Roster Thread (2023-2024 Season)

[MarkusKetterer]

I can’t tell what they’re doing in Washington, but if they decide to rebuild, I’d look into acquiring TJ Oshie. I’m definitely not a fan of his cap hit, and his production this year sucks, but he’s the type of player this team needs more of.

 

[zenthusiast]

If they sign Kane they'll sit back for the next 6 - 9 months thinking "SEE HOW HARD WE WORKED! We've upgraded this team. No need to do more until we see how it all shakes out."

And essentially nothing will change. Players in Rochester will be c-blocked because nobody in management is going to be willing to sit "their guy" for a rookie. It would be too embarrassing.

No other FAs will be brought in because "look at Kane, outside players aren't the solution!". Quality 3rd and 4th line players will be ignored because they brought in someone that will SELL TICKETS!!!!

If you think a 35 year old hockey player who was definitively on the downslope of his career, coming off hip surgery, is the answer to this team's problems, I'm not sure anything will dissuade you from your opinion.

This is a repeat of the cycle of thought that has caused a 12-year playoff drought in a league where half the F'ing teams make the playoff every year.

You wouldn’t want to mortgage the future, after all.

 

[zenthusiast]

I think there’s a not-wholly-unlikely scenario where Kane is better than a disaster if they heavily manage his role but it remains to be seen whether any of the relevant parties would want or accept that

 

[Sabre the Win]

Why is this board so obsessed with rolling out 12 rookies playing? So tired of the rookies blocked angle. Getting Kane isn't blocking the rookies, resigning Okposo and Giregensons is.

I wish Adams would start packaging our rookies up and start trading for players like Tomas Hertl and others who might move, insulate the kids we have with proven pros.

 

[ValJamesDuex]

I'm placing a marker down on this being an attempt to get the teams he really wants to sign with to up their offers ie: Team is being used ala Smallcock.

Agents use the Sabres? , that would never happen Mike Wonder if he would be allowed back into SBflo by his "buddies" again if that came out and he goes to the Leafs ?

 

[Archie Lee]

Why is this board so obsessed with rolling out 12 rookies playing? So tired of the rookies blocked angle. Getting Kane isn't blocking the rookies, resigning Okposo and Giregensons is.

I wish Adams would start packaging our rookies up and start trading for players like Tomas Hertl and others who might move, insulate the kids we have with proven pros.

You were doing good until the bolded. None of our prospects are ready for the roles that Okposo and Girgensens are playing. The most erroneous narrative of the season so far is the narrative that we have been hurt by the poor play of Girgs and Okposo. They are doing perfectly fine in their 4th line roles. If our prospects were ready, we wouldn't have 3rd line issues and nobody would be worried about what Girgs and Okposo are producing with 10-12 minutes per game.

 

[Jim Bob]

Great, you think he's been bad defensively?

He has not been great at ES and his positive impact on the PK has decreased as it seems like he needs a night off or two.

 

[Ehran]

Why is this board so obsessed with rolling out 12 rookies playing? So tired of the rookies blocked angle. Getting Kane isn't blocking the rookies, resigning Okposo and Giregensons is.

I wish Adams would start packaging our rookies up and start trading for players like Tomas Hertl and others who might move, insulate the kids we have with proven pros.

Not sure which rookies in our system that Okposo and/or Girgensons is blocking? Which have similar, shot suppression, skillset that is ready for the NHL?

Rousek and Biro maybe? Both are up on the roster but neither showed they're fully ready. Rosen, Kulich? Neither is ready to contribute defensively to this team. God knows we have a lot of high flying, offensively gifted, players. But that's not what this team needs in order to be successful.

Signing Kane would block further improvements on this team because we've seen team management being overly reluctant to improve the roster because "they don't want to block the young players."

That's their argument, not ours, We've just seen it used too often to explain reluctance to address this team's actual needs.

 

[Jim Bob]

Yeah, to me it's worth a shot to get literally the best right halfwall player of his generation. Even if he's turning 35, even if he's coming off a sketchy procedure. His highlights from the last two years are still pretty damn slick over there. I understand the odds re: his hip, but he's a top 25 player in the history of the game - if anyone can do it, he can and he's going to get a shot somewhere.

Do people think replacing Vic with Kane will materially hurt us 5v5? We can make another move in addition to this one (including getting Quinn back in 6 weeks) to help our 5v5. It seems like a lot of the apprehension is based on thinking Adams believes this is a silver bullet for all that ails us. If he does, I agree he's mistaken. But I'm not viewing this as more than a free player who might be much better than one we're currently rolling out.

That is maybe the lowest bar possible. And given that they have VO as a blackhole at ES, do they really need to be adding another one? Especially since Okposo and Girgensons are starting to have the aging curve negatively impact their ES effectiveness, as well.

 

[Dubi Doo]

If they sign Kane they'll sit back for the next 6 - 9 months thinking "SEE HOW HARD WE WORKED! We've upgraded this team. No need to do more until we see how it all shakes out."

And essentially nothing will change. Players in Rochester will be c-blocked because nobody in management is going to be willing to sit "their guy" for a rookie. It would be too embarrassing.

No other FAs will be brought in because "look at Kane, outside players aren't the solution!". Quality 3rd and 4th line players will be ignored because they brought in someone that will SELL TICKETS!!!!

If you think a 35 year old hockey player who was definitively on the downslope of his career, coming off hip surgery, is the answer to this team's problems, I'm not sure anything will dissuade you from your opinion.

This is a repeat of the cycle of thought that has caused a 12-year playoff drought in a league where half the F'ing teams make the playoff every year.

Meh. It's not like Kane relied on elite skating to be an impact player in this league...

 

[5 Minute Major]

Kane or no Kane, there are obvious issues this team needs to address. Whether that be the coaching staff, players or both.

I can tell you what I’m starting to have flashbacks of the mid 80’s Sabres and how the future was so bright with the prospects and young players that were in our system. That turned out to be a complete dud.

At some point a team that hasn’t made the post-season in well over a decade needs to start thinking about the here and now. Of course that doesn’t mean trade every prospect but what we are seeing just isn’t cutting it.

 

[Tijuana Donkey Show]

You were doing good until the bolded. None of our prospects are ready for the roles that Okposo and Girgensens are playing. The most erroneous narrative of the season so far is the narrative that we have been hurt by the poor play of Girgs and Okposo. They are doing perfectly fine in their 4th line roles. If our prospects were ready, we wouldn't have 3rd line issues and nobody would be worried about what Girgs and Okposo are producing with 10-12 minutes per game.

This is where I am. I just don't understand the roster construction anymore.

We have a gaping whole where we are missing a bunch of slightly different versions of the same player and that is a guy like Greenway, Meir, etc. I am actually suddenly concerned that I am waking up mid-November in 2023 and this team is having issues with forward depth. Like that was "the thing".

The top 6 is set for the next 3-5 years (assuming Mitts is re-signed) Congrats, they did it. Take a victory lap and get back to work. I think any real effort or assets to upgrade on Skinner, Thompson, Tuch, Greenway, Mitts, JJP, is wasted energy and resources that should be spent with the bottom of the roster. We should have enough resources in the pipeline to replace Tuch/Skinner as they age/need new contracts. But even then, at Cozens contract and the way Mitts has been playing Cozens should be prepping to take the RW spot in the top 6 and/or becoming a face off specialist.

We don't have anybody filling the bottom 6 well. Even Cozens has not been a good 3C. The 4th line has been "meh", it can be upgraded. But we really don't have guys in the system with the skill sets to step in any time soon. Girgs isn't holding anybody back because there are zero players in the minors to play that role. And the frustrating part is that nearly anybody who follows this team close enough to be posting on a message board thought that was the low hanging fruit this offseason. More power forwards on the wing. Get somebody who can win face offs too!

 

[Chainshot]

Kane or no Kane, there are obvious issues this team needs to address. Whether that be the coaching staff, players or both.

I can tell you what I’m starting to have flashbacks of the mid 80’s Sabres and how the future was so bright with the prospects and young players that were in our system. That turned out to be a complete dud.

At some point a team that hasn’t made the post-season in well over a decade needs to start thinking about the here and now. Of course that doesn’t mean trade every prospect but what we are seeing just isn’t cutting it.

If there is a lesson in the Bowman era it is to not get so blinded by one's own draft picks. Scotty certainly was. It feels a bit like Adams is on that same path.

 

[Ace]

Why is this board so obsessed with rolling out 12 rookies playing? So tired of the rookies blocked angle. Getting Kane isn't blocking the rookies, resigning Okposo and Giregensons is.

I wish Adams would start packaging our rookies up and start trading for players like Tomas Hertl and others who might move, insulate the kids we have with proven pros.

Which rookies are you expecting in a fourth line defensive role next year? Savoie and Kulich?

Thats who Kane blocks.

 

[Doug Prishpreed]

Yeah, to me it's worth a shot to get literally the best right halfwall player of his generation. Even if he's turning 35, even if he's coming off a sketchy procedure. His highlights from the last two years are still pretty damn slick over there. I understand the odds re: his hip, but he's a top 25 player in the history of the game - if anyone can do it, he can and he's going to get a shot somewhere.

Do people think replacing Vic with Kane will materially hurt us 5v5? We can make another move in addition to this one (including getting Quinn back in 6 weeks) to help our 5v5. It seems like a lot of the apprehension is based on thinking Adams believes this is a silver bullet for all that ails us. If he does, I agree he's mistaken. But I'm not viewing this as more than a free player who might be much better than one we're currently rolling out.

VO sits on a bench much of the time, so he wouldn't be replacing him. But that's besides the point -- the main issue is the opportunity cost, not the roster spot. It prevents you from making a move that actually helps. Not sure why this concept is above everyone's heads.

Bringing in Kane is a lazy PR move that will at best help the PP a little bit, when it shouldn't need that much help. Bringing in a PP specialist always has been a dumb move whenever a team has done it over the years --- it never helps any teams who aren't already on top in all of the other categories.

 

[5 Minute Major]

If there is a lesson in the Bowman era it is to not get so blinded by one's own draft picks. Scotty certainly was. It feels a bit like Adams is on that same path.

Agreed.

 

[Tijuana Donkey Show]

Kane or no Kane, there are obvious issues this team needs to address. Whether that be the coaching staff, players or both.

I can tell you what I’m starting to have flashbacks of the mid 80’s Sabres and how the future was so bright with the prospects and young players that were in our system. That turned out to be a complete dud.

At some point a team that hasn’t made the post-season in well over a decade needs to start thinking about the here and now. Of course that doesn’t mean trade every prospect but what we are seeing just isn’t cutting it.

If there is a lesson in the Bowman era it is to not get so blinded by one's own draft picks. Scotty certainly was. It feels a bit like Adams is on that same path.

A big part of being GM is outside of drafting, and honestly after watching the Sabres embedded stuff I think Adams lets Forton carry the water for him.

The big job Kevyn needs to do is identify the guys in the system, and accurately pinpoint where they fit into the org and when. Sign the right guys to the right deals, and move the right pieces for the right replacements.

I think a big part of this teams success with drafting is Forton but I have been willing to give Adams credit as head of the org. If our big FA acquisition this year is a midseason signing of PK while we totally whiff on goal tending and power forwards. Not to mention all the hypotheticals around Cozens/Mitts. I will start to question the vision of this process.

 

[Jim Bob]

 

[BuffaloGooner]

They’re not even trying at this point. We’re 13 games in. Ice your best f***ing players.

 

[Doug Prishpreed]

So I see the Expected Buffalo folks are getting their twitter cult riled up about Ryan Johnson -- do they really expect Adams and Donny to play him over Eric Johnson? Over Clifton? What planet are these people living on?

 

[Sabresbyswords104]

When Kane signs with Buffalo ?

Lines with him ?

 

[Chainshot]

The upside is that they have a baseline for where RJohnson can slot in. That's a plus. I figured he'd be pushing for a job by mid-season and he seems like he's nearly ready.

 

[K8fool]

If he's hawrechuk. Why not

Had 92 points year before injury 2022

 

[Tijuana Donkey Show]

When Kane signs with Buffalo ?

Lines with him ?

Based on the roster being fully healthy and 5 on 5?

Quinn - Cozens - Kane seems like the low hanging fruit. Maybe situationally with Skinner-Thompson- Kane?

 

[Archie Lee]

So I see the Expected Buffalo folks are getting their twitter cult riled up about Ryan Johnson -- do they really expect Adams and Donny to play him over Eric Johnson? Over Clifton? What planet are these people living on?

Before R. Johnson signed, they were tired of waiting on him and and ready to move on. Now he has played 3-4 games and the thought of playing the 6 healthy vets ahead of him is akin to giving up on the season. They are two emotional wrecks.