I get where you are valuing Cozens, but I think the ask for Laine is still more. But this team looks good. Sign Hoffman and a better backup and you are set.

Sabres won't have a long term 2C if they moved Cozens which has been there biggest hole. Laine is redundant with Hall, Olofsson, Reinhart, Skinner etc.

Not happening
Cozens is basically untouchable

If u swap out him for Jack Quinn, then maybe?

Just spitbalin' here.
Quinn not Cozens, then Buffalo could add if needed.
Laine as Buffalos to RW would be awesome.
The players can be mixed to your liking but imagine:
Jeff-Jack-Patrik
Tylor-Eric-Sam
Victor-Dylan-Tage
With Arttu and Casey chomping at the bit waiting to play.

Sure, looks great
But that leaves no $$$ to upgrade goaltending
And i feel getting Kuemper (for example) is the most important move we can make at this point

You could very well be correct about Kuemper.
As I see it, the PK was the major reason for the Sabre's poor season.
I know Rieder and Eakin are suppose to fix the problem, but unless the system is changed we will see the same results.
Buffalo is too soft when killing penalties.

Of the GK who played more than 30 games last year only Khudobin, Rask, Jarry, Grubauer, and Hellebuyck had a better EV SV% than Ullmark.
He had the best SV% of all GK on shots of greater than 30 ft.
Solve the PK, keep the puck out of the defensive zone and the GA will go down dramatically.
The Sabres have the players to make 2 good lines now, adding Laine would make it 3 good lines.
Unfortunately the decision was made to pay our fourth line $10,450,000 next year, this is a huge problem that takes money away from GK, defense and top 3 lines.

Now after that rant, I changed the filter to 29 games played and Kuemper ranked 3rd only behind Khudobin, and Rask.
So IMO you are targeting the correct young GK.
What do you realistically think it will take bring him to Buffalo?

ARZ was supposedly asking for two 1sts for him at the draft
Obviously that didn’t happen, but they’re clearly looking to move Cap & Salary out for “futures”

I’d guess it starts with a 1st
I’d also guess we aren’t giving up another 1st, otherwise the trade would’ve been done already
So start thinking about other futures we’d be willing to part with
If they want a goalie in return:
obviously we’d wanna ship out Hutton, but why would they want him? Maybe if we kept half his salary? But i don’t think he has any trade value at all, so we’re still adding futures
The obvious choices they could want back would be:
UPL- i highly doubt we’d do that
Johansson- we’d do it in a second
Ullmark- hmmmmm, ok- why not?

So maybe Ullmark & a 1st gets it done

If they want Johansson i think we’re still adding, so let’s go down that road
So let’s say we’re at a 1st + Johansson....
what other “futures” could they be interested in?

Mittelstadt- I’m guessing he was already offered to them
Tage Thompson- I’d do it in a heartbeat
Ruotsalainen- I’d be VERY HESITANT after his great start
Asplund- sure, but i think they’d want better
Cozens- not a chance
Quinn- i doubt it

What about defensemen prospects?
Samuelsson- I’d do it, he’s got a lot of skating work to do
R.Johnson- I’d also ship him out, but he’s developing well
Laaksonen- maybe him + Asplund complete the trade?


There might be other prospects in our system that they like,
but I don’t really see anyone else who jumps out


So best case:
1st, Johansson, Asplund, Laaksonen

More likely:
1st, Johansson, & 1 of the other above prospects i mentioned

Or again:
1st & Ullmark

Those are my best guesses sir


EDIT:
I just came up with a wacky, unlikely to happen idea:
We get: Kuemper AND Raanta

They get: Ullmark, Hutton & a 1st (saves them 3.4mil)
Then add another pick (not 1st) &/or prospect(s)

That would be interesting.
I wonder if Ullmark is at the same level of development that Kuemper was at 3 years ago.
I really hate giving up first round picks.
We went down that path with Murray.
Let's agree that Kuemper would be a good option.

I don’t like the idea of giving up 1st round picks either
But i can’t imagine getting a top5-ish goalie like Kuemper without giving 1 up