You can get more value for Smith tbh

I think if we move on from Joki this is about right value wise i think.

It isn't

You think its too much or too little?

A 32 year old rental 3rd line winger and a 7th for a 24 year old rfa dman? Why would the Sabres do that?

Adams mentioned boosting the bottom 6 with some vets. Lots of Dman with Bryam. its possible, especially if he isnt looking to extend Joki. the pick is probably higher for sure. im not disagreeing with you but IF we move on from Joki id expect something along the lines of this.

Is Lars Eller differentiated from anyone available in free agency. I could see a Reilly Smith interest post free agency.

I do expect that if we were going to trade him, it would be to bring in some veteran leadership, but it probably shouldn’t be a guy on the verge of retirement. But since he is one of only two right handed defenders on the entire roster, I don’t think he’s expendable. That trade as it is, would be a bad one for Buffalo.

There’s a reason the OP is holding $2mil here, bc he knows Smith has lost a step

There’s a difference between bringing in a Vet who’s still playing well, & a Vet who’s declining
And it’s not just who u bring in, but what u give up for him

With Smith, IF he was our target- IF- then he could likely be had for a mid-late round pick, as we wouldn’t need retention

U don’t give up Jokiharju for that
I totally agree with @wojme on that one

Sabres don’t do that imo

I don't understand the antipathy among some Sabres fans for the much-maligned Jokiharju. He appears in a lot of ACGMs, but when last I looked, he led Buffalo in plus-minus. Now I understand that that's a rather coarse statistic, but surely it carries a little weight.


It's one thing to bolster the bottom 6 with under-30 vets like Alexander Wennberg or Warren Foegele or Jake DeBrusk or Anthony DuClair. I don't think that over-30 lame ducks are what your GM had in mind.

And he's a righty that can play up and down the lineup.

With the addition of Byram, I'd consider Smith and a 2nd or maybe even a 3rd because I think Smith would be a good get for Buffalo.