Maybe try L.A. they have both cap space and young talent as trade bait and a desired big American city market.

One overpaid RHD that they don’t need. And two below average players doesn’t get you Eichel.

I wouldn't call kakko below average

You’re right he’s horrible. He was the worst player in the league last year.

You’d have to pay someone to take the Trouba contract,
he has negative value
And neither Kakko or Chytl have the type of trade value it would take to get Eichel

It’s gonna take high end pieces to get him,
and this just isn’t even close

Too bad Trouba isn't waiving his NMC for Buffalo, And that still doesn't get you Jack Eichel.

trading for Eichel should start with Zibanejad

Good thing rookie years dictate a players career...especially high draft picks. Stamkos and thornton never recovered

Hell no from Dallas Faksa is better than Strome

For sure the Sabres are gonna miss the playoffs. They certainly would want 10m or more in playing value or lots of cap space. Trouba is overpaid now, and doesn't look like good value going forward.

True but he’s not the main piece you would want in a Eichel trade (which isn’t going to happen)

Which I agree is a fair point

I imagine if hall and eichel are great together, and hall extends, this all goes away. Its a huge piece. Hall pushes reinhart or olofsson down a line, which helps our putrid depth. Throw in a cozens and/or a ruotsalainen or even a thompson, and you have probably our best forward group since 2007. Dahlin is another year older and hopefully takes another big step. Basically, the team should finally be ready to take a step whether there is playoffs or not. That is progress that a franchise player should be happy with.

I wouldn’t say for sure

Extending Hall is a huge maybe on top of all the other maybes

IMO, to extend Hall.... AND keep Eichel happy....
we need to make the playoffs, maybe even win a round

I just don’t see us doing that in this tough division without a serious goalie upgrade
Kuemper is a top5-ish goalie in the league who’s supposedly available for picks/prospects
We should absolutely pay up to make that happen

No point to bringing in Hall if we’re gonna go into the season with an Ullmark/Hutton combo
That would just be dumb

I hate overpaying for a goalie, but if youve finally made an honest attempt to fix the 18 guys skating in front of him, and you are still left wanting in goal, then you do what you have to do. Ullmark i thought took a big step last year, but my god hutton was bad. That leaves us currently with tokarski or johansson if hutton cant do it, which, like you said, in our division, well thats not gonna go.

They are in a super tough division this year. Hopefully in October if we get back to pre Covid normalcy, they will have a much chance in the Atlantic division

Washington, Boston, and the islanders probably have the top 3 locked up, but I think the 4th spot is up for grabs. I don’t think any of the remaining teams are clearly better than the others.

I agree Ullmark took a step last year
However....
he’d have to take quite another step- a BIG one imo- to get us to a place that Hall wants to stay & Eichel won’t demand a trade
So i think (at the very least) we need to double down & get another legit goalie here
If it’s someone like Raanta, then we’ve got a 1a/1b pairing on our hands, and that gives us a chance at the playoffs
If we can get Kuemper, then i think we have a legit top5-ish goalie who’s capable of doing good things
And Ullmark can learn/develop more behind him as a #2 goalie
This is my preferred plan of action

Kuemper would be under contract for 2years....
so that gives us the opportunity to walk away from Ullmark after this season if he doesn’t continue to make strides
AND
allows UPL to continue developing without being rushed up here prematurely

Goalie is a VERY important position imo
And although i agree i don’t necessarily “need” to have an $8-$10mil guy in net, i do think u need to have a guy capable of stealing games here & there and being a cornerstone piece u can rely on
Especially with a team like ours- with all this young talent trying to figure out how to win

And at only a $4.5mil cap hit,
trading picks/prospects for him just makes all the sense in the world for us

Kris Baker (SabresProspects.com) thinks we are still trying to trade for a goalie
An upgrade on Hutton is imperative imo,
so I’m really hoping he’s right


Also.... Go Bills! and F the Pats!

I’d agree with that,
but Pitt has to be seen as the favorites for that 4th slot just bc of Crosby/Malkin, with Philly right there too

Without a significant goalie upgrade,
i think it’ll be a pretty tough hill to climb for us

no

Eichel/Hall isn’t too shabby either

But neither has been part of a team that accomplished much at all
Can’t even compare them to Sid & Geno in that respect
They’ve got the history & experience of success,
while all we have is hope....
I think it’s fair to give them the benefit of the doubt until we prove otherwise