Ekholm doesn't really make sense as a target with his age and lack of term.

Nor does keeping Zibanejad/Strome.

But the Howden/Hajek deal is fine.

I wouldn’t get Bellemare, Barron’s got a bright future, keep him as a 4c

Ekholm would solve your biggest issue

Bellemare is good defensive and great faceoff guy, I would rather call up Barron for injuries and let him tear it up in the AHL than waste away with Cogliano and Blackwell

Ekholm buys time for all of our young LDs to develop and I would address the center position in 2022 rather than this year

All of Jones/Miller/Lindgren are beyond NHL ready, they don't need time bought. They need minutes.

And that's not really the issue. Letting Strome/Mika walk for nothing is a firable offense as a GM. And it doesn't take much to know that you're going to get more for them now than you will at the deadline when the market is absolutely flooded with top 9 C's.

You pretty much have to address it now. Either by trading for Eichel, Offersheeting EP, or doing a sign / trade with someone like Hertl. But Either way, Mika AND Strome should be gone, and you can use the assets recouped from dealing them to accomplish any of the above.

Fair enough, could you make a acgm of what you envision and tag me in it, you haven't made one in a while

he can play a physical middle 6 C role?

doesn't make sense to give up that much for a stop gap

Maybe a deadline deal if they're doing well.

I'll try. But it's tough because there's a very large disconnect for example between what Eichel will actually return in a trade....and what this website (particularly Sabres fans who haven't figured out what the situation is) thinks he'll return in a trade.

Similarly with someone like Strome, who likely returns a 1st++, but this website undervalues ridiculously.

Wouldn't be the first time this collective was way off.

thats what I see it as

You get that with everything you post on this site, you just have to do what you think is fair and ignore the stupid comments