I would decline from Ottawa's perspective. Pinto looks like he's going to be a top 6 C as soon as next season. He has 1C potential and is an elite defensive player. Too much to give up imo. It isn't the right time for a move like this for us

So... Dillon instead of PInto (not the same value, but if nobody wants to make a fair offer on Kuznetsov, the cap has to work somehow). Lapierre instead of McMIchael because Eichel's neck injury and the one Lapierre recovered from a year and a half ago are more in line. That leaves: Eller, Lapierre, Dillon, 1st, Samsonov. Depending how you value Lapierre and Samsonov, and how you value Eichel while he's talking about taking off the season to have surgery, it might still be close? I don't know. You're the Buffalo fan. What do you think is missing?

I think this neck rumor grows more and more outlandish everytime the story is told, if theyre dropping Pinto for Dillon though that negates swapping McMicheal for LaPierre and then its fine

Eller is a fine third line center, but Buffalo already has one in Mittelstadt. Neither of them would succeed as a number 2 center, so if you want to unload money to make the deal work you’ll have to give up a different player. It looks like Ottawa would have a problem with the other trade as well, so you’ll have to re-examine what pieces you’re getting so you know what you have to offer Buffalo.

You can't make this stuff up.

Ive been hitting the eject button on Mitts though lately, think i may want to dump him while his stock is high

Did I say anything that was blatantly wrong? Casey Mittelstadt was thrown into a top six role far too early, and he finally had a good season playing as the third line center this past year. Eller has been a third line center his entire career, and I don’t think he’s ever been used as a number 2 guy. Trying that with either one of them is not a recipe for success.

Reading the Ottawa fan’s comment on this thread says Pinto is not likely to be available in that other trade. So you wouldn’t have him to offer buffalo either.

I don’t think the organization has had any conversation about trading him this off-season. The only reason they would is if they got an offer they simply couldn’t refuse. Weren’t you ready to just give him away last off-season? Let the kid continue to thrive in the role he is thriving in. If he can score 30 to 40 points as a third line center and that’s what he’s good for, then that’s good enough for me. Particularly if his linemates are good for 10 goals a piece because he’s playing as their center.

Oh yeah i was, still am for the same reason, i dont trust him at all. He has to be way more consistent for me to care and if hes only getting 40 points id rather have someone who could do a pull up on my 3rd line

I’m not sure if you’ve noticed but 30 to 40 points is as much as you can hope for from most third line players. If your third line can score 40 goals in a season that’s a pretty productive third line.

Yeah but Eller can get you 40 and still play a much better defensive game. I expect more points from mitts based on his skill set is what i mean

It's Shibbal's thread. Ask Shibbal.

I wouldn’t touch that Kuznetsov trade. White is moveable but Pinto, Paul and the 1st are all assets the team has zero interest in moving. Even just Pinto and the 1st would probably be a little rich.