Speculation: Sabres Roster Speculation - Pre-season 2023 Edition

[Matt Ress]

Eklund saying that Hanifin could be headed to Buffalo as soon as this weekend. I wish it made sense!

Maybe they'd be willing to swap him for Joki and a few 2nd round picks? He could play with Johnson?

Adding Hanifin would make our defense a strength. I don't completely buy in to Eklund but I wouldn't be surprised if Adams is at least kicking tires and checking price tags.

 

[Doug Prishpreed]

Adding Hanifin would make our defense a strength. I don't completely buy in to Eklund but I wouldn't be surprised if Adams is at least kicking tires and checking price tags.

The price tag has been reported as a 1st, and two 2nd round picks -- or the equivalent. With all the buzz, I think Adams would do it if Hanifin was agreeable to signing a new contract with buffalo.

Is Joki worth the equivalent of a 1st? Is Boosh worth the equivalent of a 2nd?

 

[Beerz]

The price tag has been reported as a 1st, and two 2nd round picks -- or the equivalent. With all the buzz, I think Adams would do it if Hanifin was agreeable to signing a new contract with buffalo.

Is Joki worth the equivalent of a 1st? Is Boosh worth the equivalent of a 2nd?

Joker is not worth an equivalent of a 1st

 

[Matt Ress]

The price tag has been reported as a 1st, and two 2nd round picks -- or the equivalent. With all the buzz, I think Adams would do it if Hanifin was agreeable to signing a new contract with buffalo.

Is Joki worth the equivalent of a 1st? Is Boosh worth the equivalent of a 2nd?

Probably not but there's a big difference between drafted 1sts and future 1sts from us. I guess the question has always been "where does Hanifin play in the lineup and is the price worth it to the Sabres?"

 

[KrakenSabresMike]

Joker is not worth an equivalent of a 1st

And Risto had negative value 2 yrs ago per folks on here - don’t underestimate how some not smart GMA overvalue RHD even if we rightly think they are not good

 

[Beerz]

And Risto had negative value 2 yrs ago per folks on here - don’t underestimate how some not smart GMA overvalue RHD even if we rightly think they are not good

Risto had years of 40+ points put up... and was known as one of the more physical defenceman in league.
Not even Chuck Fletcher is giving a 1st for Joker

 

[Doug Prishpreed]

Probably not but there's a big difference between drafted 1sts and future 1sts from us. I guess the question has always been "where does Hanifin play in the lineup and is the price worth it to the Sabres?"

Sammy - Dahlin
Power - Clifton
Hanifin - Johnson

PP: Dahlin, Power/Hanifin
PK: Johnson, Sammy, Clifton, Hanifin, Dahlin (?)

He'll probably take some of Power's PP minutes, and absorb some of Dahlin and Sammy's PK minutes.

So even though Hanifin is playing a bottom pairing at ES, he'll probably end up getting as much or more overall ice time than Sammy since he'll spend time on both the PP and PK.

 

[Weltschmerz]

Savoie++ for Slafkovsky..?

Is Slaf even a power forward or is he more of a skilled guy that happens to be big, like Tage?

 

[MOGlLNY]

Eklund saying that Hanifin could be headed to Buffalo as soon as this weekend. I wish it made sense!

Maybe they'd be willing to swap him for Joki and a few 2nd round picks? He could play with Johnson?

Choosing to believe him for no reason at all

 

[Fjordsen]

 

[1point21Gigawatts]

I understand adams' desire to not overpay on a veteran goalie who won't be a part of our core. That's a reasonable concern that he has, especially with the current list of available goalies. My biggest concern is for Levi's development. I can't remember the last time a goalie jumped directly from College to the NHL and saw high success levels. Adams needs to get another top 4 defenseman if he wants to mitigate any of our goaltending woes.

 

[Ace]

Risk is the kind way to put the goalie plan.

Malfeasance is more accurate.

We have an organization that can afford known but opts for hope instead.

You believe Levi will do what no one ever does? Fine. Most teams wouldn’t but all of them would, at least, partner him with a known. They opt to hope that UPL does something he hasn’t done since juniors. Play goalie well.

We needed a known top 4 D who can play big minutes…proven to play big minutes. They hope Clifton can do it Instead.

We have nine D and people are on his board advocating for Joker, who is trash, to play on the third pair. Because they hope he can do it. playing on the opposite side. Based on nothing in his actual game…but they hope.

Quinn is out for half the year and who knows how long until he’s right after that…game shape and all. Are they hoping that their worst forward will somehow fill in in a bigger role? Are they hoping a kid steps up to do it? They sure didnt acquire a known.

There’s a lot of reasons they got to 12 years in the playoff drought when no team in history has done so. The above is the reason they’ll get to 13. Their entire plan is based on hope and ifs. Any other organization has what we have to work with…they‘re building a winner. Not hoping for one.

This is what you get when there is no organizational standard and no consequences for failure.

 

[1point21Gigawatts]

Risk is the kind way to put the goalie plan.

Malfeasance is more accurate.

We have an organization that can afford known but opts for hope instead.

You believe Levi will do what no one ever does? Fine. Most teams wouldn’t but all of them would, at least, partner him with a known. They opt to hope that UPL does something he hasn’t done since juniors. Play goalie well.

We needed a known top 4 D who can play big minutes…proven to play big minutes. They hope Clifton can do it Instead.

We have nine D and people are on his board advocating for Joker, who is trash, to play on the third pair. Because they hope he can do it. playing on the opposite side. Based on nothing in his actual game…but they hope.

Quinn is out for half the year and who knows how long until he’s right after that…game shape and all. Are they hoping that their worst forward will somehow fill in in a bigger role? Are they hoping a kid steps up to do it? They sure didnt acquire a known.

There’s a lot of reasons they got to 12 years in the playoff drought when no team in history has done so. The above is the reason they’ll get to 13. Their entire plan is based on hope and ifs. Any other organization has what we have to work with…they‘re building a winner. Not hoping for one.

This is what you get when there is no organizational standard and no consequences for failure.

I agree with so much of what you said.

Two minor quibbles:

- i am not as worried about offense without Quinn. I think we'll be fine in that department as long as our other young guys continue to progress and Mitts picks up where he left off in the last half of the season. i know, i know - still betting on some hope, which brings me to the next...

- i think it's okay to invest some hope into this team and FO. They have been consistently trending upward and i see no reason why that couldn't continue this coming season. Now, the caveat to that is, what i believe is your point, we can't put hope in the wrong things. ie. goaltending and defense.

 

[sabremike]

We know that a legit proven goalie is a need. Here's the problem: Who do you think we could realistically acquire and more importantly what are you willing to give up that would be an acceptable return for the other team?

 

[Fjordsen]

I understand adams' desire to not overpay on a veteran goalie who won't be a part of our core. That's a reasonable concern that he has, especially with the current list of available goalies. My biggest concern is for Levi's development. I can't remember the last time a goalie jumped directly from College to the NHL and saw high success levels. Adams needs to get another top 4 defenseman if he wants to mitigate any of our goaltending woes.

Well, there are different goalies. It doesn't really matter to me what the goalie's contract will be (other than not at all suitable for us), the main thing is that there is a good goalie and he probably won't block Levi's progress in any way.

I just don't think Adams is going to add any more defensemen, let alone the top 4 D. We'll see, of course, but I don't like the current lineup and I think it's going to be hard to get into the playoffs.

I agree with so much of what you said.

Two minor quibbles:

- i am not as worried about offense without Quinn. I think we'll be fine in that department as long as our other young guys continue to progress and Mitts picks up where he left off in the last half of the season. i know, i know - still betting on some hope, which brings me to the next...

- i think it's okay to invest some hope into this team and FO. They have been consistently trending upward and i see no reason why that couldn't continue this coming season. Now, the caveat to that is, what i believe is your point, we can't put hope in the wrong things. ie. goaltending and defense.

I think there may be a regression in attack and Chad wrote about this recently. Again, there are too many unknowns, in net, in defense, in attack. Adams is playing chess, let's see if he can win.

 

[Fjordsen]

We know that a legit proven goalie is a need. Here's the problem: Who do you think we could realistically acquire and more importantly what are you willing to give up that would be an acceptable return for the other team?

This is probably an extended list, everyone is different, some will be unavailable, some will not want to move, but I think you can choose a few goalies that fit different roles.

Often people forget that in the future it will be possible to trade an extra goalie if both of them are good with Levi. And you can recoup costs or even make a profit. This is not a one way ticket.

Hellebuyck

Hart

MAF or Gustavsson

Ullmark or Swayman

Markstrom or Vladar

Gibson

Samsonov

DeSmith

 

[Doug Prishpreed]

We know that a legit proven goalie is a need. Here's the problem: Who do you think we could realistically acquire and more importantly what are you willing to give up that would be an acceptable return for the other team?

I'm not sure Adams agrees with you, based on Yeardon's reporting. And Adams' own mouth.

I hear Lehner might be available though.

 

[Dingo44]

This is probably an extended list, everyone is different, some will be unavailable, some will not want to move, but I think you can choose a few goalies that fit different roles.

Often people forget that in the future it will be possible to trade an extra goalie if both of them are good with Levi. And you can recoup costs or even make a profit. This is not a one way ticket.

Hellebuyck

Hart

MAF or Gustavsson

Ullmark or Swayman

Markstrom or Vladar

Gibson

Samsonov

DeSmith

Hellebuyck - trade costs are two high, wants a long term deal at Vasi prices, might not be good if the Sabres keep the same defensive system

Hart - high cost and the report about the 2018 Canadian WJC team is a ticking time bomb

MAF or Gustavsson - MAF would probably retire and there is ZERO way the Wild move Gustavsson

Ullmark or Swayman - in-division, Ullmark might have burned his bridges, Swayman is an RFA due a big deal

Markstrom or Vladar - Markstrom is not getting moved and has a big contract, and Vladar hasn't played much more than Comrie or UPL (55 games) and I'm not sure how he's an improvement over either of them based on last season

Gibson - bad, overpaid, bad attitude, no trade list...

Samsonov - RFA going to arbitration, in-division

DeSmith - not sure he's an improvement over Comrie or UPL

Who else?

 

[RefsIdeas]

Chad mentioned on his goalie podcast that he thinks if we do acquire a goalie the most likely one is Vladar, called it an “educated guess”.

Combine that with Hanifin rumors (I know, it’s Eklund and some random Calgary blogger) but I wonder if there’s a Hanifin + Vladar deal out there.

Don’t love the Vladar option, and Calgary would have no need at all for UPL. But interesting to speculate anyways!

 

[Snippit]

I still don't know if our issues last year were more goaltending or D. But in reality we didn't adequately address either so it doesn't really matter.

 

[Zman5778]

I still don't know if our issues last year were more goaltending or D. But in reality we didn't adequately address either so it doesn't really matter.

That's not "reality" until games start. We'll see. I think our defense is markedly better than last year.....but we need games to see who's right.

 

[Sabre the Win]

The day Eklund calls a trade rumor correct is the day I eat crow on a live YouTube broadcast.

I will microwave it and eat it.

One day you will all realize that Eklund is just some made up person by a kid who stole someone's identity and types up random rumors in their mom's basement.

 

[Dingo44]

That's not "reality" until games start. We'll see. I think our defense is markedly better than last year.....but we need games to see who's right.

I also think our defensive depth is better than last year - and that is what really got us, especially during that 8 game losing streak. From what the Sabres are saying they value that depth as well so they aren't going to necessarily be moving more than one defenseman if they don't just waive any excess to Rochester.

I wouldn't doubt that Adams has had chats with Hanifin's agent about what a new contract would be and then trying to forecast that into how they've planned their salary structure over the next 5-8-10 years. I know it seems Adams has this rep of wanting to keep every prospect but I would bet he's more concerned with long-term salary than the cost of making the right trade.

 

[SabresFanNorthPortFL]

So Hanifin is in our rumors….

See, keep telling you guys we’re going after Markstrom and ******* from Calgary!!!!

Pegula already rolled out the red carpet (private plane) to convince a Calgary player to come, time to do it again!!!!

 

[Doug Prishpreed]

The day Eklund calls a trade rumor correct is the day I eat crow on a live YouTube broadcast.

I will microwave it and eat it.

One day you will all realize that Eklund is just some made up person by a kid who stole someone's identity and types up random rumors in their mom's basement.

He's called plenty over the years -- if you don't read him, how do you even know? He's wrong a lot, but so is Kevin Weekes.

He just reports on which teams are talking but he usually doesn't have many details. He's been consistently reporting on Calgary and Buffalo talking for a while now, and others have too.