Roster Thread (2023-2024 Season)

[Irie]

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The baffling thing through the last 2 games is the Buffalo Sabres playing successful defensive hockey. Something people said this roster and coach could never do.

Successful and good defensive hockey are not the same though.

This team played a ton of very successful defensive hockey games last season.

Watching the games this season, I still see a lot of undisciplined puck chasing that has been hidden by strong effort and some puck-luck preventing opponents from executing and taking advantage of poor positioning.

When the puck cycles around the defensive zone, and you look at the Sabres, they are often all within 20 ft of the side wall on the strong side, and there will often be weak side defensemen activating and wide open in prime scoring position without a Sabre anywhere near or aware of their location.

The fact that other teams have not been able to take advantage of that doesn't really mean the team is playing great D. They have been putting forth a great effort, but I would like them to play smarter and not necessarily harder, game in and game out. It is a long season and eventually there will be off nights where the team doesn't have the same legs and are a step slower, and on those occasions, being out of position like they have been will more often than not lead to great scoring chances for their opponents.

I will say that the spacing is definitely tighter in the D zone this season, and they are moving as a unit better than last season, so there is some progress. The aggressive puck chasing still seems to take over though with any sustained pressure and those passing lanes get wider and wider the longer the puck stays in the zone.

 

[HaNotsri]

I don't see Patrick Kane joining Buffalo and thinking the best way for me to re-find my game on a resurfaced hip joint while playing in front of home town fans is to embrace the Sabres 2023-24 newly-instilled commitment to 200' of team defense. It would be akin to asking a similar-aged (35yo in 1982) Elton John to stop wearing flamboyant costumes and switch genres to rap music. It ain't gonna be natural.

Rap would be super simple for Elton John but I get the point.

 

[toddkaz]

I don't see Patrick Kane joining Buffalo and thinking the best way for me to re-find my game on a resurfaced hip joint while playing in front of home town fans is to embrace the Sabres 2023-24 newly-instilled commitment to 200' of team defense. It would be akin to asking a similar-aged (35yo in 1982) Elton John to stop wearing flamboyant costumes and switch genres to rap music. It ain't gonna be natural.

I am not a fan of Kane this point in his career but the rumors are there from credible sources and Buffalo is one of the only teams to have cap space.

Not saying its gonna happen but I could see the reasoning.

 

[toddkaz]

The baffling thing through the last 2 games is the Buffalo Sabres playing successful defensive hockey. Something people said this roster and coach could never do.

This team is 1-2 with 6GF and 10GA with a -4 Goal differential averaging 3.33 Goals against per game and you are touting the team playing defensive hockey? Yikes, its an 82 game schedule and if you think putting together a few good periods means were are now a defensive hockey team that would be the baffling thing.

As it is right now we are last place in the conference and sure its 3 games but if you are going to tout the team defense after 3 games then lets look at the big picture. Lets talk in 30-40 games.

 

[MOGlLNY]

This team is 1-2 with 6GF and 10GA with a -4 Goal differential averaging 3.33 Goals against per game and you are touting the team playing defensive hockey? Yikes, its an 82 game schedule and if you think putting together a few good periods means were are now a defensive hockey team that would be the baffling thing.

As it is right now we are last place in the conference and sure its 3 games but if you are going to tout the team defense after 3 games then lets look at the big picture. Lets talk in 30-40 games.

hope you realize the irony of this post when YOU started the conversation.

 

[BuffaloGooner]

This team is 1-2 with 6GF and 10GA with a -4 Goal differential averaging 3.33 Goals against per game and you are touting the team playing defensive hockey? Yikes, its an 82 game schedule and if you think putting together a few good periods means were are now a defensive hockey team that would be the baffling thing.

As it is right now we are last place in the conference and sure its 3 games but if you are going to tout the team defense after 3 games then lets look at the big picture. Lets talk in 30-40 games.

I’ll bite.

It’s clear to me that they’re sacrificing offense for better defense. The PK looks good. They’re using their length, they’re aggressive, and despite Tampa scoring late they locked it down for almost 20 minutes. Sometimes you gotta win games like that. Did we not have more HDSC than in the third despite defending a lot?

The Islanders game, we were the better team, at worst it was break even hockey.

We’re 3 games in but the look of this team is different with emphasis on actually eliminating people at the blueline (noticed more PKing) and trying to counter attack. I’m hoping it continues this way, because they’ve proven they can play offense obviously in the past.

 

[DapperCam]

So when Savoie is ready to come back do we think they trade a goalie to open up a spot?

 

[Djp]

That lineup is really missing Quinn. Not sure Kane would be a good pickup or not.

Quinn is on IR…didn’t forget him nor Savoie. I’m just talking about this month.

 

[Djp]

I am not a fan of Kane this point in his career but the rumors are there from credible sources and Buffalo is one of the only teams to have cap space.

Not saying its gonna happen but I could see the reasoning.

I’m not planning on them signing Kane. Game 9 for Benson is by the end of the month.

So when Savoie is ready to come back do we think they trade a goalie to open up a spot?

I think it first comes to go/ no go on Benson. They send him back, then Savoie takes his place.

if Benson stays turn comes the roster gymnastics of activating Savoie and rotating Krebs, Peterka, and Levi in paper transactions if a trade isn’t done.

there is no pressure to trade a goalie right now. They can go on 13/7/3.

When Savoie gets his try out and decide to keep or send him back…if they send him back then Quinn could be near due to get activated. They can send Quinn to Rochester for a few weeks to rehab/ condition.

 

[HogtownSabresfan]

So excited to see Bryson. Not

 

[Fezzy126]

The example I love to cite here is Danny Paille. Dude was a 1st round pick that never realized his talent -- but went on to play good and important 4th line/PK minutes on a very good Bruins team.

If Krebs turns into that, I'm perfectly happy

And the best part is we watched teams like Boston in playoffs, constantly wondering how the hell we can find bottom 6 role players that bring energy and intangibles like Paille for a decade

 

[Jim Bob]

So when Savoie is ready to come back do we think they trade a goalie to open up a spot?

Calgary is finding that easier said than done. The Sabres might have that same issue if they are trying to go down that road.

If they want to have Benson and Savoie both on the NHL roster, then the likely path forward would be waiving someone to open up the roster spot.

 

[KrakenSabresMike]

Calgary is finding that easier said than done. The Sabres might have that same issue if they are trying to go down that road.

If they want to have Benson and Savoie both on the NHL roster, then the likely path forward would be waiving someone to open up the roster spot.

at this point, would anyone be that upset waiving oloffson? Doubt at his current salary would be claimed or he is and then we'd free up 4 mil o space ( in theory could take a salary dump or retention for this year to help someone else out and probably get more than trading VO!)

 

[Jim Bob]

at this point, would anyone be that upset waiving oloffson? Doubt at his current salary would be claimed or he is and then we'd free up 4 mil o space ( in theory could take a salary dump or retention for this year to help someone else out and probably get more than trading VO!)

I doubt there are too many fans that would be upset by it.

I just am not sure if that is something that the team would do for a variety of reasons.

 

[Sabre the Win]

That lineup is really missing Quinn. Not sure Kane would be a good pickup or not.

Kane would be an amazing pickup. Guy can still play and has elite hockey IQ. Give him a line with young talent and he will produce or help produce.

Kane in, Olofsson out.

 

[Jim Bob]

Kane would be an amazing pickup. Guy can still play and has elite hockey IQ. Give him a line with young talent and he will produce or help produce.

There are serious questions about how much he has left in the tank physically given the hip surgery this off season.

I think Kane will be a lottery ticket that could work or could be a signing that doesn't work out because he is cooked.

 

[TageGod]

There are serious questions about how much he has left in the tank physically given the hip surgery this off season.

I think Kane will be a lottery ticket that could work or could be a signing that doesn't work out because he is cooked.

Can't be worse than VO.

 

[Jim Bob]

Can't be worse than VO.

The question should be can he be better than Krebs & Quinn?

 

[Tatanka]

The question should be can he be better than Krebs & Quinn?

Krebs yes, Quinn no.

 

[TageGod]

The question should be can he be better than Krebs & Quinn?

Fair. Yes and NO.

 

[Jim Bob]

Fair. Yes and NO.

Given Kane and Quinn are each coming back from injury, I think it is a "maybe" when comparing Kane to both Krebs and Quinn.

 

[Tatanka]

Given Kane and Quinn are each coming back from injury, I think it is a "maybe" when comparing Kane to both Krebs and Quinn.

If Krebs is in anything other than a bottom line role, Kane is better and will generate more O. I think both coming off injury and having watched Kane here in Chicago the past 4 years, Quinn has more game to help the Sabres. But I get that both are serious injuries and how each responds is tbd.

 

[Jim Bob]

If Krebs is in anything other than a bottom line role, Kane is better and will generate more O. I think both coming off injury and having watched Kane here in Chicago the past 4 years, Quinn has more game to help the Sabres. But I get that both are serious injuries and how each responds is tbd.

I do not see the Sabres needing an offense only winger like Kane. They need a more 200 foot guy than Kane is right now.

 

[Zman5778]

I do not see the Sabres needing an offense only winger like Kane. They need a more 200 foot guy than Kane is right now.

I think saying "offense only" is understating it when discussing Kane. I genuinely believe that VO is better in the defensive zone than Kane is currently. Playing Kane on any of our "top 9" lines severely hampers that line's ability to play in the defensive zone. MAYBE one could get by with playing Kane with Mitts and Greenway.....given that they're our best top 9 defensive forwards right now......but playing him with Cozens and JJP would be playing with napalm.

 

[StrompTroller]

No offense to anyone here but....penciling in Quinn after a huge surgery like hes gonna come back and be a bonified top 6 winger is nuts. He was barely that last season albeit his rookie season.

Anything he adds down the stretch is a bonus