21/22 Roster Speculation Thread Part VIII

[HaNotsri]

I'd like to see Mitts with Girgs and Okposo until he gets going again. Might be easier to restart in that role.

He's having a bit of the Thompson experience from last year, looking breakout ready and then waste a year on injuries. Not ready to give up on him yet, look at Tage this year.

 

[joshjull]

I know Cozens isnt a bad player but my god this teams future would look so good with Zegras instead of him

They’re different types of players with different upsides. Cozens upside is as a two way all situations center. Zegras upside is as a top offensive center. Neither has the skill set to be the others upside.

Both types are centers you’d want to have on your roster if you can. We actually have some options for that offensive center. Not so much for the two way center.



I also highly doubt if Zegras would be near the same 5v5 production here as he’s had with the Ducks. He would be in the minutes Cozens has played and have the same revolving door of linemates. Most of whom are bottom 6 or depth wingers.

Cozens at 5v5 has played with 7 wingers for 100+mins

Hino —->237mins
Okposo -> 192mins
Skinner -> 140mins
Murray —> 135mins
Olofsson -> 121mins
Caggiula -> 117mins
Asplund -> 108mins

Zegras at 5v5 has played with 3 wingers for 100+mins.

Rackell —> 428mins
Milano —> 312mins
Henrique -> 173mins


Their respective 5v5 production

Cozens 50gms 11g 9a 20pts
Zegras 48gms 8g 19a 27pts

 

[TehDoak]

I'd like to see Mitts with Girgs and Okposo until he gets going again. Might be easier to restart in that role.

He's having a bit of the Thompson experience from last year, looking breakout ready and then waste a year on injuries. Not ready to give up on him yet, look at Tage this year.

I am all for patience. But Thompson’s sudden and extreme development is the exception not the rule. Expecting players that have struggled mightily four years in to suddenly breakout is a recipe for having a lot of busts on your roster. We have seen one brief flash of hope from Casey and a whole lot of mediocrity.

 

[Team Cozens]

I'd like to see Mitts with Girgs and Okposo until he gets going again. Might be easier to restart in that role.

He's having a bit of the Thompson experience from last year, looking breakout ready and then waste a year on injuries. Not ready to give up on him yet, look at Tage this year.

Okposo should never play another NHL game. Pucks just die on his stick. I don’t care it he’s a nice guy.

 

[Fjordsen]

Okposo should never play another NHL game. Pucks just die on his stick. I don’t care it he’s a nice guy.

I think he's not that bad, but he should be playing in the fourth line with Girgensons and someone else, not top 6 time, he gets noticeably tired in the second half of the game.

 

[Team Cozens]

I think he's not that bad, but he should be playing in the fourth line with Girgensons and someone else, not top 6 time, he gets noticeably tired in the second half of the game.

13th man. He would be great in the press box and a leader on the travel flights.

 

[is the answer jesus]

Okposo should never play another NHL game. Pucks just die on his stick. I don’t care it he’s a nice guy.

I've said the same thing about Okposo in the past, but I've come around. Since then Okposo has played better, the team has shed significant cap space while also getting much younger which creates a need for a strong vet presence in that locker room, the salary is also less of an issue now. He's never been much of a play driver, but put in a bottom 6 role with guys that can drive play a bit and force turnovers Okposo can play a role here. That said if he's pushed out of the lineup by the play of some of our young up and comers so be it.

 

[Matt Ress]

What are our way-too-early expectations for next year?

Let's say by season's start we have a healthy roster and have injected an above average goaltender, JJ, a RH defensive defenseman, and Power but that 1st rounder isn't ready yet.

Maybe Hino, Eakin and VO are gone but VO is replaced by a guy that can play in the bottom 6, is a little bigger and meaner but without the scoring touch.

We've heard Donny talk about how this is a development year so wins and losses are secondary. What does this team look like when wins and losses are the primary focus? Do they concentrate on closing out games, more defined roles, schematic game management?

Feel free to fill in any blanks or change whatever I projected. I guess it's just a thought exercise as to what the group feels may be realistic.

 

[Fjordsen]

but VO is replaced by a guy that can play in the bottom 6, is a little bigger and meaner but without the scoring touch.

They can also replace him with a better player. I'm a bit worried that we'll probably have a very young top 9 and I think we need a legit top 6 winger. It's too early to draw any serious conclusions about Mitts yet, but his game looks bad and he has no speed, we'll see how he does in the remaining games of the season, but if Adams does decide to trade him in the summer, I would not mind adding a guy like Copp or maybe Laughton, who can play both C and wing, or as a variant of the physical player like Crouse/Greenway style.

 

[Matt Ress]

They can also replace him with a better player. I'm a bit worried that we'll probably have a very young top 9 and I think we need a legit top 6 winger. It's too early to draw any serious conclusions about Mitts yet, but his game looks bad and he has no speed, we'll see how he does in the remaining games of the season, but if Adams does decide to trade him in the summer, I would not mind adding a guy like Copp or maybe Laughton, who can play both C and wing, or as a variant of the physical player like Crouse/Greenway style.

I agree. I really like the idea of a vet 2/3C to nudge Cozens to the wing. Mitts is still unknown but when he's shown flashes, speed wasn't really an issue. I'm sure it's been a difficult season for him but let's hope he keeps hitting the weight room throughout the off season. I like Olofsson but he just seems like the most likely to be moved if it comes down to that.

 

[Chainshot]

What are our way-too-early expectations for next year?

Let's say by season's start we have a healthy roster and have injected an above average goaltender, JJ, a RH defensive defenseman, and Power but that 1st rounder isn't ready yet.

Maybe Hino, Eakin and VO are gone but VO is replaced by a guy that can play in the bottom 6, is a little bigger and meaner but without the scoring touch.

We've heard Donny talk about how this is a development year so wins and losses are secondary. What does this team look like when wins and losses are the primary focus? Do they concentrate on closing out games, more defined roles, schematic game management?

Feel free to fill in any blanks or change whatever I projected. I guess it's just a thought exercise as to what the group feels may be realistic.

Being healthy? That would be new.

I've tossed around a few lineup ideas but in the end, I'm left trying to fit parts together. Right now, it looks like some combo of :

1A-ish Line:

Skinner-Thompson-Tuch: Don may say he's not attached, but this line works and it seems like they would be back. Granted, two of the guys are streaky and the lack of consistency is going to be an issue.

1B-ish Line:

Krebs-Cozens-Quinn/Quinn-Krebs-Cozens/Jumble-Jumble-Jumble: Krebs has shown some ability to work with both, Cozens has shown some ability to match up and outplay some quality opponents but given Krebs shall we say "freedom" with the puck and Quinn's relative youth, this is more of a group to try to exploit a matchup than to be the matchup. Cozens gives the trio some size and none of the three are overly slow.

"3rd line"/Shutdown/Transition/D-zone start guys:

Girgensons-_______ - Okposo/____ - Girgensons-Okposo

This has worked in the past, even recently earlier this season. It's the "blank" that is in question. Is that Jankowski, brought back for his defensive chops and ability to not get scored upon? Do they live the dream and reunite LOG? Is it Asplund? Is it someone like Mittelstadt or Cozens? But it seems like time to look at a traditional line to take the heavier minutes to regain possession from higher scoring opponents.

The "other line":

Some teams have a group to provide energy. Some spot specialist players into it. Buffalo? Misfit toys has best described the group during spates of injuries in the recent past.

------------------------------------

Then instead, trying to integrate the parts that don't fit into something more and come up with:

"Top" line with a twist: Skinner-Mittelstadt-Tuch
Reuniting the 70's line: Asplund-Thompson-Olofsson
The Kid Line: Krebs-Cozens-Quinn/Quinn-Krebs-Cozens
Thud line: Peterka-Girgensons-Okposo

It doesn't define roles as much, though the POG line does have more of a defensive bend with Peterka's jets providing additional possibilities for pressure. It isn't overly large or have much jam. The size is distributed across the entire lineup and it's kind of balanced. But that would mean Mittelstadt comes back around to how he finished last season and that seems far at the moment.

------------------------------------------

Defense...

Dahlin - NOT JOKIHARJU
Samuelsson - Bryson maybe?
Power - ????

The experimenting to see what they have in Fitz is interesting in that they have had so few coaches who have actually tried things to see if they can find something that we might not even recognize that they are doing it. Also, this isn't an indictment of Power as third pairing, it's more that the non-Dahlin pairs wind up with more even time.

As much as they could use Mittelstadt unf***ing himself in the forward lineup, they need Jokiharju to unf*** himself defensively. He does not impose physically. His offensive game takes a backseat because he frequently defers to Dahlin. His decision making has not been good lately and them as a pair seems like it is struggling.

Bryson is sort of small Montador right now. Things happen when he's on the ice. That doesn't mean just good things happen. But he has shown a little adaptability in moving to his off-hand side and that's a plus.

Fitzgerald... physical player? Yes. Has moments when the puck moves through him well? Yep. Processing the game? Eh... this is where that Botterill f***up of having so many RHD all through both the big and farm clubs and losing a season of practice and game reps for Fitz hurts. He is a RHD. He is game to mix it up and will knock people down around the net which on this team is noticeable because it doesn't happen. While the AHL pair with Samuelsson worked, they just don't move the puck well enough at this level to work IMO.

Power is a wild card. Having watched a lot of Michigan this year, my feeling is that he'll help get the puck up the ice and keep it up the ice. Now, what Buffalo does when the puck gets up there remains to be seen, but he is going to help them defend more in that the puck is 200' away from their net than what he does in his own zone. He's not Luke Hughes level of waving his stick at someone while out of position in his own zone useless right now, but neither does he have the dynamic skating and nose for the net that his teammate has. He also isn't going to fix what is wrong with the blueline and the team's general porous d-zone play all on his own.

 

[Matt Ress]

Being healthy? That would be new.

I've tossed around a few lineup ideas but in the end, I'm left trying to fit parts together. Right now, it looks like some combo of :

1A-ish Line:

Skinner-Thompson-Tuch: Don may say he's not attached, but this line works and it seems like they would be back. Granted, two of the guys are streaky and the lack of consistency is going to be an issue.

1B-ish Line:

Krebs-Cozens-Quinn/Quinn-Krebs-Cozens/Jumble-Jumble-Jumble: Krebs has shown some ability to work with both, Cozens has shown some ability to match up and outplay some quality opponents but given Krebs shall we say "freedom" with the puck and Quinn's relative youth, this is more of a group to try to exploit a matchup than to be the matchup. Cozens gives the trio some size and none of the three are overly slow.

"3rd line"/Shutdown/Transition/D-zone start guys:

Girgensons-_______ - Okposo/____ - Girgensons-Okposo

This has worked in the past, even recently earlier this season. It's the "blank" that is in question. Is that Jankowski, brought back for his defensive chops and ability to not get scored upon? Do they live the dream and reunite LOG? Is it Asplund? Is it someone like Mittelstadt or Cozens? But it seems like time to look at a traditional line to take the heavier minutes to regain possession from higher scoring opponents.

The "other line":

Some teams have a group to provide energy. Some spot specialist players into it. Buffalo? Misfit toys has best described the group during spates of injuries in the recent past.

------------------------------------

Then instead, trying to integrate the parts that don't fit into something more and come up with:

"Top" line with a twist: Skinner-Mittelstadt-Tuch
Reuniting the 70's line: Asplund-Thompson-Olofsson
The Kid Line: Krebs-Cozens-Quinn/Quinn-Krebs-Cozens
Thud line: Peterka-Girgensons-Okposo

It doesn't define roles as much, though the POG line does have more of a defensive bend with Peterka's jets providing additional possibilities for pressure. It isn't overly large or have much jam. The size is distributed across the entire lineup and it's kind of balanced. But that would mean Mittelstadt comes back around to how he finished last season and that seems far at the moment.

------------------------------------------

Defense...

Dahlin - NOT JOKIHARJU
Samuelsson - Bryson maybe?
Power - ????

The experimenting to see what they have in Fitz is interesting in that they have had so few coaches who have actually tried things to see if they can find something that we might not even recognize that they are doing it. Also, this isn't an indictment of Power as third pairing, it's more that the non-Dahlin pairs wind up with more even time.

As much as they could use Mittelstadt unf***ing himself in the forward lineup, they need Jokiharju to unf*** himself defensively. He does not impose physically. His offensive game takes a backseat because he frequently defers to Dahlin. His decision making has not been good lately and them as a pair seems like it is struggling.

Bryson is sort of small Montador right now. Things happen when he's on the ice. That doesn't mean just good things happen. But he has shown a little adaptability in moving to his off-hand side and that's a plus.

Fitzgerald... physical player? Yes. Has moments when the puck moves through him well? Yep. Processing the game? Eh... this is where that Botterill f***up of having so many RHD all through both the big and farm clubs and losing a season of practice and game reps for Fitz hurts. He is a RHD. He is game to mix it up and will knock people down around the net which on this team is noticeable because it doesn't happen. While the AHL pair with Samuelsson worked, they just don't move the puck well enough at this level to work IMO.

Power is a wild card. Having watched a lot of Michigan this year, my feeling is that he'll help get the puck up the ice and keep it up the ice. Now, what Buffalo does when the puck gets up there remains to be seen, but he is going to help them defend more in that the puck is 200' away from their net than what he does in his own zone. He's not Luke Hughes level of waving his stick at someone while out of position in his own zone useless right now, but neither does he have the dynamic skating and nose for the net that his teammate has. He also isn't going to fix what is wrong with the blueline and the team's general porous d-zone play all on his own.

So with some growth and skill injected into the lineup, what would your expectations be for the team? From the start, this season I wanted to see a higher level of competitiveness and some individual player growth. What are your standards for 22-23?

 

[Chainshot]

So with some growth and skill injected into the lineup, what would your expectations be for the team? From the start, this season I wanted to see a higher level of competitiveness and some individual player growth. What are your standards for 22-23?

Finishing in the 12-14 draft range. What that record means, I do not know.

 

[Matt Ress]

As a next step, I would like to see
Better in-game management and flexibility
Even more individual player growth as guys figure out their niche.
Better ability to close out games: better goalie play, scheming, bloodthirst
Better team defense, including young forwards
Better team cohesiveness
More sandpaper

 

[Doug Prishpreed]

Random thought:
Even if Murray and/or Botterill were near-perfect in their team-building abilities, I'm not sure they would've been able to match what Florida or Tampa has built. Those are two near-bulletproof, sustainably built teams, and both in our division. I think the team picked a good time to scrap the experiment and start over.

In a way, I feel like the fact that our division is so good allows me to accept this new rebuild more easily. I'd hate to have to pin any playoff hopes on beating either of those teams, even twith Eichel, ROR, Reinhart, Hall, and whoever else we've ever thought about adding. We never had anything close to an average defence, which you need to last through the playoffs. The old plan was never going to work, even if Botterill was good.

 

[Chainshot]

Random thought:
Even if Murray and/or Botterill were near-perfect in their team-building abilities, I'm not sure they would've been able to match what Florida or Tampa has built. Those are two near-bulletproof, sustainably built teams, and both in our division. I think the team picked a good time to scrap the experiment and start over.

In a way, I feel like the fact that our division is so good allows me to accept this new rebuild more easily. I'd hate to have to pin any playoff hopes on beating either of those teams, even twith Eichel, ROR, Reinhart, Hall, and whoever else we've ever thought about adding. We never had anything close to an average defence, which you need to last through the playoffs. The old plan was never going to work, even if Botterill was good.

Backing it up for a bit - the unravelling goes so deep. What if Regier doesn't try to rush his foursome of 1st rounders into the league?

But yeah, they're trying to dig out when their division features three excellent regular season teams, the twilight of a fourth (Boston), and two teams they are trying to rebuild beside seem further along (Detroit and Ottawa).

 

[BFLO]

I've said the same thing about Okposo in the past, but I've come around. Since then Okposo has played better, the team has shed significant cap space while also getting much younger which creates a need for a strong vet presence in that locker room, the salary is also less of an issue now. He's never been much of a play driver, but put in a bottom 6 role with guys that can drive play a bit and force turnovers Okposo can play a role here. That said if he's pushed out of the lineup by the play of some of our young up and comers so be it.

We need good veteran leadership. What can Okposo teach the kids about winning at the NHL level?

 

[Der Jaeger]

Posting in 2022 draft thread and roster speculation thread, since it crosses both threads.

I used to advocate for tank for the "2 elite centers" model of roster construction. Not anymore. It's too difficult to achieve, and even if you get it, success is not guaranteed. The Sabres actually had 3 elite centers (Eichel, O'Reilly, Reinhart) and couldn't win. Edmonton is struggling. The Pens are the only team to really seek out the 2 elite center model and make it work. There are other teams that have it (Washington, Tampa, Toronto) but they didn't tank to get there.

So, in summary, if you get it, good. But don't go seek it out at the detriment of the whole roster. And definitely don't tank for it.

I'm now in the Boston, St. Louis, old LA Kings camp for roster construction when it comes to centers. That model features impressive center depth, but the team didn't tank to get it, and the centers tend to be 200-foot players as opposed to superstar scorers (no disrespect to Kopitar). The Bruins had Bergeron and Krecji for a decade. St. Louis won a Cup with O'Reilly and Schenn. The Kings had the best center spine I've ever watch play in Kopitar-Richards-Carter-Stoll.

I think this is the route the Sabres need to take. They've got Cozens, Thompson, Mittelstadt, and Krebs on the roster as potential future centers. And they've got a top 5 pick coming (likely). I advocate using it on a center to cement the center-depth model, especially since all the center possibilities are good defensively, aside from Mittelstadt.

Adding in Savoie or Geekie to this group makes a ton of sense. Either of these two help the Sabres add depth to their center group, each with a different skill set. Savoie is more Brayden Point, and Geekie is more Brayden Schenn.

And if the Sabres get the top pick in the lottery, then need to take Wright. Wright projects as a Bergeron-O'Reilly type center. Slot him in as the top center going forward, and the Sabres will be in contention for a decade, a lot like the Bruins have been.

 

[Der Jaeger]

Random thought:
Even if Murray and/or Botterill were near-perfect in their team-building abilities, I'm not sure they would've been able to match what Florida or Tampa has built. Those are two near-bulletproof, sustainably built teams, and both in our division. I think the team picked a good time to scrap the experiment and start over.

In a way, I feel like the fact that our division is so good allows me to accept this new rebuild more easily. I'd hate to have to pin any playoff hopes on beating either of those teams, even twith Eichel, ROR, Reinhart, Hall, and whoever else we've ever thought about adding. We never had anything close to an average defence, which you need to last through the playoffs. The old plan was never going to work, even if Botterill was good.

Backing it up for a bit - the unravelling goes so deep. What if Regier doesn't try to rush his foursome of 1st rounders into the league?

But yeah, they're trying to dig out when their division features three excellent regular season teams, the twilight of a fourth (Boston), and two teams they are trying to rebuild beside seem further along (Detroit and Ottawa).

See my poster above. The sustainable built should look a lot like what Boston has done. They've been competitive for over a decade without an elite, best at position player on their roster (though Thomas for a season, and Marchand for a few seasons, came close).

 

[Chainshot]

We need good veteran leadership. What can Okposo teach the kids about winning at the NHL level?

Gionta won a Cup and was a captain of one of the most storied franchises in the NHL prior to coming to Buffalo. He had over 100 playoff games to his name. And people still didn't listen to him.

 

[Chainshot]

See my poster above. The sustainable built should look a lot like what Boston has done. They've been competitive for over a decade without an elite, best at position player on their roster (though Thomas for a season, and Marchand for a few seasons, came close).

Eh, Boston has one of the best defensive centers of our lifetime on their roster and found him in the 2nd round 19 years ago. If anyone thought Bergeron was going to be that good for that long, they would've drafted him long before he went at 45 that year.

Buffalo has had a problem identifying, drafting and developing players for most of that time. They loved Kopitar - missed him by 2 picks and went with who they thought was the next best center... Zagrapan.

 

[Der Jaeger]

Being healthy? That would be new.

I've tossed around a few lineup ideas but in the end, I'm left trying to fit parts together. Right now, it looks like some combo of :

1A-ish Line:

Skinner-Thompson-Tuch: Don may say he's not attached, but this line works and it seems like they would be back. Granted, two of the guys are streaky and the lack of consistency is going to be an issue.

1B-ish Line:

Krebs-Cozens-Quinn/Quinn-Krebs-Cozens/Jumble-Jumble-Jumble: Krebs has shown some ability to work with both, Cozens has shown some ability to match up and outplay some quality opponents but given Krebs shall we say "freedom" with the puck and Quinn's relative youth, this is more of a group to try to exploit a matchup than to be the matchup. Cozens gives the trio some size and none of the three are overly slow.

"3rd line"/Shutdown/Transition/D-zone start guys:

Girgensons-_______ - Okposo/____ - Girgensons-Okposo

This has worked in the past, even recently earlier this season. It's the "blank" that is in question. Is that Jankowski, brought back for his defensive chops and ability to not get scored upon? Do they live the dream and reunite LOG? Is it Asplund? Is it someone like Mittelstadt or Cozens? But it seems like time to look at a traditional line to take the heavier minutes to regain possession from higher scoring opponents.

The "other line":

Some teams have a group to provide energy. Some spot specialist players into it. Buffalo? Misfit toys has best described the group during spates of injuries in the recent past.

------------------------------------

Then instead, trying to integrate the parts that don't fit into something more and come up with:

"Top" line with a twist: Skinner-Mittelstadt-Tuch
Reuniting the 70's line: Asplund-Thompson-Olofsson
The Kid Line: Krebs-Cozens-Quinn/Quinn-Krebs-Cozens
Thud line: Peterka-Girgensons-Okposo

It doesn't define roles as much, though the POG line does have more of a defensive bend with Peterka's jets providing additional possibilities for pressure. It isn't overly large or have much jam. The size is distributed across the entire lineup and it's kind of balanced. But that would mean Mittelstadt comes back around to how he finished last season and that seems far at the moment.

------------------------------------------

Defense...

Dahlin - NOT JOKIHARJU
Samuelsson - Bryson maybe?
Power - ????

The experimenting to see what they have in Fitz is interesting in that they have had so few coaches who have actually tried things to see if they can find something that we might not even recognize that they are doing it. Also, this isn't an indictment of Power as third pairing, it's more that the non-Dahlin pairs wind up with more even time.

As much as they could use Mittelstadt unf***ing himself in the forward lineup, they need Jokiharju to unf*** himself defensively. He does not impose physically. His offensive game takes a backseat because he frequently defers to Dahlin. His decision making has not been good lately and them as a pair seems like it is struggling.

Bryson is sort of small Montador right now. Things happen when he's on the ice. That doesn't mean just good things happen. But he has shown a little adaptability in moving to his off-hand side and that's a plus.

Fitzgerald... physical player? Yes. Has moments when the puck moves through him well? Yep. Processing the game? Eh... this is where that Botterill f***up of having so many RHD all through both the big and farm clubs and losing a season of practice and game reps for Fitz hurts. He is a RHD. He is game to mix it up and will knock people down around the net which on this team is noticeable because it doesn't happen. While the AHL pair with Samuelsson worked, they just don't move the puck well enough at this level to work IMO.

Power is a wild card. Having watched a lot of Michigan this year, my feeling is that he'll help get the puck up the ice and keep it up the ice. Now, what Buffalo does when the puck gets up there remains to be seen, but he is going to help them defend more in that the puck is 200' away from their net than what he does in his own zone. He's not Luke Hughes level of waving his stick at someone while out of position in his own zone useless right now, but neither does he have the dynamic skating and nose for the net that his teammate has. He also isn't going to fix what is wrong with the blueline and the team's general porous d-zone play all on his own.

Here's my deadline, off-season framework plan:

TDL (deal valuation is almost a direct pull from the Vogl article in the Athletic, which had past season comparables):
- Miller for a 4th (maybe a 3rd if he's healthy and the Sabres retain)
- Hinostroza for a 5th (maybe a 4th if he's healthy and the Sabres retain)
- Eakin for a 5th
- Hagg for a 6th
- Anderson for 6th or 7th.
- Retain as a 3rd party on deals to stay above the cap floor, and add in some 4th and 5th round picks

Drafts. Sabres go in with:
3 x 1sts
1 x 2nd
1 x 3rd
3 x 4th (adding in one for Miller and one for a salary retention deal)
4 x 5th (adding two for Hinostroza and Eakin deals and one for salary retention deal)
3 x 6th (adds from Hagg and Anderson deals)
1 x 7th

I'm templating the Sabres finish 30th, as Montreal starts to finds a groove late in the season and wins enough to bypass the Sabres. No lottery speculation, just straight draft.

1. Arizona: Shane Wright
2. Seattle: Logan Cooley
3. Buffalo: Matthew Savoie

I do think Vegas is going to end up close to not making the playoffs. Really hoping they don't, and they've got some competition in Anaheim, Edmonton, and Vancouver. If Vegas gets in, Stone returns and who knows then. Vegas' remaining SOS is easy, with only Vancouver having a SOS close to as easy. So here's for hoping...

If Vegas doesn't get in, then Buffalo gets another lottery pick, which won't get the Sabres a top 2 pick, since it's top 10 protected. But it offers some trade up possibilities. The Sabres should be looking at moving up to around 10 in the draft, and with a Vegas pick, their second rounder, and a slew of late round picks, have the ammunition to get there.

Target: Cutter Gauthier. He's this year's Tyler Boucher. Big, strong winger who brings the type of game the organization needs. Assume the Sabres use their Vegas 1st and their 2nd, plus some later picks, to get him.

With the Florida 1st, just for argument's sake, I'll go with a BPA of Elias Salomonsson.

Draft Recap:
1. Savoie C/RW
1. Gather LW/C
1. Salomonsson RD

Restricted Free Agency: Re-sign Olofsson, Ruotsalainen, Bryson, Biro, Murray, and UPL.
Sabres UFAs: re-sign Pysyk, Jankowski, Subban, Houser, Malone, and Toharski.

UFAs:
- Only one skater UFA signing, Andrew Copp
- Goaltender. Couple of directions here. Can Husso be the answer going forward? Or sign Kuemper or Holtby to team with UPL? I'd bet on the latter, since Husso may want to head to a contender.

Trades: two trades no one is going to like, a third trade which helps balance the defensive prospects
- 2023 2nd to Montreal for Jeff Petry
-2023 3rd to Vancouver for Tyler Myers
- Ryan Johnson to LA Kings for Helge Grans

These trades are designed to put some veterans back on defense, and help Dahlin and Power develop without having to carry their pairing.

Opening night line-up
Skinner - Mittelstadt - Tuch
Asplund - Thompson - Olofsson
Krebs - Cozens - Quinn
Peterka - Copp - Okposo
x Girgensons, Jankowski

Dahlin - Petry
Samuelsson - Jokiharju
Power - Myers
x Bryson, Pysyk

Kuemper, UPL

The Sabres will likely need to move on from Bjork, and make a value decision between re-signing Pysyk or possibly losing Fitzgerald as a waiver claim.

AHL, juniors, European leagues, NCAA:
Forwards: Savoie, Gauthier, Rosen, Poltapov, Kisakov, Sardarian, Bloom, Biro, Murray, Weissbach, Ruotsalainen, Pekar
Defense: Grans, Fitzgerald, Laaksonen, Salomonsson
Goaltender: Levi, Portillo

Places the Sabres can look to improve, since they are going all-in on the youth movement across the full roster:
- Okposo and Girgensons are on the final year's of their deals. Girgensons has never made the playoffs. Okposo hasn't played a playoff game since 2016. Maybe Adams moves them to ensure they get in.
- Mittelstadt will be truly in his make-or-break season next season. He gets a bye now due to injuries. But it'll be decision time next season.
- Where does Levi play next season? I'd like to see him in Cincinnati to start, and then move onto Rochester as the season progresses.
- Is UPL ready to take the NHL net?
- When is Grans ready? He'll start in Rochester.
- Do the Sabres move on from Bryson or Samuelsson, or does one start to log some serious RD minutes?
- Can Skinner maintain his scoring going forward?
- Who ends up as the centers between Cozens, Krebs, and Savoie?

 

[Der Jaeger]

Eh, Boston has one of the best defensive centers of our lifetime on their roster and found him in the 2nd round 19 years ago. If anyone thought Bergeron was going to be that good for that long, they would've drafted him long before he went at 45 that year.

Buffalo has had a problem identifying, drafting and developing players for most of that time. They loved Kopitar - missed him by 2 picks and went with who they thought was the next best center... Zagrapan.

All true. But if they've got a kid like Wright sitting there (assuming a lottery win), that's how he projects.

 

[Joseph Nathan]

Posting in 2022 draft thread and roster speculation thread, since it crosses both threads.

I used to advocate for tank for the "2 elite centers" model of roster construction. Not anymore. It's too difficult to achieve, and even if you get it, success is not guaranteed. The Sabres actually had 3 elite centers (Eichel, O'Reilly, Reinhart) and couldn't win. Edmonton is struggling. The Pens are the only team to really seek out the 2 elite center model and make it work. There are other teams that have it (Washington, Tampa, Toronto) but they didn't tank to get there.

So, in summary, if you get it, good. But don't go seek it out at the detriment of the whole roster. And definitely don't tank for it.

I'm now in the Boston, St. Louis, old LA Kings camp for roster construction when it comes to centers. That model features impressive center depth, but the team didn't tank to get it, and the centers tend to be 200-foot players as opposed to superstar scorers (no disrespect to Kopitar). The Bruins had Bergeron and Krecji for a decade. St. Louis won a Cup with O'Reilly and Schenn. The Kings had the best center spine I've ever watch play in Kopitar-Richards-Carter-Stoll.

I think this is the route the Sabres need to take. They've got Cozens, Thompson, Mittelstadt, and Krebs on the roster as potential future centers. And they've got a top 5 pick coming (likely). I advocate using it on a center to cement the center-depth model, especially since all the center possibilities are good defensively, aside from Mittelstadt.

Adding in Savoie or Geekie to this group makes a ton of sense. Either of these two help the Sabres add depth to their center group, each with a different skill set. Savoie is more Brayden Point, and Geekie is more Brayden Schenn.

And if the Sabres get the top pick in the lottery, then need to take Wright. Wright projects as a Bergeron-O'Reilly type center. Slot him in as the top center going forward, and the Sabres will be in contention for a decade, a lot like the Bruins have been.

Sabres aren't eligible this year for #1 pick

 

[Bufbro]

Sabres aren't eligible this year for #1 pick

This is false. They can most definitely get it this year.