Speculation: Sabres Roster Speculation - Pre-season 2023 Edition

[Jim Bob]

I'm going to have a problem if they keep 3 goalies for the sake of not giving Savoie a look. Hopefully they're just waiting for everyone else to solidify their goalies so that they can sneak one down, pull Savoie off the injury list and rotate the Wild forwards in games.

That's not how I necessarily see the lines but I don't want to lose anyone. With that, if VO is spending significant time in the press box, just move on however.

Given Savoie's injury, I think they will have time to make a decision.

I would not rule out them giving Benson 9 games while Savoie gets healthy. Then they send Benson to the WHL and give Savoie 9 games and send him back to the WHL after the 9 games.

Then it might be PKane time...

 

[Matt Ress]

They're all Ranger fans


Ugh... the last guy to talk psychology and hockey didn't work out very well

I've seen a lot of different companies identify communication, development, positivity, putting people in the best circumstances...as their philosophical goals but very few have the patience, leadership and diligence to actually achieve that culture. Identifying an ideal is easy. Achieving it is apparently not so easy.

When it is achieved, the impact of great leadership is clear. I believe this notion applies to any group of people with a combined goal.

Sorry. In work brain mode.

Given Savoie's injury, I think they will have time to make a decision.

I would not rule out them giving Benson 9 games while Savoie gets healthy. Then they send Benson to the WHL and give Savoie 9 games and send him back to the WHL after the 9 games.

Then it might be PKane time...

I like all of that except for the last bit lol

 

[Jim Bob]

I like all of that except for the last bit lol

Yeah, I am not super high on the PKane idea.

But, I think there is enough smoke there that you cannot completely dismiss it as a potential move.

The path forward is really interesting when it comes to the last four guys in and the last four guys out. And the Quinn and Savoie injuries have made things even more interesting than it would have been if they had both been healthy.

 

[Matt Ress]

Yeah, I am not super high on the PKane idea.

But, I think there is enough smoke there that you cannot completely dismiss it as a potential move.

The path forward is really interesting when it comes to the last four guys in and the last four guys out. And the Quinn and Savoie injuries have made things even more interesting than it would have been if they had both been healthy.

I know it's a dicey contract situation but it will feel like a cop out if they just send both kids down with no real NHL experience. And we both know they're carrying a 7th defenseman. Maybe it's VO moved or Biro but the three headed goalie is running out of space. They had to have a plan for this for months, right? It's been foreseeable.

 

[Beerz]

I've seen a lot of different companies identify communication, development, positivity, putting people in the best circumstances...as their philosophical goals but very few have the patience, leadership and diligence to actually achieve that culture. Identifying an ideal is easy. Achieving it is apparently not so easy.

When it is achieved, the impact of great leadership is clear. I believe this notion applies to any group of people with a combined goal.

Sorry. In work brain mode.


I like all of that except for the last bit lol

Yeah man... it was just a dunk on Ralph

 

[Jim Bob]

I know it's a dicey contract situation but it will feel like a cop out if they just send both kids down with no real NHL experience. And we both know they're carrying a 7th defenseman. Maybe it's VO moved or Biro but the three headed goalie is running out of space. They had to have a plan for this for months, right? It's been foreseeable.

The problem is that it takes two to tango. The lack of cap space around the league has led to this constipated roster as they wanted to move VO, but they likely did not get any real interest.

And I bet they wanted UPL to outplay Comrie and make the decision easier. But, that has not been the case. And given that he makes less than $1M, UPL is the guy that is much more likely to be claimed by a LTIR team like TB.

 

[Deep Blue Metallic]

I'm not getting the Pat Kane fascination.

The Sabres two obvious areas for improvement are defensive zone play and PK. He doesn't help with either.

 

[Jim Bob]

I'm not getting the Pat Kane fascination.

The Sabres two obvious areas for improvement are defensive zone play and PK. He doesn't help with either.

Former teammate and roommate of the Sabres GM.

Buffalo native.

Multiple Stanley Cups and one of the best American hockey players of all time.

I don't want them to sign him. But, I would not be mad if PKane were playing over VO.

 

[Jim Bob]

Baker & Fairburn on the post-CBus game pod have this as their roster guess right now:

13 F (Benson sticks and Biro, Rousek, and others go down)
7 D (Stillman is the 7th D with the usual top 6 & Clague and Bryson get waived)
3 G

 

[SabresFanNorthPortFL]

Sabres start off decent, we give the new kids a taste and by Dec 1st/15th we’re playing playoff position hockey….the boost of adding Kane (and Quinn) ….. with all the Bills hoopla that’ll be going on in December….. the frenzy the Buffalo area would go into….

Skinner Tage Tuch
JJ Cuz Quinn
Green Mitts Kane
Girgs Krebs Ok

That’s a pretty good forward group

 

[Asymmetric Solution]

I’m back, if I can request a muster to vote for a new thread. New season ya know . Missed you lovely folks.

 

[Bendium]

Given Savoie's injury, I think they will have time to make a decision.

I would not rule out them giving Benson 9 games while Savoie gets healthy. Then they send Benson to the WHL and give Savoie 9 games and send him back to the WHL after the 9 games.

Then it might be PKane time...

There are no words to describe how badly I want that to NEVER happen! I am not a Pegula hater like some, but that move would finally give me a reason.

 

[Bendium]

I know it's a dicey contract situation but it will feel like a cop out if they just send both kids down with no real NHL experience. And we both know they're carrying a 7th defenseman. Maybe it's VO moved or Biro but the three headed goalie is running out of space. They had to have a plan for this for months, right? It's been foreseeable.

 

[Djp]

I’m back, if I can request a muster to vote for a new thread. New season ya know . Missed you lovely folks.

Out on good parole

 

[HogtownSabresfan]

Former teammate and roommate of the Sabres GM.

Buffalo native.

Multiple Stanley Cups and one of the best American hockey players of all time.

I don't want them to sign him. But, I would not be mad if PKane were playing over VO.

The idea that Kane cannot help Buffalo just feels ridiculous. If he's available and at the right price -- not to mention healthy and no longer a head case -- why wouldn't they sign him? He sells tickets, he creates buzz and all that is good for the franchise and winning.

 

[brian_griffin]

I'm not getting the Pat Kane fascination.

The Sabres two obvious areas for improvement are defensive zone play and PK. He doesn't help with either.

Former teammate and roommate of the Sabres GM.

Buffalo native.

Multiple Stanley Cups and one of the best American hockey players of all time.

I don't want them to sign him. But, I would not be mad if PKane were playing over VO.

The idea that Kane cannot help Buffalo just feels ridiculous. If he's available and at the right price -- not to mention healthy and no longer a head case -- why wouldn't they sign him? He sells tickets, he creates buzz and all that is good for the franchise and winning.

Which Pat Kane will BUF (or any other team) get?

 

[Matt Ress]

Baker & Fairburn on the post-CBus game pod have this as their roster guess right now:

13 F (Benson sticks and Biro, Rousek, and others go down)
7 D (Stillman is the 7th D with the usual top 6 & Clague and Bryson get waived)
3 G

That all makes sense. Biro is exempt I believe. Any worries about losing him?

 

[MOGlLNY]

The idea that Kane cannot help Buffalo just feels ridiculous. If he's available and at the right price -- not to mention healthy and no longer a head case -- why wouldn't they sign him? He sells tickets, he creates buzz and all that is good for the franchise and winning.

Look up the history of every player who has gotten hip surfacing surgery and their play / stats afterwards. It’s ugly, no exceptions.

 

[Jacob582]

That all makes sense. Biro is exempt I believe. Any worries about losing him?

No worries.

 

[Beerz]

There are no words to describe how badly I want that to NEVER happen! I am not a Pegula hater like some, but that move would finally give me a reason.

Why would u blame Pegula? This would 100% be a KA move

 

[Jim Bob]

Look up the history of every player who has gotten hip surfacing surgery and their play / stats afterwards. It’s ugly, no exceptions.

The challenge there is that it has been a pretty rare procedure. And I would expect the Sabres medical team to do a thorough review of Kane's recovery from the surgery prior to signing him.

And I can understand the logic of rolling the dice and seeing if he can help them if they do not feel Benson or Savoie are ready to contribute meaningfully this season and they want to see what Kane can bring before Quinn is back.

And it's not like being better than VO at 5v5 is a super high bar to get over.

There are no words to describe how badly I want that to NEVER happen! I am not a Pegula hater like some, but that move would finally give me a reason.

I understand the concern. But, I would trust Kevyn Adams to make the right call.

 

[nickdawg95]

Kane helps this team. don't kid yourself. The best USA born player ever. PPG Career and PPG in playoffs. showtime.

I really think he'd fit well next to Greenway-Mitts-Kane. 3rd line minutes. high o-zone starts, cool with that

not saying throwing the bag at him he's obviously in the twilight of his career. but someone of kane caliber being at the end of their career is still really good. trade oloffson, give kane 2-3yX around 5m deal.

Don't think he's after money, guys made well over 100M already in his career

 

[Djp]

1 yr deal on Kane is nothing I’m losing sweat over….

 

[Dubi Doo]

Lol, after all the talk about it, sounds a lot like Donny was always going back to Skinner/Thompson/Tuch for game 1. He talked about how he's managing psychology and experimenting for other areas of chemistry during preseason, but knows that line is a sure thing.

Reason #1000098 to not take preseason games seriously. I normally skip preseason all together, but Benson making a case to be on the roster had me tuning in. Veterans aren't going 110% and coaches aren't setting lines for Ws. As Granato said, there's a lot of experimenting that goes on in the preseason.

 

[MOGlLNY]

The challenge there is that it has been a pretty rare procedure. And I would expect the Sabres medical team to do a thorough review of Kane's recovery from the surgery prior to signing him.

And I can understand the logic of rolling the dice and seeing if he can help them if they do not feel Benson or Savoie are ready to contribute meaningfully this season and they want to see what Kane can bring before Quinn is back.

And it's not like being better than VO at 5v5 is a super high bar to get over.

I don’t disagree at all in terms of being a VO replacement. Like I said if he comes cheap, I’d be fine with it. Olofsson has been bad bad bad.