Speculation: Sabres Roster Speculation - Pre-season 2023 Edition

[TageGod]

Bills season needs to start to distract us from Sabre's talk.

 

[Der Jaeger]

Examples?

Cause I think the 2oa would have been more valuable than what reinhart returned or what jack returned. Folino as prospect was worth more than what he returned.

I think there’s a misunderstanding of what you’re trying to do in the nhl draft versus what the nhl draft yields. It’s a bad draft. The Sabres have the luxury of having 5 of the 6 hardest to acquire assets you could ask being short 1 high end power forward. So once you’ve checked the boxes. Then roll some dice for some known commodities. Trains ready to roll. It’s like the Spencer brown talk, a prospect is hope, an established player is an expectation.

Those are bad examples. Neither Reinhart or Eichel wanted to be in Buffalo, Reinhart had a year left on his contract and indicated he wasn’t resigning in Buffalo, and Eichel was hurt.

In general, it’s better to let your picks develop and add value. There are exceptions. When Vegas had a chance to add a #1 center, they parted with Peyton Krebs. If Ottawa was willing to trade Brady Tkachuk, I’d move anyone in our prospect pool.

But just to fill current roster holes? That’s likely to lead to some bad asset management.

 

[BloFan4Life]

Anyone find it a little ridiculous that after Anaheim signs their RFAs, the Sabres will have the 2nd most cap space in NHL? Year after year, it is pretty evident that this team is on tight money restrictions.

 

[Dingo44]

That was the Drury/Agent spin at the time. This is Buffalo Media. No need to do the leg work to follow it up. The pizza in the press room was still free then.

I only posted one of multiple accounts that stated Drury had a deal done but the Sabres never sent it over. What you are posting is completely made up and I've never seen written anywhere else. Unless you have some personal knowledge of what Chris Drury was thinking or planning, I'm going to go with the sources.

I had an opportunity to personally speak with Chris Drury a few years ago for 15 minutes in Plymouth, MI. This topic didn't come up, but if I'm lucky enough to get to meet him again, I'll make sure to ask him what is the true story - the one from multiple sources, or the one from the one guy on HFBoards.

 

[Sabresfansince1980]

Anyone find it a little ridiculous that after Anaheim signs their RFAs, the Sabres will have the 2nd most cap space in NHL? Year after year, it is pretty evident that this team is on tight money restrictions.

I can't wait until next summer when, without adding one new guy from outside the organization, the Sabres have around 6-8 mil in cap space. Then people can stop the madness with off-target assessments of what the team's cap space supposedly says. It can hopefully just boil down to which one single impact player the team can afford if they want to fill that roster spot bad enough.

 

[Matt Ress]

Anyone find it a little ridiculous that after Anaheim signs their RFAs, the Sabres will have the 2nd most cap space in NHL? Year after year, it is pretty evident that this team is on tight money restrictions.

Some fans do. It's been an ongoing debate for about 2 years now.

I can see it from both sides. The team certainly can, at this point speed up the process with so many assets in the cache.

Otoh, the slow churn is what has gotten us to the point of abundance so I understand the hesitation of moving out tangible players.

IMO, It's probably less about money being spent and more about long term construction philosophy. The pieces that we've heard Adams going after would have been great pickups (Murray, Chyck) but as we move along, he'll probably have to offer more to definitively fill spots as the stakes get higher and balance that against long term success.

 

[HogtownSabresfan]

It's only an "objective fact" if you ONLY consider win-loss record and nothing more.

Only win-loss record? This was humour? What else do you want consider? How kind he is to squirrels. Or how he treats employees (stiffing long-time staff of vacation time.)

I can't wait until next summer when, without adding one new guy from outside the organization, the Sabres have around 6-8 mil in cap space. Then people can stop the madness with off-target assessments of what the team's cap space supposedly says. It can hopefully just boil down to which one single impact player the team can afford if they want to fill that roster spot bad enough.

I can't wait until Sabres shed players to make sure they hit the market of being $8 million to $10 below cap every year. It might wake people up. Off-season is not over, so maybe minds change it's two years straight where a competitive team will play at an intentional cap handicap.

 

[Old Navy Goat]

April can't come soon enough so we can see how the naysayers ignore their posts or conveniently move the goalposts if Buffalo improves, whilst we can see then dislocate their shoulder to pat themselves on the back if proven correct.

 

[Sabresfansince1980]

Only win-loss record? This was humour? What else do you want consider? How kind he is to squirrels. Or how he treats employees (stiffing long-time staff of vacation time.)



I can't wait until Sabres shed players to make sure they hit the market of being $8 million to $10 below cap every year. It might wake people up. Off-season is not over, so maybe minds change it's two years straight where a competitive team will play at an intentional cap handicap.

Like I said, that's next summer. This "intentional handicap" is not without at least a partial legitimate reason...cap room for good players that will need new contracts. Last season I was hollering about a goalie. This season the UFA options out there at all positions came with risk, in terms of cap space, trade cost, and term length. I wasn't big on hardly anyone that KA should have even been inquiring about. Some of the past concerns about some roster spots have been alleviated by Levi and Ryan Johnson signing. In the next couple years there is only two roster concerns for me - a top four RHD because IMO Clifton isn't it, and overall toughness, checking, and defensive play from the FWs because none of our great prospects bring all of that.

Those concerns do not equate to, "KA is dropping the ball by not acquiring semi-mediocre to average UFAs that we can afford for the next season or two".

 

[DapperCam]

Only win-loss record? This was humour? What else do you want consider? How kind he is to squirrels. Or how he treats employees (stiffing long-time staff of vacation time.)

There have been NHL owners that were actual criminals. Even in our own recent history we had an owner go to jail, and the team was thrown into limbo. We could have easily lost the team at that time due to crooked ownership.

Look up Harold Ballard for another example. Pegulas provide stability, and I think they do care about winning. Unfortunately it hasn’t happened. Mostly due to bad luck and a series of bad hires.

 

[HogtownSabresfan]

Those concerns do not equate to, "KA is dropping the ball by not acquiring semi-mediocre to average UFAs that we can afford for the next season or two".

There is some minor tinkering that could be done for this year under one-year deals. There is $3.6 M in performance bonus potentially due, so leaving money for that makes sense. Add in $1 M for Bryson and another for Comrie being buried in minors, and you've got $7 M to play with this year. If a GM cannot make the Sabres better with that money after missing the playoffs by one point, we need a better GM. But I don't think this is anything to do with GMKA, he is simply constrained from spending. This will be two years running of the same theme. We saw it at the trade deadline too. Cap room could have been utilized for picks, but it required spending. The team's spending has been reined in. At some point, people will realize this.

 

[HogtownSabresfan]

There have been NHL owners that were actual criminals. Even in our own recent history we had an owner go to jail, and the team was thrown into limbo. We could have easily lost the team at that time due to crooked ownership.

Look up Harold Ballard for another example. Pegulas provide stability, and I think they do care about winning. Unfortunately it hasn’t happened. Mostly due to bad luck and a series of bad hires.

If not for that crooked John Rigas family, they probably would not have survived either. It was shameful but Adelphia's money got the arena built and subsidized the team for years. And Tom Golisano saved the team and kept them in Buffalo. What exactly has Pegula done? Tell me?

 

[Djp]

Some fans do. It's been an ongoing debate for about 2 years now.

I can see it from both sides. The team certainly can, at this point speed up the process with so many assets in the cache.

Otoh, the slow churn is what has gotten us to the point of abundance so I understand the hesitation of moving out tangible players.

IMO, It's probably less about money being spent and more about long term construction philosophy. The pieces that we've heard Adams going after would have been great pickups (Murray, Chyck) but as we move along, he'll probably have to offer more to definitively fill spots as the stakes get higher and balance that against long term success.

its about having a 3-5 year plan.buffalo is young, and has young players coming off ELCs snd bridges getting long contracts.

they have a short window where they have some space to do 1-2 or so year contracts on veterans but the problem comes resigning term on future contracts. Also what do yousacrsfice to get them.

you also have a lot of cap uncertainty in future years

25/26 and 26/27 could be tight on the Sabres so having ELCs/ low bridges is very valuable to have on the roster. It be easier if skinner said he’d retire with one year left In summer 2026.

 

[TageGod]

Trading boosh could allow them to sign or trade for someone. Maybe they want some space for potential trade deadline moves if needed.

 

[Jim Bob]

I am less worried about the salary budget as I am with the resistance to make trades to improve the NHL roster, especially in goal.

Trading boosh could allow them to sign or trade for someone. Maybe they want some space for potential trade deadline moves if needed.

I think it was as simple as getting an asset for an excess D given that they had 9 D signed to one-way contracts prior to this trade.

And Anaheim was willing to give them a pick to add a tank commander.

 

[Matt Ress]

its about having a 3-5 year plan.buffalo is young, and has young players coming off ELCs snd bridges getting long contracts.

they have a short window where they have some space to do 1-2 or so year contracts on veterans but the problem comes resigning term on future contracts. Also what do yousacrsfice to get them.

you also have a lot of cap uncertainty in future years

25/26 and 26/27 could be tight on the Sabres so having ELCs/ low bridges is very valuable to have on the roster. It be easier if skinner said he’d retire with one year left In summer 2026.

Yeah I completely understand the situation and I'm not really advocating for either side personally. I also wouldn't bother looking past 24/25 in terms of the cap because there are so many ways to make room especially with talent coming up.

Defense and goaltending are hot issues. Defensively, I want to see how forwards and defenders perform under a more rigid system. You can probably say the same thing about goaltenders. Does that make this another development season? Yes and no. There is so much youth and competition internally and within the division that you're always developing and auditing.

But I don't think it's lost on Adams the idea that this season comes with higher expectations than last and anything less, especially at this point, would be disappointing. He knows that this year has to be a playoff year otherwise all of work to bring fans back will crumble. We're not so naive as a community to fall for false hope as we were 15 years ago.

 

[TageGod]

I am less worried about the salary budget as I am with the resistance to make trades to improve the NHL roster, especially in goal.


I think it was as simple as getting an asset for an excess D given that they had 9 D signed to one-way contracts prior to this trade.

And Anaheim was willing to give them a pick to add a tank commander.

Isn't the easiest way to just get rid of Bryson? 4th rd pick Not bad value for your 7th D. Must have liked Stillman's analytics.

 

[Jim Bob]

Isn't the easiest way to just get rid of Bryson? 4th rd pick Not bad value for your 7th D. Must have liked Stillman's analytics.

Lyubushkin was not good last year. Given the guys they signed, he was likely worst RHD they had signed.

 

[TageGod]

Lyubushkin was not good last year. Given the guys they signed, he was likely worst RHD they had signed.

if you consider Stillman Klague and Bryson is your depth, I put him above them all. Boosh had a larger sample size of poor team defense. Stillman came in around the time they started to improve so analytics make boosh look even worse.

 

[Weltschmerz]

 

[Jim Bob]

if you consider Stillman Klague and Bryson is your depth, I put him above them all. Boosh had a larger sample size of poor team defense. Stillman came in around the time they started to improve so analytics make boosh look even worse.

If Dahlin stays on the right side, then he was behind Dahlin, Clifton, EJ, and Jokiharju.

 

[TageGod]

If Dahlin stays on the right side, then he was behind Dahlin, Clifton, EJ, and Jokiharju.

True. I assumed it was:

Samuelsson Dahlin
Power Clifton
Johnson Joker

Someone else has to play LD.

 

[Jim Bob]

True. I assumed it was:

Samuelsson Dahlin
Power Clifton
Johnson Joker

Someone else has to play LD.

I think they like Stillman.

Samuelsson-Dahlin
Power-Clifton
Stillman-EJ
Bryson-Jokiharju

 

[Sabresfansince1980]

There is some minor tinkering that could be done for this year under one-year deals. There is $3.6 M in performance bonus potentially due, so leaving money for that makes sense. Add in $1 M for Bryson and another for Comrie being buried in minors, and you've got $7 M to play with this year. If a GM cannot make the Sabres better with that money after missing the playoffs by one point, we need a better GM. But I don't think this is anything to do with GMKA, he is simply constrained from spending. This will be two years running of the same theme. We saw it at the trade deadline too. Cap room could have been utilized for picks, but it required spending. The team's spending has been reined in. At some point, people will realize this.

Ok so say we have 7 mil to spend right now. Who to target? Here were a few of my favored options (UFA and trade) -

Ryan Graves - more of a top four LHD, went to Pitt on a slight overpay and 6 yrs. Probably 3 years too much for Buffalo.
Matt Roy - LA was never trading him, but I hoped.
Will Borgen - Seattle probably wasn't trading him but I would have offered a nice asset. His salary demands would've fit for Buffalo.
Brett Pesce - actually available but sitting on the verge of the downslope of his career, but for a top dollar extension to age 36 and 3 years too long.
JT Compher - a FW splurge who got more than he should for 5 yrs. Would have taken a roster spot from a prospect that could be a better player.
Sundqvist or Bjugstad - good checking line guys at fair prices but probably don't move the needle over Girgs/Okposo (like most FW targets out there).

Just because KA didn't go after or get my personal choices doesn't mean he's being cheap at the direction of Pegula. Every one of those names came with risk that can reasonably justify not spending the salary or trade cost to get them. Replace those names with your personal preferences and it makes no difference. Nobody out there would move the needle enough, unless they are also jacking up the future cap structure and being too damn old halfway through the contract.

The ideal target is a trade for a guy just entering his prime and on a contract that makes sense for Buffalo (mid range term, mid range salary). When that happens and he gets traded for a fair price to another team, you can bitch loudly along with me. Until then...

 

[TageGod]

I think they like Stillman.

Samuelsson-Dahlin
Power-Clifton
Stillman-EJ
Bryson-Jokiharju

Indictment on Joker. Personally I agree but if he is scratched that will not be ideal. He is a solid 5-6. Whatever gets me Bryson off this team I am in.