Roster thread: Get To Work (2022-2023 Season)

[Doug Prishpreed]

We are in no position to be turning down players for being too good. Players like Chychrun are rarely available.


My thought process is that I want to pair our puck movers with stable defensive guys. I think Boosh could unlock Power more than Joki does and at the same time Joki could play to his strengths more with Chychrun.

Boosh isn't unlocking anyone. Anyone who has tried to play him as anything more than a bottom pairing guy has been disappointed.

 

[Irie]

Just think how good the present and future would look if Adams had gone out the last 2 offseasons and signed Ullmark (goalie), Forbot/Ian Cole/ruuta/larsson/schultz etc (top 4 D), and Danault (2nd/3rd line Center).

You tirelessly support Adams and everything he's done, yet you don't have the confidence in him to think he'd have signed better UFAs than your 3 or that he will sign good UFAs?

I think you are mixing me up with someone else, I have been quite critical of Adams on a lot of issues, but I am fine with the patient build process. It is the only way a team like Buffalo can build a contender.

My post was really just to point out that there are no guarantees that UFAs would work, and we have to be mindful of the upcoming cap problems.

We also should be realistic, Danault was not signing in Buffalo in any reality, and even if it somehow happened, then Cozens would not have gotten the top 6 chance. Danault's demand was a top six role to sign anywhere.

Ulmark would likely be injured had he stayed. He is not durable enough to survive the game the Sabres make their goalies play.

The D and team depth were acceptable had they had even remotely average injury luck. Pilut, Clague an Fitz are not the worst 7-9 D in the league for some perspective. Problem is all of their top six D have been injured.

No team can survive the type of injury luck this team has had.

 

[Bendium]

My issue with a Chychrun trade is only the price. He is exactly the kind of well rounded top 4 I would like us to get.

....but.....his contract is for this year and 2 more. Then he is an UFA. If his deal ended with him being in the final year of his RFA then he would have more value. You cannot try to resign him until his final season. So if you trade for him you have to assume you are getting 2.5 years of him and then nothing. Suddenly 3 1st round assets looks expensive. You could have just paid a UFA a few mil more than that on a 2-3 year contract without losing the assets. If his contract ended as an RFA it might be worth it....but as is no.

That said, I am interested if the price comes down some. For example, 2023 unprotected 1st, one of (fitz, Bryson, Pilut) to replace the NHL roster defensman plus one more midlevel asset. If I make this trade, I also commit to making a couple other trades and getting to the playoffs, in which case the "unprotected" wasn't worth anything anyways.

 

[toddkaz]

He added we don’t know if they can sustain that level of production.

Thats the point of improving the team. I also posted Adams can improve the defense to mantain their play.

 

[Irie]

Adams needs to improve the defense. We can make the playoffs. Stats like these don't miss the playoffs.

There is a fairly large correlation with goal output and neglectful defensive play.

If the forwards were all playing more responsibly defensively, the goal output likely tails off, but so do the goals against.

As @Zman5778 pointed out, the defensive issues are more of a team issue that starts with the forwards being more responsible than an individual Defender issue. (it is just easier to see when a defenseman screws up).

 

[joshjull]

We are in no position to be turning down players for being too good. Players like Chychrun are rarely available.

Turning down players? Are they giving him to us for free? No, they’re charging a premium for him.

We have Dahlin, Power and Sammy who make Chychrun a want not a need.

The question isn’t “do we turn down a good player?’

Its ”should we get into a bidding war with teams that actually do need someone like Chychrun?” Something that will guarantee the price ends up being a premium.

I would be happy if we acquired him but understand if its not a focus because of the potential price.

My thought process is that I want to pair our puck movers with stable defensive guys. I think Boosh could unlock Power more than Joki does and at the same time Joki could play to his strengths more with Chychrun.

How is Boosh going to unlock more from Power? He can’t come close to playing the amount of minutes Power does.

 

[Irie]

Letting Colin Miller walk was not the right call. Guy's a decent player who did not look good on a shit team. He's having a very nice season in Dallas, and would be exactly what the doctor ordered on the right side.

If they want to take a run at shoring up the team this season I'd inquire about Josh Brown from ARI, and Niko Mikkola from STL.

Trading 2nds to buy into the 1st round would be great, but is unlikely imo. -Maybe- Boston would do it? They'll have a shit 1st, and their prospect pool is so dry they might be better with multiple swings.

Miller had a lack of urgency on D in Buffalo. He did not put in the effort defensively on most nights. He was fine offensively though, but with the way the sabres forwards play, Miller struggled often.

Dallas gets a strong defensive team effort night in and night out. The forwards help their D out which Miller greatly benefits from, I think that is why he is a better fit there than he was here

 

[flashsabre]

Does anyone feel like Chychrun could be the missing piece that puts us in the playoffs? Would people be ok with a 1st(top 10 protected) 2nd and Kulich/Ostlund?

I feel like if we could get someone like Chychrun it would push everyone down 1 spot on defense from 3-6

Dahlin Samuelsson
Chychrun Power

Could be the best top 4 in the league.

Lots of chatter Buffalo is still in on it. At what sacrifice is it worth it?

I would like to get Chychrun but I would be offering Joker as a piece. No to Kulich.

Joker, Mitts and a pick or Portillo would be my offer.

Chychrun would solidify the top 4 and Boosh can hold down the 3rd pairing

 

[Aladyyn]

Turning down players? Are they giving him to us for free? No, they’re charging a premium for him.

We have Dahlin, Power and Sammy who make Chychrun a want not a need.

The question isn’t “do we turn down a good player?’

Its ”should we get into a bidding war with teams that actually do need someone like Chychrun?” Something that will guarantee the price ends up being a premium.

I would be happy if we acquired him but understand if its not a focus because of the potential price.


How is Boosh going to unlock more from Power? He can’t come close to playing the amount of minutes Power does.

Chychrun is not a need? I don't understand how anyone can see the current state of our blueline and come to that conclusion. Would I pay the rumored price? No. But I will gladly put our 1st and one of our forward prospects on the table and add some mid-level futures to get it done.

 

[Fjordsen]

No we don‘t. You want one. There is a difference.

I would improve both positions, but the top 4 RD is still a priority, Jokiharju is constantly injured.

 

[Push Dr Tracksuit]

I would improve both positions, but the top 4 RD is still a priority, Jokiharju is constantly injured.

top 4D barely ranks on this team in priority

Joker is more a top 4 D than: Fitz is a NHLer, mitz/VO/xxx is an NHL line, anything goaltending, or the kid line is a bonafide top 6 line

you could make 4 trades and there would still be a move more pressing than replacing Joker on this roster

replacing Joker might be a priority if he was the #4 for Toronto or Boston, Joker is currently 1 of the 10 best hockey players on this roster

 

[Fjordsen]

top 4D barely ranks on this team in priority

Joker is more a top 4 D than: Fitz is a NHLer, mitz/VO/xxx is an NHL line, anything goaltending, or the kid line is a bonafide top 6 line

you could make 4 trades and there would still be a move more pressing than replacing Joker on this roster

replacing Joker might be a priority if he was the #4 for Toronto or Boston, Joker is currently 1 of the 10 best hockey players on this roster

Do you see him in the lineup? He's injured. Last season, two injuries, this season is the second injury. I would easily trade VO and Mitts and completely redo this line around Krebs or Jost as 3C. But our defense needs help, Dahlin, Samuelsson and Power played too much and already looked tired. For Power, this is generally the first full season in the NHL. We need top 4 RD for more than one year, this problem is known to everyone.

 

[joshjull]

Chychrun is not a need? I don't understand how anyone can see the current state of our blueline and come to that conclusion. Would I pay the rumored price? No. But I will gladly put our 1st and one of our forward prospects on the table and add some mid-level futures to get it done.

No he isn’t. When healthy the top 4 has been playing well together. But we need more depth behind them. If you want to go top down with Chychrun thats fine. I would hardly be upset if we did that. But we don’t need to to address the depth issues in that manner.

 

[Dingo44]

We are in no position to be turning down players for being too good. Players like Chychrun are rarely available.


My thought process is that I want to pair our puck movers with stable defensive guys. I think Boosh could unlock Power more than Joki does and at the same time Joki could play to his strengths more with Chychrun.

Using assets and cap space on a player we don't need takes those assets and cap space from a player we do need.

 

[WhereAreTheCookies]

Ok but aren't we first? Shouldn't you be comparing first to first not 5th, 2nd or 3rd? Thats not 1st like the sabres are 1st. We are 1st not 2nd, 5th or 3rd.

Please post who finished first in goals in 15-16, 14-15 and 12-13 and we can go from there.

We are 1st right now, we also still have 50 games left in the season. Maybe we should I don't know.... wait until we are at the end of the season and see if we are still 1st in goals scored at that time, or in a playoff position.

Assuming we will continue to score close to 4 goals a game is very optimistic, while also assuming we will miss the playoffs is incredibly pessimistic. You're assumptions are a bit of a conundrum.

 

[Aladyyn]

Using assets and cap space on a player we don't need takes those assets and cap space from a player we do need.

Such as?

 

[Fjordsen]

Using assets and cap space on a player we don't need takes those assets and cap space from a player we do need.

We need Chychrun or another equally high-quality defenseman.

 

[joshjull]

I would like to get Chychrun but I would be offering Joker as a piece. No to Kulich.

Joker, Mitts and a pick or Portillo would be my offer.

Chychrun would solidify the top 4 and Boosh can hold down the 3rd pairing

Including Joker doesn’t make any sense. We need better depth on defense. Your trade improves a top 4 spot but adds zero depth. Plus it replaces Joker with a dman who has missed 30% of his games due to injuries.

 

[Der Jaeger]

Adams shouldn't be angling for a higher end defender like Chychrun. Add in a younger kid like Fabbro, who has proved he can play top 4 minutes well in Nashville, and that'd be enough to improve the defense.

Take the Olofsson, Fitzgerald and pick for Fabbro and Sissons trade. It's not the big Chychrun trade, but look where that puts the Sabres:

Skinner - Thompson - Tuch
Quinn - Cozens - Peterka
Mittelstadt - Jost - Asplund
Girgensons - Sissons - Okposo
x Krebs, Hinostroza

Samuelsson - Dahlin
Power - Fabbro
Bryson - Jokiharju
Pilut - Lyubushkin
(Substituts Clague for Bryson or Pilut if so inclined)

Legit bottom 6 which would be hard to play against, with some really good defensive depth. This is the type of move which put the Sabres in better playoff position.

 

[Fjordsen]

Adams shouldn't be angling for a higher end defender like Chychrun. Add in a younger kid like Fabbro, who has proved he can play top 4 minutes well in Nashville, and that'd be enough to improve the defense.

Take the Olofsson, Fitzgerald and pick for Fabbro and Sissons trade. It's not the big Chychrun trade, but look where that puts the Sabres:

Skinner - Thompson - Tuch
Quinn - Cozens - Peterka
Mittelstadt - Jost - Asplund
Girgensons - Sissons - Okposo
x Krebs, Hinostroza

Samuelsson - Dahlin
Power - Fabbro
Bryson - Jokiharju
Pilut - Lyubushkin
(Substituts Clague for Bryson or Pilut if so inclined)

Legit bottom 6 which would be hard to play against, with some really good defensive depth. This is the type of move which put the Sabres in better playoff position.

Chychrun is available and he good player, but Poile does not trade, this is the problem. Although I like Fabbro option and I also suggested it more than once.

 

[Zman5778]

We need Chychrun or another equally high-quality defenseman.

No we don't. We need guys that are better than Pilut/Fitz/Clague. Ideally, we find a guy that can push Bryson to #7. Not that Bryson is bad per se.....but he's fine when playing the minutes that we're forced into giving our AHL guys right now.

You WANT a high-end defenseman. What we NEED is different.

 

[Zman5778]

Thats the point of improving the team. I also posted Adams can improve the defense to mantain their play.

Improving the individuals on defense won't mask that our top 2 lines are pretty much all offense, all the time. Which is where our #1 GF ranking comes from.

A committed effort to team defense is likely to lower our precious GF ranking.

 

[Fjordsen]

No we don't. We need guys that are better than Pilut/Fitz/Clague. Ideally, we find a guy that can push Bryson to #7. Not that Bryson is bad per se.....but he's fine when playing the minutes that we're forced into giving our AHL guys right now.

You WANT a high-end defenseman. What we NEED is different.

Everyone wants the best defenders. I don't care if it's Chychrun or someone else, but quality + depth is better than just depth, especially since our defenders often get injured, and deep defenders usually cannot replace a player in the top 4.

Colorado has Makar, Toews, Byram, Manson, Girard and EJ, it's both quality and depth.

 

[Aladyyn]

Improving the individuals on defense won't mask that our top 2 lines are pretty much all offense, all the time. Which is where our #1 GF ranking comes from.

A committed effort to team defense is likely to lower our precious GF ranking.

All of the awful defensive stuff happens when neither Dahlin nor Power are on the ice. The solution is staring us in right in the eye.

 

[Gras]

Do you see him in the lineup? He's injured. Last season, two injuries, this season is the second injury. I would easily trade VO and Mitts and completely redo this line around Krebs or Jost as 3C. But our defense needs help, Dahlin, Samuelsson and Power played too much and already looked tired. For Power, this is generally the first full season in the NHL. We need top 4 RD for more than one year, this problem is known to everyone.

Joker can't be faulted for KO shooting a puck in to his face, or blocking shots which is likely he cause of his second stint on the IR.