Preds decline. Risto isn't worth a 2nd to NSH.

I don't see a way where the Isles take on Skinners salary especially with the cap crunch

I definetly see a need for Ristolainen as they need a defenseman who can get power play production and he does that very well, but In this would be a 1 for 1 if anything and I think Nashville would balk heavily at moving Bonino unless they decide they want to take a step back and rebuild or reload and get younger.

Nashville has to decide where they want to go as an organization from here if they want to get back into the playoff picture, Ristolainen would help them greatly, but they would only have him for a year as he’d probably be exposed and it would be for what? A first round bounce? It goes back to what I’ve said a million times about his value.c right now there just aren’t enough teams with the need for him who are legit contenders looking to get put over who have what Buffalo is looking for in return for him, so they’re better off keeping him

I think Nashville would be more interested in Montour because he probably has a cheaper price tag and he would Be a one year option. 50/50 that Buffalo may not qualify him.

NSH does need to improve the 3rd pair. Ideally a #4-5 type who can give Fabbro competition for his spot, and fill in the top four when injuries/slumps occur. While Risto could be that guy, his cap hit is just too high to consider him. There are better players that could be signed for less this summer. Risto wouldn't be seeing any PP time in NSH though. Hynes seems to prefer the 4 forwards, 1 dman model, and Josi, Ellis, Fabbro, Ekholm would all be ahead of him.

Like Risto not making sense in NSH, I don't understand BUF's interest in Bonino either. He's a great 3C, but BUF needs a true #2. Given he's a UFA after next season and his playoff experience, he also makes the most sense as the deadline piece that puts a contender over the top.

If Patrick is healthy and signs for 3 years at 1.5mil, hes worth more than RFA Montour. Patrick put up 30 and 31 pts in his first 2 years, mostly on 3rd line, and is just 21 yrs old.

PHI would gladly deal for Montour, if he's willing to do a small salary increase, like 3.5 for 3 or 4 years, as hes just 26-27 yrs old and puts up 30 pts and is a RD. LD Ghost who has far more offensive upside or Laughton would be a nice counter offer for Montour. He'd have to be exposed to expansion draft though, maybe the trade goes afterwards.

The NYI is bad for buf like really bad

Detroit doesn’t need a bad/subpar goalie unless a pick is attached to him like a 3rd.

How so? We get a top 6 winger back and shorten our commitment at a lesser cap hit for 3 years

You get a worse top 6 winger than skinner you add on ofnour best prospects for a team that is short on prospects and we give up a 2nd rounder which is a pretty significant draft capital. And we take back a pure cap dump.
Its brutal we get worse in the short and long term?
I get that skinners contract is high. But hebis not the problem the problem is the lack of quality players throughout the roster. So it doesn't make sense to get rid of the few quality players we have. You the draft capital to add to the roster not take away from.

If skinner wasn't paid what he was I would LOVE to have him in an isles uni

I strongly disagree that Ristolainen would be behind all four players on the Nashville power play...If I am not mistaken, i believe only Josi has more PP points than him of those five defenseman over the last five years, he is actually not that far behind. It's an underrated aspect of his game. He has more power play points over the past five years than Ekholm (12g/25pts) and Ellis (8g/36pts.... combined. Ristolainen has produced 99 power play points over the past five seasons. His PP production was down this year, but thats more because of Dahlin growing into that role and Risto being used as a front net presence because the team lacks one, which necessitated the trade for Wayne Simmonds, and then Krueger never even used him. Eventhough they may prefer four forwards and one D, Ristolainen can also be used as a net front presence and play on a unit with Ellis and Ekholm as a D with him as the Forward upfront so there would be a use for him either way. He would have no problem being squeezed into power play time if they acquired. I don't think they would consider it, unless Buffalo retained salary, and he wouldn't be on the third pair, not a chance, he'd be a lock for the second pair. There is no way Dante Fabbro is getting more minutes than Rasmus Ristolainen who has way more experience than him, and in Nashville he'd be much better than in Buffalo where he is asked to be the number 1 defenseman here, which he is not, which contributes to his bad perception. Ellis and Ekhiolm are clearly better well-rounded defenseman than him though, there's no arguing that but him Ekholm and Ristolainen on a second pair would be a rock solid pair to trot out there. and that would be the case for any team that acquires him, but thats true for almost any team, and Nashville would only view him as a rental until the expansion draft....

Montour would actually be the better fit for Nashville though....he is grossly miscast in Buffalo and every GM knows it. His value couldnt be lower right now considering he was acquired for a first and a NHL ready prospect. But he probably gets a short term 1-2 year deal, and he's a 4-5 defenseman you describe to buy time for development for Fabbro, and he has wheels. I think he'd be a steal if Nashville acquired him.

Buffalo actually needs both a second and third line center, they need help down the middle, so Bonino fits. Ideally with Bonino here, he serves as a stop gap to trot out in defensive situations to help initially shelter Cozens or Mittelstadt, and he keeps Marcus Johansson on the left wing for the third line, instead of second line center. The Sabres lack a shut down center, and they also have an atrocious penalty kill that cost them games