Roster Thread (2023-2024 Season)

[Nikolajs Sillers]

Kessel's top icetime linemate on the Pens was Malkin for both cup years and all of his PPG years

Kessel has always been able to create offense on his own, but he never "drove" offense in a sense that he made lesser linemates more productive.

As for Skinner, you were watching different games than I was if you saw him not trying under Kreuger on the 4th line. He was crashing the net, whacking at goalies, getting his teeth kicked in trying to create offense by himself every game. Problem was he was playing with Sobotka (who actually had completely given up caring or trying), or other non-driving players like Sheary, Lazar and Johansson.

Skinner is a goal scorer and a pest. To say that a quote about a player like him not scoring goals being a problem.... is that supposed to be some kind of miraculous epiphany?

He is a flawed player, but he is a useful player *if* used correctly. Most cup teams have a player like Skinner potting goals that are weak on D. Chicago had Kane. Washington has Kusnetzov. The Pens had Kessel in their last two cups, and a 75 year old Sykora in their cup 15 years ago. St. Louis had Tarasenko. Kings had Penner. The list goes on and on.

Is Skinner a great player? no, but if used correctly, he can be a positive value. Buying him out would be 6 years of cap penalty. I think you wait at least one more season before contemplating that (2025) when the team will be desperate for cap and Skinner will likely be trending downward more than he currently is.

HBK line. Hagelin, Bonino and Kessel was third line.

 

[DapperCam]

Among many roster problems, I feel like picking on the choice to have Krebs lead the 4th line. It was such a risky, now damaging, move to attempt to break in a 21-22yo at a grinder spot while also attempting to break in a half dozen other kids.

He honestly should have been in Roch this entire time, he's never shown consistent NHL aptitude imo. Adams should have splashed the cash and cap on a vet C like Dickinson for two years (along with another new 4th liner). Then we'd at least have a reliable 4th line when the kids on scoring lines have growing pains.

I don't want to believe that it's been about pride and perception of the Eichel trade, but it can't be ruled out unfortunately.

They could have sent Krebs down while he was still waiver exempt earlier this season. Why Adams didn’t do so I have no clue.

 

[OkimLom]

They could have sent Krebs down while he was still waiver exempt earlier this season. Why Adams didn’t do so I have no clue.

Because they plan to use the main roster as a development tool and they aren't straying away from that. They have decided to expedite the development process regardless of the level of developed prospect. Next year, I'd expect 2-3 prospects from Rochester to be up to the main roster.

 

[Irie]

HBK line. Hagelin, Bonino and Kessel was third line.

I think if you look at the icetime of that line, they were normally 2nd in the games they were together, because they were together when Malkin was out. Please correct me if I am wrong, but I also believe that HBK line only played together a handful of games when Malkin was in the lineup. Malkin missed 25 and 20 games the two years the HBK line was a thing, (and 45 games is a lot in two years), but Malkin's most frequent linemate was still Kessel both of those years. Kessel also played on the Pens first PP unit with Crosby and Malkin for most of his years in Pittsburgh.

 

[Selanne00008]

The Skinner topic has been beaten to a bloody pulp. Here's he to stay for now anyways.

I'm exhausted by this team. There goes that 113 point pace AFTER a 9 game win streak eh? I don't know what kind of shake up move you make here. Or just depressingly ride this out another few years. Sigh

 

[Irie]

They could have sent Krebs down while he was still waiver exempt earlier this season. Why Adams didn’t do so I have no clue.

Short-sightedness.

They want to fill roles from within and don't have the correct pieces to do so, so they are converting ill-fitting players to fill those roles. Just like Jokiharju the previous two season - need a shut down defenseman, lets ask the soft, offesnsive minded Finnish D to try to play that role and see what happens.

Need a physical shut down 4th line center? Let's ask the undersized perrimeter playmaker to try to adapt.

These decisions are squarely on the coaching staff, but I have to wonder if the coaching staff has requested personnel help from Adams and he failed to provide the help, or if the coaching staff is just completely oblivious. Either way, an internal review should be made and changes made accordingly depending on results.

 

[joshjull]

Skinner has been on the ice for 13 goals for, 6 against on the PP.

That's a 68.42 GF%.

The Sabres are 32nd in the league in GF% on the PP with a 69.57%. 16 goals for, 7 against

Skinner is known for his 5v5 goal scoring prowess. Throughout his career he's never had to lean on the PP to boost his production, in part because he's not very good on the PP, so coaches haven't played him there.

Do you think it's a coincidence that the Sabres have the worst PP in the league now that Skinner is the leading pp toi forward for the team?

edit: Skinner only has 7 power play points

I don’t know where you got the idea Skinner isn’t viewed as a PP player by coaches or isn’t played there.

In 11 of his 14 seasons (including this season) he’s been at least 4th in PP atoi among forwards. Which effectively puts him on the top PP unit.

In his 14 seasons, he’s been among forwards....

1st in PP atoi (2x/counting this season)
2nd (1x)
3rd (5x)
4th (3x)
5th (2x)
8th (1x) (f*** off Krueger)

He has his warts as a PP player but any decent coach will play him 2-3mins a night on the PP. Its whats he‘s done his entire career minus the season he got Kruegered.

 

[Fezzy126]

I don’t know if he‘s injured or not. He certainly looks flustered and keeps trying to make things happen with very low percentage/risky plays.

I'm always hesitant to say things like this because it gets misconstrued as me saying we need to get rid of him, but IMO Dahlin's play is the biggest reason the team has been so poor this season (perhaps Power is a close second). He's not playing well in his own end, he's not driving play at even strength like he was last year, and he's not quarterbacking the power play as effectively this year either.

Dahlin is a #1 overall pick, leader and potential future captain, and the most talented player on the roster. He needs to play like our best player if we're going to have a chance.

 

[sabremike]

I'm always hesitant to say things like this because it gets misconstrued as me saying we need to get rid of him, but IMO Dahlin's play is the biggest reason the team has been so poor this season (perhaps Power is a close second). He's not playing well in his own end, he's not driving play at even strength like he was last year, and he's not quarterbacking the power play as effectively this year either.

Dahlin is a #1 overall pick, leader and potential future captain, and the most talented player on the roster. He needs to play like our best player if we're going to have a chance.

By the end of next season he will finally say enough and demand out. He will proceed to be vilified and defamed after being traded for a fraction of his value. With his new team that is an actual credible NHL organization he will go on to win the lot and end up a slam dunk first ballot HOF'er. We will remain the dregs of the league with incompetent and unqualified clowns as our GM and coach yet fans will continue to direct their ire at the poorly coached players instead of the actual culprits in a neverending cycle.

 

[Chainshot]

I don’t know if he‘s injured or not. He certainly looks flustered and keeps trying to make things happen with very low percentage/risky plays.

The comment from Ray that the coaches want the defensemen to be very aggressive and then within moments, Dahlin makes that poor pinch in the neutral zone that leaves Power hapless in that 2-on-1 leading to the Seattle goal... that was aggression for the sake of being aggressive. It wasn't smart. I get that he seems to be trying to do what the coaches are saying, I don't agree with the coaching there. That's not to say he wouldn't have made that play on his own under a different HC, just that in the context of the request, it's exactly what the coaches are requesting.

 

[Fearnot]

I don't see 0% yet, let's go boys!

 

[Selanne00008]

View attachment 800388
I don't see 0% yet, let's go boys!

Oh look. Drafting 8th overall? Never done that before...

 

[Sabre the Win]

Maybe Pegula pays for our group therapy sessions

With all that caps pace, he could fly us all up into space with Blue Origin.

 

[Irie]

I'm always hesitant to say things like this because it gets misconstrued as me saying we need to get rid of him, but IMO Dahlin's play is the biggest reason the team has been so poor this season (perhaps Power is a close second). He's not playing well in his own end, he's not driving play at even strength like he was last year, and he's not quarterbacking the power play as effectively this year either.

Dahlin is a #1 overall pick, leader and potential future captain, and the most talented player on the roster. He needs to play like our best player if we're going to have a chance.

I don't know if it is injury, poor coaching direction or indifference, but I do know that seeing a summer filled with beach pictures on social media definitely set off alarm bells for me.

Bottom line is you want your team's best young players posting videos of them putting in the effort to be their best in the offseason at Gary Roberts-esq off season training programs, not sipping cocktails in a beach paradise. Two week vacation, fine, but two months? That's not cutting it.

If Dahlin wants to be a leader on this team and take them to the next level, then he has to lead by examples and I don't think he understands what that means currently.

He is young, so hopefully this season is a wake-up call going forward.

 

[RefsIdeas]

I feel like I want to rant and rave about the team, but I just don’t care enough anymore. Far cry from about a couple years ago when I was convinced we had something special brewing.

 

[sabremike]

Oh look. Drafting 8th overall? Never done that before...

That chart has us 7th worst but didn't the Sens lose their first this coming season or can that be pushed back? If so we'd be in the 6th spot in terms of odds right?

 

[Selanne00008]

That chart has us 7th worst but didn't the Sens lose their first this coming season or can that be pushed back? If so we'd be in the 6th spot in terms of odds right?

Doesn't matter bro! 9th and 11th will win the lotto and we draft 8th. BOOK IT.

 

[Ehran]

Tankathon has us picking 7th.

Tankathon | 2025 NHL Draft Order & Lottery Simulator

2025 NHL Draft order tracker updated after every game. NHL lottery simulator to determine the top overall pick. View traded picks and playoff matchups.

www.tankathon.com

And dear god its so depressing that I'm looking at standings on Tankathon again this season.

I thought I was out but....

 

[BritSabre]

I don't know if it is injury, poor coaching direction or indifference, but I do know that seeing a summer filled with beach pictures on social media definitely set off alarm bells for me.

Bottom line is you want your team's best young players posting videos of them putting in the effort to be their best in the offseason at Gary Roberts-esq off season training programs, not sipping cocktails in a beach paradise. Two week vacation, fine, but two months? That's not cutting it.

If Dahlin wants to be a leader on this team and take them to the next level, then he has to lead by examples and I don't think he understands what that means currently.

He is young, so hopefully this season is a wake-up call going forward.

Good post. They look like a group that thought it was inevitable they'd break the streak this year. They've just looked unprepared all year top to bottom, inside out. They needed to be relentless but instead eased up.

View attachment 800388
I don't see 0% yet, let's go boys!

Botterill thinks it's time to add Wayne Simmonds

 

[Chainshot]

Good post. They look like a group that thought it was inevitable they'd break the streak this year. They've just looked unprepared all year top to bottom, inside out. They needed to be relentless but instead eased up.



Botterill thinks it's time to add Wayne Simmonds

Or Dalton Smith.

 

[sabremike]

Good post. They look like a group that thought it was inevitable they'd break the streak this year. They've just looked unprepared all year top to bottom, inside out. They needed to be relentless but instead eased up.



Botterill thinks it's time to add Wayne Simmonds

You summed everything up perfectly in one word: "Unprepared".

 

[Chainshot]

I don't know if it is injury, poor coaching direction or indifference, but I do know that seeing a summer filled with beach pictures on social media definitely set off alarm bells for me.

Bottom line is you want your team's best young players posting videos of them putting in the effort to be their best in the offseason at Gary Roberts-esq off season training programs, not sipping cocktails in a beach paradise. Two week vacation, fine, but two months? That's not cutting it.

If Dahlin wants to be a leader on this team and take them to the next level, then he has to lead by examples and I don't think he understands what that means currently.

He is young, so hopefully this season is a wake-up call going forward.

Hear, hear. Seeing how he's looked after the summer of play time, it seems like he isn't prepared. Not that he wasn't, just that the appearance of it is poor.

 

[Beerz]

I'm always hesitant to say things like this because it gets misconstrued as me saying we need to get rid of him, but IMO Dahlin's play is the biggest reason the team has been so poor this season (perhaps Power is a close second). He's not playing well in his own end, he's not driving play at even strength like he was last year, and he's not quarterbacking the power play as effectively this year either.

Dahlin is a #1 overall pick, leader and potential future captain, and the most talented player on the roster. He needs to play like our best player if we're going to have a chance.

Dahlin, Power, Thompson, Tuch, Cozens

All of em.

 

[ckg927]

By the end of next season he will finally say enough and demand out. He will proceed to be vilified and defamed after being traded for a fraction of his value. With his new team that is an actual credible NHL organization he will go on to win the lot and end up a slam dunk first ballot HOF'er. We will remain the dregs of the league with incompetent and unqualified clowns as our GM and coach yet fans will continue to direct their ire at the poorly coached players instead of the actual culprits in a neverending cycle.

The culprit, at least in my eyes, is the owner. The fish rots from the head down. Replace Pegula as the owner and MAYBE things start to turn around.

Tankathon has us picking 7th.

Tankathon | 2025 NHL Draft Order & Lottery Simulator

2025 NHL Draft order tracker updated after every game. NHL lottery simulator to determine the top overall pick. View traded picks and playoff matchups.

www.tankathon.com

And dear god its so depressing that I'm looking at standings on Tankathon again this season.

I thought I was out but....

I'm getting to be of the mindset that I don't WANT another high draft pick. Were I GM, I'd dangle it and a couple of players to get a high-impact player that fills a pressing need(yes, I know: WHICH need? Pick a number and get in line). I'm DONE waiting for a winning team. I want one NOW.

 

[ckg927]

I feel like I want to rant and rave about the team, but I just don’t care enough anymore. Far cry from about a couple years ago when I was convinced we had something special brewing.

Exactly. And as someone who got introduced to the Sabres at a young age thanks to my dad(who had ST's in the orangers when the Sabres played at the Aud), it breaks my heart at least on some level to say "Why should I give a damn watching this team when THEY don't give a damn about going all out for 60 minutes?" I thought that 18-game winless streak a few seasons ago was the nadir for this team. (SIGH) Apparently I was wrong.