Roster Thread (2023-2024 Season)

[PatLaFontaineASMR]

2 seasons post Eichel trade he's made one good acquisition of a bottom 6 forward despite mountains of cap space and a haul of draft picks from moving your best players?

Hardly a ringing endorsement.





I mean, when you have 5 1st round picks in two years with no cap constraints and you use every single one of them on prospects rather than improving your roster in the short and medium term, it's managerial malpractice. Especially when you were spending below the cap floor.

I could understand in 2021 when you were waiting on the Eichel return before spending picks, but in 2022 when you had 3 1sts, there is no way you can legit use all 3. You have to invest in the now rather than continually punt seasons. It was dumb then and its still dumb now.



What is he handcuffed by? Even if the owner says "hey don't spend above the cap floor", he could have easily added an impact player and not spent stupid money on bottom line/bottom pairing players.



In a vacuum, those d signings aren't THAT bad. Clifton is an overpayment sure. Signing them both certainly didn't make any sense though.

The problem is when those are you only two significant signings to improve the team in two years. And then they don't work out nearly as well as you hoped.

It's one thing to swing and miss on some signings.

It's quite another to swing and miss on your ONLY signings.

Your ideal roster construction is essentially the Sens. They've made the moves you wanted the Sabres to make. Trading for Chychrun. Going after those veteran goalies in Korpisalo/Talbot. Going after top 6 scoring talent like DeBrincat/Tarasenko. Acquiring a top 6 vet who is excellent at faceoffs with experience in Giroux. Also getting tough middle 6 talent like Mathieu Joseph.

They just happen to be below us in the standings with all those moves.

You don't need to throw around money & trade away high picks or prospects to build a good team. I think majority of this roster is great. Just being held back by coaching. With an average PP this team is likely already in a playoff spot. I agree that some of the moves Adams made aren't aging well, but pretty much all the signings you were mad at Adams for not making aged even worse. We'd still be a bad team just with an abysmal prospect pool.

 

[My Cozen Dylan]

Your ideal roster construction is essentially the Sens. They've made the moves you wanted the Sabres to make. Trading for Chychrun. Going after those veteran goalies in Korpisalo/Talbot. Going after top 6 scoring talent like DeBrincat/Tarasenko. Acquiring a top 6 vet who is excellent at faceoffs with experience in Giroux. Also getting tough middle 6 talent like Mathieu Joseph.

They just happen to be below us in the standings with all those moves.

You don't need to throw around money & trade away high picks or prospects to build a good team. I think majority of this roster is great. Just being held back by coaching. With an average PP this team is likely already in a playoff spot. I agree that some of the moves Adams made aren't aging well, but pretty much all the signings you were mad at Adams for not making aged even worse. We'd still be a bad team just with an abysmal prospect pool.

Majority is a strong word.

 

[Sabresfansince1980]

Except, Clifton wasn't exactly looked at as a bottom pairing replacement upgrade, but of a top 4 upgrade.

Unless you think a 3.33 million aav for 3 years is a wise investment to address a weakness in the bottom pairing which is what it looks it will be. At least with EJ it was known he was bottom pairing upgrade, and only signed for one year.

Go back and check my post history about Clifton - I didn't want him at all. But even though I knew he wouldn't be a top-4 guy, he is at least a big upgrade on the trash they iced last season. This summer I still wouldn't mind going after Roy/Pesce in UFA and slotting Clifton all the way down to #7. He can be traded any time.

 

[PatLaFontaineASMR]

Majority is a strong word.

Until they go to new teams and look amazing.

 

[Sabresfansince1980]

2 seasons post Eichel trade he's made one good acquisition of a bottom 6 forward despite mountains of cap space and a haul of draft picks from moving your best players?

Hardly a ringing endorsement.





I mean, when you have 5 1st round picks in two years with no cap constraints and you use every single one of them on prospects rather than improving your roster in the short and medium term, it's managerial malpractice. Especially when you were spending below the cap floor.

I could understand in 2021 when you were waiting on the Eichel return before spending picks, but in 2022 when you had 3 1sts, there is no way you can legit use all 3. You have to invest in the now rather than continually punt seasons. It was dumb then and its still dumb now.



What is he handcuffed by? Even if the owner says "hey don't spend above the cap floor", he could have easily added an impact player and not spent stupid money on bottom line/bottom pairing players.



In a vacuum, those d signings aren't THAT bad. Clifton is an overpayment sure. Signing them both certainly didn't make any sense though.

The problem is when those are you only two significant signings to improve the team in two years. And then they don't work out nearly as well as you hoped.

It's one thing to swing and miss on some signings.

It's quite another to swing and miss on your ONLY signings.

So now you're talking about trading 1st rd picks, which is top talent. That's not the same as "when not giving up superior talent". Even if that's not how you meant it, well I'm on board with trading a 1st at this point, and it remains to be seen if KA will go that route.

We don't know whether he's handcuffed, but if he is odds are that means not going big with a trade for a big cap/long term player going into the mid-30s. If it's not a player of that type, you're likely going to throw it in the EJ/Clifton barrel that you're complaining about.

I'm not sure why you or anyone else keeps saying that EJ and Clifton didn't work out. Go back and watch the first half of last season and tell me with a straight face that they aren't WAY better than Bryson/Fitz/Pilut/Clague. Complain all you want that they aren't Pesce - I totally agree, but those two have worked out really well as an improvement over the fluky four.

 

[Chainshot]

So now you're talking about trading 1st rd picks, which is top talent. That's not the same as "when not giving up superior talent". Even if that's not how you meant it, well I'm on board with trading a 1st at this point, and it remains to be seen if KA will go that route.

We don't know whether he's handcuffed, but if he is odds are that means not going big with a trade for a big cap/long term player going into the mid-30s. If it's not a player of that type, you're likely going to throw it in the EJ/Clifton barrel that you're complaining about.

I'm not sure why you or anyone else keeps saying that EJ and Clifton didn't work out. Go back and watch the first half of last season and tell me with a straight face that they aren't WAY better than Bryson/Fitz/Pilut/Clague. Complain all you want that they aren't Pesce - I totally agree, but those two have worked out really well as an improvement over the fluky four.

Clifton and EJ have been way better than Fitz and Clague. The guys who are falling down most often are Dahlin, Power and Samuelsson.

 

[Djp]

Another option is to move some of the current prospects for different prospects.

Winnipeg would be a good trading partner. They've got prospects like Barlow and McGroarty in the pipeline. Those are the types of forwards the Sabres don't have.

I'm not saying directly that the Sabres should trade with Winnipeg, just using them as an option to illustrate the point.

i don’t have an issue in trading prospects. I’m not trading thrm for short term rentals

Except, Clifton wasn't exactly looked at as a bottom pairing replacement upgrade, but of a top 4 upgrade.

Unless you think a 3.33 million aav for 3 years is a wise investment to address a weakness in the bottom pairing which is what it looks it will be. At least with EJ it was known he was bottom pairing upgrade, and only signed for one year.

hr was viewed as a bottom pair who could play higher if chemistry developed.

for a vet Dman UFA he wasn’t an overpay.

2 seasons post Eichel trade he's made one good acquisition of a bottom 6 forward despite mountains of cap space and a haul of draft picks from moving your best players?

Hardly a ringing endorsement.

He traded the big three players and now letting the prospects develop

I mean, when you have 5 1st round picks in two years with no cap constraints and you use every single one of them on prospects rather than improving your roster in the short and medium term, it's managerial malpractice. Especially when you were spending below the cap floor.

He traded Risto and Reinhart at 21 draft, Eichel traded in early 21/22 season. when exactly did he know he was sitting on 5 1sts?

I could understand in 2021 when you were waiting on the Eichel return before spending picks, but in 2022 when you had 3 1sts, there is no way you can legit use all 3. You have to invest in the now rather than continually punt seasons. It was dumb then and its still dumb now.

he likely consider trades but GMs were trying to take advantage of him.

What is he handcuffed by? Even if the owner says "hey don't spend above the cap floor", he could have easily added an impact player and not spent stupid money on bottom line/bottom pairing

Who should he had signed and for how long?

In a vacuum, those d signings aren't THAT bad. Clifton is an overpayment sure. Signing them both certainly didn't make any sense though.

The problem is when those are you only two significant signings to improve the team in two years. And then they don't work out nearly as well as you hoped.

It's one thing to swing and miss on some signings.

It's quite another to swing and miss on your ONLY signings.

he saw a team go 90+ pts sad you blame the signings for this season?

Majority is a strong word.

It’s also true…..

 

[Chainshot]

Do trades like that ever happen? Nylander for Jokiharju was the only one I could remember. That was also two guys that both organizations moved on from rather than two teams swapping great prospects.

Almost never. Prospects go for established players or other draft picks. There is not much cheese down that path to even bother pursuing it.

 

[Selanne00008]

What does VO fetch at the deadline? Squeeze a 3rd rounder out of it?

 

[MOGlLNY]

What does VO fetch at the deadline? Squeeze a 3rd rounder out of it?

0 chance

 

[ValJamesDuex]

Greenway & Tuch Day-Day, Illness btw
Sounds like the flu/cov/rsv or something is making it's way through the Sabres now.

Where is the taxi squad when you need it ?
Wonder if there will be callups ?

 

[Zman5778]

Clifton and EJ have been way better than Fitz and Clague. The guys who are falling down most often are Dahlin, Power and Samuelsson.

Which kinda sorta goes to the issue with the whole team:

It's the Big Guys who aren't playing well/showing up. We've FINALLY seen signs of life out of Tuch, Tage and Cozens.......but those 3 in particular have been conspicuous in their poor play.

When an 18 year old rookie is largely the 2nd best forward the majority of the year (behind Mitts)......it's screaming that our best guys haven't been good enough. When Jokiharju has probably been our best defenseman and RJ has been our 2nd best defensemen......it's screaming that our best guys haven't been good enough.

 

[Beerz]

Which kinda sorta goes to the issue with the whole team:

It's the Big Guys who aren't playing well/showing up. We've FINALLY seen signs of life out of Tuch, Tage and Cozens.......but those 3 in particular have been conspicuous in their poor play.

When an 18 year old rookie is largely the 2nd best forward the majority of the year (behind Mitts)......it's screaming that our best guys haven't been good enough. When Jokiharju has probably been our best defenseman and RJ has been our 2nd best defensemen......it's screaming that our best guys haven't been good enough.

Tage and Cozens I agree are starting to pick it up... but I don't see it with Tuch

 

[K8fool]

Love it. Let's give Power more responsibility because he's handling his current load so well.

At least this is the first indication that they're even aware that something needs to change on the PP.

Power played better w Dahlin out. Internal competition and accountability. We'll see

 

[Zman5778]

Tage and Cozens I agree are starting to pick it up... but I don't see it with Tuch

He was far more engaged last night than he had been since his injury. Maybe it's just a one game thing. Maybe the little break did him a world of good.

We shall see.

 

[Fearnot]

I'm expecting a reversal from last year where we are amazing after the all star break and make the playoffs.

 

[K8fool]

Your ideal roster construction is essentially the Sens. They've made the moves you wanted the Sabres to make. Trading for Chychrun. Going after those veteran goalies in Korpisalo/Talbot. Going after top 6 scoring talent like DeBrincat/Tarasenko. Acquiring a top 6 vet who is excellent at faceoffs with experience in Giroux. Also getting tough middle 6 talent like Mathieu Joseph.

They just happen to be below us in the standings with all those moves.

You don't need to throw around money & trade away high picks or prospects to build a good team. I think majority of this roster is great. Just being held back by coaching. With an average PP this team is likely already in a playoff spot. I agree that some of the moves Adams made aren't aging well, but pretty much all the signings you were mad at Adams for not making aged even worse. We'd still be a bad team just with an abysmal prospect pool.

Sens. Any team w that cheap mook as a captain is more doomed than most in long run

His hockey skills on display as guys whacking the puck and capt moron whacking girgs ankle. Over and over and over. Etc unreal. The family must lived inside a uranium mine inside a fracking facility w jimmy savile visiting weekly for "training "

 

[MOGlLNY]

I'm expecting a reversal from last where we are amazing after the all star break and make the playoffs.

Wouldn’t that mean we were amazing this year before the all star break? Which we are worse than we were

 

[Chainshot]

What does VO fetch at the deadline? Squeeze a 3rd rounder out of it?

Probably a bit like a 5th or so. If they get a 4th I will be surprised.

 

[Fearnot]

Wouldn’t that mean we were amazing this year before the all star break? Which we are worse than we were

last year*

 

[MOGlLNY]

last year*

if it’s the reversal from last year that means we would be good then bad after the all star break. Are you saying we’re gonna be bad after the all star break still?

 

[BFLO]

 

[BB79]

View attachment 796938

Wtf

 

[Ehran]

Wtf

The "Stanley Cup" they're referring to is some brand of coffee tumbler / thermos that is branded with the Starbucks coffee logo, and available at Target. I think. There are videos online about the phenomenon but I haven't been interested enough to really get into it.

Edit: Here you go...

Pink Stanley Quencher Starbucks cup release sparks mayhem at Target stores

 

[Fearnot]

if it’s the reversal from last year that means we would be good then bad after the all star break. Are you saying we’re gonna be bad after the all star break still?

well we sucked immediately after and dug ourselves into a hole we couldnt get out out of finished strong though, sorry bad analogy i guess