Roster Thread (2023-2024 Season)
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Zman5778
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RJ has looked darned good.........but I don't know if he's played comprehensively well enough to knock any of our when-healthy top 6 out (yet).
The "good" news is that it seems like we're destined to rarely have our top 6 healthy at once, so he'll get a bunch of games.
But I think when everyone is healthy, he's down in Rochester getting tons of top-pair minutes. You can't keep him up as a #7 guy.....and EJ has shown zero signs of slowing down at all. Hell, he's got me thinking that he's got one more year left on him.
I think we gotta "stay the course" here. Johnson plays if there's extended-time injuries, otherwise Bryson fills in for the one-game suspensions or one-game nicks and dents.
Ace
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- Oct 29, 2015
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EJ (and Clifton) provide a service on the PK. As long as they are not getting caved in at ES they cant come out.
Without an injury there isn’t a spot for R Johnson to get the minutes. But there’s always an injury soon enough.
Without an injury there isn’t a spot for R Johnson to get the minutes. But there’s always an injury soon enough.
KeyserSoze81
Registered User
Its a drop pass in the neutral zone while 3 players remain stationary on the blue line. Then we hope that the trailing player can get through the defense by some stroke of luck. If that happens, the puck goes into the corner and hopefully someone can win a puck battle to kick it to the point. Both of those things occurring has about a 20% success rate. Jeez, do you even watch Sabres hockey?What's a Power Play setup?
Jacob582
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- Oct 16, 2012
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CaliSabresfan24
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I know it looks wonky but thats helps point out RyJo is probably going back to RochI love how you grouped all the LHD and RHD together.
Jacob582
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Thats not what they have been doing, as soon as the puck carrier enters the zone he immediately passes back to the player that is standing stationary on the blueline at the wall.
The boys are starting to come together, the inconsistency is a hallmark of a young team, a lot of the drivers of this team are still babies, but they have been getting better and better every game, you can see the maturation happening every day. I really believe this team has the potential to be great, but they need to continue to take steps forward. Fix the damn powerplay, get rid of Olofsson and replace him with ANYONE and I have no doubt they can make the playoffs.
It's still way short, and if you think Erik Johnson plays 82 games, good luck. Who even wants him playing 82 games? He's effective in a reduced role. The margin of playoffs is very thin for this team.
And I wouldn't really call Connor Clifton this major addition.
Sure, we upgraded, but how could you not? You talk like Johnson/Clifton were these stellar additions when they are 3rd pair guys. Nothing special. Clifton couldn't even crack a Bruins lineup in the playoffs.
The saviour for this team might be Ryan Johnson emerging.
We still need a top 4 D man. Jokiharju has been good but I'm not buying him as a top 4 guy. No way.
This team is 6-6-0-1 and has not been unlucky. They are just average which is sad because in some sports they have supreme talent.
Is the issue all D. No. I see Okposo on the powerplay and shake my head he's in this lineup.
- Feb 3, 2015
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I think if Krebs has any chance of being salvaged he needs to go back down to the Amerks and not come back up until he's actually earned a spot. Mitts and Thompson were both brought into the NHL prematurely and needed to go back down. It worked out well for both of them, maybe it can work for Krebs too.
I don't think Krebs has any future as a bottom 6 grinder type. He's 2-3 inches shorter and 20-30lbs lighter than the guys who excel in that role. He's either going to make it in a skilled role, where size doesn't matter, or he's not going to make it.
I don't think Krebs has any future as a bottom 6 grinder type. He's 2-3 inches shorter and 20-30lbs lighter than the guys who excel in that role. He's either going to make it in a skilled role, where size doesn't matter, or he's not going to make it.
You just talked about points that I didn't even make...
Ok maybe EJ doesn't play 82. RyJo takes those games.
Clifton isn't a major addition. I know because I've said so for two months.
Joker. Whatever, he was here last year too.
Their record, unlucky, Okposo...nothing I ever mentioned.
This is the issue - the depth of the D-corps is MUCH better than last season, and therefore Bryson is a minute part of the equation for why they aren't playing better. Don't bother responding if you can't stay on the topic that YOU started.
So every cap team should be a lock for the playoffs then eh.
Their D is better coming off a ridiculous bottom. The signings they made were almost the minimum of what you would expect. Nothing players discarded by other teams that we overpaid on. And then we traded any depth we had. For a reason yet disclosed. That was my point. The guys we added were mediocre at best. And on top of it, we have no depth beyond Ryan Johnson who looks great (and maybe the Sabres anticipated he was ready).
Any injuries and we might be back to Bryson, Clague and Stillman, which is exactly what has happened. I think most people did not expect Bryson back this year as the 7th d man. He's on pace to play 20 games. That's just stupid for no reason.
My money would be on further injuries at some point this year, and expect to see the team at #8 and #9 on the depth chart in key games.
I still do not understand why the D cannot be better.
We have mostly an average D, which seems hard to believe when you start with Dahlin/Power.
The 6-6-0-1 record is well deserved. It's not all on the D but I don't get why defence cannot be the strength of the team.
You are simply and completely making @#$% up here.
Erik Johnson is nowhere near a "nothing player". Everyone watching sees how calm and steady he has been. He's a WORLD of difference from what we had for depth last season.
Neither is Clifton a nothing player. He's not that good to me, but he's still better than Fitz/Pilut/Clague by a wide margin.
Then you go acting like Lyubushkin was good depth. Clifton is actually better. And injuries will hurt any team. There aren't many clubs with guys that will hold their own as a #9 or #10, but Buffalo actually has that, and it's WAY better than last season whether Bryson is on the roster or not.
But I see the angle - what KA added is mediocre, while what he ditched is somehow better. This is a terrible angle you're going for and I don't actually believe you think it's true.
My Cozen Dylan
Registered User
If Calgary is truly shopping Hanifin, Zadorov, and Tanev, I think getting one would be a huge boost for us (strong preference for Zadorov or Tanev though, considering both acquisition cost and fit).
Lots of teams would kill to have a D core with Dahlin, Power, Samuelsson, Joki, Ryan Johnson, Erik Johnson, and Clifton.
You keep comparing all this to last year. If that's your starting point, good luck. Lyubushkin was pushed down to a #6 or #7 player, which was where he belonged. The point was NOT to have him start every game but to have depth so when injuries come, we don't fall off the rails.
If you like mediocrity, have fun. I see a 6-6-0-1 team that is not really playoff-worthy 15% into the season.
The D is not the Sabres only issue but it was fixed with some old motors and nothing remotely high-end. So many prospects and Buffalo has been unwilling to trade for a top 4 D and only GMKA and ownership know why.
If we had made that trade, we would have a killer top 4 with the right RD. The bottom pair and spares would be RD heavy but GMKA and Granato insist that doesn't matter.
Anyway, this is what we got this year. Ryan Johnson is the only wildcard in all of this.
I suppose some will argue Ryan Johnson was always part of the plan. I certainly can't answer that. I hope he plays 22 minutes a game and is the new Toni Lydman. Love to be wrong and see the D become elite with him in the top 4.
And you bounced from claiming Bryson is a problem to saying that losing Lyubushkin is a problem. Damn if you think the difference between keeping Bryson over Lyubushkin (hot tip - he wanted out after the additions) is a reason they'll miss the playoffs, you're jumping the shark trying to find something to bitch about.
Does any GM completely revamp their D-corps from bad to elite in one summer? If that's what you were expecting then just go buy some lottery tickets and be happier with those results.
Deep Blue Metallic
Bo knows hockey.
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He sounded more embarrassed than anything else. Probably not only for a bad decision, but also for getting his clock cleaned.
That's a good thing imo. We don't want him tangling with the league's palookas.
Deep Blue Metallic
Bo knows hockey.
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Nah, it's Dahlin getting frustrated, making a self-pass off the boards while gaining the blueline, skating past the defender to collect the puck, and rocketing a wrister into the far side.
PP is set.
Deep Blue Metallic
Bo knows hockey.
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Compared to what the Sabres had last season, it's inarguably and significantly better.
Imagine how good it could be if we signed a free agent defenseman for $8 million this year.
That one guy would have cut the dumb out or accelerated the learning curve amongst the entire FW group. 12-0-1 for sure.Imagine how good it could be if we signed a free agent defenseman for $8 million this year.
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