2024 1st is unprotected. Sabres bet their goalie and take cap dump. Preds get younger and get 4 pieces back in return.

No thanks from NSH. UPL and Jokiharju are of no interest. McDonagh has more value to NSH than being a pure cap dump (NSH isn't hurting for cap space anyway). It would take a package with a better secondary piece than Östlund.

Oustland was the 16th overall pick last so not sure why that wouldn't be a good prospect.

Buffalo would need to move one of their goalies, so taking the younger one makes the most sense. They definitely aren't going to move Levi.

Not sure the point of keeping a 33 yr old defenseman making over 6 mil the next 3 seasons. But they could probably take Johansen instead.

Keep UPL to be Levi's backup in the A? That's all NSH would have use of him for.

NSH needs a true #1 centre candidate, but I don't see top six upside with Östlund. Regardless of his draft position, his ceiling isn't higher than any of Glass, Novak or Pärssinen.

With Ekholm gone, NSH still needs McDonagh to hold down a spot on the 2nd pair. Stastney isn't ready for that (not sure if he has that kind of upside) and Lauzon definitely doesn't have that upside.

It seems like you're justifying having McDonagh (or Johansen) in the trade as a salary dump, to keep the acquisition cost down on Saros, but NSH isn't hurting for cap space - especially if they're trading Saros and going for a full rebuild.