Roster Thread (2023-2024 Season)

[Djp]

I'd have absolutely traded our 2023 1st (Benson) for a #2 d-man.

Pick #22 and a 3rd rounder was enough to get Gavrikov, Korpisalo and dump Quick's $5.8m cap. You don't think our 2023 1st would have been worth Gavrikov +++ from CBJ?

If we had added Gavrikov we would have made the playoffs.

except a #2 Dman with more term would cost a lot more than just their first in 2023. With just 2 years left I would not have used it on Chychrun nor Gavrikov.

Just a reminder Benson fell to Buffalo on sheer luck. He was rated as one of the best draft eligible prospects. If we’re moving our 1st back then, we’re looking at the prospects rated where we would be drafting, and seeing we were still in a fight for a starting playoff spot we probably arent factoring the Benson value there.

guess what---we traded that pick folks on here would be bitching at KA for being a moron and not keeping the pick and getting him.

I'm really...really hoping that KA wanted time to assess (to a lesser extent) which vets to keep/ditch and (to a larger extent) which prospects to keep/trade. It doesn't seem like a tough list of decisions to make to me.

Waive/trade/let walk -

Olofsson
Okposo
Girgensons OR Robinson (probably not both)
Krebs (for a heavier, tougher, veteran player)
Erik Johnson
Jost, Bryson, Stillman, Comrie (in case anyone still thinks about them)

Rosen and Savoie are my prime trade pieces, and maybe a 1st depending on the draft lottery.

Kulich is the only guy I hope to save a roster spot for next season. Rosen may be a fine player but he's just too redundant. Savoie needs a year in Rochester regardless.

The issue this summer will be with Mitts and Joker given they are both 1 yr to UFA.

i think summer 2025 is when the bigger moves happen. Then you have Quinn and Peterka ending their ELCs and you will have some time with Benson, Kulich, Rosen, Ostlund, Savoie

as for moves./roster this summer

Skinner-Tage-Quinn
Peterka-Mitts- Cozens
Benson-Krebs-Tuch
Greenway-xxx-xxx
xxx xxx

RFAs-Mitts, Krebs
UFA-Girgs, Robinson, KO, Olofsson, Jost
group 6 UFA-Murray, Weissbach
waivers- Biro, Rousek
Roch- Savoie, Kulich, Rosen, Kozak, Ostlund,

Samuelson-Dahlin
Power-Joker
RyJo-Clifton
xxx


RFA-Joker, Stillman, Bryson, Clague
UFA- EJ


Levi
UPL

RFA-UPL

Do you sign or trade Mitts and Joker? to 1 yr or longer 4-5 yrs then trade them before July 1 2025 occurs when they might have some control in a longer term contract


Krebs could be traded or signed to a 2 yr low bridge contract.

Do they make a big trade(s) like
out: Mitts/Cozens+Joker+Krebs +prospect
in: young #2/3 RD+ winger with size

 

[DapperCam]

Small sample size, but 4th line seems better without Okposo out there. Love the guy to death, but wish he hung 'em up after last season.

 

[TehDoak]

except a #2 Dman with more term would cost a lot more than just their first in 2023. With just 2 years left I would not have used it on Chychrun nor Gavrikov.


guess what---we traded that pick folks on here would be bitching at KA for being a moron and not keeping the pick and getting him.


The issue this summer will be with Mitts and Joker given they are both 1 yr to UFA.

i think summer 2025 is when the bigger moves happen. Then you have Quinn and Peterka ending their ELCs and you will have some time with Benson, Kulich, Rosen, Ostlund, Savoie

This roster, even when 100% healthy, doesn't work. You are hoping to catch some bounces, stay healthy, and maybe get the 8 seed to get 1 and out with that team.

as for moves./roster this summer

Skinner-Tage-Quinn
Peterka-Mitts- Cozens
Benson-Krebs-Tuch
Greenway-xxx-xxx
xxx xxx

RFAs-Mitts, Krebs
UFA-Girgs, Robinson, KO, Olofsson, Jost
group 6 UFA-Murray, Weissbach
waivers- Biro, Rousek
Roch- Savoie, Kulich, Rosen, Kozak, Ostlund,

Samuelson-Dahlin
Power-Joker
RyJo-Clifton
xxx


RFA-Joker, Stillman, Bryson, Clague
UFA- EJ


Levi
UPL

RFA-UPL

Do you sign or trade Mitts and Joker? to 1 yr or longer 4-5 yrs then trade them before July 1 2025 occurs when they might have some control in a longer term contract


Krebs could be traded or signed to a 2 yr low bridge contract.

Do they make a big trade(s) like
out: Mitts/Cozens+Joker+Krebs +prospect
in: young #2/3 RD+ winger with size

Sadly, your roster is probably pretty accurate.

Any real changes to this team starts with a Skinner buyout.

After that, you want to find a way to insert a two way center into the top 9 forwards and a complementary d-man for Power.

 

[K8fool]

Our hockey lads used to play as fast snd as fearless w speed towards the net and past d on boards moving to behind the net.




Hopefully we continue to get some bounce and keep ramping up tje speed and hitting the next two weeks. Getting back to what they are capable of. We've seen it.

 

[Deep Blue Metallic]

Small sample size, but 4th line seems better without Okposo out there. Love the guy to death, but wish he hung 'em up after last season.

Heart of a lion whose declining physical tools can't do justice to his spirit. If the entire team had his drive we'd be a playoff lock.

Kyle makes his permanent home in the Buffalo area now, right? I'd love to see him stay with the Sabres in some capacity.

 

[Fearnot]

We're trending up, looking like the Kraken if we can get our first win vs them.

 

[MOGlLNY]

View attachment 798243View attachment 798244
We're trending up, looking like the Kraken if we can get our first win vs them.

don't fall for it my brother

 

[Deep Blue Metallic]

This roster, even when 100% healthy, doesn't work. You are hoping to catch some bounces, stay healthy, and maybe get the 8 seed to get 1 and out with that team.

Too late for this season, barring a miracle run, but I'd be perfectly happy if the (likely) youngest team in the league grabbed the 8th seed next season. I'm good with "doesn't work" if that's the result.

Sadly, your roster is probably pretty accurate.

Any real changes to this team starts with a Skinner buyout.

Skinner certainly isn't part of the long-term plan, but he's still a useful, if erratic, player. Is the juice worth the squeeze financially? Honest question, I don't delve into the CBA to that extent.

After that, you want to find a way to insert a two way center into the top 9 forwards and a complementary d-man for Power.

Every team in the league would like the former. Move Cozens to wing. Tage needs work defensively, starting with getting his head screwed on, but Mitts is probably our best back-checker and a reliable puck manager. I'm on the fence about Krebs, but suspect he's being underutilized and might thrive in a defensive 3C role with better teammates. A 4th-line center is a much easier acquisition.

My glass half-full optimism suggests there are 3 useful pairings among Dahlin, Power, Jokiharju, Samuelsson, Clifton, and R Johnson. It's a matter of finding the synergy. I'm less confident in the coaching staff to find it, and stick with it.

 

[Sabresfansince1980]

Skinner certainly isn't part of the long-term plan, but he's still a useful, if erratic, player. Is the juice worth the squeeze financially? Honest question, I don't delve into the CBA to that extent.

A Skinner buy out will cost over 6 mil for one season, 4 for another, plus a few for however many years are left. It only gives a 3ish mil savings and probably isn't worth it. If you want to get around it to pay other guys, give Quinn and Peterka a 2 yr bridge. Pay them more when Skinner's deal expires and you have the cap space.

 

[Deep Blue Metallic]

A Skinner buy out will cost over 6 mil for one season, 4 for another, plus a few for however many years are left. It only gives a 3ish mil savings and probably isn't worth it. If you want to get around it to pay other guys, give Quinn and Peterka a 2 yr bridge. Pay them more when Skinner's deal expires and you have the cap space.

Thanks.

The usefulness of Cap Friendly continues to amaze me. Here's their buyout calculator results for Skinner. If I'm reading them correctly ...

A buyout after this season would yield cap savings of $7.6M, 5.6, and and 2.6 for each of his remaining contract years respectively. A cap hit of $2.4M would be incurred for each of the 3 seasons following the expiry of his contract.

Wouldn't that be most useful to a team in win-now mode looking to add for a Cup run during the next two seasons? What do you say, @TehDoak ? Maybe I'm missing something.

 

[TehDoak]

A Skinner buy out will cost over 6 mil for one season, 4 for another, plus a few for however many years are left. It only gives a 3ish mil savings and probably isn't worth it. If you want to get around it to pay other guys, give Quinn and Peterka a 2 yr bridge. Pay them more when Skinner's deal expires and you have the cap space.

It's not about cap space, it's about addition by subtraction. It's about changing the status quo. It's about re-writing the makeup of the forward group.

 

[Djp]

Too late for this season, barring a miracle run, but I'd be perfectly happy if the (likely) youngest team in the league grabbed the 8th seed next season. I'm good with "doesn't work" if that's the result.

miracle run????

right now they are 17-19-4 40g at 38 points
they start 10 of 13 at home. the 3 roadies are in california
then they are 5 of 7 on the road.
that takes them to 60 games.
thats a week before trading deadline

many teams go 500 stretches during the season.

if buffalo goes 6-3-1 pace over the next 40 games that puts them at 90 pts at 80 games darn close to the playoff line

They also have something like 7th easiest schedule remaining.

Skinner certainly isn't part of the long-term plan, but he's still a useful, if erratic, player. Is the juice worth the squeeze financially? Honest question, I don't delve into the CBA to that extent.

there is no reason to buy him out unless its to keep Tuch in summer 2026.

A Skinner buy out will cost over 6 mil for one season, 4 for another, plus a few for however many years are left. It only gives a 3ish mil savings and probably isn't worth it. If you want to get around it to pay other guys, give Quinn and Peterka a 2 yr bridge. Pay them more when Skinner's deal expires and you have the cap space.

a buy out his last season of 2026 summer could give Buffalo 3.33M in space which could be used to resign Tuch if cap space is tight.

It's not about cap space, it's about addition by subtraction. It's about changing the status quo. It's about re-writing the makeup of the forward group.

skiinner is the problem :faceplam:

 

[MOGlLNY]

miracle run????

right now they are 17-19-4 40g at 38 points
they start 10 of 13 at home. the 3 roadies are in california
then they are 5 of 7 on the road.
that takes them to 60 games.
thats a week before trading deadline

many teams go 500 stretches during the season.

if buffalo goes 6-3-1 pace over the next 40 games that puts them at 90 pts at 80 games darn close to the playoff line

They also have something like 7th easiest schedule remaining.






there is no reason to buy him out unless its to keep Tuch in summer 2026.



a buy out his last season of 2026 summer could give Buffalo 3.33M in space which could be used to resign Tuch if cap space is tight.

Yeah dude, us being top 5 P% for the rest of the season to only be 90 points which would NOT make the playoffs (so actually the P% would have to be top 3 in the league for us to realistically make it) would absolutely be a miracle run.

 

[Djp]

Heart of a lion whose declining physical tools can't do justice to his spirit. If the entire team had his drive we'd be a playoff lock.

Kyle makes his permanent home in the Buffalo area now, right? I'd love to see him stay with the Sabres in some capacity.

my understand is he does keep home in Buffalo with his young kids and wife.
I didnt want him being C which seems to force him to get played. I had him at around 50g games this year,

 

[MOGlLNY]

Yeah dude, us being top 5 P% for the rest of the season to only be 90 points which would NOT make the playoffs (so actually the P% would have to be top 3 in the league for us to realistically make it) would absolutely be a miracle run.

lmao "all they have to do is average points out of every 7 out of 10 games for the rest of the year!" Jesus Christ.

 

[Djp]

Yeah dude, us being top 5 P% for the rest of the season to only be 90 points which would NOT make the playoffs (so actually the P% would have to be top 3 in the league for us to realistically make it) would absolutely be a miracle run.

historic PP line is around 92 pts. I have them at 90 points thru 80 by that rate

13 pts per 10 games rate is 104 over 80 g.

the way buffalo finished in 21/22 was around that rate over around 30 games

 

[Deep Blue Metallic]

It's not about cap space, it's about addition by subtraction. It's about changing the status quo. It's about re-writing the makeup of the forward group.

Like I said, he's erratic. Otoh, since getting the stink of Kreuger off of him, he's had seasons of 33G+30A, 35G+47A, and is pacing for 35G+33A.

Surely there are better targets than a perennial 30+ goal scorer if the objective is to shake up the forward group. Those are guys you make room for, warts and all, not discard to the buyout heap.

 

[MOGlLNY]

historic PP line is around 92 pts. I have them at 90 points thru 80 by that rate

No it isn't the historic PP, last year's was that line. Which is a major outlier. It's typically 96-98 in the Eastern Conference going as far back as 2014. You are literally making things up and presenting them as fact to justify your original post. It will take an insane run for these guys to make the playoffs.

 

[Irie]

No it isn't the historic PP, last year's was that line. Which is a major outlier. It's typically 96-98 in the Eastern Conference going as far back as 2014. You are literally making things up and presenting them as fact to justify your original post. It will take an insane run for these guys to make the playoffs.

He may not be making things up, he may just be old like me. 90-92 points was a good target before the league added the loser points

 

[MOGlLNY]

He may not be making things up, he may just be old like me. 90-92 points was a good target before the league added the loser points

Either way, I'm generally very positive and have been for the most part on this board. But a top 5 p% for 40 straight games just to hit 90 points which on 10 year average would still leave them about 3 wins short. So they'd actually have to be in the Top 3 of p% for the rest of the year. To pretend like it wouldn't be a miracle run if they did that is insane lol.

The hole they dug themselves is far too deep, the season is over unless this team goes supernova based on nothing we've seen so far this year. I just want them to be entertaining for the rest of the year. This home stand would be a nice place to start and get some momentum.

 

[Irie]

Either way, I'm generally very positive and have been for the most part on this board. But a top 5 p% for 40 straight games just to hit 90 points which on 10 year average would still leave them about 3 wins short. So they'd actually have to be in the Top 3 of p% for the rest of the year. To pretend like it wouldn't be a miracle run if they did that is insane lol.

The hole they dug themselves is far too deep, the season is over unless this team goes supernova based on nothing we've seen so far this year. I just want them to be entertaining for the rest of the year. This home stand would be a nice place to start and get some momentum.

I agree. That consistent of a winning percentage is not going to happen, but I wouldn't completely rule out an 8-10 game winning streak against the weaker part of their schedule to make things interesting going forward.

 

[Deep Blue Metallic]

Either way, I'm generally very positive and have been for the most part on this board. But a top 5 p% for 40 straight games just to hit 90 points which on 10 year average would still leave them about 3 wins short. So they'd actually have to be in the Top 3 of p% for the rest of the year. To pretend like it wouldn't be a miracle run if they did that is insane lol.

The hole they dug themselves is far too deep, the season is over unless this team goes supernova based on nothing we've seen so far this year. I just want them to be entertaining for the rest of the year. This home stand would be a nice place to start and get some momentum.

Reminder that the Sabres have teased us with impressive road wins against the Leafs, Rangers, Bruins, and VGK. They're a better team than what we've sadly become accustomed to seeing.

I'm sticking with "miracle run" though.

 

[Old Navy Goat]

I would add that of the “core” I would keep Dahlin. Everyone else is movable for upgrades.

I agree, I was only addressing the forwards as honestly I think they don't quite know what they have defensively. The pipeline is still a bit murky as Strbak is interesting, as is Komorov and Novikov as RHD. Jokiharju having a resurgence is unexpected but a good outcome, the question is $$$ with him. They know RyJo can slot anywhere and be effective but there's definitely room next season for those 7/8/9 types to change composition

 

[Sabresfansince1980]

It's not about cap space, it's about addition by subtraction. It's about changing the status quo. It's about re-writing the makeup of the forward group.

Yeah I know... it's about more reasons that you make up for yourself.

 

[Deep Blue Metallic]

I agree, I was only addressing the forwards as honestly I think they don't quite know what they have defensively. The pipeline is still a bit murky as Strbak is interesting, as is Komorov and Novikov as RHD. Jokiharju having a resurgence is unexpected but a good outcome, the question is $$$ with him. They know RyJo can slot anywhere and be effective but there's definitely room next season for those 7/8/9 types to change composition

Unfortunately Granato enjoys slotting RyJo into the pressbox too frequently.