Sportsnet: Elliotte Friedman and Kyle Bukauskas on the 32 Thoughts: The Podcast – Couple Clubs Reach Their Tipping Point episode, on the Buffalo Sabres and Friedman comes up with a hypothetical trade involving the Sabres, the Vancouver Canucks, and Elias Pettersson.
** NHLRumors.com transcription
Bukauskas: “We’ve seen it happen in other markets around the NHL, But the problem is for a team like Buffalo, I mean, it’s a different scenario, because 2011 was a long time, and they’ve hit the restart button a couple of times to try to get a right, and it still hasn’t come to fruition.
So whether it’s a guy like Cozens, who, it’s been a less than ideal start from individually, as it has been for the team, or somebody else as the vultures start circling. It would really compound the issue if patience runs out, you decide to go in a different direction before it all does come together. And now you’re seeing a player like (Dylan) Cozens elsewhere on a rocket ship towards the potential that you once envisioned in Buffalo. And that’s going on somewhere else.
I suppose that’s always the fear in these scenarios. And as you say, if in fact, Terry Pegula is on his way to Montreal, I guess we’ll have a pretty good idea before too long of how they really feel, of what the best next course of action is.”
Friedman: “Alright. So Kyle, with all of that said, I want to stress, this is in my head. I sit down. I am a danger, Kyle, when I have too much time to think…”
Bukauskas “I say, we’re theatering here.”
Friedman: “is bad for me. Yes, thinking is, but I had some time on Sunday to think. And I was thinking about the Sabres, and I was thinking about Rick Tocchet. Okay, and what he had to say on Saturday, and then reiterated on Sunday. So I want to stress this is purely in my head.
Who says no, Cozens and Bowen (Byram) for (Elias) Pettersson.”
Bukauskas: “Wowww”
Friedman: “He’s got his microphone muted, but I just heard Dom’s head explode.”
Bukauskas: “32 thoughts, the podcast will be looking for a new producer come Tuesday.”
Friedman: “Who says no?”
Bukauskas: “I could say Vancouver is saying no.”
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Friedman: “Of the two teams, I would think that’s the more likely team to say no. I agree with you.”
Bukauskas: “Because they’re trying to win a cup this year. And nothing against the other two guys that you mentioned in this hypothetical, outlandish scenario, but they haven’t been a part of, sorry.”
Friedman: “Well…”
Bukauskas: “Bowen Byram’s won a cup. Bowen Byram’s won a cup.”
Friedman: “And Bowen Byram not only did he win a cup, but he won it in similar circumstances, right?”
Bukauskas: “What do you mean?”
Friedman: “In the sense that if Bowen Byram would go to Vancouver, he would not be the number 1D, just like he was not in Colorado.”
Bukauskas: “Yeah.””
Friedman: “Behind Cale Makar, behind Quinn Hughes. And, you know, the one thing about Byron is, I do think he wants an opportunity at some point to become the number one guy. So that’s a thing as he gets closer to unrestricted free agency. But…”
Bukauskas: “Played almost 26 minutes on Sunday.”
Friedman: “What’s that?”
Bukauskas: “He played almost 26 minutes on Sunday.”
Friedman: “I know. But my point is, like, I don’t know, I, would Vancouver be worried about that in this hypothetical situation. That he would go to Vancouver and say, I don’t know that I want to do this for long-term, because I’ve done this before.
But if I was Vancouver and I saw how great Byram played in that run with, with Makar there, I would say, I’d love that guy right behind Quinn Hughes.
Anyway. I think you’re right. I think if, if that was proposed, I think that Vancouver is more likely to say no than Buffalo.
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But you know, one of the things that Adams has talked about, and we should mention Terry Pegula’s loyalty to Kevyn Adams, because he trusts him. One of the things that Adams has talked about is making a move that doesn’t make his team worse. Because he doesn’t want to make the Sabres worse. And I know it sounds crazy, because they’ve been going really poorly. I’m just talking about you look at the roster and say it’s not starting over. You can see how a deal makes them better.
Pettersson to me, and again, Vancouver, I want to stress this is purely my brain. Pettersson to me, makes them better.”
Friedman: “Dom as our resident Vancouverite, what do you think about that?”
Dominic Sramaty: “Elliotte, you’re a mad man, but I have a theory when it comes to trades.”
Friedman: “What’s the, what’s your theory?”
Sramaty: “If you are the one trading away the best player in the deal, you inherently lose that deal. So I don’t think the Canucks would be willing to make that deal with the Sabers.”
Friedman: “That’s fair. You know what, like I said, part of the reason I brought it up on the Pod is, I wanted to hear what you guys have to say about it.”
But you, you listen to Rutherford and you know the Sabers are looking and you just fiddle around with some ideas in your head.”
Bukauskas: “It does improve their defense, in defense of your suggestion.”
Friedman: “Anyway, we’ll see how this all turns out.”
Bukauskas: “Bowen Byram and Dylan Cozens did play together in the BC lower mainland.”
Friedman: “I didn’t realize that.”
Bukauskas: “For a period of time.”
Friedman: “I did not know that. I was more referring to seeing how it turns out with the meeting with Pegula, but …”
Bukauskas: “Way to set Vancouver on fire Freidge.”
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Friedman: “It’s not, not even my goal in this case. We’ll see how it turns out with Pegula and the Sabres. But I just don’t see any other path. It’s either change or it’s a commitment to who they’ve got in place.”
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