Roster Thread (2023-2024 Season)

[Gabrielor]

That may bee a Twitter thing. I would assert he's bad at defending because of things that have nothing to do with how physical or not he is - engagement in moving to intercept his man or the puck with his stick because he does get mesmerized by it and stands watching, how he drifts out of position, how he will not take away people's hands in tight around his net how he plays odd-man rushes... all things that good, non-physical defensive players do. If he hits someone, whatever. Do the those other bits regularly, like someone like Tallinder did and he's the whole package.

He can look silly in the dzone positioning sometimes, but name me the player that doesn't in the org. Dahlin and Benson are the closest to consistently good.

Power exits the zone wonderfully.

I have faith he'll get better and better and the 8.35 will be a bargain within the next 1-2 years.

 

[Ace]

I think Dahlin hates to lose. That’s why he’s going to be the captain.

I think he hates to lose to. I know that’s going to be a real problem within two more seasons.

 

[Chainshot]

He can look silly in the dzone positioning sometimes, but name me the player that doesn't in the org. Dahlin and Benson are the closest to consistently good.

Power exits the zone wonderfully.

I have faith he'll get better and better and the 8.35 will be a bargain within the next 1-2 years.

He drifts a lot for an NHL defenseman. It's less than say Fitz, but he's often in the wrong position. And then there is his response time with his stick that is regularly late. I refer to it as engagement or ignition - defensively he's not active in how he positions himself or his stick. Some of his issues are the same as Jokiharju's which is why in their own zone, they tend to bumble. There are times were the wheels turning is in slow motion when defending. ]

Offensively and in the transition parts of the game he is excellent.

Edit - I would be interested to see how his zone entry defense and cross-slot pass and slot shot defense numbers grade out compared to the team and then the rest of the league.

 

[Chainshot]

The difference was in GF/60, that's not an advanced stat.

And it illustrates a measure of him vs. all the other players in the league in that regard. So pucks go in a slightly bit less often than league average for him right now. It's the least interesting of the graphs on the chart - the rest are all event based (Corsi) and expected outcomes.

 

[Doug Prishpreed]

He drifts a lot for an NHL defenseman. It's less than say Fitz, but he's often in the wrong position. And then there is his response time with his stick that is regularly late. I refer to it as engagement or ignition - defensively he's not active in how he positions himself or his stick. Some of his issues are the same as Jokiharju's which is why in their own zone, they tend to bumble. There are times were the wheels turning is in slow motion when defending. ]

Offensively and in the transition parts of the game he is excellent.

Similar issues and criticisms in his draft year and D+1

 

[Chainshot]

Similar issues and criticisms in his draft year and D+1

And with the Chicago Steel. It's kinda who he has been. It's up to him to find a way to get better at those things.

 

[Beerz]

He drifts a lot for an NHL defenseman. It's less than say Fitz, but he's often in the wrong position. And then there is his response time with his stick that is regularly late. I refer to it as engagement or ignition - defensively he's not active in how he positions himself or his stick. Some of his issues are the same as Jokiharju's which is why in their own zone, they tend to bumble. There are times were the wheels turning is in slow motion when defending. ]

Offensively and in the transition parts of the game he is excellent.

Edit - I would be interested to see how his zone entry defense and cross-slot pass and slot shot defense numbers grade out compared to the team and then the rest of the league.

Power does exit the zone wonderfully... he also brings the puck into our zone wonderfully.. perhaps the best on team.

But he struggles when he actually has to defend and yes he is young but there is very little proof that shows he is improving or even attempting to correct anything.

 

[Der Jaeger]

I still say the best one trade to fix the most problems is Brady Tkachuk from Ottawa. I'd send them Peterka, Kulich, 2025 1st, and Jokiharju.

Peterka: young, fast, re-united with Stutzle.
Kulich: might be viewed as the best prospect for the Sabres
2025 1st (no trade protection): possibly better value than the 2024 pick as the 2024 draft isn't that deep.
Jokiharju: Ottawa needs RHD, and Jokiharju is as valuable as he's going to get.

I'd give up more.

Tkachuk drags his team into games where they aren't engaged. He's a leader. He's protect teammates. He's a net front force who would augment the large amount of perimeter skill the Sabres have.

Tkachuk - Thompson - Tuch
Quinn - Cozens - Benson
Skinner - Krebs - Greenway
Girgensons - xxx - xxx

Savoie is a consideration to make the team and even play on the 3rd line.

Power - Dahlin
Byrum - Samuelsson
Johnson - Clifton

Just adding Tkachuk to the forward makes the composure of the group seem a lot different. Thompson is big. Tuch is big, and has a new age power forward game. Cozens and Greenway are big and play a power game. Krebs and Benson get involved. It's a different group with that one change.

I dunno. Seems like a really good fit to me. And as we learned with Eichel (and Diggs), most serious reporters don't just make stuff up. There are rumors out there from player agents for a reason.

 

[Beerz]

I still say the best one trade to fix the most problems is Brady Tkachuk from Ottawa. I'd send them Peterka, Kulich, 2025 1st, and Jokiharju.

Peterka: young, fast, re-united with Stutzle.
Kulich: might be viewed as the best prospect for the Sabres
2025 1st (no trade protection): possibly better value than the 2024 pick as the 2024 draft isn't that deep.
Jokiharju: Ottawa needs RHD, and Jokiharju is as valuable as he's going to get.

I'd give up more.

Tkachuk drags his team into games where they aren't engaged. He's a leader. He's protect teammates. He's a net front force who would augment the large amount of perimeter skill the Sabres have.

Tkachuk - Thompson - Tuch
Quinn - Cozens - Benson
Skinner - Krebs - Greenway
Girgensons - xxx - xxx

Savoie is a consideration to make the team and even play on the 3rd line.

Power - Dahlin
Byrum - Samuelsson
Johnson - Clifton

Just adding Tkachuk to the forward makes the composure of the group seem a lot different. Thompson is big. Tuch is big, and has a new age power forward game. Cozens and Greenway are big and play a power game. Krebs and Benson get involved. It's a different group with that one change.

I dunno. Seems like a really good fit to me. And as we learned with Eichel (and Diggs), most serious reporters don't just make stuff up. There are rumors out there from player agents for a reason.

I'd do it but I'd be happier exchanging Kulich for Savoie

 

[PatLaFontaineASMR]

Tkachuk drags his team into games where they aren't engaged. He's a leader. He's protect teammates. He's a net front force who would augment the large amount of perimeter skill the Sabres have.

Dang the Sens must be pretty good.

 

[Der Jaeger]

I'd do it but I'd be happier exchanging Kulich for Savoie

I think the Sens would go for it more readily with Kulich instead of Savoie.

Dang the Sens must be pretty good.

Maybe check to see how former Sabres are doing away from the team? Last I checked, the three big names we traded away have a pair of Stanley Cups and a 50 goal season in between them.

 

[PatLaFontaineASMR]

Maybe check to see how former Sabres are doing away from the team? Last I checked, the three big names we traded away have a pair of Stanley Cups and a 50 goal season in between them

We traded them to teams that were already good.

That package is insane. You'd think we'd be getting a top 10 C under 24 with something like that. Not a winger with only 6 more goals than Peterka.

 

[Irie]

Maybe check to see how former Sabres are doing away from the team? Last I checked, the three big names we traded away have a pair of Stanley Cups and a 50 goal season in between them.

This tells me that it probably isn't a personnel problem, but most likely a coaching problem.

I mean, if all the players you trade away go elsewhere and play great and all the players you bring in start playing the worst hockey of their careers, it is hard to draw any other conclusion.

Maybe this organization should trade the coach for a better coach before moving out players that may be great players with better coaching. That seems like the logical change this organization should start with

 

[Der Jaeger]

We traded them to teams that were already good.

That package is insane. You'd think we'd be getting a top 10 C under 24 with something like that. Not a winger with only 6 more goals than Peterka.

I mean, if we're just counting goals, then the discussion isn't going anywhere. Because we know there's a world of difference between Peterka and Tkachuk.

This tells me that it probably isn't a personnel problem, but most likely a coaching problem.

I mean, if all the players you trade away go elsewhere and play great and all the players you bring in start playing the worst hockey of their careers, it is hard to draw any other conclusion.

Maybe this organization should trade the coach for a better coach before moving out players that may be great players with better coaching. That seems like the logical change this organization should start with

I'm on board the "hire better assistants" train currently.

Not to beat another dead horse, but the die was cast on Eichel and Reinhart before Granato became the HC.

 

[PatLaFontaineASMR]

I mean, if we're just counting goals, then the discussion isn't going anywhere. Because we know there's a world of difference between Peterka and Tkachuk.

I think you're massively underrating Peterka at 22 years old & massively overrating the impact Tkachuk has on a team.

 

[Samsonite23]

They are competitive athletes who compete for a living…I genuinely don’t understand how they don’t show up to these games. The only place I can point is coaching. I’ve seen them play enough games where they play their butt’s off. Get them ready to play. We already know they don’t go hard enough in practice…this is where it shows.

 

[Old Navy Goat]

I'd like them to give Florida a call and see about Sam Bennett. He's going into his final year before UFA so shouldn't cost a ton and could form a very effective 3rd line with Girgs and Greenway. That way you can give protected minutes to the odd bunch aka Skinner-Krebs

 

[SabresFan26]

Wild Offseason:

Only Qualify the following RFAs - Krebs, UPL (Sign bridge extension 3x3), Clague
Buyout Skinner
Don't keep any of the UFAs either

Sign UFA (overpay a few to get few guys)

#1 Fire Granato and the whole staff
#2 Sign RHD Dylan Demelo (3x5) - Steady PMD, who can play defense, kill penalties and be a good partner for OP
#3 Sign C/RW Jack Roslovic (2x6) (Place holder for Kulich and Savoie)
#4 Sign C/RW Max Domi (3x4) - Tough guy who can agitate but also put up points
#5 Sign LW Danton Heinen (3x3) - Two way who can play up and down the line up and add forechecking
#6 Sign RW Liam O'Brien (2x1) - A true bottom 6 forward who can defend teammates, hit, and add jam to the 4th line.
#7 Sign G Casey Desmith (1x2) - Backup to UPL that allows Levi to start in Rochester and then come up the following year.

Leaves us with about 2 million dollars in cap space.


Peterka-Thompson-Tuch
Benson-Cozens-Quinn
Greenway-Domi-Roslovic
Heinen-Krebs-O'Brien
X - Rousek

Byram-Dahlin
Power-Demelo
Samuelsson-Clifton
X - Clague (RyJo as a call up)

UPL
Desmith

Completely overhauls the roster - Build a new competitive culture.

 

[Jacob582]

Wild Offseason:

Only Qualify the following RFAs - Krebs, UPL (Sign bridge extension 3x3), Clague
Buyout Skinner
Don't keep any of the UFAs either

Sign UFA (overpay a few to get few guys)

#1 Fire Granato and the whole staff
#2 Sign RHD Dylan Demelo (3x5) - Steady PMD, who can play defense, kill penalties and be a good partner for OP
#3 Sign C/RW Jack Roslovic (2x6) (Place holder for Kulich and Savoie)
#4 Sign C/RW Max Domi (3x4) - Tough guy who can agitate but also put up points
#5 Sign LW Danton Heinen (3x3) - Two way who can play up and down the line up and add forechecking
#6 Sign RW Liam O'Brien (2x1) - A true bottom 6 forward who can defend teammates, hit, and add jam to the 4th line.
#7 Sign G Casey Desmith (1x2) - Backup to UPL that allows Levi to start in Rochester and then come up the following year.

Leaves us with about 2 million dollars in cap space.


Peterka-Thompson-Tuch
Benson-Cozens-Quinn
Greenway-Domi-Roslovic
Heinen-Krebs-O'Brien
X - Rousek

Byram-Dahlin
Power-Demelo
Samuelsson-Clifton
X - Clague (RyJo as a call up)

UPL
Desmith

Completely overhauls the roster - Build a new competitive culture.

Not qualifying Jokiharju....... interesting asset management.

 

[Fearnot]

This roster would look a lot better without
Cozens
Jost
Krebs
Girgs
Greenway
Olofsson
Robinson
Skinner
Rousek
Bryson
Clague
Clifton
Joki
Comrie
But really how much of that is even KA's fault?

 

[SabresFan26]

Not qualifying Jokiharju....... interesting asset management.

Rather spend that money elsewhere. He’s not worth his qualifying offer.

 

[Gras]

Rather spend that money elsewhere. He’s not worth his qualifying offer.

Hes worth the QO and he is also a tradeable asset

 

[MOGlLNY]

This roster would look a lot better without
Cozens
Jost
Krebs
Girgs
Greenway
Olofsson
Robinson
Skinner
Rousek
Bryson
Clague
Clifton
Joki
Comrie
But really how much of that is even KA's fault?

Greenway?

 

[TheMistyStranger]

This roster would look a lot better without
Cozens
Jost
Krebs
Girgs
Greenway
Olofsson
Robinson
Skinner
Rousek
Bryson
Clague
Clifton
Joki
Comrie
But really how much of that is even KA's fault?

Would it? I bet there are 31 teams that would love Cozens, even with his struggles this season. But it all depends on who they're replaced with. You think the team is better if they replace Cozens and Skinner and Comrie with Michael Mersch, Dustin Tokarski, and Olivier Nadeau?

 

[Fezzy126]

Thoughts on our WHL 2019ers:

Byram: Steve Bernier? in hot, then complete zero since. Away from Dahlin, there's zero offensive impact, and even with Dahlin, it was hit and miss.

Cozens: is he hurt? Zero impact down the stretch, in an already scary bad year. 6yx7mil left. He looks like the guy I wasn't excited about picking. Fast, big, can't handle the puck or make a play.

Krebs: has no role. hasn't translated his prospect qualities to the nhl yet. what do we do? He has intangibles I've always defend, but sadly on the ice, he eventually needs to contribute more than potential.

@Fezzy126 @joshjull @Chainshot

Gimme your takes, gents.

Byram: I'm probably the wrong person to ask about Byram; I've been a Mitts fan since pretty much about two weeks after Krueger was fired. Since that time (and when he wasn't injured) he was our best 200' forward. So while I'm trying to make an effort to root for Byram, I'm naturally jaded. I'll also echo everything that @Chainshot said about the type of player he is - young, rover, offensively minded, left handed, etc. I just don't like the roster fit. Even if I disregard the handedness, I'd much rather have someone stronger at shot suppression than shot generation. All of that being said, this top 4 D core of Dahlin, Power, Byram, and Samuelsson should grow to become very very good, perhaps a top 3 unit in the league if they can stay healthy.

Cozens: I'm not worried about him at all. The slow start sucked, but I think young players sometimes struggle after getting big contracts because they're trying to prove their worth it on every shift. They tighten the grip on the stick and then it just gets into their heads. Losing Quinn as a linemate made things worse. His numbers aren't pretty, but our turnaround in the second half was largely because he was able to turn his game around. Making things worse is his deployment, the kid just turned 23 and is a top 6 center, top PP, top PK, leads the team in D zone starts, and is often deployed in a shut down role. His deployment isn't ROR level of insanity, but he's got a full plate at a young age with limited teamates.

I have some other thoughts about the slow starts for our core guys, but I've kind of been saving that for a post-mortem/offseason thread post.

Krebs: In the preseason I wrote that he was obviously a big piece in the room and brings a lot of energy. The intangibles buys him a lot of leeway for me. I also previously referenced an interview with Jeep on Sabres Live, where he mentioned that Krebs would have to embrace his place as a role player if he wasn't able to cut it as a top 6 skill player. I think Krebs has done that this season to a certain extent, but I was really hoping he'd be able to make a minor impact on special teams (PP2 or as a penalty killer) as well, which hasn't happened.
Even if he does become a solid bottom 6 energy player, his point production needs to improve or he's just unplayable. His total points per 60 is below guys like Girgs and Robinson. Hell, his assists/60 was supposed to be his strength and he's at the bottom in that category as well.

I think they're going to continue to let him develop because of the intangibles, but in all my lineup projections he's firmly in the bottom 6 and he's one of my biggest question marks going into next year.