Prospect Info: Ryan Johnson, D, 2019 #31 overall: Signed, Rochester (AHL), Recalled 12/5/24

[Bendium]

This in a nutshell. It would be poor asset management not to sign Johnson, even if the Sabres are not enamored with him.

(To be clear, I believe the Sabres see a future for Johnson with BUF organization, and will sign him.)

Edit: it appears @truthbluth and I were Vulcan mind-melded.

100% agree its poor asset management. KA has been on the side of poor asset management more than once this year, so the fact that it is, may not deter him. So....I am prepared to not be surprised if they don't sign him.

 

[BG82]

If we cant sign Ryan Johnson, will we have his rights at the draft ? If he doesnt want to be here wouldnt it be smart to get some sort of compensation in return ?

If Johnson walks, it makes one of the thinnest D prospect groups even thinner.

It would leave the Sabres with only 5 D in the pipeline heading into this off season. And of those 5, Lindgren is the guy that was taken with the highest pick at 106OV.

So, while the Sabres have one of, if not the, best group of D age 23 and younger, the lack of prospects in the pipeline is an issue that needs to be addressed.

This D group is crazy young. Bryson is the second oldest D on the roster. That is bonkers to me.

I'm sure wed be using our couple high picks this draft on DMen

 

[Jim Bob]

If we cant sign Ryan Johnson, will we have his rights at the draft ? If he doesnt want to be here wouldnt it be smart to get some sort of compensation in return ?


I'm sure wed be using our couple high picks this draft on DMen

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This says that the Sabres have RyJo's rights until August 15th. So, if Chad D is wrong and they don't sign him, they would have his rights past the draft.

 

[Der Jaeger]

Anyone sum this up? I'm at work and can't get to the site.

 

[truthbluth]

Anyone sum this up? I'm at work and can't get to the site.

Johnson is actually good and the Sabres would be stupid to not sign him. Adds that he’s still hearing he will sign. Chad is us as usual.

 

[ValJamesDuex]

Anyone have a subscription and can post the substance ?

 

[HOOats]

KA has been on the side of poor asset management more than once this year, so the fact that it is, may not deter him.

Care to share? Losing Fitz on waivers was unfortunate but hardly unusual.

 

[Der Jaeger]

Johnson is actually good and the Sabres would be stupid to not sign him. Adds that he’s still hearing he will sign. Chad is us as usual.

Thanks. I think Johnson will sign and be a good 2nd or 3rd pair addition. He skates well. At a minimum, he can be a left handed Pysyk.

 

[BG82]

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Thank you for the amazing 9 years

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This says that the Sabres have RyJo's rights until August 15th. So, if Chad D is wrong and they don't sign him, they would have his rights past the draft.

Be nice to have him for Rochester playoff run with a shot at cracking Buffalo next year but if not, package RyJo with Olofsson and add a DMan or bottom 6 vet for next year

 

[Zman5778]

I think not signing Ryan Johnson to get the 31st pick in the second round of the 2024 draft would be a mistake because I think he’s a player, that at worst is a minute eater in Rochester. They’ve done significantly worse with similar picks (late 2, early 3) in the past decade. I don’t necessarily think it would be emblematic of any specific failing of Adams’. It would just be poor asset management.

IMO, Johnson's absolute worst case scenario is that he turns into Chad Ruhwedel. Which is to say -- a guy who can be a #1 in Rochester or that perfect 6/7 guy in any organization.
A more realistic worst-case is that he's another Mark Pysyk -- a 3rd pairing/#7 guy who's mostly reliable.

Either worst-case scenario is most certainly worth more than the 31st pick in the 2024 draft, IMO.

 

[Zman5778]

Be nice to have him for Rochester playoff run with a shot at cracking Buffalo next year but if not, package RyJo with Olofsson and add a DMan or bottom 6 vet for next year

I think the Sabres are perfectly happy having Johnson compete with Stillman (and Bryson, likely) for the 3rd pairing LHD spot. The 3rd pairing RHD spot is more than likely set with Boosh for one more year.

 

[Bendium]

Care to share? Losing Fitz on waivers was unfortunate but hardly unusual.

Sure. I can give an example. It should have been evident to KA and DG that Bryson and Olofsson were not core players, and have a net negative effect on winning. They should have traded either directly or in a package, both of those players anytime between last offseason and this trade deadline.

However, they kept playing them, to the detriment of the team, trying to get more out of them either in trade or on the ice. They got neither, and by the trade deadline, spent assets on Greenway and Stillman that pushed them both off the ice. So we held onto them until they had no value, and now, by not playing them when it counts, you are ensuring they have minimum value this offseason. Getting ahead of this cycle and trading players that are not long term core, and don't really fit your needs, is good asset management. Whatever assets that could have been gotten for them could have been applied to acquiring a player that better matched team needs. Thats good asset management.

What they did was the opposite. Bad asset management.

 

[Jim Bob]

IMO, Johnson's absolute worst case scenario is that he turns into Chad Ruhwedel. Which is to say -- a guy who can be a #1 in Rochester or that perfect 6/7 guy in any organization.
A more realistic worst-case is that he's another Mark Pysyk -- a 3rd pairing/#7 guy who's mostly reliable.

Either worst-case scenario is most certainly worth more than the 31st pick in the 2024 draft, IMO.

Yeah, unless Johnson has no interest in signing here, it makes little sense to value the comp pick over the player.

The 63rd pick in the 2024 Draft isn't him Buffalo until 2026-27 at the earliest.

 

[The Blunder Years]

I think he’ll be signed by the end of the week

 

[Bendium]

Be nice to have him for Rochester playoff run with a shot at cracking Buffalo next year but if not, package RyJo with Olofsson and add a DMan or bottom 6 vet for next year

My wife and I discussed this after the title game, where we were not impressed by what we saw. I wonder if the Sabres want him to sign a AHL tryout and play with the Amerks to see what he can do in a pro environment, and then sign the ECL after the playoffs if he shows he has a pro game. If Johnson wants to be here and believes in himself then he does it. If not, then he goes to UFA and the Sabres get the pick.

Johnson understandably would want to sign the ECL and burn a year this week. Stalemate.

 

[Zman5778]

I think he’ll be signed by the end of the week

The hope is that he signs in the next couple of days and then gets into either the Ottawa or Columbus games (or both, if we're out of it).

 

[Zman5778]

My wife and I discussed this after the title game, where we were not impressed by what we saw.

He's never going to play the style of game that's overly impressive. He's a solid, steady type of guy who is best when he's not noticed or noticeable.

 

[Ehran]

Unless it's for personal reasons, I don't see a reason for him not to sign here.

It's not as if the road to a NHL roster spot is blocked. Coaches have shown they don't really trust the guys we have in the 5, 6, 7th roster spot.

Professionally, this might be his best shot. Not to mention burning off a year on the ELC.

Or maybe that's the hang up? He wants an ELC and the Sabres want him to go PTO route and help Rochester? Hmm, could be.

 

[JLewyB]

The hope is that he signs in the next couple of days and then gets into either the Ottawa or Columbus games (or both, if we're out of it).

I think thats the big if. We can’t promise him games right now which i think is a huge incentive for him to sign. At the same time, we still get a late 2nd if he passes on us so we aren’t pressured to get him into games at risk of missing the playoffs.

 

[Zman5778]

I think thats the big if. We can’t promise him games right now which i think is a huge incentive for him to sign. At the same time, we still get a late 2nd if he passes on us so we aren’t pressured to get him into games at risk of missing the playoffs.

To the bolded, sure we can. 5 of the last 6 games, Stillman has played 11:00 or less. It's not like he's playing irreplaceable minutes. There's no issue whatsoever sheltering him for those 11 minutes.

 

[Jim Bob]

The hope is that he signs in the next couple of days and then gets into either the Ottawa or Columbus games (or both, if we're out of it).

My hope is that he signs a PTO and goes to Rochester for the playoffs.

 

[Zman5778]

My hope is that he signs a PTO and goes to Rochester for the playoffs.

That's the absolute ideal scenario. But if it comes to the choice of "Playing a game or two in Buffalo to burn an ELC year" versus "He walks and we get the 63rd pick in the 2024 Draft"......I personally choose the first option.

 

[Jim Bob]

That's the absolute ideal scenario. But if it comes to the choice of "Playing a game or two in Buffalo to burn an ELC year" versus "He walks and we get the 63rd pick in the 2024 Draft"......I personally choose the first option.

Absolutely. I just hope he sees the value in playing in the Calder Cup playoffs versus just looking to burn the year on his ELC.

 

[Bendium]

He's never going to play the style of game that's overly impressive. He's a solid, steady type of guy who is best when he's not noticed or noticeable.

I get that, but I was not impressed with his positioning and activity away from the puck. He often hung WAY back, and was often standing still. Just didn't look right.

 

[Zman5778]

I get that, but I was not impressed with his positioning and activity away from the puck. He often hung WAY back, and was often standing still. Just didn't look right.

Which would make him an ideal fit on the Sabres since we need defensemen who actually play defense and not make brain-dead aggressive pinches all the time. (please note that the previous statement is a half-joke)