Surplus for need on both sides.

Cates doesn't put up much offense and Jokiharju can be used on any pair (best as 3-5). Sabres need a defensively sound bottom 6 C, Flyers need a younger defenseman for their on the fly retool.

Thompson
Cozens
Krebs/Cates
Cates/Krebs

York-Sanheim
Seeler-Ristolainen
Drysdale-Jokiharju
Zamula-Attard

Unless philly moves ristolainen

Cates is a nice bottom six defensive forward which playoffs teams want to have. Long-term Jokiharju won't be more than 3rd pair guy for them.

Long-term RD depth for them is
Sanheim
Drysdale
Bonk
Jokiharju
Ristolainen

It's simply not a good move long-term for them.

Do the Sabres really have a need for more forwards? They have a thousand forward prospects incoming...

-Savoie
-Kulich
-Rosen
-Ostlund

Like Jerry said above, if they move on Risto, it makes a lot of sense.. to me at least. He's been effective all over the defense for Buffalo this past season. Played with Dahlin, Power, Johnson, Clifton...

The reason I believe the Sabres move on here is because they have their 4 long term, top 4 defensemen, they have Clifton and Ryan Johnson. Paying upwards of 4 million for what shoehorns him into the bottom pair when everyone is healthy doesn't make sense.

Understood on Cates. I personally wouldn't have a problem adding small to that offer. Still seems reasonable though, even with the Bonk trajectory.

I don't see a developed bottom 6 center there. If the Sabres want to win (and it was rumored Kevyn looked at Cates, and mentioned out loud his desire for a bottom 6 C) then this is the type of move they need, and want to do. They also talked to CBJ for Jenner.

flyers decline. cates is an excellent 3rd liner with selke caliber defensive play. any offensive production 'drop off' is strictly a result of couturier/atkinson/foerster/brink all being regulars in the lineup this year compared to last



it doesn't. if ristolainen is moved, their right side next year is sanheim/drysdale/attard with zamula/seeler/york being able to play the right side if someone is injured

From what I saw from Kulich at the 2023 and 24 World Juniors, I believe there is a chance to develop him as a great 3C behind two others

Even if Risto is moved they can just get someone from FA to take that 3rd pair spot if Attard doesn't get it. They have their RD set up long-term so Jokiharju isn't that valuable to them.

how long would you like to wait for Kulich to become a defensively reliable 3C?

I'd try to nurture him into such a role during the 2024-25 and 25-26 seasons

Im not sure its as good a fit for PHI as it is for BUF.

As others have pointed out 3rd pair RD is not a need and PHI has alot of depth on RD and tons of cap space. They probably need a superior top and 2nd pairing vet (Pesce, Skjei, Hanifan, etc...), so Jokiharju isnt it, even if they move on from Ristolinen.

PHI needs Centers, so would gladly think about Krebs or a Sabres prospect like Savoie, Kulich or Ostlund, but Jokiharju isnt it.

And Cates, who came off injury very slow, isnt an offensive non-entity as 2022-23 showed.

Well, good luck, because the reason he's not in Buffalo right now isn't for lack of offense. Despite his cold streak.