Manson probably accepts 4 mil.
Now go get you a proper goalie.
Maybe move Okposo to 3RW (hes having a bounce back year).

Sabres are hoping to have UPL be the guy but goalies are weird so who knows. Either way will still need a solid vet

As for okposo yes he is bouncing back but jj peterka is a guy

I mean in terms of value it's probably fine but I don't see either team doing that trade

If you think UPL is the guy, go get a proper tandem G like a Campbell.
Craig Anderson is bound to turn back into a pumpkin sooner than later

trust me i agree. Just a matter of getting a goalie that wants to sign here

I guess it depends on if you think you can improve by 30-35 points in the standings next year? Tough to imagine this team jumping in front of any of Tampa, Florida, Toronto or Boston. I like the idea of them adding Campbell, but also kind of feel like the 2 year plan is likely UPL/Levi (obviously depending on development).

If it's not Anderson (who I feel like the Sabres said "if he wants to play, we'd love to have him back", but I could be wrong...), I think I'd target someone for a max of 2 years on a contract. That being said, both UPL and Levi could also turn into pumpkins, which would make my plan look really bad

I think if you spend some of the 22mil in cap space on good signings to make your team competitive, getting goalies to sign here wouldnt be an issue

So Toronto obviously has better star power, but have to wonder if the lack of depth/defense is catching up to them. I think sabres depth and D could be better. Florida Tampa are the top 2 next year, no arguments. But i see buffalo and possibly DET knocking on boston and torontos doors sooner rather than later

Yeah i agree, had this discussion last week.
The problem isnt BUF being competitive, its the strength of their division and the lack of WC spots

No i agree. And i think Power and Dahlin will help attract along with just the change in culture in buff over the second half of the season

I will lead a riot if we give up all that for Dylan strome

Cozens I think will be ready to fill in at 2C next year if not Krebs. Rather trade that package for a RHD. Also you must despise Joki, although I agree he isnt a top pair, I do think hes better than bryson.

Buffalo has a really bad reputation with netminder’s so getting a premier UFA who has other options will be difficult. that being said the talent level is improving in Buffalo so maybe a guy like Holtby or one of the Seattle’s net-minders would be willing to come over to start/ attempt to rebound from this years bad play. I would look for an older starter caliber guy who doesn’t have a lot of starting options but still has some life left in him and pair him with a younger guy of the future type.

Holtby isnt the play

why not? he is a serviceable netminder and would probably accept a cheaper 2 year deal till your roster is turned around and playing better. and wouldn’t be a bad mentor.

I wouldn't even do Mitts straight up for Strome.

You are unfamiliar with strome then and think way to highly of mitts

You are really overrating Strome who has been an extremely streaky player his whole career. He's not worth all that, especially with him needing a new contract. You are also giving him a 5x5, which would age like milk.

Casey is young and has already shown strides of improving. He's played well as of late & has 31 points in 56 games under Donny G. Just like Tage last year who people also wanted to get rid of. The only way I'm trading Mitts would be in a package for a legit top guy. Strome isn't that.

I want no part of strome, and that package is hysterically overpaying. We already have Thompson, Krebs, cozens, and mittelstadt who are middle 6 centers, and that's if they figure out the defensive part of the game, something that strome doesn't do well either. I wouldn't hate bringing in a guy to take some d zone starts and win some faceoffs, prefer getting a legit 1c honestly, either way, strome ain't it.

LMAO wow that's not a good take

No thanks. Not worth it for Buffalo

I'm not trading a young promising center who has looked good recently for a guy that needs a contract and is horrible defensively. I didn't want to trade Tage for Strome last summer either when we had about 100 armchair GMs doing it.

I didn't realize a guy who just turned 25 years old less then 30 days ago is not a young promising center who has looked much much better then Mittlestadt ever has isn't a better situation simply because he needs a new contract. It's not like his contract will break the bank with a $3.6M qualifying offer and even if he goes to arbitration wouldn't be awarded more $5M likely. Further, it's not like the Hawks or Sabres have cap problems. Bottom line, Strome is way way better player then Mittlestadt regardless of his lack of defense.

You can argue Cozens is ready to take on the top 6 role, and that's a valid argument for sure and credible and can't say I don't disagree, but comparing Mittlestadt to Strome is a fool's errand.

Strome is not a way way better player lmao. Jesus. Obviously don't watch Mitts play. Strome is a big slow soft playmaker that is terrible defensively. Not the skillset I want in our top 6. The guy has the talent of a 3C, but needs to be given a top line role to produce. You can't put him in a 3rd/4th line role either because he stinks defensively. That's not winning hockey. Put Pat Kane or DeBrincat on Mitts wing and he'd probably put up the same numbers. Talk about easy mode. Mitts shows way more effort on the ice than Strome too. It is funny how Hawks fans wanted him gone like 2 months ago for scraps. Now one hot stretch (playing with Kane + DeBrincat) and he's amazing.

I would take Mitts at 2.5Mx2 over Strome at 5x5M anyday of the week. I like Mitts skillset more.

You clearly aren't watching Strome and haven't seen how his numbers have fluctuated widely based on various roles he's been put in. Anytime Strome has been put into a 3C, 4C or winger position his production has fallen dramatically and we've seen this over and over again over the last 3 years. Everytime he's a top 6C as a role player with Kane or Cat or both, he's been a damn good role player. Not every top 6 position need to be driving lines, you need guys that can play with people like Kane, Cat, Matthews, Mcdavid, etc. and get those most out of those guys; Strome is extremely good at that! Put this another way, Kane has had 14 centers in his career with a minimum of at least 20 games and Strome is #2 production wise in both comparable centers in that role but also reflected in Kane's numbers...I think that pretty much proves role players are important to elite level players and not all role players are created equally. Every analytic support this. Since early January when promoted to the top 6, Strome is over a ppg. XG for Kane and Cat without Strome is 42%, with Strome is 53%, no other center has had that much impact on those players. What's more shocking is xGA since Strome has joined them is also down for Cat and Kane. Even more shocking then that, Strome is statistically higher then Kane in creating high danger chances since early January. There is a reason why Kane has been vocal about wanting to play with strome more so then any other center he's played with in his career.

That said, Strome, albeit still not good defensively, is a lot better then he was at the start of the year or historically actually playing 200ft of ice now at the risk of being benched if he doesn't. However, there is no argument that Mittlestadt is definitely better here.

That all said, it's foolish to think Mittlestadt can be inserted with Cat and Kane and put up over a ppg. Mittlestadt might be better defensively, but while not terrible offensively, he definitely doesn't have the vision, hands, shot, faceoffs, or passing skills of Strome...I can't even entertain an argument that suggests he does. Even when strome was playing in the bottom 6 with no namers on the Hawks he has outproduced Mittlestadt offensively. Mittelstadt is an okay 3C, he's like Pius Suter...very similar type of player...fun to watch no doubt, but Strome is simply a better and excellent top 6 role player who's offensive skills outweigh his defensive short comings. Mittelstadt (or Suter) don't have the offensive skills Strome has to be a top 6 to get the most out of star players.

For the record, and you can look at my history on here, I've been advocating since last season that either the Hawks put strome in the top 6 or trade him as I know what he is and isn't. I would take Strome at $4M x 2 over Mittlestadt at $2.5mx2 any day of the week...he's a much more impactful player then Mittlestadt is in any role and clearly has proven that in various roles. That said, Cozens in the top 6 with Mittlestadt at the 3C is a better strategy for Buffalo if Cozens is ready then to acquire strome.