AROUND THE LEAGUE - 25-26

[Chef Boi RD]

I like the trade for both teams. Peterka can score goals and Utah needed another scoring winger on the top two lines. He will most likely slot in on the 2nd line with centre - Hayton. They certainly ain’t breaking up the Cooley, Keller and Guenther line.

Utah will pick up a pretty good top 6 forward with the 4th OA pick. The Mammoth definitely have the makings for a solid team for years to come.

Kesselring is a very solid top four RS D-man in which are hard to find. As been rumoured for awhile the Sabres were in hot pursuit for a RS D-man. I’m sure the hold up in the rumoured Buffalo-Vancouver trade talks was the Sabres wanting RS Willander. Doan is a good utility forward the Sabres need more of.

A good trade for both teams.

[UWSaint]

Peterka — Kesserling/Doan. A hockey trade of young players that is a great example of Utah dealing from a perspective of margins. This move makes them faster and immediately harder to match against. Peterka is a very good offensive player now, capable of being a point a game type, and if he improves his discernment and attention in the D zone, he may end up a very good player without qualification.

They gave up decent assets to get him, but they dealt from strength. They had 3 right shot defensemen capable of top 4 roles; Kesserling or Durzi or Marino at 16 minutes a night isn’t getting the most from your group. And Utah still has about $15M in space with a shouldn’t-be-too much Jack McBain to sign and their 4th OA to move if they wish to make another splash. Utah already looked to be a good bet to fight for a playoff spot, this move makes that chance a bit better, another might make it likely.

But the move may also improve Buffalo. They’ve had a lopsided defense L/R, and Kesselring strikes me as an excellent fit for Dahlin, who has often played on the right side but maybe would be more effective on the strong side. Or with Power. Kesselring is a late developer, so there could be more upside (or he could have benefited from circumstance), but I think he’s a fairly safe bet to continue to be a quality player. Well there are no safe bets in Buffalo, but….. Doan, I think, is developing in line with many higher second round picks and probably has a high floor. If the offense doesn’t develop—-and it might—he should still have an NHL role.

And Buffalo has $20M and the 9th OA and Byram to deal. Losing Peterka means their offense is looking thin, especially if Norris continues to be injured, but they have a decent set of prospects and it’s time for the pushed-too-fast to the NHL Benson to deliver. And of course, cap space and assets to turn into help now. They also need a goalie. They act like their are sold on Levi for the future, but he should develop more (is not subject to waivers) and their tandem could use Lankinen…..

[rikster]

Peterka — Kesserling/Doan. A hockey trade of young players that is a great example of Utah dealing from a perspective of margins. This move makes them faster and immediately harder to match against. Peterka is a very good offensive player now, capable of being a point a game type, and if he improves his discernment and attention in the D zone, he may end up a very good player without qualification.

They gave up decent assets to get him, but they dealt from strength. They had 3 right shot defensemen capable of top 4 roles; Kesserling or Durzi or Marino at 16 minutes a night isn’t getting the most from your group. And Utah still has about $15M in space with a shouldn’t-be-too much Jack McBain to sign and their 4th OA to move if they wish to make another splash. Utah already looked to be a good bet to fight for a playoff spot, this move makes that chance a bit better, another might make it likely.

But the move may also improve Buffalo. They’ve had a lopsided defense L/R, and Kesselring strikes me as an excellent fit for Dahlin, who has often played on the right side but maybe would be more effective on the strong side. Or with Power. Kesselring is a late developer, so there could be more upside (or he could have benefited from circumstance), but I think he’s a fairly safe bet to continue to be a quality player. Well there are no safe bets in Buffalo, but….. Doan, I think, is developing in line with many higher second round picks and probably has a high floor. If the offense doesn’t develop—-and it might—he should still have an NHL role.

And Buffalo has $20M and the 9th OA and Byram to deal. Losing Peterka means their offense is looking thin, especially if Norris continues to be injured, but they have a decent set of prospects and it’s time for the pushed-too-fast to the NHL Benson to deliver. And of course, cap space and assets to turn into help now. They also need a goalie. They act like their are sold on Levi for the future, but he should develop more (is not subject to waivers) and their tandem could use Lankinen…..

As challenging as it is to be a Canuck fan, can't imagine what being a Sabre fan feels like...

Have spent the last decade drafting lottery picks including a couple of first overalls and yet when you look at the roster today you might mistakenly think its an expansion team just entering the league with how many holes it has and how old it is...

Yes they have some cap space today but they will spend some of it this season and most of it next season including to cover the Skinner buyout which jumps from the $4.4 million this season to $6.4 million the year after before falling to $2.4 for the remaining 3 years...

Adrift at sea lacking a paddle and direction....

Gotta think a player who just signs for $7.7 and 5 years gets you more than Kesselring and Doan?

Take care...

[Chef Boi RD]

The Sabres drafting has been sad to say the least, especially when you consider how often they’ve drafting in the top end of the lottery. Dahlin is the only who has panned out, really. Power a disappointment for being a 1st overall pick. Quinn was drafted a round to high, Cozens busted. Savoie flopped, Nylander flopped. The ones who did work out - Eichel and Reinhart they got rid and just got rid of another draft success in Peterka. Kulich looks solid but he wasn’t a top end lottery pick.

[UWSaint]

Gotta think a player who just signs for $7.7 and 5 years gets you more than Kesselring and Doan?

Well, according to TSN, Wild were trying to get Peterka and Rossi was part of their offer. And Rossi is apparently worth a 15 OA and top D prospect according to Guerin.....

Don't underestimate the value of a true top 4 RD -- and I think Kesserling's that, though its only been a year. Kesserling also brings a little potential to improve on what he did last year (as he has a flash in the pan risk). Doan is not a throw in, but a guy I can easily become a middle of the lineup mainstay scores 20 G a year with a solid 200 foot game and good forechecking. He's the kind of guy coaches love, especially if those coaches made an NHL career being that guy....

[UWSaint]

The Sabres drafting has been sad to say the least, especially when you consider how often they’ve drafting in the top end of the lottery. Dahlin is the only who has panned out, really. Power a disappointment for being a 1st overall pick. Quinn was drafted a round to high, Cozens busted. Savoie flopped, Nylander flopped. The ones who did work out - Eichel and Reinhart they got rid and just got rid of another draft success in Peterka. Kulich looks solid but he wasn’t a top end lottery pick.

For this reason, they should trade the 9 OA. "We don't trust ourselves."

[UWSaint]

Sharks buy out Vlasic.

My math says they've got to add 19 M to get to the cap floor. And their RFAs should not cost all that much; wouldn't surprise me if some aren't qualified.

So if a team needs a cap dump, I imagine SJ would take the sweetners. Will be interesting if they came over the top for a UFA or two who can be an asset to the youth's development. Even if not as a mentor, they'd benefit considerably from the addition of some defensemen who can get the puck out of the zone or disrupt entries.... Why not overpay for a guy like Gavrikov?

[Lancer]

The Sabres drafting has been sad to say the least, especially when you consider how often they’ve drafting in the top end of the lottery. Dahlin is the only who has panned out, really. Power a disappointment for being a 1st overall pick. Quinn was drafted a round to high, Cozens busted. Savoie flopped, Nylander flopped. The ones who did work out - Eichel and Reinhart they got rid and just got rid of another draft success in Peterka. Kulich looks solid but he wasn’t a top end lottery pick.

Agreed that they made some whiffs high up in the first round. That said, I suspect player development is a bigger problem. Either Rochester is failing the parent club, the team’s post-draft/pre-contract prospect development infrastructure just isn’t there or not doing its job, the club rushes their picks to the big club too soon, or all three.

Say what you will about the Canucks organization, but I think they’re miles ahead of Buffalo in that regard, which explains the difference.

[Hockey Widow]

So the new CBA reduces max term to 7 years for existing club and 6 years for a new club. This means the max we could lock Hughes up for will be 7 years. This year's FA can still get 7 years but next year it will drop to 6. That is if the memorandum of understanding is approved by players.

[Megaterio Llamas]

It sounds like the league is investigating Evander Kane's injury from last season. How did this not happen with Vegas (all those times) and Florida?

https://x.com/FriedgeHNIC/status/1937975994998264023

[Megaterio Llamas]

Jamie Benn has signed a cheap one-year deal with the Stars. https://x.com/frank_seravalli/status/19 ... 9813061805

Jay Woodcroft is joining Joel Quenville in Anaheim. https://x.com/frank_seravalli/status/19 ... 7337937019

[theman]

It sounds like the league is investigating Evander Kane's injury from last season. How did this not happen with Vegas (all those times) and Florida?

https://x.com/FriedgeHNIC/status/1937975994998264023

Just watch, the league will decide that the oil were guilty of manipulating the LTIR but will punish Vancouver because he is now a Canuck.

[Cornuck]

84 game season coming in 26-27

draft rights to expire at 22 (regardless of league)

Closing LTIR loophole (not sure about details)

[Megaterio Llamas]

84 game season coming in 26-27

draft rights to expire at 22 (regardless of league)

Closing LTIR loophole (not sure about details)

The max contract length is also reduced to 7 years, 6 for free agents.

[Hockey Widow]

84 game season coming in 26-27

draft rights to expire at 22 (regardless of league)

Closing LTIR loophole (not sure about details)

I like that draft rights will all expire at 22 regardless of where the player players. I'm sure entry level players will be choked about it but the players know someone has to suffer and it won't be established players. They did after all agree to an ELC limit.

Love to see what LTIR loophole they are talking about. The one Vegas continually broke or the one Edmonton broke?

Now if they would just allow a team to trade player retentions on buyouts!!