Let the young guys play, but trades Liljegren? He easily has the potential to be our #1 defenceman. We forget that if he came into the league at this age this year and had the season he did, we would be head over heels for it. Give him time

I'm not trying to promote trading Liljegren. I'm just as high on him as you are. I just used him in this case to test the value of Mittelstadt. I'm assuming Sabres fans would say no some how.

Sharks definitely decline. Doesn’t fit our timeline at all. What is this obsession with Leafs trying to get 36 OA in almost every Leafs post

These dont make sense.
- Sharks aren't trading a second with conditions to be a first for a goalie who will be 30 by the time they are competitive again.
- Hanifin could get WAY more at the deadline if CGY is out of the picture.
- Mittelstadt >>>>>> Liljegren by a lot. BUF has a ton of cap space to make it work if that's what you think the issue is

Why would Buffalo not be able to resign Middlestadt? They are one of the only teams not in cap hell.

I'm trading for the 2024 Devlis pick (late 2nd round). Trade could be made to any team. I've just seen Sharks rumoured around Hart and goalies in general. Idk.

All the Sharks trades on this site are for aging goalies and Left D. literally everything the Sharks don't want or need

Thats a conditional 1st my dude, definitely not happening.

I was thinking it's more about the long-term picture of their organization. If Middlestadt puts up another solid season, I could see him asking for 4.5-5 million. Looking at all the elite forward prospects the Sabres have, not sure that contract would make sense long-term, especially when they are in need of defenceman.

And most of them come from trolling Leafs fans. Go figure.

Didn't know that my bad.

I think a goalie like Hart or Samsonov would be good if we were ready to be a playoff team again. Still have a couple years to rebuild before that.

Didn't realize that about the Devlis pick. Wasn't thinking too much about that trade. I think the Leafs could probably get a late 2nd/3rd round pick from several teams for his rights, doesn't have to be Sharks.

Hanifin would get way more. That's why I specified in the additional details that there would have to be more assets. Having said that, I don't think they would get MUCH more than this at the deadline if they were out of the picture. But a trade during the off-season would likely fetch more than what I'm offering now. As it stands, I think Calgary is in a position to move one of their better players due to their cap situation, so I don't think they'd have much leverage in negotiations.

I also don't know how you think Casey is much better than Lilly. Lilly is a legit top-4 RHD around the same age and has also had to earn his minutes playing on a much deeper, better team. Casey is good too, but at most they're pretty even.

Your thinking isn't off-base - but it seems they may bite the bullet by waiting to see if Mittelstadt carries his hot (and injury-free) play from this past season into another full season next year before deciding what his long-term future and contract value should be. There's been some media speculation that Buffalo may try to bridge Mittelstadt on a short-term extension to lock him at a lower cost in case he does continue with a strong full-season.

The salary cap is going up, they have their 2 best forwards on 7mil contracts. Alex tuch is making 4.75. There is 0 chance buffalo won’t be able to afford his next contact

There's a chance mittelstadt asks for a number that prices him out of buffalo if its for a long term deal. If the Sabres thought they could sign liljegren to a team friendly one this would be solid. The only problem is, the number Casey would have to ask for to price himself out of buffalo, is probably one that prices him out of toronto too, right?

It's not that Buffalo wouldn't be able to afford Mittlestadt's asking price. It's more about the fact that they have the deepest centre prospect pool in the league. It wouldn't be worth it to them. On the other hand, Liljegren would make them competitive now and long-term while filling a position of need for the Sabres.

yeah thats what i meant by prices himself out. Theyve got a whole bunch of other forwards they have to pay