Speculation: Sabres Roster Speculation - Pre-season 2023 Edition

[Misko]

If Sabres need a Top 4 RD I feel like Mayfield will be the prize of FA in that area, makes more sense to swing for a FA like him since he's better than a trade target like Murphy. Mayfield is a big tough customer who plays playoff style hockey. Could easily be the defensive conscience for Dahlin or Power like Samuelsson.

 

[CaliSabresfan24]

To build on your point, I wonder if Donny ties to create a matchup line. Maybe not an every night head to head one. But one on par with Grier/Drury who took that on as needed, usually to close out a game.

He has 3 pieces to try it with Greenway, Mitts and Cozens. Not as a line but any combo with 2 of them anchoring a line with that focus.

Greenway/Mitts/XXX
or
Mitts/Cozens/XXX
or
Grenway/Cozens/XXX

I really want to see this to start next season. That 5 game or so stretch with the Mitts-Cozens-Quinn line was very noticeable.

This game in particular comes to mind.

 

[Jim Bob]

If Sabres need a Top 4 RD I feel like Mayfield will be the prize of FA in that area, makes more sense to swing for a FA like him since he's better than a trade target like Murphy. Mayfield is a big tough customer who plays playoff style hockey. Could easily be the defensive conscience for Dahlin or Power like Samuelsson.

The top 50 NHL unrestricted free agents: Ryan O'Reilly, Tyler Bertuzzi and more

A look at the NHL's top 50 unrestricted free agents, with player cards showing future trajectories and value for the most intriguing ones.

theathletic.com

Scott Mayfield
Projected contract: $4.5 million x four years
Model value: $3.1 million

Projected Offensive Rating: -1
Projected Defensive Rating: +2

A perfectly average defenseman whose skill set leans toward suppressing chances and goals. The Islanders allowed 0.17 fewer expected goals against per 60 with Mayfield on the ice last season.

Mayfield topped 20 min TOI/GP for the first time in his career this season.

I definitely would be OK with him being a UFA addition to play with Power if they are unable to get a better answer via a trade prior to 7/1.

 

[Misko]

The top 50 NHL unrestricted free agents: Ryan O'Reilly, Tyler Bertuzzi and more

A look at the NHL's top 50 unrestricted free agents, with player cards showing future trajectories and value for the most intriguing ones.

theathletic.com

Mayfield topped 20 min TOI/GP for the first time in his career this season.

I definitely would be OK with him being a UFA addition to play with Power if they are unable to get a better answer via a trade prior to 7/1.

Mayfield is a shot blocking and hitting machine, and has good underlying analytics defensively. He enjoyed a career year, yes, but if Mayfield slots in a 2nd pairing as the compliment to Power, then Mayfield doesn't need to play 20m or more every night even though I think he's capable of it. Not too many teams have 4 dmen who all play 21m or more a night; Dahlin Samuelsson and Power will be the main minute munchers no matter who you get to slot into the Top4 alongside them.

FA and Trade both carry risk, but better dmen than Mayfield will cost a lot and tbh idk if the Sabres should be dishing out premium assets for a dman when there are other needs as well like in net. I don't think the Sabres need to rush anything, there's lots of talent in the roster as is with more in the pipeline.

 

[Der Jaeger]

After reading the Athletic article, I don't feel so down on Dumba or Graves.

 

[Ace]

Mayfield is a shot blocking and hitting machine, and has good underlying analytics defensively. He enjoyed a career year, yes, but if Mayfield slots in a 2nd pairing as the compliment to Power, then Mayfield doesn't need to play 20m or more every night even though I think he's capable of it. Not too many teams have 4 dmen who all play 21m or more a night; Dahlin Samuelsson and Power will be the main minute munchers no matter who you get to slot into the Top4 alongside them.

FA and Trade both carry risk, but better dmen than Mayfield will cost a lot and tbh idk if the Sabres should be dishing out premium assets for a dman when there are other needs as well like in net. I don't think the Sabres need to rush anything, there's lots of talent in the roster as is with more in the pipeline.

Another top 4 D is so far and away the #1 need on this roster….and there are ZERO options coming in the pipeline in the next several years. By so much it isn’t even close.

 

[Fjordy]

Mayfield is a shot blocking and hitting machine, and has good underlying analytics defensively. He enjoyed a career year, yes, but if Mayfield slots in a 2nd pairing as the compliment to Power, then Mayfield doesn't need to play 20m or more every night even though I think he's capable of it. Not too many teams have 4 dmen who all play 21m or more a night; Dahlin Samuelsson and Power will be the main minute munchers no matter who you get to slot into the Top4 alongside them.

FA and Trade both carry risk, but better dmen than Mayfield will cost a lot and tbh idk if the Sabres should be dishing out premium assets for a dman when there are other needs as well like in net. I don't think the Sabres need to rush anything, there's lots of talent in the roster as is with more in the pipeline.

What does Mayfield look like on PK?

 

[TheBarnIsElectric]

What does Mayfield look like on PK?

Take it for what it's worth... Unless I'm reading it wrong, it seems like he's the worst PK'er to ever live, lol. At least for this season.

 

[BG82]

Mock off season with Hypothetical trade..

To Buffalo - RHD Connor Murphy - 30 years old, 3 / 4.4 aav remaining
LW Tyler Johnson - 32 years old, 1 / 5 million remaining

To Chicago - LW/RW Victor Olofsson
D Ryan Johnson
2023 2nd round draft pick

Resign RW Kyle Okposo 1 / 2.5 million

Murphy averaged over 19 minutes per game, would slot in beside Owen Power on the second defensive unit. Tyler Johnson bring more of a veteran presence with ample big game and playoff experience. Johnson with one year remaining could walk after next season opening a spot up for Kulich or Rosen.

Skinner - Tage - Tuch
Mittlestadt - Cozens - Quinn
Johnson - Krebs - Peterka
Greenway - Jost - Okposo

Dahlin - Samuelsson
Power - Murphy
Stillman - Lyubushkin
Jokiharju

Devon Levi
Ukko Pekka-Luukonen

Thoughts.. yay or

Big no for me. Take out Johnson completely. Our roster has no space for forward prospects as is. Need a spot for Savoie to start the season. Injuries can bring Kulich up.

Is Savoie ready? I think we should start both Savoie and Kulich in Rochester.

 

[TageGod]

Savoie is not allowed to play in Rochester.

 

[CaliSabresfan24]

Savoie is not allowed to play in Rochester.

Unless they give him the Shane Wright treatment

 

[TehDoak]

Unless they give him the Shane Wright treatment

healthy scratch him half the season, send him to Rochester on a 'rehab' assignment, let him go to WJC, and then send him back to juniors after all that?

Feels like you are burning a year of his ELC for almost no reason and stunting his development

Seems easier to simply find a european team to loan him to.

 

[CaliSabresfan24]

healthy scratch him half the season, send him to Rochester on a 'rehab' assignment, let him go to WJC, and then send him back to juniors after all that?

Feels like you are burning a year of his ELC for almost no reason and stunting his development

Seems easier to simply find a european team to loan him to.

Never said it was the right thing to do. Just saying he COULD play in Roch.

 

[Chokabloc]

Take it for what it's worth... Unless I'm reading it wrong, it seems like he's the worst PK'er to ever live, lol. At least for this season.

View attachment 709883


View attachment 709884

Cute graphs. Barry Trotz: "Scott Mayfield is one of the best slot PK players I've ever had".........

 

[Chainshot]

Cute graphs. Barry Trotz: "Scott Mayfield is one of the best slot PK players I've ever had".........

I am curious if his shot heat chart on the PK looked any different when Trotz was there or was it the same/similar?

 

[Yatzhee]

Levi is going to need some time before taking on a 50 game work load, if you can bring in Hellebuyck, at fair deal value, you bring him in, sign the extention and don't look back. We'll deal with the contract when Levi's ready, it always can be worked out down the road. But a Hellebuyck / Levi tandem with Helle taking the workload for a bit and maybe mentoring the kid a little all while providing journeyman's netminding service for the Sabres is a complete win / win scenario imho.

 

[Sabresbyswords104]

With Kulich to be in NHL next season especially if he winns AHL this season and Savoie Also in my opinion. The team looks very promising. Okposo have no place and Olofsson need to be tradet. Kulich and Savoie take these 2 places. As good team as below we havent had since 05-06 or when we Were good before. Young team amazing . 4 strong lines with elite D



Skinner Thompson Tuch
Quinn Cozens Peterka
Kulich Mittlestadt Savoie
Greenway Krebs Girgensons

Dahlin Samuelsson
Power get a D
Jokiharju Lyubuskhin

Levi
Get a goalie


Trade Olofsson, upl, picks not first this year for a goalie and get a D that Can play 4 th D . We are easy a playoffs team next season

Call up rosen and let him and Ostlund develope 1 more season

 

[Sabresbyswords104]

Mock off season with Hypothetical trade..

To Buffalo - RHD Connor Murphy - 30 years old, 3 / 4.4 aav remaining
LW Tyler Johnson - 32 years old, 1 / 5 million remaining

To Chicago - LW/RW Victor Olofsson
D Ryan Johnson
2023 2nd round draft pick

Resign RW Kyle Okposo 1 / 2.5 million

Murphy averaged over 19 minutes per game, would slot in beside Owen Power on the second defensive unit. Tyler Johnson bring more of a veteran presence with ample big game and playoff experience. Johnson with one year remaining could walk after next season opening a spot up for Kulich or Rosen.

Skinner - Tage - Tuch
Mittlestadt - Cozens - Quinn
Johnson - Krebs - Peterka
Greenway - Jost - Okposo

Dahlin - Samuelsson
Power - Murphy
Stillman - Lyubushkin
Jokiharju

Devon Levi
Ukko Pekka-Luukonen

Thoughts.. yay or

Is Savoie ready? I think we should start both Savoie and Kulich in Rochester.

Better to go with the kids , maybe keep uko and go with them and get a 4 th d and have some veteran depth



Skinner Thompson Tuch
Quinn Cozens Peterka
Kulich Mittlestadt Savoie
Greenway Krebs Girgensons

Dahlin Samuelsson
Power get a D
Jokiharju Lyubuskhin

Levi
Get a goalie

 

[Irie]

Better to go with the kids , maybe keep uko and go with them and get a 4 th d and have some veteran depth



Skinner Thompson Tuch
Quinn Cozens Peterka
Kulich Mittlestadt Savoie
Greenway Krebs Girgensons

Dahlin Samuelsson
Power get a D
Jokiharju Lyubuskhin

Levi
Get a goalie

Based on what happened too often last season, that line-up needs a tad more grit.

I think opposition teams would quickly come to the conclusion that the way to beat that lineup would be to target their stars and rough up the kids.

It sucks that that is a thing in this league where the refs just put away their whistles, but we saw it after Vegas had success using that strategy when the Sabres were on a hot streak. Then other teams emulated it, and the wheels temporarily came off the season.

 

[NotABadPeriod]

The top 50 NHL unrestricted free agents: Ryan O'Reilly, Tyler Bertuzzi and more

A look at the NHL's top 50 unrestricted free agents, with player cards showing future trajectories and value for the most intriguing ones.

theathletic.com

Mayfield topped 20 min TOI/GP for the first time in his career this season.

I definitely would be OK with him being a UFA addition to play with Power if they are unable to get a better answer via a trade prior to 7/1.

I think Mayfield is going to cash in. It'll probably take 5 years and a NTC, which is longer than anyone should be signing him, but he'll get it from someone.

Having said that, it may still be a good idea even knowing that there might be some painful years on the back end. The Sabres really don't have any albatross contracts (arguably Skinner, but even that if he plays like he has under Granato, you're only looking at about 1-1.5M overpay). If they end up with one 3 years from now, they can handle it cap wise. That's what getting Thompson/Cozens at their price points allow them. But any consideration of signing Mayfield I think needs to include the calculus that while he'd be great in the short-term, it comes with a high likelihood of some pain down the road.

 

[TheBarnIsElectric]

I am curious if his shot heat chart on the PK looked any different when Trotz was there or was it the same/similar?

Rather than post a million charts, I'll just summarize:

The last couple years he was more average and in line with the rest of the team in terms of shot suppression and xGA.

The first 2 years under Trotz were almost as bad as this year.

Now, having said that, the islanders were one of the better PKs over the last 5 seasons, and Mayfield was the most used PK'er in every year but one, so I don't know....

 

[Dubi Doo]

If Kulich, Rosen, and Rousek continue to dominate and make a finals run, then it's going to completely change the dynamics of the offseason.

I have to imagine at least two of Kulich, Rosen, Savoie, and Rousek are going to play 50 games next year.

It's going to be an interesting offseason. The growth of the young players over the past two months has been tremendous.

 

[MOGlLNY]

I can truly say I have no idea what is going to happen this off-season besides getting a top 4 defenseman. Who even knows what level player either.

Feels like anything is on the table. How do things go if Karmanos is poached? An insane amount of possibilities this off season. A lot more than last year, it’s really exciting.

 

[Ace]

I don’t think Adams ever intended to bring in forwards from outside the org this offseason so it doesn’t change much in my eyes. Olofsson getting gone was pretty much all I expected him to do. Jost will go if both Okposo and Girgensons stay. Other than that…when Adams talks about not blocking players forward is the only place that’s ever made sense. Bringing in anyone of value for more than a year blocks top prospects. It might even block them this year. The bottom six (really bottom 3…theyre clearly building to run 3 skill scoring lines) won’t get a makeover until Okposo hangs up his skates. If you are desperate for that toughness and grit and size or whatever…start rooting for his retirement

They have no choice but to upgrade at D. None. Zero. I don’t care if he has 7 guys signed. I don’t care if he has 100 guys signed. He has 3 top 4 D and when one is hurt his team is a steaming pile of shit.

No matter where he envisions Levi he needs to upgrade in goal too. It’s a nonstarter to roll with Comrie and or UPL in the NHL with Levi here. It’s also a nonstarter to roll with both of them if he’s in Rochester. He didn’t trust them when games mattered. Next year…every game matters.

 

[MOGlLNY]

The more I look at that Flyers / Sabres thread the more I think we would make very good trade partners.

UPL + 13th + Rosén/Ostlund

For

Sanheim & Hart