How are the college free-agent signings going in Buffalo? It's mostly meaningless because they are mostly fringe guys, but I haven't heard Buffalo mentioned in one conversation. (Maybe I missed it). People will say we have too many prospects etc etc. Like you can have too many. Are we even at the 50-contract limit? I know, who cares, but this feels like more proof of an impoverished franchise.
Roster Thread (2023-2024 Season)
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CapFriendly has Cates listed as the Flyers' 3C currently.
And he was playing C at practice yesterday with Farabee & Atkinson:
Because Couterier is out. 13 minutes of TOI on average is 4th line territory
Eh why would one sign here stern there be like 15 in the queue to make the team at best. It’s the opposite of impoverished
Jim Bob
RIP RJ
CONTRACTS: 42/50
RESERVE LIST: 65/90
They have the ability to sign players to contracts. But, they already have 12 players that will be on their ELC next season and a few guys on their reserve list today that could sign ELCs between now and training camp.
College UDFAs are not hugely important in the grand scheme of things. And given how well stocked the pipeline is, UDFAs might not want to sign here because of all the young guys they have signed and that they have coming.
Jim Bob
RIP RJ
Regarding Adams statement........
Oh yay oh yay....... go team go......
This guy is a loser (almost typed hoser.... lol.... well he's that too...)
MarkusKetterer
Shoulda got one game in
CapFriendly has Cates listed as the Flyers' 3C currently.
And he was playing C at practice yesterday with Farabee & Atkinson:
That’s a rough looking roster.
OkimLom
Registered User
- May 3, 2010
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I'm starting his GM time as soon as Krueger was fired, as Krueger I believe was involved in some front office decision making, or had at least a loud voice in the discussions.
Buffalo's a tough destination for an UDFA right now. There's an awful lot of younger high pedigree players ahead of them for ice time.
I expect it will be like last year, as the dust settles, they will have a smart Rochester signing or two.
truthbluth
Registered User
- Feb 2, 2011
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Metsa came out of nowhere. I expected him to be somewhat highly sought after.
While our forward core left a lot to be desired this year, I think they really have something in Peterka-Thompson-Tuch and Benson-Cozens-Quinn as top 6 players. I think injuries really hampered Quinn, Tuch, and Thompson, while developmental learning curves limited Cozens, Peterka, Benson this year. But I think these are all exciting top 6 players, and the internet hate of Thompson and Cozens is overblown.
And I think UPL and Levi are extremely exciting goalies. You’d love a veteran backstop to UPL, but the goalie situation is fine. And the defense is oozing talent. While they are young and flawed, they can compete now.
It’s that other six spots in the forward core that really concerns you, and the lack of faith in Adams and Granato to fix it. And it’s damning because there’s going to be injuries in your top 6, the rest has to step up. You need toughness in the other six, our top six is young. You need consistency from the other six, the top 6 are still young.
I’m concerned the Sabres just think development will fix these problems (it won’t) and they can plug away internally (they can’t). Greenway and Girgensons are fine. Skinner is going to be there, and is fine too. Savoie/Kulich/Rosen are all interesting, but young players that are going to have learning curves. Krebs and Robinson are fine players, but offensive black holes. Rousek never took that next step to make him an interesting player to me. It’s REALLY not an appealing group to make two lines from.
I think there is a clear hole at center behind Thompson and Cozens, and Krebs is FAR FAR FAR too unproductive and flawed for that role. And then they still need another legit forward addition with toughness and fundamentals that can move up the lineup a bit. I think Savoie/Kulich/Rosen all need to start in Rochester next year
And I think UPL and Levi are extremely exciting goalies. You’d love a veteran backstop to UPL, but the goalie situation is fine. And the defense is oozing talent. While they are young and flawed, they can compete now.
It’s that other six spots in the forward core that really concerns you, and the lack of faith in Adams and Granato to fix it. And it’s damning because there’s going to be injuries in your top 6, the rest has to step up. You need toughness in the other six, our top six is young. You need consistency from the other six, the top 6 are still young.
I’m concerned the Sabres just think development will fix these problems (it won’t) and they can plug away internally (they can’t). Greenway and Girgensons are fine. Skinner is going to be there, and is fine too. Savoie/Kulich/Rosen are all interesting, but young players that are going to have learning curves. Krebs and Robinson are fine players, but offensive black holes. Rousek never took that next step to make him an interesting player to me. It’s REALLY not an appealing group to make two lines from.
I think there is a clear hole at center behind Thompson and Cozens, and Krebs is FAR FAR FAR too unproductive and flawed for that role. And then they still need another legit forward addition with toughness and fundamentals that can move up the lineup a bit. I think Savoie/Kulich/Rosen all need to start in Rochester next year
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This has always been a weird take.
He’s was hired as the GM in 2020 and took the team from .500 to dead last. You don’t get a pass for that because you listened to the coach in terms of who to get. Roster assembly and management is on the GM. If Adams didn’t have the requisite hockey knowledge to make educated choices and have a strong voice in the matter, he should have never been hired. GM isn’t a trainee position where you can blame your mistakes on the people around you
OkimLom
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I don’t disagree with your assessment on the hire, and that was a large sticking point for me when he was hired after the previous two rookie GMs just before him.
But that doesn’t wipe out the fact that Terry wanted Ralph involved in management decisions, no matter how much one thinks blame should be laid at Adams feet. It happened, it was a terrible call. He’s not getting a pass from me, but it’s more of an understanding that having someone like Ralph involved with the owner’s blessing does complicate things at the management level for the new GM to do their job. It’s just a personal preference of how I view his first season as the hired GM.
Jacob582
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And where exactly did Adams get his front office experience?
Pegula School of (on the job) GM Training
A good GM does consult with his coaches and works together to build a roster.
But, a GM should be building a team to win and succeed long term, not necessarily the team the coach wants.
We see the same thing with Granato here, he wants a steady stream of former US Hockey guys he has a relationship with rather than finding guys to fill spots.
Sigh, this is far too accurate.
- Jul 25, 2016
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I think your view is reasonable, but we then have to extrapolate to the here and now. A flat management structure where a coach has undue influence on areas that are traditionally not within their sphere of influence totally undercuts accountability. And if you look at the major responsibilities of each role the are diametrically opposed to each other from that stand point. The coach should be exacting the most out of his roster on a day to day basis for the purpose of winning. He should be evaluated on those wins and losses. The GM has a broader responsibility to manage resources to assure the available professional on ice talent to allow the coach to do his job. That includes evaluating the coach and his staff for their ability to win.
If we accept that KA couldn’t do anything without Ralph and Terry’s approval, then there is only one person left to hold accountable. However, after Ralph was canned that structure didn’t change. It is still essentially flat. KA didn’t institute a new structure where the coach’s performance would be viewed based on the short term goals. We went to a development approach at the NHL level as opposed to the minors. The results weren’t measured in w/l s but in development which to my view is measured in the ability to sign players to lt contracts that they eventually believe will be below market.
So imho, there is no defense for the on ice performance of this team that doesn’t lay at KA and Terry’s feet. They are one and the same. I also don’t see where it will change as it provides insulation to Terry from critics. He can at some point replace KA and say keep Meatballs or vice versa and say he addressed the problem. But if we are being honest with ourselves and believe that anything will change as long as this flat, communication centric structure exists we are deluding ourselves. No one is accountable for their job based on team performance. Thus we must wait for the fickle hand of fate that eventually the team will luck into anomalous year and make the playoffs. But with no commitment to do hard things like icing a team that is above the mediocrity line there will never be any hard decisions to be made just financial ones as we saw at the tdl.
sabremike
Kemonito superfan
If I were a UDFA the team I'd want to sign with is the Islanders because they have a bad roster and no prospects whatsoever. In theory should be the easiest path to the NHL.
Gabrielor
Registered User
My summer ideas start here. Figure out your bottom 3 D and bottom 6 forwards. Give Krebs a permanent role. Operate under the assumption NONE of the prospects are ready, because that's burned them twice already in the last 1/2 decade.
MOGlLNY
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Im fine on Krebs more then most around here. But if there’s an option to upgrade I’m taking that all day.
Beerz
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- Jun 28, 2011
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Should probably operate under the assumption that Krebs is not ready
Gabrielor
Registered User
I want to trade for a 3-4C that can flip with him if it doesn't work (I think it will)
They have a GM who has locked in most of his lineup with long, aging contracts. Can’t argue with Graf going to San Jose. He’s already going into their lineup.
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