Speculation: Sabres Roster Speculation - Pre-season 2023 Edition

[K8fool]

We couldn’t have waited until the second page to break the thread?

I’m excited for this off-season. The needs are obvious (top 4 defenseman, goalie to secure the net with Levi, a two way, physical forward. And we are still loaded with prospects, so I think Adams could go big game hunting and get a a skilled winger to play with Tage.

I’m going to annoy everyone, but it’s time. Pat Kane on a one or two year deal to play with Tage and finish out his career. It actually finally makes sense.

Looking at maybe Tom Wilson as possibly being available. He has one year left on his deal, but would change the shape of this lineup. Imagine him opening up the ice for Pat Kane and Thompson to work their magic. Drool. Would probably cost a pretty penny, but we have the ammo.

For top 4 defenseman to play with Power, I’m looking at the Blues. Nick Leddy? Justin Faulk? To get this type of lineup, we’d have to be willing to part with some premium assets, but I think this team would be able to challenge anyone.

We could roll out something like this:

Skinner - Mitts - Tuch
Kane? - Thompson - Tom Wilson?
Peterka - Cozens - Quinn
Greenway - Krebs - Kulich? Rousek?

Dahlin - Sammy
Power - (insert Blues defensemen here)
Boosh - Joker
Stillman, Kane blows.

Levi
I’m not going to try to guess the other goalie.

Anyway, that was my day dream this morning. Feel free to tell me I’m a dumb ass.

tarasenko can elevate his game and people around him, shesterkin is a good goalie, kane is a passenger.

 

[Dingo44]

 

[MOGlLNY]

I miss Tage.

 

[The Red Helmet]

I hope Adams gets in touch with whoever is going to be in charge in Calgary. There are several players I like over there I would like but I think a guy like Backlund, two-way center that can win faceoffs would be huge for this team. There is no long term commitment and I don't think it would cost a fortune to get him.

Skinner Thompson Tuch
Mitts Cozens Quinn
Peterka Backlund Greenway
Jost Krebs Okposo

 

[Asymmetric Solution]

I’m warming up to the idea we bring RoR home to be our 3C next year. Give him 3X4 or so and he can push into top 6 for injury emergencies.

 

[DJN21]

I’m warming up to the idea we bring RoR home to be our 3C next year. Give him 3X4 or so and he can push into top 6 for injury emergencies.

Do you think ror is warming up to it??

 

[Asymmetric Solution]

Do you think ror is warming up to it??

Since Eichel is gone…. Maybe haha

 

[joshjull]

You post everyday how Adams blew it with Comrie last offseason, but last offseason you seemed to be on the Comrie bandwagon before the signing:





Everyday you also repeat the same narrative that so and so sucks, and Adams blew this and that, but what are your realistic solutions? Just saying a "real goalie" and "A top 4 defender" is not an actual solution.

Every team is looking for the same thing, so these things are not easy to acquire. Buffalo is on most players NTCs and no top level talent seems to prioritize signing here.

You act like Adams should be able to walk up to the NHL trade vending machine, put in a 1st round token, a Isak Rosen token and a Victor Olofsson token, push the "solid top 4 D" or "Franchise goalie" buttons and poof, problem solved.

What are actual realistic solutions? Complaining about something without offering a realistic course of action is counter-productive.

These threads need less jaded complaining/doom forecasting and more constructive problem solving.

They act like there is a starting goalie store and Adams doesn’t like their prices. So he refuses to get a goalie. As opposed to the reality of him trying to get goalies but many not wanting to come here. But that type of fair minded nuance requires taking a break from the usual “Adams sucks” rants. What fun is that?

 

[Sabresfansince1980]

I hope Adams gets in touch with whoever is going to be in charge in Calgary. There are several players I like over there I would like but I think a guy like Backlund, two-way center that can win faceoffs would be huge for this team. There is no long term commitment and I don't think it would cost a fortune to get him.

Skinner Thompson Tuch
Mitts Cozens Quinn
Peterka Backlund Greenway
Jost Krebs Okposo

If you're shopping in Calgary, Lindholm is the better target, no NTC either.

I’m warming up to the idea we bring RoR home to be our 3C next year. Give him 3X4 or so and he can push into top 6 for injury emergencies.

Compher instead of ROR...even if he did want to come back.

 

[K8fool]

Do you think ror is warming up to it??

he's a tool so is his ridiculous brother

 

[TehDoak]

I’m warming up to the idea we bring RoR home to be our 3C next year. Give him 3X4 or so and he can push into top 6 for injury emergencies.

I'm pretty sure the agent would about die laughing at that offer. He'd call up RoR and tell it to them so he could get a chuckle too.

I don't think he'll break the bank, but if he got less than 5M x 6 year term I'd be shocked.

 

[Zman5778]

I'm pretty sure the agent would about die laughing at that offer. He'd call up RoR and tell it to them so he could get a chuckle too.

I don't think he'll break the bank, but if he got less than 5M x 6 year term I'd be shocked.

I don't think a team is dumb enough to hand ROR 6 years of term. $5M though I do think is the bare minimum to get his attention on a 3/4 year deal.

 

[Ace]

They act like there is a starting goalie store and Adams doesn’t like their prices. So he refuses to get a goalie. As opposed to the reality of him trying to get goalies but many not wanting to come here. But that type of fair minded nuance requires taking a break from the usual “Adams sucks” rants. What fun is that?

It's been 3 offseasons of failing at it.

If you want to keep making excuses for him...feel free.

A lot of goalies move in trade. All of them better than Comrie. Any one could have gotten us to the playoffs. Any one a better idea than throwing Levi to the wolves next year without help.

Are top 4 D impossible to get too? He's refused to address that too. At any point does it become his fault? Or does he get to stay forever...and you feel sorry for his inability to address team needs? Year 4 coming. What year can we expect you to consider holding him to a standard?

 

[TehDoak]

They act like there is a starting goalie store and Adams doesn’t like their prices. So he refuses to get a goalie. As opposed to the reality of him trying to get goalies but many not wanting to come here. But that type of fair minded nuance requires taking a break from the usual “Adams sucks” rants. What fun is that?

You can play the “well who would you gotten” for 1 season. We’ve needed to add a goalie for 3 years. Including during the expansion draft where we USED A PROTECTION SLOT ON A UFA GOALIE. With regards to goalies, Adams gets a big fat F.

 

[Vito_81]

I’m warming up to the idea we bring RoR home to be our 3C next year. Give him 3X4 or so and he can push into top 6 for injury emergencies.

At that price, Toronto would find a way to keep him.

If he comes back to Buffalo. You’re looking at 6 per season. And thats IF he can accept coming back.

It would be great. Everything ROR is, is exactly what this team lacks.

 

[The Red Helmet]

The Sabres may be the only competitive team that can take on big contracts for the next 2-3 and really have no effect on the team structure going forward. If you want ROR, offer him 21-22.5 million over 3 years and call it a day. If he doesn't want to come back after that offer then move on.

 

[Ace]

If this team was full of vets…yeah maybe. But I don’t need his sad sack I need to be better routine around a team this young. Being positive through adversity in that room is important right now. As RoR declines with age…he’s just going to get sadder and more apologetic. Pass.

 

[Sabresfansince1980]

The ROR ship has sailed beyond return. You want a ROR type player without the baggage and difficult cap number, go after JT Compher.

 

[Nikolajs Sillers]

RE: ROR .Maybe even Avalanche get him if Landeskog is done.

 

[Rowley Birkin]

The ROR ship has sailed beyond return. You want a ROR type player without the baggage and difficult cap number, go after JT Compher.

Compher is also going to get paid IMO.

 

[Djp]

And not for nothing but Ekholm went from "there is no way" to "hey, look at that return" this year.

check back in 24/25 season…..the issue on him is his sge and the last 2 yrs

I tend to agree though with two caveats - they don't have other guys we know can step into that leadership role he's taken on and from a use perspective, Okposo was sixth in 5-on-5 TOI among the forwards. He may have worn out due to use and as the season wore on, the fatigue built and the legs got slower. If they bring him back, they are going to have to resist the temptation to give him that icetime. They absolutely need Quinn and Peterka to take a step. I wonder if they have grown enough to handle the departure of most of their veteran leadership with Anderson's retirement and potentially Okposo not returning. That part is what leaves me with doubt.

he shouldn’t be C. He can still be a leader in a 13F role Where he plays about 50 games and no b2b.

For me, the Chychrun conversations don't give me that much hope.

Adams knew they had a need. And he didn't pull the trigger because he didn't want to give up a good young forward prospect and/or he had orders from higher up to not take on salary.

If either of those are the case, then adding a top 4 D of note will need Adams to have the budget to make the move and he will need to be willing to part with the future assets that get a deal done.

It could play out that Adams ends up valuing Savoie, Kulich, and future 1st round picks more than an immediate help on D.

Ask of Savoie/ kulich/Quinn kills the call. They only get moved for an equivalent age high potential RD

I think we need to separate player development & keeping costs down as being independent priorities.

I certainly believe that he had no realistic intention of making the playoffs this year & sees this season as a complete success.

But he does certainly seem to have an infatuation with Levi. He might get lucky with that. Equally - it might come back to burn him.

That same trait could well also explain why - so far - he's shown a strong willingness to hang on to his high end skilled prospects & draft picks vs improving the overall balance of his team in terms of toughness/defence/goaltending . If that willingness turns into stubbornness - that's potentially a problem.

it would have bern unfair to put pressure on this team to make the playoffs.

you don’t move your high end talent for rental players.

I think he is way more likely to go to a tank team with plenty of cap space like Arizona.

no…he is not a cap dump, buffalo isn’t trying to unload him.

it would be a hockey trade.

they could look at teams who have playoffs but have a crud PP as possible targets.

I think this board is way underestimating Olofsson's trade value. Sure, he doesn't drive play at ES. We know that. But he scored 21 ES goals and 28 overall. That's not a player you need to retain on to get something of value for in return.

it’s grass is greener crap. Olofsson is not a cap dump.

Everyone seems to overvalue other teams players that many on that players board they crap on.

Finding comparable guys though, Vatrano was rented for a 4th at the deadline in '21-'22. Gustav Nyqvist who has some similar raw point totals was half retained at the deadline for a 5tth round pick. Since there is usually some inflation on player cost at the deadline based on demand, not sure he's getting a higher pick.

Nyqvist was injured.

The "VO replacement" isn't on the roster right now. Lot's a current FWs could step into that spot, but Savoie is probably the best option even if that doesn't happen until halfway through next season.

PP specialist or ES goals scored?

When I watched the toronto goal highlights I thought to myself: wow.....face offs.

Then I hear EF in today's 32 thoughts:
"I can't believe how many goals are being scored off face off plays".

As we know, another area the Sabres need to get better at. Seems critical in the playoffs.

I hope they acquire a PK faceoff center wizard. I'm thinking they will go with Tage, Cozens, Mittelstadt/Krebs, Savoie. Slightly better without Jost, but.....

Except you need goalscorers to score. Those are on your top 2 F lines. A 4C in that spot diesnt necessarily get you that other than the last minute. If you score and play d in the first 59 you might not have that concern.

The Sabres may be the only competitive team that can take on big contracts for the next 2-3 and really have no effect on the team structure going forward. If you want ROR, offer him 21-22.5 million over 3 years and call it a day. If he doesn't want to come back after that offer then move on.

Concept of it…yes.

they have a 3 yr window to sign/acquire a high salary player at F or D.

ROR is not that player.

 

[Sabresfansince1980]

Compher is also going to get paid IMO.

Probably 5 mil or a little less...but not like 7.5 mil like ROR right now.

 

[Zman5778]

Compher is also going to get paid IMO.

Wouldn't shock me if Compher and ROR get similar AAV deals, although for different terms.

I take JTC every time for this team if that's the case.

 

[Sabresfansince1980]

Wouldn't shock me if Compher and ROR get similar AAV deals, although for different terms.

I take JTC every time for this team if that's the case.

Could be similar just because of what happens with UFAs, but Compher has been under .5 pts/gm his whole career, while ROR has hovered around .7/gm. A fair deal for him is probably 5-6 years at 5mil per. I think ROR still goes for over 6-6.5 mil per.

 

[Rowley Birkin]

Wouldn't shock me if Compher and ROR get similar AAV deals, although for different terms.

I take JTC every time for this team if that's the case.

This team doesn't need any highly paid forwards.

They need a guy (or more, depending on what happens with KO/Girg) who can play on a defensive line & PK effectively.