Why do you want Wayne Simmonds back?

Brassard is not a second line center. If your choice is to do nothing, then be prepared for another bad season.

He hasn't been horrible, but I could see not bringing him back.

Its not really doing nothing its more so waiting for our prospects to develop and enter the lineup. You are correct he is not a second line center but he can be a stopgap until we know that Cozens is ready, and unlike our attempted solution this season with Johansson, Brassard is actually a center

Brassard is a bottom six center. Sabres have those.

Youre sutting your 3rd best dman for a kid thats regressed. Brassard is not a top 6 C. They have to address through trade. Mittelstadt is not a 4th liner, theres your trade bait

So we're aiming for the lottery again next year? This team is no better than the one they have now.

And that Olofsson contract is way off...we're looking at $4.5M for 4 years, at least.

Brassard is 32 and coming off an unsatisfying season when he was paid $1.2MM by the Islanders, so I doubt that you want to give him a 100%+ raise. Meanwhile, several of your Buffalo colleagues have suggested signing the younger Mikael Granlund, who is also a UFA, which seems like a better idea to me.

I like Granlund. Suits the same idea that i really wanted which is get a guy for 2-3 years so that we're not forcing mitts or cozens into the role

That's eminently sensible, especially given what seems to have happened to Mittelstadt this year.

Ok, so the ufa class is terrible, and granlund is only 28. Somebody is going to overpay in dollars or term. It's gonna be a game if chicken. I'm all for granlund for 2-3 years, he's going to have lots of options, I just don't see us getting him. Just get a new gm in here and have him get an actual center. As much as I would love a genuine #2 center, we aren't getting one until maybe cozens gets here. I would be happy with a "3rd line" center, or a pair of them, provided that a new gm picks them, we don't give up a prime asset, or seriously overpay in term. And once again, have it be a guy who plays center full time.