Why would you destroy the defense, its the only thing keeping them from getting shelled like Detroit. Trading your best Goalie prospect for a Dman that you didnt need until you created a depth problem with prior bad trades. Risto > Manson. Reinhart is also not a center, hasnt been for 6 years, its not an option.

SO let me get this straight, you guys have a problem getting scored on too much, and you dont think an amazing shut down D in Mason is your answer? Dear lord. Mason has been a stable on the Ducks blue line for years as their best shut down guy. Risto couldnt stop a beach ball from getting past him. Risto has wanted out for years and I still dont understand why Sabers fans and management did not trade him 2 years ago when his value was super high

No interest in Risto at all, especially not for White who has looked solid so far this season.

The worst part of all this for Buffalo fans is that even if they were able to make the moves above (which is highly doubtful) you are in the Atlantic next season. Even with the (on paper) improvements you still have Boston, Tampa, TO, Florida and Montreal all ahead of you. Is this roster good enough to pass 2 of those teams to ensure a wildcard spot? Montreal maybe, or maybe Florida as well but still just not as good as the top 3.

Honestly I don't know what I'd do if I was in charge. You don't want to waste having a guy like Eichel but the path to winning is so difficult. Can you convince him to look long term? Because the only reasonable path to even making the playoffs is thinking about 2-3 years down the line. Wait for one or both of Boston and Tampa to start declining and time your window to that point. Not long after Ottawa and possibly Detroit will be on the rise so it would be a short window and you still have TO who will still have Matthews, Marner and Nylander in their primes to contend with as well.

Or

Do you just blow it up, move everyone including Eichel and start over and plan for a long and methodical rebuild. Which the team hasn't really ever done. It's been the same thing in a 3 year cycle. Bottom out, draft high, make some minor improvements and jump the gun by adding a bunch of vets and disappoint before bottoming out again. They should have just been okay with losing for a few year, keep getting talented young players and wait to have a foundation to build up again. They have 2 pieces to that puzzle in Eichel and Dahlin but need a 2C and a lot more depth. Buying it in FA just doesn't work. They have proven it over and over

Fair enough, I thought most Sens fans still wanted him gone. I thought the idea of another good offensive D would work for Ottawa

Detroit has no need for Okposo as he’s more expensive and has a longer term than DDK plus DDK may go LTIRetire if his injuries linger.

The Sabres dont have an issue getting scored on and even if it was its on the soft goalies. The Sabres D is top 10 in all advanced D stats and top 5 in a few of them. The Sabres forwards cant score and that itsnt resolved here. Also Ristolainen has been great under Krueger and his value has never been higher now, so you clearly dont watch the team, so dont preach to me about their team needs

Couldn't agree with you more man. The problem is, you could get an amazing haul for Jack. Easily getting two first, top prospect and good skaters back. But then youre moving one of the best centers in the league. They have so many holes that cant be fixed over one season too thanks to bad contracts and prospects not developing.

If I could have final say, I would try and trade Jack while I can. Hes been losing for 6 years, his effort on the ice is showing because of the losing and I dont blame him. Problem is, you will never get your value back for a 25 year old top 5 center.

Youre second last in the league. Really dont think advances stats matter right now to your team

Fair enough, thought the idea of Mit would change Yzermans mind

you need goaltending and center depth. The defence isn't the problem

It matters when our offense is broken, so you decide to blow up the defense, the one positive this year. Broke my arm, guess I should amputate my leg then

Correct, move Jack and you just won't get a player of his calibre back. That being said, they will get a major haul for him and lots of futures. Which in turn can be used to get other important pieces and then if you bottom out for a couple of seasons you could draft a franchise centre from your high picks. Okoposo can be kept for the remainder of his contract since you'll likely need him just to reach the floor anyways. I doubt you can move Skinner but someone may take a flyer if you retain 2 million which is steep but it could get you more futures as well. Build around Dahlin and target 3-4 years from now as your window beginning to open. Be there with Detroit and Ottawa to challenge TO since by then both Boston, Florida and Tampa will be on the decline.

euthanize.
this method would probably be best for the Sabres...

All that may be true, but really do you see any path to contention right now? The number teams ahead of you this season and even worse next season shouldn't be ignored.

Yzerman throws off his gloves and beats your ass.

No matter what the situation is, I wouldnt blow up the defense. If they lose pieces here or there thats fine theyre deep in prospects as well. id build from the back out

Sure but of you are going to be looking 3-4 years down the road, only Dahlin and Jokiharju are worth keeping. Move everything else you have for anything you can get.b

Okposo has more term and is more expensive then Dekeyser, Middlestadt is looking like a bust. Yzerman has only taken on one cap dump, for a position of need as a stop gap, doubt he take Okposo for vitrutally nothing and then trades a guy who is probably done and a switch of busts

McCabe should be extended 4-5 years, Risto if he wants to re-sign i re-sign him as well, if not he goes at the TDL next year, Montour can go, Miller can go TDL next year if not to Seattle, Borgen is an NHLer, Samuelsson is an NHLer, Bryson can fill in a vacancy if need be and would put up a fight to stay in the league, Laaksonen is a future NHLer, Johnson as well. They still have Pilut's rights and any depth minimum wage Dmen they pick up

And now you have the same problem the Leafs had for almost a decade, you won't be good enough to win but too good to be bad enough to get the pieces you need to build around. It doesn't matter how good you think a 25+ year old is, move him for assets and rebuild. Be bad for 3 years and have top 5 picks each year and 1-2 other first rounders each year.

I agree 100%.

They should start by moving out Reinhart, to break up this core and inject some new ideas into the forward group, I've started making some of those trades. Something that will wake Eichel up, once he gets going this team would be a competitor, this year falls completely on him.

This year is over, they are not going to pass 4 teams to earn a playoff spot. Next year will be even more difficult since you leave a tough division and enter an arguably tougher one next season. Buffalo just isn't going to contend, by the time the team's ahead take steps back, the team's behind will be younger, faster and more skilled.

I just don't see Buffalo having any real path to contention in the Eichel window. Too much strength ahead and in the not too distant future behind as well. Ottawa will be better than them in 3 years, Detroit will eventually turn the corner as well and TO is deeper, has a better core and no bad contracts to hinder them. Florida, Tampa and Boston are all clearly better right now as well. It's just a really unfortunate situation and the only real solution is a full rebuild.

The top 6 isnt scoring, so its on Eichel, if they cant win with this core then its starts by moving out Eichel and Reinhart, I dont see where they need to blow up the defense