Considering they just traded Hertl, I doubt that Couture is going anywhere. Also $4 million in retention for as long as that contract is will cost way more than the second round pick. but I do like Luke Kunin, and want the Sabres to trade for him.

Couture might be done.

You guys should trade for kunin and sturm.

I like that idea. What would be a fair return for the two?

Hawks decline. Two 2nd's doesn't come close to covering 3x$4m in retention. Especially since it leaves the Hawks w/ only one retention slot for next season.

Yeah. That's not even close to paying for retention on Couture.

Why do you like Kunin? I've watched him play 65 games this year and 31 games last year and have rarely seen anything good...unless you like hitting posts. He seems like a great guy off the ice, though.

I see him as basically what Greenway was when he got here. He came here with two goals on the year when we traded for him, and he had very much worn out his welcome in Minnesota. And Buffalo desperately needs wingers who play a physical style because they don’t have any except for Greenway and Tuch. Despite all the supposed goalposts, he still has about as many goals as Greenway does this year. I can’t imagine he does worse in Buffalo with better linemates.

I think Sturm and Kunin are worth a 2nd, but I think we'd need at least one junk contract coming our way to help offset.

Does he get better linemates there? Kunin's been playing on the second line, most often with Eklund and Zadina. Eklund is mostly a playmaker and he's lost out on a lot of points because of Kunin's inability to finish opportunities that are practically tap-ins.

I wasn’t aware he was playing so high in the lineup. Greenway occasionally gets to play with better than third line players, and he has around the same production. I still see Buffalo needing a physical power forward type because Greenway is not enough. Maybe Kunin isn’t the right answer, but he is an option.