Canucks get a top four puck-moving RD entering his prime, and some cap issues cleaned up.
Sabres get an emerging middle six RW, and a goalie to compete with Ullmark for the right to be protected in the expansion draft.

Jim Benning here. Can we swap out Benn for Roussel? The extra year is the year we need more cap relief because we have Petey and Quinn coming up. (assuming we can get MNTC's to work)

Not that smoothly. Benn is a better roster fit in Buffalo and the shorter term is good for the Sabres as well.
Proposal would have to be tweaked more or the Canucks would have to add.

I think we pass then. Demko and Jake are two players we need to use to move out two problem contracts separately (if we even move Demko). Benn isn't really a problem contract. I would rather not get Montour and do something smaller.

Demko and Sutter for Hutton?

Then we can move Jake and Roussel for something somewhere else.

Jake is the main reason for the Sabres to make the deal. Demko is more dice roll seal the deal than a need.
What’s the ask for Jake and Roussel?

Sutter is still a priority to go before Roussel, I just wanted both gone.

Jake and Sutter for Montour's rights?

This is probably the first trade I’ve seen where both teams win. Well done.

I think Montour for Jake straight across is pretty close in value, if you want to talk hockey trades.
If you want to clear cap we’d need a real sweetener.

Which is why I brought Benn and Demko into the original proposal.

PS It’s nice to talk trade with someone who wants to make a deal, instead of berating you on your player judgement.

How about Sutter Virtanen Juolevi for Montour and Pilut?
Or do you still think Juolevi has a ton of value?

It's funny because I berate people on here all the time. But they have to start with something stupid I don't just go looking for it.

Here's the thing, Montour is probably rights we would just flip. If he has value to you which it's fair that he does, then we have to find someone else to get because we care only... literally only, about moving contracts. Juolevi was being bounced around in ideas and then he just made the playoff team last night. And he should start vs Min on Sunday. The people we want to move goes like this right now.

Sutter (dump, has medium value)
Roussel (dump, has minimal value)
Baertchi (dump)
Beagle (dump, has minimal value)

Virtanen RFA rights (has reasonable value)
Stetcher RFA rights (has medium value)
Brisebois RFA rights (has minimal value)

We don't know which of out D prospects is gonna make the team next year so we're probably keeping all of those. Sautner is gone, Brisebois is gonna go.

Buf wants Virtanen, fine. We want these contracts gone. Sutter and Roussel might no trade Buf. (they have 15 team NTC's) Beagle has a 5 team NTC and Sven is open.

Lets say full thought, both 15 team players block Buf trades. which is expected.

Can we get Jake, Beagle and Sven to Buf for like a 7th? You need to resign Olofsson now and Rasmus next year so probably not. Beagle is a cheaper Sutter but kills penalties. We wouldn't pay Jake to save just the 2.2 from Sven anyway but 3 is more reasonable.

To Buf

Jake Virtanen (RFA rights)
Jay Beagle 2x 3 mil

To Van

Jean-Sebastian Dea (1x 700k)
2020 5th round pick

So basically jake for picking up Beagle’s contract?
I’d do it. Do it for Sutter’s I stead, as well if you’d rather.

Surprised you have no interest in Montour, looking at your D corps.

So basically jake for picking up Beagle’s contract?
I’d do it. Do it for Sutter’s or Baerschi’s instead, as well if you’d rather. Krueger might be able to pull something out of Sven, and we need a defensive specialist if we don’t re-sign Larsson.

Surprised you have no interest in Montour, looking at your D corps.

We'd do Sutter instead but we just expect Sutter to veto Buffalo.

If we don't take Montour and we do move these contracts we get to keep Tanev. Tanev is better. Here's where our D is at.

Quinn - Tanev (if we can keep)
Edler - Myers (Myers has NMC so we're stuck)

Rathbone - Rafferty - Juolevi - Chatfield (any of them can make the team out of camp, they're all ready or close to ready)

Stetcher (RFA trying to move)

Benn (trying to move)

Fantenberg (UFA but he played well)

We're more full on D than you think.

The trouble with Beagle is he’s a $3 million 4th liner and he can’t score any points. He kills penalties and wins face offs, but Girgensons and Larsson can too and cost less even put together. I don’t know if anyone’s going to take on the risk of that contract.

I guess, but Edler is 34 and Tanev has a lot of miles.
If it was me, I’d rather have the 25-year-old who fits in better with my core age-wise.
But no worries, this works.



From the Sabres perspective for next year, I expect Larsson to sign elsewhere. Beagle is his replacement and the extra salary is the price for Virtanen.

It's not a risk, you know what you're getting... Virtanen. It's just a burden. Do you need Beagle, no. I agree. But maybe you can make a pitch to Sutter or Roussel and they want to go there. Any of the 3 works for Van assuming they would go.

Sutter is the better face off man, and at least he will score some points, unlike Beagle. it may be difficult to get him to waive his no trade clause to come to Buffalo. I assume Buffalo can keep at least one of the two between Larsson and Girgensons. Both of them are more useful than Beagle, and Lazar can play full time as the wing on that line.

Again, the point of the trade is Virtanen. You're taking Beagle not because you want him but because you don't get Jake unless you take money.

My point is I would rather have Sutter, even though he costs more. Technically that helps out Vancouver more. I would rather take the slightly bigger salary with shorter term for a player who helps more. It makes the deal easier to sell.

I also said Sutter is fine if he agrees. But if he doesn't the deal is Beagle. It's not in the GM's hands anymore.

Who were Beagle’s line mates? Did he run into injury problems in Vancouver? Or has he lost more than a step to age, and now seems genuinely useless?

Linemates were Eriksson, McKewen and Motte mixed around. He did have 1 long injury a year ago. (missed 11 games this year but he's likely to play 60+ games)

He just went from a depth scorer to a non scorer, thats his decline.

He's PK is top tier and his faceoffs are top tier. He's just a level down Sutter for a level down price.