Speculation: Sabres Roster Speculation - Pre-season 2023 Edition

[Irie]

I'm not talking about them playing together. I'm talking about them playing on wing & center and various points in their career. Did you forget him playing wing in Philly? He played on Giroux's wing for a bit. I don't know why you're nitpicking every example. There are plenty of guys that switch it around depending on chemistry.

The reason I am nitpicking the Carter example is because it is exactly what I am talking about potentially happening.

Carter was a PPG center in Philly, the flyers brought in center depth and moved him to wing. (He played one year with Giroux -66 points). He was then unceremoniously shipped off to Columbus for a prospect and some picks.

I honestly don't really care where Thompson plays, (but Granato isnt playing him on the wing). My reason for posting is that I am being realistic about the salary cap situation going forward, and I would like to see Cozens continue to develop at center, as I think he has the best shot at being the elite two way center that you build championship winning teams around.

I love Mitts, and want him to succeed, but not at the cost of stunting Cozens, and I think it would be smart to lock casey up long-term before playing him between skinner and Tuch - it is just smart cap management. If Mitts goes PPG this season at center, he's going to get paid in arbitration. If Mitts gets paid 7M, the team will not be able to afford all their forwards, there just is not enough cap space.

 

[Fjordsen]

I don't see him getting that kind of money unless he plays an entire year centering the top line. I'm not sure how realistic that is, even with Granato talking about it

Well, if he spends the season in the top 6, he could very well score 65-70 points, and then Adams will have to make some kind of decision.

Although he may make a discount, I will not rule this out either. Either way, Adams will have to make difficult decisions over the next few seasons as to which of his forwards to trade.

 

[HogtownSabresfan]

D rating for the Sabres. It is what they deserve. Someone outside of homer fans and media calls them out.

NHL offseason grades: Atlantic Division

Divisions: Central | Metropolitan | PacificWith the NHL offseason all but wrapped up, we're handing out comprehensive grades for all 32 teams. The four-part series concludes with an in-depth look at each Atlantic Division club.Some contract figures are reported. Most players on two-way deals...

www.thescore.com

 

[Gras]

D rating for the Sabres. It is what they deserve. Someone outside of homer fans and media calls them out.

NHL offseason grades: Atlantic Division

Divisions: Central | Metropolitan | PacificWith the NHL offseason all but wrapped up, we're handing out comprehensive grades for all 32 teams. The four-part series concludes with an in-depth look at each Atlantic Division club.Some contract figures are reported. Most players on two-way deals...

www.thescore.com

 

[Jacob582]

D rating for the Sabres. It is what they deserve. Someone outside of homer fans and media calls them out.

NHL offseason grades: Atlantic Division

Divisions: Central | Metropolitan | PacificWith the NHL offseason all but wrapped up, we're handing out comprehensive grades for all 32 teams. The four-part series concludes with an in-depth look at each Atlantic Division club.Some contract figures are reported. Most players on two-way deals...

www.thescore.com

You mean a D -. Worse grade than the Bruins who signed Lucic and JVR.

Yzerman looks like a genius with a grade of A-

 

[brian_griffin]

D rating for the Sabres. It is what they deserve. Someone outside of homer fans and media calls them out.

NHL offseason grades: Atlantic Division

Divisions: Central | Metropolitan | PacificWith the NHL offseason all but wrapped up, we're handing out comprehensive grades for all 32 teams. The four-part series concludes with an in-depth look at each Atlantic Division club.Some contract figures are reported. Most players on two-way deals...

www.thescore.com

Since @Gras invoked the Dude, I'll throw in Walter, responding to thescore writer.

 

[Dubi Doo]

D rating for the Sabres. It is what they deserve. Someone outside of homer fans and media calls them out.

NHL offseason grades: Atlantic Division

Divisions: Central | Metropolitan | PacificWith the NHL offseason all but wrapped up, we're handing out comprehensive grades for all 32 teams. The four-part series concludes with an in-depth look at each Atlantic Division club.Some contract figures are reported. Most players on two-way deals...

www.thescore.com

Can we have discussions without the lame name calling? It's not that serious. We all root for the same team after all. If you feel the urge to talk smack like that, take a step away for a minute, and come back later.

As for the article, I could careless what these beat writers have to say. I look forward to Buffalo finishing ahead of Detriot in the standings again, and Id take our position as franchise over Detriot's 10/10 times.

 

[TommyDangles]

D rating for the Sabres. It is what they deserve. Someone outside of homer fans and media calls them out.

NHL offseason grades: Atlantic Division

Divisions: Central | Metropolitan | PacificWith the NHL offseason all but wrapped up, we're handing out comprehensive grades for all 32 teams. The four-part series concludes with an in-depth look at each Atlantic Division club.Some contract figures are reported. Most players on two-way deals...

www.thescore.com

Like Red Wings & Sens getting As last season & Florida having the worst off season?

I care more about winning during the season instead of over the summer

 

[Irie]

D rating for the Sabres. It is what they deserve. Someone outside of homer fans and media calls them out.

NHL offseason grades: Atlantic Division

Divisions: Central | Metropolitan | PacificWith the NHL offseason all but wrapped up, we're handing out comprehensive grades for all 32 teams. The four-part series concludes with an in-depth look at each Atlantic Division club.Some contract figures are reported. Most players on two-way deals...

www.thescore.com

Quote:

" If you're going to overpay on a one-year deal in free agency, do it for a high-end player"

I can't help but feel that maybe this author does not understand that small market teams do not have the same options available to them that large market teams do in the UFA market...

 

[MarkusKetterer]

I can’t wait for Tage - Mitts - Cozens line this season

 

[TommyDangles]

Quote:

" If you're going to overpay on a one-year deal in free agency, do it for a high-end player"

I can't help but feel that maybe this author does not understand that small market teams do not have the same options available to them that large market teams do in the UFA market...

Like Taylor Hall....

 

[joshjull]

I wouldn't have him playing wing. I'd have him down the middle & Cozens taking faceoffs. If that doesn't work you can easily just switch it up. I don't know why you wouldn't give it a try.

I just want him playing big minutes. I don't really care if he's like Jeff Carter playing on the wing of another good C or centering a line himself. Cozens is versatile.

How is Tage dropping 20 points by just moving him with Cozens/Peterka(doesn't have to be Peterka) instead of Skinner/Tuch?

He's not being demoted. Did Stone get demoted off Vegas first line? Or did the find some guys that worked well together and rolled with it? Also Don has never viewed lines like that.

I'm with @Irie that Cozens should stay at center. I think Granato's talk about splitting Tage/Tuch is about keeping the top 6 we ended last season with. Which had Tage on Cozens' wing.

But I agree with you that it doesn't make much sense that Tage's production would drop off 20pts with Cozens. For that to happen Tage would have to drop his 5v5 point total from 55pts to 35pts. That would mean producing at a level only a smidge better than Quinn's production last season as a rookie.

 

[HogtownSabresfan]

Quote:

" If you're going to overpay on a one-year deal in free agency, do it for a high-end player"

I can't help but feel that maybe this author does not understand that small market teams do not have the same options available to them that large market teams do in the UFA market...

Wait, Dig-another-well defenders say it's not about money.

Can we have discussions without the lame name calling? It's not that serious. We all root for the same team after all. If you feel the urge to talk smack like that, take a step away for a minute, and come back later.

As for the article, I could careless what these beat writers have to say. I look forward to Buffalo finishing ahead of Detriot in the standings again, and Id take our position as franchise over Detriot's 10/10 times.

I don't care either, and while the Sabres have some serious young talent and a great pipeline, not utilizing cap room just seems wasteful. We really should have made the playoffs last year and should this year. We should be spending on those little bits for any edge.

 

[Irie]

Like Taylor Hall....

...On day 3 of free agency and no other teams have offered long term large contracts."

The Sabres shopping list this offseason was top 4 D and a defensively responsible bottom 6 center. Adams was never going to be able to convince any of the top UFAs(high-end players) at those positions to sign one year deals to come to Buffalo.

Let's be realistic.

 

[Jacob582]

Like Taylor Hall....

And John Klingberg

 

[Snippit]

This off-season has sucked for me (so far).
- Didn't get Dahlin/Power extended yet
- Didn't address goalie
- Didn't acquire a proven top 4 D
- Didn't improve the 4th line
- Quinn injury
- Running back Okposo

So the rating is understandable to me. I don't know what options were out there for any of these positions. But I think we all wished we had beefed up the lineup more, and brought in guys who knew how to play in their own end - D or F.

 

[MOGlLNY]

D rating for the Sabres. It is what they deserve. Someone outside of homer fans and media calls them out.

NHL offseason grades: Atlantic Division

Divisions: Central | Metropolitan | PacificWith the NHL offseason all but wrapped up, we're handing out comprehensive grades for all 32 teams. The four-part series concludes with an in-depth look at each Atlantic Division club.Some contract figures are reported. Most players on two-way deals...

www.thescore.com

Yeah I'd probably say a C- or so as well, we didn't truly answer some of the questions we have in our lineup. But we'll see what happens when the puck drops.

 

[HogtownSabresfan]

Yeah I'd probably say a C- or so as well, we didn't truly answer some of the questions we have in our lineup. But we'll see what happens when the puck drops.

Fair enough. It is possible they will have a playoff spot in spite of all this. It just feels like a shame not to try and ice the best team possible in 2023-24. Hell, we could be in the final four. You never know. It just feels like our odds are lower than they could have been. There is a tiny bit of me that still believes there is another move left with this cap space.

 

[thewookie1]

The grade is BS when compared to the other teams in the division.

Buffalo's offseason blows Boston's out of water just purely based on Bergeron and Krejic's departure and literally being unable to do much of anything of note. Boston had literally took a huge step back and yet somehow we had a worse offseason because we didn't spend like idiots? Sure.....

You can easily figure out the writer's bias to signing UFAs and immediate gratification over patience and development.

1. For starters most of the 1 year guys wanted more than that day 1.

2. For most of the 1 year guys, they would be looking for top tier ice time to help their stats and/or a team in the playoffs. We have neither to offer. We could make the playoffs but aren't a shoe in by any means and our Top 6 is rather filled already. Adams isn't bringing in a guy looking for a mercenary deal to cover Quinn's spot and then dealing with the ensuing drama that comes when Quinn returns.

 

[Doug Prishpreed]

There is a tiny bit of me that still believes there is another move left with this cap space.

Cap space will come in handy at the deadline if the Sabres are in a playoff position. It won’t go to waste just because it’s still there on day one of the season.

 

[MarkusKetterer]

Cap space will come in handy at the deadline if the Sabres are in a playoff position. It won’t go to waste just because it’s still there on day one of the season.

No no. You don’t get it. Until the Sabres have -$9M in cap space like the Leafs, Adams sucks.

Of course, he’ll also suck if the Sabres are close to the cap ceiling. Because it means he can’t get discounts.

 

[Push Dr Tracksuit]

D rating for the Sabres. It is what they deserve. Someone outside of homer fans and media calls them out.

NHL offseason grades: Atlantic Division

Divisions: Central | Metropolitan | PacificWith the NHL offseason all but wrapped up, we're handing out comprehensive grades for all 32 teams. The four-part series concludes with an in-depth look at each Atlantic Division club.Some contract figures are reported. Most players on two-way deals...

www.thescore.com

And hockey news gave them a C and USA Today gave them a B. Steve Dangle thinks they’re gonna be great.

Espn said the Tyler hall signing was an A and puck prose gave it a b+

Phil simms thinks the bills won’t make the playoffs.

The beauty of the internet. If you want to hear it, someone’s saying it. But don’t act like you’re the voice of reason because you can Google search.

 

[MarkusKetterer]

And hockey news gave them a C and USA Today gave them a B. Steve Dangle thinks they’re gonna be great.

Espn said the Tyler hall signing was an A and puck prose gave it a b+

Phil simms thinks the bills won’t make the playoffs.

The beauty of the internet. If you want to hear it, someone’s saying it. But don’t act like you’re the voice of reason because you can Google search.

The Sabres are gonna finish 32nd. You can now send me money to subscribe to my newsletter.

 

[Matt Ress]

D rating for the Sabres. It is what they deserve. Someone outside of homer fans and media calls them out.

NHL offseason grades: Atlantic Division

Divisions: Central | Metropolitan | PacificWith the NHL offseason all but wrapped up, we're handing out comprehensive grades for all 32 teams. The four-part series concludes with an in-depth look at each Atlantic Division club.Some contract figures are reported. Most players on two-way deals...

www.thescore.com

One of your most unbearable moments.

 

[Fjordsen]

The only thing I don't like is the situation with goalie. I just hope Levi, UPL and Comrie do well and our defense gets better and our attack gets better in defense. But I don't have 100% certainty.