Edited May 5, 2023 at 6:08 p.m.
@ittlejerryseinfeld
Quoting: Howie
He's not a toss in but with the acquisition of demelo 1 of him or lybushkin is not playing. Also getting stanley for the 3ld would give them back another young dman that can grown with the team so in terms of young dman you lose one and get one.
Quoting: Funksoljah
Risto had several things Fletcher coveted. He had a rocket of a shot, size, and he was very physical and loved to hit. Joker doesn't possess any of those qualities. He's not as terrible as some make him out to be, as he's still young. He just doesn't have those traits that some GM's overpay for.
Personally if DeMelo was willing to extend I like the deal for the Sabres. He does all the things they need from a RD target. He plays good defensively, he blocks shots, he's physical when he needs to be, and he logs a ton of PK minutes. Stanley is just depth, but probably better depth than Bryson or Clague. Maybe the 2nd is conditional on making the playoffs or something, otherwise it's a 3rd.
At 23 YO Jokiharju completed his 5th NHL season playing over 20min/gm the last two seasons.
At 23 DeMelo played in 60 NHL games with 3 goals and 12 pts over two seasons.
Compare the last 3 seasons TOI per gm/% v elite:
.................. 2022-'23......2021-'22.......2020-'21
DeMelo....19:35/30.5....18:30/30.8...16:58/28.8
Jokiharju..21:01/37.3.....21:55/35.2...18:23/39.9
Henri plays more min/gm and plays more time against elite, is only 23 (7 year younger than DeMelo) yet Buffalo has to ADD!
DeMelo is what he is at 30, Jokiharju WILL get better at 23.
There is no way under the heavens even Kevyn Adams would make this trade for an older D-man who is not matched up against the other teams best forwards as Henri does every game.