-Sign Levi (assuming he's ready to go pro now) off Reserve List.
-Sign Mats Lindgren off Reserve list; Sign Marjala off Reserve List.
Resign:
Okposo: 1yr x $1.2M
Hinostroza: 1yr x $1.35M
Jost: 2yrs x $2.5M
Sign Dahlin to contract extension: 8 Yrs x $11M
UFA Signing:
-Scott Mayfield, RD: 3yrs x 4M: Big, right-handed D to play 1st line with Dahls or 2nd unit with Power; Mayfield will bring stability to the Sabres D corps- Big body, long stick, plays a defensive style game, tough to play against, and has a powerful right-hand shot. NYI has always had a shut down D and Mayfield has been a major reason why. Need someone reliable back on D and this would be a perfect fit.
-Ryan Donato, LW/C: 2yrs x 3.5M: Prove it deal for Donato who will get the chance to compete for a 2nd line role at LW with Cozens and Quinn; Donato has had a solid year in Seattle with a +16 overall on mostly the depth lines of the Kraken. He has great hockey awareness and brings a combination of skill and power to the middle of the Sabres lineup. Donato will provide Granato (lol) another playmaker who can play at a fast-pace, play well defensively and generate offense whom is also still relatively young (will be 27 start of next season). This is a low risk, high reward move and could benefit both sides tremendously.
Acquire:
-John Gibson: (In the case ANA does NOT win the lottery for Bedard): Need a goalie with Anderson leaving, UPL's uncertainty and Comrie's reliability. One of the highest scoring teams in the league this year whom have not been able to have consistent back-end play; Too many 4/5+ goal games against and goalie play has been average. UPL has shown flashes and has played well in a few games this year, but at times is giving up too much and not giving our offense much help. This move will provide Buffalo an upgrade at Goalie, giving Buffalo a guy who has proven NHL experience, and the type of goaltender teammates believe in. He's quick and rangy and has done a decent job goalkeeping a below-average Anaheim Ducks team over the last 10 or so years.
-> Buffalo trades 2nd Rd Pick 2023 Draft, Isak Rosen, Ryan Johnson, Eric Comrie; This trade occurs before the 23' NHL Draft, Anaheim loses out on the Bedard race wanting to invest more into the future. Anaheim started shopping Gibson for a 1st and a prospect, but there were no trade suitors with starting goalie needs.. Gibson had to lift NTC to come to BUF... Ryan Johnson was not going to sign in BUF so it was best for us to trade him while we can get something. He was a former 2nd round pick (2019) and is from Irvine, CA playing on the anaheim jr. ducks growing up. He will most likely stay to play in ANA; Isak Rosen is a former 1st round pick (2021) who played this past season at 19 yrs old in the AHL; Philadelphia's second round pick in this years 2023 draft, which falls as an early pick in the round; Eric Comrie, an NHL goalie who is low-cost and only has a year left on his deal (more of a player dump for BUF).
Ethan Bear: VAN does not have any cap space this off-season ($833k right now) to pay Bear when they have other players to re-sign such as Hronek and Juulsen. Bear is still young (25) and had not fully hit his top potential. Having already bounced between 3 NHL teams, it's tough to perform well being bounced around a lot like that. Bear needs a longer term deal with a chance to play on the top 2 pairings with Dahlin or Power, who can play his style of defense on the right side, playing a nasty, defensive style who shuts down top opponents on most matchups. Bear skates well, can clear out pucks, tracks very well defensively, and can thump even at his size (5'11 sub-200). This move here allows VAN to clear some cap and stack up picks for the future.
--> Trade 3rd round pick (2024) and 7th round pick (NSH) (2025)
**Sign Bear to 3yr x $3.75M
Trade Away:
-Victor Olofsson: Trade Olofsson for a 4th round pick while you can get something good for him. He will not and should not be playing in this lineup next year. He may seem intriguing to a team like NSH who sit in the middle of the central division who are a seemingly older club and don't have enough scorers on that offense next to Forsberg . Only has 1 year left on his deal, look for NSH to do something like this low risk, high reward as he will start in their lineup and could be a good trade piece for them come next deadline. Plus NSH already has two 4ths and they will be trading away Edmonton's pick (acquired in Barrie deal).
-Jacob Bryson: No room for Bryson, did not have a great season. He's still young and may seem more fit for an AHL role, but he's shipped off to a team that has a surplus of cap that can easily handle his $1.8 contract for 1 more year. Look for Arizona to acquire Bryson who could potentially play D for them next year. They have the cap space ($25M+) and will only be giving up a 7th round pick in 2024, where they have 14 total picks- (2 in the 7th round)
In addition to whats been mentioned here, this is also a 15 mil (maybe closer to 20 in actual salary) increase in year to year spending. It's highly unlikely ownership does that.
Not that I disagree that Bear isnt going anywhere but this comment is a little much. Bear is a 3rd pairing Dman, he is serviceable but isnt "gold" nor should he be playing in your top 4. Love the mobility from the guy, like the age profile and he isnt bad but he isnt good either. A 3rd and a 7th would make me think twice about it. signing him to 3x3.75 is just bananalands though.
The absolute minimum for trading John Gibson is a 2023 first. Once the draft is over, he won't be on the market, if at all, until the trade deadline, and I believe that we should take Pat Verbeek's assurance about trading Gibson with a little more credulity than most GM pronouncements deserve. And there's a good chance that Ryan Johnson signs in SoCal in August, so he doesn't have much trade value.
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