Before I could even offer up comments on the Toews to Carolina trade - I need to know what’s up with Toews to begin with. Why isn’t he playing? mixed signals out on the internet right now.

Murphy is the only "older" defenseman that I could see the Sabres possibly considering - he doesn't fit the age group they're building around but he does have contract term at reasonable cap hit, is a defensive-minded physical blueliner with strong skating skills, a leader in his lockerroom and knows Don Granato well from their days in Chicago together.

Only question is if Nadeau is the prospect the Sabres are willing to give up - Bloom or Kisakov seem more likely.

Sabres might be willing to do that
I think many of our fans would

I'd be a happy human if the trade deadline is anything close to this. Only comment is that the Hawks might have to take Pool Party from Edmonton in the Domi deal if Hawks can't retain on him. Which doesn't bother me one bit. These are all very realistic. Good job!

i was in on Bloom as a possible return in a Murphy trade until I read Wheeler's Athletic article about Buffalo propects. Bloom wasn't on his top 15 so I picked Nadeau who came in 11th. Hawks could use some forwards so I stayed away from your D and G prospects and your top F's.

Yeah, Toews has been out over a week with an illness. Coach Richardson said it was the flu. Now he's out for the next two games also. I hope for his sake it's not a reoccurence of his immune disease from a couple of years ago. That trade may have to be quashed.

I figured Poolparty would be waived by the time this trade occurs. If Hawks want him they can claim him. But if he has to come back in a trade that's okay. Hawks will need forwards next year and can qualify him for 3,000,000. Maybe he lights it up next season and the Hawks can flip him for something decent at the 2024 TDL.

Lol. What age? You realize we need players above a certain ages too, right? There is a reason a team of all youth never wins. Not to mention it impossible to have a roster of all prime players and younger due to the cap.

I am totally on board with adding more experience via players over age 27 - I was referring to all of the references Adams has made about sticking to players in the 22-26 age group that he keeps saying should be able to "grow" with his current core. Assuming that Hinostroza and Anderson are let go this summer and Okposo only given a 1 year extension, the Sabres will need to balance out all the youth and Murphy in a bottom 6 role on defense has been noted for his lockerroom leadership. He's always been a strong skater so he's not like other older rental options that are too slow for the system Granato wants to play.

Wheeler isn't the only one to share his opinions on prospects he's watched - I think Bloom made Corey Pronman's top 15 prospects in a similar ranking last fall. Bloom's had the more prolific offensive output of the two.