This is a fairly simple ACGM. Not many changes, but I think it's enough to get this team in the dance next year.
I want to talk about some of the big contracts first. When it comes to Graves, we all can acknowledge he hasn't been good enough. Shedding his contract would be too costly for this team, and I don't think it's in the cards this offseason. To be honest, I actually started to like some of his more recent play with St. Ivany before his concussion. Ideally, he wouldn't be on the third pairing, but we gotta take baby steps. I think getting rid of Rickard Rakell would be a mistake. The Bunting-Malkin-Rakell line is deadly. It was so good. I think that might just be the prescription to get Rakell back to his oldself. Tristan Jarry is just a tough subject. I think we could get value out of him on the market, but for some reason I'm not willing to give up on him yet, and I think Dubas agrees with me there. He tied the league lead in shutouts (6). His record was not good, and his metrics were not up to par with his contract. I think the most likely situation is the one I have below: Nedeljkovic walks, Jarry stays, Blomqvist comes up.
As far as the rest of the roster goes, minimal changes. I think it's going to be important to instill some youth in the lineup. So, O'Connor, Puustinen, Ponomarev, and Bemstrom will fill flank Eller and Acciari in the bottom six. I think next year will be make or break for Poulin. Depending on how he does in Wilkes, he may find a roster spot with the Penguins by the end of the year. It may make a guy like Eller expendable. St. Ivany and Joseph will be the young guns on the blue line. I think St. Ivany has earned himself a spot on this team. I've been very impressed. I'm hoping for P.O. to really prove that he deserves to be here, and I think playing with Letang will help him achieve that. I'm super excited to see Blomqvist. I think he could push for the starting role depending on his play next season. Murray pushed Fleury out, Jarry pushed Murray out, could Blomqvist push Jarry out? We shall see.
Despite only posting 46-points on the year, we've seen what Skinner is capable of. He put up 82 just a year ago, and has the skillset to play with one of the greats, Sidney Crosby. Buffalo has tons of pieces in the pipeline who are itching to get into the lineup. Along with that and his lackluster play, Skinner has found himself in a third line role. We all can agree $9 million for a third liner is blasphemous. I think it's time for Buffalo to part ways with Skinner. Pittsburgh does not need another 31 year old winger. I get that. But when you look at the free agent options, Debrusk, Duclair, Mantha, Teurovainen, Stephenson, Tarasenko, none of them can put up 30+ goals consistently. Ideally, the Penguins sign Guentzel for the same price, and live happily ever after. But as the pick swap indicates, I think Jake will be happy staying in Raleigh because of their contending status. Pittsburgh needs a guy like Skinner in order to win. This may be the only way Pittsburgh can get a pure goal-scorer without giving up futures. This is not ideal, but options are limited.
I've watched almost every game this year. I can't recall seeing a player so miserable to be playing hockey. He did enough to stay in the lineup, but barely. I'm slightly shocked he wasn't scratched at least once this year. Like Skinner, Smith is not worth his contract. But I do think he fills a need in Buffalo. Veteran, middle-six winger, who doesn't cost $9 million. I believe the hard parts about trading Smith are: Pittsburgh not wanting to retain, finding a team that would take him, and that team not being on his M-NTC. I think this checks the boxes. The Penguins don't retain, Smith fills a hole in Buffalo, and the Sabres are likely not on his no-trade list due to their proximity to his hometown.
This makes the Sabres worse. Jeff is a lot better than Smith..
I dont disagree. But you and I both know if Terry gets the chance to save 22 mil off the top moving this contract he's not going to hesitate over a silly little thing like "it makes the team worse"
I dont disagree. But you and I both know if Terry gets the chance to save 22 mil off the top moving this contract he's not going to hesitate over a silly little thing like "it makes the team worse"
no no, he's "only" the owner. Dawg im not trying to be mean but are you being intentionally dense? You dont think the owner would intervene to force this trade to happen? Don't you remember the ROR return? simply because he didnt want to pay O'Reilly's bonus cause of comments he said in locker room clean out.
no no, he's "only" the owner. Dawg im not trying to be mean but are you being intentionally dense? You dont think the owner would intervene to force this trade to happen? Don't you remember the ROR return? simply because he didnt want to pay O'Reilly's bonus cause of comments he said in locker room clean out.
Owners influence decisions all the time.
The problem I have with this idea, is I think pegula was responsible for giving Skinner that contract. Moving him for smith would be admitting to a mistake, maybe not as much as a buyout, but still. Plus, I'm just gonna assume that Skinner nixes any trade anyway.
As a Sabres fan I would do it. It clears cap space 3 years early. I might attach a prospect or retain a couple million We have to resign Quinn , peterka and benson.
skinner says no. The Sabres, who would end up saving millions of dollars over the next few years, absolutely say yes without hesitation.
Wait, why does Skinner say no to playing a few years on a line with Crosby? If he was playing out his contract in sunny, low-tax Florida then I can see it, but he is currently in Buffalo ...
The problem I have with this idea, is I think pegula was responsible for giving Skinner that contract. Moving him for smith would be admitting to a mistake, maybe not as much as a buyout, but still. Plus, I'm just gonna assume that Skinner nixes any trade anyway.
He's been in Buffalo 6 years it seems, he sucked a hard few of those years but also scored 30+ goals in 3 others, so while overpaid overall, its been a bit of a mixed bag in his production from Skinner. He has not generally been the principle reason Buffalo has not had recent success, ownership could probably get out of it now without having to fully admit a mistake in signing him.
Wait, why does Skinner say no to playing a few years on a line with Crosby? If he was playing out his contract in sunny, low-tax Florida then I can see it, but he is currently in Buffalo ...
Because he wants to be near family in Toronto, and toronto certainly doesn't need or want him. That's why his contract is still mind boggling. He's an offense only winger- who is a liability on defense, he was coming off a season scoring 40 (with 26 assists mind you) with eichel. What's the market for that player?- maybe Hoffman would be a decent comp, so a shade over 5 per. The Sabres gave him 9 per, with a full ntc, like it matters.
Wait, why does Skinner say no to playing a few years on a line with Crosby? If he was playing out his contract in sunny, low-tax Florida then I can see it, but he is currently in Buffalo ...
Because he doesn't care about that. THe guy turned down a trade to LA the summer he was dealt to buffalo. For him, its about proximity to home (markham/toronto).
I am not sure about Skinner, but I would do it as Sabres. Skinner is already on 3rd line, Sabres are looking to add top 6 winger. Reilly can be slide to 4th line and then his contract is gone, leaving cap space for Peterka, Quinn extension and that 24 top6 winger.
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