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

[HaNotsri]

My 2021-2022 Offseason chant: "Top 4 d, goalie, 4th line center"

My 2022-2023 Offseason chant: "Top 4 d, bottom 2 d, backup goalie, multiple pkers, one that's a center"

I want Backlund. Gives us a legit third line.
2nd+Olofsson? Someone probably offers a 1st.

I'd rather add one really good piece than fiddle with bottom 6 forwards.

 

[Chainshot]

As others have said, jettison 78 and 71. Addition by subtraction in both cases. I can't believe Bryson, in particular, went from a serviceable 6/7 last year to "I never wanna see him play for this franchise again" status. Just absolutely useless everywhere.

I wouldn't *hate* Joker as a 3rd pairing guy, but wouldn't be super thrilled with it either. Most defensemen are gonna have some warts, but his are so glaring:
-Zero defensive zone awareness of what's going on around him
-Terrible gap control
-General refusal to play the body means he's often "there, but not there," as Marty likes to say, in terms of net-front tie-ups or boxing guys out away from the crease. Power also needs to get a lot better at this.
-Consistently prone to poor decision-making

The annoying thing is, when he's not brain-farting all over the ice, he looks like a perfectly fine top 4 option. But those good flashes are much rarer than his bad ones.

If they keep Jokiharju and somehow find someone else to put with Power, pushing Henri down to the third pairing, everything you described is still likely to be there.

 

[Fezzy126]

As others have said, jettison 78 and 71. Addition by subtraction in both cases. I can't believe Bryson, in particular, went from a serviceable 6/7 last year to "I never wanna see him play for this franchise again" status. Just absolutely useless everywhere.

I wouldn't *hate* Joker as a 3rd pairing guy, but wouldn't be super thrilled with it either. Most defensemen are gonna have some warts, but his are so glaring:
-Zero defensive zone awareness of what's going on around him
-Terrible gap control
-General refusal to play the body means he's often "there, but not there," as Marty likes to say, in terms of net-front tie-ups or boxing guys out away from the crease. Power also needs to get a lot better at this.
-Consistently prone to poor decision-making

The annoying thing is, when he's not brain-farting all over the ice, he looks like a perfectly fine top 4 option. But those good flashes are much rarer than his bad ones.

Yeah, I'm pretty much done with Jokiharju. When he first got here I really thought he would become a poor man's Stralman. Not sure if he was ever going to get there, but while everyone looked f***ed under Krueger, he's the only one that hasn't really been able to unf*** himself.

Unfortunately, as I mentioned earlier I don't think the Sabres feel the same way.

 

[sabresfan129103]

Do they shut down Tage now that the players are out of reach?

 

[Fezzy126]

Do they shut down Tage now that the players are out of reach?

If he can play I think they'll let him take a run at the 50 goal mark.

 

[Old Navy Goat]

I doubt a 34yo Backlund at 5.3mil gets a 1st or even a 2nd especially seeing that Calgary would relish the cap space

 

[CowbellConray]

Backlund would be a pull for sure - he is a really solid two way second line center. Would give us a lot of flexibility.

I'd really call on Saros. Nashville has Askarov coming up soon, and they may be willing to do quick retool and dish Saros to a strong bidder. $5M for the next two years is incredibly affordable, and him and Levi give us a serious 1-2 goalie punch.

UPL + 1st + Oloffson maybe gets it done? Not sure w/ goalie valuations

 

[kirby11]

If they keep Jokiharju and somehow find someone else to put with Power, pushing Henri down to the third pairing, everything you described is still likely to be there.

I'm hoping they've seen enough to realize the juice isn't worth the squeeze and include him in a change of scenery D-for-D swap

 

[Chainshot]

I'm hoping they've seen enough to realize the juice isn't worth the squeeze and include him in a change of scenery D-for-D swap

That's my hope as well.

 

[TehDoak]

Final Final Thoughts: If we bring back the same lineup without any additions there will be hellfire in this forum. However, I don't think it should be doom and gloom because there is still room for growth from the majority of the roster, and I expect exponential growth from Quinn and Power at a minimum. In talking about Quinn specifically, I wouldn't be surprised with a 40 point improvement next year, it fits with his development history and the underlying metrics are already there.

This thought process is part of the problem that is wrong with the org. This idea that the 'improvement comes from within'

There is a very real ceiling to this. And to be frank, I think we've seen it this year (not in terms of point totals but in terms of the ways we are going to be limited). And even if we make the playoffs next year, if we run it back with the same crew mostly....we are going to see it in a more pronounced way in a 7 game series. Unless we get a favorable matchup of a team that can't handle speed through the neutral zone it'll likely be a short series.

We have to start addressing our issues in a meaningful way...and that is going to mean making tough roster molding decisions to address our deficiencies. To be fair, i think your roster is probably realistic as to what the front office will do. Little risk, push any decisions back a year, and keep it a budget roster. But...it's a recipe for disaster. The teams around us will continue to improve. We aren't going to get career years out of 5 players next year. Yes, there is upside internally, but there is also room for regression. A lot of it.

It's time to start doing what Adams and Co should have done last year. Addressing obvious and glaring needs, using cap space and draft/prospect capital to do so.

 

[Jim Bob]

Keys to the offseason: Free agency, draft plans for every NHL team

We explore the next moves each team should make this summer and forecast their 2023-24 outlook.

www.espn.com

Buffalo Sabres​

Projected 2023-24 cap space: $19,459,763
2023 draft picks: 1st, 2nd, 2nd (PHI), 3rd (LA), 4th, 5th, 6th, 7th

What went wrong?

Buffalo's playoff hopes ultimately ran out of runway in the final week of this regular season. That was nearly a best-case kind of scenario for the Sabres. This season was meant to be a step forward in Buffalo's rebuilding process, and it gave the Sabres' young core a true taste of meaningful hockey.

But there were struggles along the way. Buffalo's goaltending lacked consistency again, with Eric Comrie and Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen both finishing with save percentages below .900. That contributed to the Sabres being top-10 in goals against on the season.

Buffalo also showed its youth during lengthy, difficult skids, including a potential season-shifting stretch going 2-8-2 through late February into March. Like with most non-playoff squads, the Sabres dealt with a fair share of injuries as well which didn't help their cause. In the end, falling just short of the postseason did much more to help then hurt Buffalo. The positives of this campaign far outweigh the negatives.

Keys to the offseason

The Sabres have their core locked up long term. What GM Kevyn Adams has to decide is how some of the club's veterans fit into Buffalo's next chapter. Captain Kyle Okposo, Zemgus Girgensons and Vinnie Hinostroza are all UFAs this summer. Will any of them be back? And if not, what does that mean for the team's leadership group? Who will step up and fill the void, especially if the Sabres choose to name a new captain right away?

It's imperative for Adams & Co. not to rush their rebuild along, but based on how the Sabres performed this season they could be trending ahead of schedule.

Another critical decision will be about who's in net. Craig Anderson is a pending UFA who likely won't be back. That leaves Comrie, Luukkonen and incoming sensation Devon Levi to battle it out for the starter's crease. Adams has to be confident in that group given how unreliable goaltending has been for Buffalo in recent seasons. Levi is just 21 years old; while he looked impressive in late-season action, can he handle being a No. 1 already? There are similar questions for the 24-year-old Luukkonen. The Sabres are settled most everywhere else on their roster. Sorting out the goalie situation is paramount.


Realistic expectations for 2023-24

Buffalo should emerge as a playoff team next season. The Sabres have enviable offensive and defensive weapons, a trusted coach in Don Granato and with a little tinkering by Adams in the offseason, Buffalo should have confidence in its goaltending and leadership cadre, too. That's likely to be a successful recipe.

It seems like that sentence should be that Adams cannot be confident given that they feel that sorting out the goalie situation is paramount.

 

[Gabrielor]

If they keep Jokiharju and somehow find someone else to put with Power, pushing Henri down to the third pairing, everything you described is still likely to be there.

He could be a legit trade chip. People love young RD. Jokiharju + 13 + might be able to net you something

 

[EichHart]

Who are you guys targeting this offseason to fix our defensive woes?

 

[Husko]

This thought process is part of the problem that is wrong with the org. This idea that the 'improvement comes from within'

There is a very real ceiling to this. And to be frank, I think we've seen it this year (not in terms of point totals but in terms of the ways we are going to be limited). And even if we make the playoffs next year, if we run it back with the same crew mostly....we are going to see it in a more pronounced way in a 7 game series. Unless we get a favorable matchup of a team that can't handle speed through the neutral zone it'll likely be a short series.

We have to start addressing our issues in a meaningful way...and that is going to mean making tough roster molding decisions to address our deficiencies. To be fair, i think your roster is probably realistic as to what the front office will do. Little risk, push any decisions back a year, and keep it a budget roster. But...it's a recipe for disaster. The teams around us will continue to improve. We aren't going to get career years out of 5 players next year. Yes, there is upside internally, but there is also room for regression. A lot of it.

It's time to start doing what Adams and Co should have done last year. Addressing obvious and glaring needs, using cap space and draft/prospect capital to do so.

Agreed. Squandering the gift that was this year was bad enough. If they don't make a meaningful addition and are content to just let it ride this year, it's just asking for trouble. Development isn't linear. Some players that had career years are going to take a step back. We can't just bank on "exactly what we have now plus development" meaning we take a step forward.

 

[elchud]

They like the team chemistry and aren't going to do any major trades/shakeup. Savoie in, Kulich one more year in Roch.

Get the PK on track. That's a biggie. Stay healthy too.

Clifton. 5 yrs x $4.2
Hill. 3 yrs x $3
Maenalanen. 2 yrs x $1.5 (PK guy)
New assistant coaches

Olofsson half retained and UPL for AHL prospects.

Skinner Tage Tuch
Greenway Cozens Quinn
Peterka Mitts Savoie
Zem Krebs Okposo
Maenalanen/Hino

Sammy Dahlin
Power Clifton
Stillman Joker
Bryson/Lyubushkin

Levi
Hill
Comrie

I would consider this to be realistic. For example they like Joker and Bryson and maybe they can work better down the lineup. Adding a 1B to Levi's 1A is critical in case of injuries.

 

[Duddy]

Why bring in a PK guy to have him be 13th forward? Waste of a contract.

 

[Fly Boy]

VO + Joker + BUF 2nd/LA 3rd for Backlund and Zadorov?

Probably way off.

 

[Jim Bob]

Who are you guys targeting this offseason to fix our defensive woes?

I approve of this message.

VO + Joker + VGK 2nd for Backlund and Zadorov?

Probably way off.

The Sabres no longer own the VGK '23 2nd round pick. It went to Minnesota in the Greenway deal.

 

[Fly Boy]

I approve of this message.


The Sabres no longer own the VGK '23 2nd round pick. It went to Minnesota in the Greenway deal.

Right, Right. Then BUF 2nd or LA 3rd maybe?

 

[Djp]

I doubt a 34yo Backlund at 5.3mil gets a 1st or even a 2nd especially seeing that Calgary would relish the cap space

Calgary is desparste for cap space
teams don’t have cap room

you don’t give Calgary anything nice to take him. You don’t trade a 1st or 2nd. You might give up a 7 th to eat his salary.

they had to pay a 1st to move Monahan who was at a low $6M. You think they get a 1st/2nd for backland…no.

thus is how you can get Anderson from thrm.

Andersson+ backland for Joker at 50%+ something else ( not a 1st/ top 10 prospect)

 

[Zman5778]

Who are you guys targeting this offseason to fix our defensive woes?

Somewhat realistic:
Matt Roy from LAK
Connor Murphy from CHI
Dante Fabbro from NSH

More pie-in-the-sky:
Rasmus Andersson from CGY
Mackenzie Weegar from CGY
Colton Parayko from StL

Possible UFA purchases:
Connor Clifton
Scott Mayfield
Adam Graves
Damon Severson

Not touching with Toronto's 10 foot pole, even if available:
Ivan Provorov from PHI
Tyler Myers from VAN


Any one of the guys in the first 3 groups could probably slide into the spot next to Power for at least a year or two (or longer in some of the cases).

Also worth keeping an eye on: If the Isles miss the playoffs or get utterly embarassed in the first round.....I wonder if there's an appetite to finally blow things up there and one of their under-contract D shakes free

 

[TehDoak]

Calgary is desparste for cap space
teams don’t have cap room

you don’t give Calgary anything nice to take him. You don’t trade a 1st or 2nd. You might give up a 7 th to eat his salary.

they had to pay a 1st to move Monahan who was at a low $6M. You think they get a 1st/2nd for backland…no.

thus is how you can get Anderson from thrm.

Andersson+ backland for Joker at 50%+ something else ( not a 1st/ top 10 prospect)

Calgary isn't desperate for cap space.

They need to make some, sure. But they aren't in a place where they need to take massive losses on players.

They have 19 players under contract and are at 83.3M

Dustin Wolf is ready for a NHL spot.

Vladar out, Wolf in is a net of 1.4M.

Move out out of Toffolli, Dube, or Zadorov....they have no cap issues anymore.

They aren't moving Andersson.

 

[Ace]

Who are you guys targeting this offseason to fix our defensive woes?

A new GM and an owner who will spend money

 

[elchud]

Why bring in a PK guy to have him be 13th forward? Waste of a contract.

Injuries and maintenance games. And Okposo gets every 4th game off or something. Maenalanen would be in the lineup 70 games if he stays healthy, he is a quality 4th liner.

 

[WhereAreTheCookies]

Who are you guys targeting this offseason to fix our defensive woes?

My ideal guy would be Weegar, he just checks all the boxes for what they need in the top 4. That said I doubt Calgary trades him, and if they do I'm sure there would be considerable interest.

Realistically, with what Adams has done with UFA's so far I don't expect a big name. If he addresses RD, maybe Holl is someone he targets. He seems like a Lyubushkin type who is accustomed to playing over 20 minutes a game on a good team, blocks shots, PK's, hits and plays that shutdown kind of role.