m.
#7
Avatar of the user
Joined: Jun. 2020
Posts: 340
Likes: 154
Too much $ for Sam and Olofsson it’s a flat cap for the next few years. 4 max for Olffosn 6 for Sam
 
Reply
To create a post please Login or Register
Question:
Options:
Add Option
Submit Poll