Buffalo by 10 miles

Only time will tell, we are barely two days into pre-season. Let's see how they do this season, then another season and we will have a clearer picture.

Well Jokiharju has done better in their brief careers. I'd say it's Buffalo.

it was a win for both Nylander and Henry J

Nylander needed an out as he's a Winger who's much like Glenn Anderson was in EDM and NYR during his 6 stanley cup runs , he's the best 3rd player on a forward line probably in the league but he'll never be your Jarri Kurri but he could easily be your Anderson


Henry J was on a team with Very Solid RD prospect including Boqvist and Mitchell who are both Accomplished in their own rights plus the veterans CHI chose to invest in Seabrook and Murphy it doesnt leave much room for Henry J compared to BUF where there is less obstacles in his path

short term CHI wins
long term whomever wins a cup first wins (likely CHI)

They haven’t even played a real game. How can there be a winner or loser in the trade?

How do you figure Chicago is closer to a cup win then Buff. Trying not to be bias but Chi is on the down slope and Buffalo is on the up swing so I'm confused on that tidbit of info

At current, still buffalo. Never mind them not playing a single game. Just based on playing styles and adaptability to the current nhl, joker represents the new age defenseman. Nylander, meanwhile, couldn’t break a buffalo lineup, which yea probably warranted a change of scenery, but that’s a bad sign on its face. Set aside nylander’s talent for a second, his laziness off the puck is truly astonishing. Hockey is a two way game, but he doesn’t see it that way.

In conclusion, nylander has looked better with the hawks, but buffalo wins in the short term, and potentially long term.

Joki's played in 38 games and has 12 assists. He also played VERY well against top end forwards. Even played well against McDavid in the two games they played against each other. Its Buffalo until proven otherwise.

I hate to break it too you my dude, but Chicago is not on the downswing anymore. They will be very competitive this year (possible playoff darkhorse) and will be very good for the coming years with the additions of Dach and Boqvist (at the very least)

I would really like buffalo to be good (I have them as a wild card this season), but I think that Chicago is closer to doing damage in the playoffs than Buffalo.

I don’t mean to come off as a jerk here, just a realist, but as a hawks fan, neither team looks to be competing for a long time. The hawks are replenishing the prospect pool, but I get the sense we need way more speed than we got already. Also, as long as seabrook is hawk, forget it fellow hawks fans.

Then there’s buffalo, good ol’ Buffalo. Again, not trying to be a jerk, simply a realist, but buffalo needs to worry about making the playoffs before ever saying they’re on the upswing. Lots of people thought they would be last year, and yet buffalo just did what they always do. Having said that, buffalo has gotta learn to develop their prospects better too.

I don’t believe either team will compete for a little while, and in the short term, I don’t have either making the playoffs this year.

On paper buffalo. Jokiharju plays the more valuable position and he played well in an extended look with chicago last year. Nylander improved in his time with the sabres organization, but he never kicked the door down, and this team was begging for middle 6 forwards who could score. One of the sabres beat writers has maintained that nylander has a terrible tendency to fade to the perimeter- not a good sign for a (probably) top 6 or bust winger. The sabres have been awful developing players, nylander needed a shot with another organization. Looks like jokiharju is closer to being a good regular, but like others have said, its too early to say. Have to think bowman sees something, either good in nylander or bad in jokiharju, otherwise it doesnt make much sense for chicago.

Unfortunately i agree with a lot of this. A new coach and a new goalie coach could make a difference. The sabres really needed to add another center and probably another rw- middle 6ers at least, and because they didnt (yet?), they are leaning on that not-great player development thing. Being against the cap is just an added irritation. I hear kreuger is kind of a low event coach, which, fine, as long as they win some games.

because they're CHI , they'll always be closer to a cup
its why they've won many and BUF has none despite the Great Players who've dawned their jersey's

CHI just re-stocked their Blue Line
injected tons of Youth Prospects who've thrived
plus they got Shaw back who in MTL helped establish Danault and Domi at Center in his time here
you got Toews , Kane and Keith still there as solid pieces who support those youth pieces they picked up


BUF has a few good pieces and a few good prospects but they arent a finals team

Dont think were a finals team but Chi and Buf were in the same boat outside looking in. Chi best players are 30 and older and buf is under 25 I guess that's all I meant by upswing downswing chi has a 1 2 year window where they have a better chance then buf but I dont think the way other teams are shaped that chi has the power to do it in that frame of time

Okay, first of all, as someone who lived through the dark decade of the hawks, don’t ever assume they are always closer. That’s first.

Secondly, sure they replenished the pool, but don’t lose sight of how dumb bowman can be. Bowman is the guy who has traded many great players and prospects for one reason or another. Panarin, joker, danault, leddy, and many more are on that list. That’s not to suggest he hasn’t made good trades (not gonna even comment on his draft history). However, a big flaw with the hawks is bowman’s “Win now” philosophy. Essentially, he has no idea how to rebuild a team from the bottom up. Even more importantly, he doesn’t think long term sustainability. This offseason he has kind of gotten right, save for the dach selection and nylander trade (time will tell).

I’m only bringing this up as an unbiased hawks fan who just wants to at least give buffalo the benefit of the doubt. The sabres do have some great potential, but there is a lot that needs fixing still. But that is also the same for the hawks. We’re stuck with terrible contracts that make it harder to bring up prospects, we trade away players well before they reach full potential (joker), and bowman is clueless on how to sustain a franchise’s success a la Detroit red wings 90s-00s.

how many cups does BUF have?
how many does CHI have?

Sabre's always have great Potential
but they've made how many Finals in their History?
Definition of always closer

also Bowman traded players about to need a pay day when they couldnt afford it
Bowmans single biggest dumb move is re-signing Seabrook but outside that he's pretty Savvy

he let Panarin go you could argue is another given how Saad's played
but honestly no damage has been done to the Core 3 players from their last 3 cups in Toews , Keith and Kane.
adding Debrincat-Strome chemistry and the fact you got the Center Maker back from MTL in Andrew Shaw who helped give up Danault and Domi

just looking at the big picture and his ''win now '' moves got CHI 3 cups and counting off the same Veteran players with only Seabrook Declining hard

Okay, the counter I have to the finals and cups argument is simply I’m not referring to the past. I completely get and acknowledge the facts of the past, I do. But the question was “who’s in a better position to challenge.” In the context of the question at hand, yes, maybe the hawks are in a better position. They do have great prospects and I love Jeremy Colliton as a coach. However, I will never trust bowman to sustain a team’s success and he is ultimately the Achilles heel. With buffalo, they too have decent prospects and could have an uptick, but they have coaching and goaltending problems. Both sides have glaring problems that will keep them from a firm challenge for a few more years.

Now, on the issue of bowman, where to start? Firstly, I’ll never deny that he did all in his power to maintain a great team in the moment. Yes, I loved seeing 3 cups and enjoyed every second. However, that all done and maintained by eliminating any future beyond the established core. Something that the red wings were able to maintain. Bowman dolled out “loyalty” contracts to the core because of the 3 cups. In all honesty, I do believe that some blame should be on the players for asking for so much money on pay day. Toews always said he believed that the hawks could continue to compete for years inspire of those contracts. Sorry dude, but bull****. However, bowman did give 4 mil to bickell, almost 7 to seabrook, and also believed seabrook was more valuable long term at 32 than hjalmarsson at 28. Let that sink in for a second.

I completely understand and totally respect your opinion and where your coming from. But I firmly believe toews and Kane will never lift another cup. Shaw May make great centers, but we’ve what happens when you get the gang back together (saad, Kruger, Campbell, Oduya........). Dach is nothing more than a 2C at best and we wasted the third overall on him. Nothing bowman has done lately shows that knows how to rebuild. He stocked up on quantity, quality will have to be proven later.

Hawks and Sabres should and probably will be on the outside looking in again this year.