Quoting: Shibbal18
I disagree, i dont know a team that would give up a high enough pick for Vancouver to retain a decent amount on. Sutter is not a 3 million dollar player and I would be very hard pressed to call him a 2 million dollar player, clearly, because i signed him for 1. As I said Virtanens worth a 2nd, Risto is worth a 2nd + or 1st + depending on the plus, especially coming off his best statistical season. Demko is a 35% backup who maybe peaks at 50% backup in a few years (% of games). Risto is worth a 3rd line winger and a backup, Sabres do Vancouver a favor and saves them some money on Sutter, its basically the Sabres retaining 3 mill on Sutter for Vancouver. If hes so useful that should be a plus for Vancouver, especially when its free value
players don't have to play up to their cap to have value. Classic example is Gudbranson... someone who we all thought had negative value on PIT, then got moved albeit for not much. Sutter can provide a lot of value for a team needing a center... pretty much any of the bottom teams can get him for almost free and gain decent production out of him. His value is only bad because he is always injured. When in the lineup, he's a bottom six guy who I'd compare to Larsson. Larsson had a better year this year, but in general they are similar. If he walks, then that spot could be filled for a 7th... pretty low ask for a team with lots of cap.
Virtanen might be worth a 2nd to other teams, but after a very strong year from him and an overall upward trend, it will cost significantly more for vancouver to move him. He's not the top liner he was expected to be, however he is definitely forming into a solid middle six option, and if he improves he could very well claim a 2nd line role. You don't trade 2nd liners for 2nds. I'd compare him to Alex Tuch.... who holds more value than a 2nd despite them being the same type of player.
Demko is another example... we aren't selling low on him. If he continues at this rate, I don't fear him even being claimed in the expansion draft.
Risto gets a lot of flack on here for sure, and is talked down on to an unreasonable extent... however he is NOT elite. I don't think he would fetch more than 2 2nds / equivalent value from any team. This might be another case of it just being better to hold on to him though.