[transplant99]

Originally Posted by Sec214

Blast at me: Mid Season Retool, Building for the future - The Riverboat Gambling

Reason: Johnny Gaudreau is an exceptional player, currently the best player in the deal below. Johnny is a flight risk, having watched this guy play nightly and give us his everything since he got here, I believe he wants to be closer to home or at worst out east. I don't hold ill will against him for it. I love this guy, always will. If he does choose to resign we are going to have to pay a premium and with a flat cap.

If we hold Johnny to long, the fear is may not get a proper return due to his contract limitations.

To Buffalo
Johnny Gaudreau
Sam Bennett
2021 2nd
2022 2nd
Conditional 1st 2023(If Johnny walks as a UFA only, If buffalo signs or trades him prior to UFA this pick will void - No Protection)

To Calgary
Taylor Hall
Dylan Cozens
2021 3rd (Conditional on Hall signing in Calgary)

The why: I believe Buffalo isn't ready to move on from Eichel and they have an opportunity to get an extremely dynamic duo up front with Johnny and Eichel. As much as we'd love to see it here we don't have the assets to acquire an Eichel type player, other teams can put together 10x the package for him we all know it.

Johnny is controlled for next year if it doesn't work out buffalo can do a major overhaul with trading Johnny and Eichel however I think this will make buffalo a huge favorite to improve long term.

Calgary is taking a huge risk here, Hall value is way down but he is a more North/South player then Johnny. If he can rebound which he will how strong is the risk - it could be a slight downgrade or a break even trade. I believe Calgary would be able to sign him long term at a lesser term value that johnny because it's home(5/6 Years -6~7/Per) which will be lesser term/dollar then JH will ever come in at.

If he doesn't Calgary lost the gamble and ends up with a Blue chip in Dylan Cozens(Right Shot) who is a young player with unknown potential but looks promising and the kid works his tail off. I personally believe he's a future Top 6 Player.

Buffalo gets the rebuild project of Sam Bennett, and two seconds which are solid picks.

The conditional first is a security blanket for Buffalo and also gives them some leverage with teams if they can't resign Johnny which my opinion will be easier then Calgary. This is leverage that Calgary doesn't even have when it comes to Johnny.

Rintool had a guy on earlier this week who was a Sabres bear writer....he thought the only untouchable forward was Cozens.