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[Proposal] VAN-BUF


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The Sabres may have put together a nice 10-3 streak here lately but they're still not going to be a playoff team, and a fire sale is probably going to happen at some point. We all know they want to trade one of Enroth or Neuvirth so will have a gap in net when they do so, and they've got 3 great young defencemen which is a hole Vancouver needs to fill. Myers is obviously off the table considering the attention he's getting, and if Buffalo fail to make a trade with Detroit regarding Myers, they may look at one of these:

TO VAN: One of Rasmus Ristolainen or Nikita Zadorov

TO BUF: Markstrom, Sbisa/Stanton and a 3rd round pick

Ristolainen is 20 and a righty, Zadorov is 19 and a left, and both are giants on the blueline who are being forced to play 20+ minutes a night in Buffalo when they should be slowly developing in the AHL. Zadoro is somehow a +4 on this shocking defensive Buffalo team as well, and they've put up about as many points as the Canuck defencemen have. The only reason I'm interested is their size, youth and the fact that they're two very talented defencemen who could have a very bright future if we rescue their development and get them groomed in the AHL, followed by lesser 5th/6th defenceman minutes in the NHL as opposed to getting shelled on a nightly basis in Buffalo's top-4 like they are right now.

Buffalo does this because they probably know these D-men aren't ready yet, and what they're essentially getting in a guy like Sbisa or Stanton is a very similar player just a few years older and a bit more rounded out already, along with Markstrom who will fill the void left once they move Enroth or Neuvirth. The pick is purely to sweeten the deal. If Buffalo are challenging for a playoff spot in a few weeks time, this trade helps them because it gives them a more NHL-ready defenceman and a backup goalie who's ready once their goalie trade is made.

Vancouver does this trade because Benning can't be pleased with the way Sbisa has been playing so far this season. He's a -7 whilst most of our other defencemen are positive, and it's not just the stats. He's been lost out there at times and made some stupid plays. Of course we could groom Sbisa into a fine defenceman but this really is a trade up for a future top-4 if not top-pairing defenceman that this team desperately needs.

Ristolainen would fit nicely besides Edler or Stanton in a couple of years time, and Zadorov on the left could be played with Bieksa or the up and coming Corrado or Subban as a nice pairing. Of course I think they both would need at least 40 games in the AHL next season, 40 in the NHL on bottom-2 pairing minutes before they're considered for 20 minute duties on a nightly basis. Either of them would nicely replace Bieksa/Hamhuis' minutes slowly, which is what the Canucks desperately need to start doing.

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We can try this on the Buffalo GM , but its the last trade proposal we would make with the Sabres for 5 years.

Instead, lets not insult their intelligence and just let it go.

Btw, "it" should include the 2016 1st round pick, that's what Buffalo would likely ask for either of these studs.

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The main reason I mentioned Zadorov/Ristolainen for Sbisa/Stanton is because the Buffalo defencemen may be fantastic "prospects", but they're getting shelled in Buffalo on a nightly basis and really makes me wonder whether they will end up becoming all-star defencemen in this league at this pace. Some young D-men play really well rushed in (see Ekblad) but not many, most need time to develop in junior for a year or two following the draft, then at least half a season in the AHL before they can make the jump to bottom-2 minutes. These defencemen in Buffalo have been thrown into top-4 minutes almost straight after the draft which is why I believe their development has already been a bit hampered (similar to most of their players, like Hodgson who was tossed into their 1st line center spot straight from his rookie season with the Canucks without any gradual development).

I'm not saying Buffalo should "give up" on these guys, but I'm saying that if they're hovering around the wild card spot come trade-deadline time, they'd probably consider moving one of these guys for a defence man who is a little more capable at the NHL level right now, like Sbisa.

Personally, I'd much rather a trade like Bieksa, Markstrom and Hansen for Ristolainen, which would be much fairer for both sides and more realistic, but NTCs really get in the way of that which is why Sbisa, Markstrom and maybe a 2nd is an easier package for Benning.

There's a rumour going around that Benning will try to move Higgins or Burrows to make room for the kids next season, and Higgins has a limited NTC so would this trade package work (especially considering Buffalo always need offence, especially good defensive forwards):

TO BUF: Higgins, Sbisa and Markstrom

TO VAN: Ristolainen

This is our lineup to open 2015-2016:

Sedin - Sedin - Vbrata

Jensen - Bonino - Burrows

Shinkaruk - Matthias - Kassian

Dorsett/Richardson - Horvat - Hansen

Edler - Tanev

Hamhuis - Ristolainen (but 18 minutes max per game)

Stanton - Bieksa

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The Sabres may have put together a nice 10-3 streak here lately but they're still not going to be a playoff team, and a fire sale is probably going to happen at some point. We all know they want to trade one of Enroth or Neuvirth so will have a gap in net when they do so, and they've got 3 great young defencemen which is a hole Vancouver needs to fill. Myers is obviously off the table considering the attention he's getting, and if Buffalo fail to make a trade with Detroit regarding Myers, they may look at one of these:

TO VAN: One of Rasmus Ristolainen or Nikita Zadorov

TO BUF: Markstrom, Sbisa/Stanton and a 3rd round pick

Ristolainen is 20 and a righty, Zadorov is 19 and a left, and both are giants on the blueline who are being forced to play 20+ minutes a night in Buffalo when they should be slowly developing in the AHL. Zadoro is somehow a +4 on this shocking defensive Buffalo team as well, and they've put up about as many points as the Canuck defencemen have. The only reason I'm interested is their size, youth and the fact that they're two very talented defencemen who could have a very bright future if we rescue their development and get them groomed in the AHL, followed by lesser 5th/6th defenceman minutes in the NHL as opposed to getting shelled on a nightly basis in Buffalo's top-4 like they are right now.

Buffalo does this because they probably know these D-men aren't ready yet, and what they're essentially getting in a guy like Sbisa or Stanton is a very similar player just a few years older and a bit more rounded out already, along with Markstrom who will fill the void left once they move Enroth or Neuvirth. The pick is purely to sweeten the deal. If Buffalo are challenging for a playoff spot in a few weeks time, this trade helps them because it gives them a more NHL-ready defenceman and a backup goalie who's ready once their goalie trade is made.

Vancouver does this trade because Benning can't be pleased with the way Sbisa has been playing so far this season. He's a -7 whilst most of our other defencemen are positive, and it's not just the stats. He's been lost out there at times and made some stupid plays. Of course we could groom Sbisa into a fine defenceman but this really is a trade up for a future top-4 if not top-pairing defenceman that this team desperately needs.

Ristolainen would fit nicely besides Edler or Stanton in a couple of years time, and Zadorov on the left could be played with Bieksa or the up and coming Corrado or Subban as a nice pairing. Of course I think they both would need at least 40 games in the AHL next season, 40 in the NHL on bottom-2 pairing minutes before they're considered for 20 minute duties on a nightly basis. Either of them would nicely replace Bieksa/Hamhuis' minutes slowly, which is what the Canucks desperately need to start doing.

This is really sad.

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