Speculation: Sabres Roster Speculation - Pre-season 2023 Edition

[WhereAreTheCookies]

Alec Martinez maybe good, if VGK need cap.

I think Martinez could be good, but he'd be a short term stop gap to push the can down the road a year. He could realistically slot in next to Dahlin or Power as he has some history with playing on either side.

Given his contract is only for a year it could actually be of some benefit for the team to get another year from Joker and Boosh without having to make any longer term decisions on the defense until next season. While still improving the defense in the short term.

 

[Duddy]

Dude should've retired. He got lucky a couple of times this season already, no idea why he has to continue to put his health and his future on the line.

 

[MarkusKetterer]

Is Crouse a legit top 6 forward? Adams just traded for Greenway, he had similar seasons with Crouse. Only one pulled ahead, and the second braked, but Granato can work with him. It will be a shame if Peterka becomes a PPG winger and Crouse is just a 30-point physical player in our bottom 6.

He’s a legit top 6 winger. And he’s only 25.

 

[Fjordy]

I think Martinez could be good, but he'd be a short term stop gap to push the can down the road a year. He could realistically slot in next to Dahlin or Power as he has some history with playing on either side.

Given his contract is only for a year it could actually be of some benefit for the team to get another year from Joker and Boosh without having to make any longer term decisions on the defense until next season. While still improving the defense in the short term.

Well, in general, I meant Martinez for the third pair, insurance, if someone has an injury in the top 4. Although it would be strange to move from the first pair of Vegas to the third pair of Buffalo.

He’s a legit top 6 winger. And he’s only 25.

He has one season with 45 points, before that he did not score more than 40. A little bit strange legit top 6 winger. Again, I'm not against Crouse, though I'd love to see Peterka thrive in Buffalo.

 

[Doug Prishpreed]

Yuck. He's done and he'll be overpaid. Plus that hit on Pavelski was predatory.

That hit was deemed legal by almost everyone, and helped them win the game

Seems like the kind of thing that winning teams do to me.

 

[Der Jaeger]

I like Helleson but I rather use Rosen for bigger needs... A top 4 Dman and a starting goalie are wayyy more important for this team then a Helleson, a Comtois and a Jones...

That's more for the future. In context, the plan I wrote had Petry as filling the top 4 d-man position. Helleson was the eventual replacement.

 

[Der Jaeger]

So if Keller's demands lead to him being dealt, and as RT mentioned Crouse is probably right behind... what's the offer for Crouse since that sort of player in their top 6 is something they could use/need. Is that a player who an offer touches the untouchables?

Crouse is a player I'd look to give up quite a bit for. He's a power forward and about to reach untouchable status.

 

[CaliSabresfan24]

That's more for the future. In context, the plan I wrote had Petry as filling the top 4 d-man position. Helleson was the eventual replacement.

Although I don't hate Petry, I feel like Adams will be looking elsewhere. I am all for getting Helleson for the future I just don't know how I feel about giving up Rosen for him.. I wanted to trade Johnson for Helleson straight up a couple years back as they were putting up similar #'s in college..

Depending on how many of our top prospects/young players Adams is willing trade, I'd rather use them to get us help for the big club now. No doubt we lack D man in the pipeline especially RHD so I hear ya but it also depends how the draft shakes out.

 

[Gabrielor]

Girgensons will be interesting; term is likely going to be the debate.

 

[Diaspora]

Girgensons will be interesting; term is likely going to be the debate.

I will honestly be surprised if he's back .

 

[Zman5778]

Girgensons will be interesting; term is likely going to be the debate.

The team I'm watching on his front is Pittsburgh. They have a desperate need for good bottom six guys and it's basically home for ZG. Oh, and they have $20M in cap space.

He also seems like the type that RBA and Carolina would covet.....and Carolina is another team with a stupid amount of cap space.

 

[Dingo44]

That hit was deemed legal by almost everyone, and helped them win the game

Seems like the kind of thing that winning teams do to me.

Injure guys with concussion issues who are universally loved? If that's winning I'm not interested.

 

[Sabresfansince1980]

Girgensons will be interesting; term is likely going to be the debate.

I will honestly be surprised if he's back .

The team I'm watching on his front is Pittsburgh. They have a desperate need for good bottom six guys and it's basically home for ZG. Oh, and they have $20M in cap space.

He also seems like the type that RBA and Carolina would covet.....and Carolina is another team with a stupid amount of cap space.

He may very well leave, but if he goes to Pitt he's basically giving up on playoffs for his entire career. I find that hard to imagine but who knows. I sure would prefer him to stay over Okposo, and he's got to be pretty confident in the team's playoff chances next season.

 

[Chainshot]

I'm not opposed to doing a trade for a d-man and sign a D-man, especially in the short term. Having Stillman as a 7 would be a good place to be. I wonder how the appetite is for either a buyout or having Bryson start in Rochester ala Bjork last year

They aren't buying people out. Waivers, sure, but buyouts? No.

Injure guys with concussion issues who are universally loved? If that's winning I'm not interested.

Hits happen. Pavs happened to get clonked with a stick when he got hit, the hit alone didn't give him a concussion.

 

[Beerz]

A few months ago I said I’d trade JJ for him. A few posters said that’s an overpay, but I don’t think it is. You’re trading away a top 6 forward for a top 6 forward that’s a team captain and brings things to the table JJ doesn’t bring.

Pretty sure you had JJ and a 1st

 

[Zman5778]

Adams acquired Greenway, they will probably develop him, not trade for Crouse.

A few months ago I said I’d trade JJ for him. A few posters said that’s an overpay, but I don’t think it is. You’re trading away a top 6 forward for a top 6 forward that’s a team captain and brings things to the table JJ doesn’t bring.

If we're targeting someone on Arizona, Crouse would be the logical target. I don't think Keller is a target because we basically have a copy of Keller coming in Savoie.

The issue with obtaining Crouse is that:
a.) We did just obtain Greenway in the hopes of rehabilitating him
b.) Armstrong clearly wanted Savoie or Kulich for Chychrun, and I doubt he'd back down from that.

Would I offer JJP and 2023 1st for Crouse? Sure would. That'd give us Tuch on line 1, Crouse on line 2 and Greenway on line 3 as big bodies who aren't afraid to get physical on the boards. Problem is, I don't think that offer moves the needle for Armstrong.

Frankly, I think dealing with Armstrong for a marquee name just isn't going to happen.

 

[Chainshot]

If we're targeting someone on Arizona, Crouse would be the logical target. I don't think Keller is a target because we basically have a copy of Keller coming in Savoie.

The issue with obtaining Crouse is that:
a.) We did just obtain Greenway in the hopes of rehabilitating him
b.) Armstrong clearly wanted Savoie or Kulich for Chychrun, and I doubt he'd back down from that.

Would I offer JJP and 2023 1st for Crouse? Sure would. That'd give us Tuch on line 1, Crouse on line 2 and Greenway on line 3 as big bodies who aren't afraid to get physical on the boards. Problem is, I don't think that offer moves the needle for Armstrong.

Frankly, I think dealing with Armstrong for a marquee name just isn't going to happen.

Greenway shouldn't be part of whether they look at adding someone like Crouse. It would be adding Crouse on top of already adding Greenway. A Crouse-Cozens-Quinn/Peterka line could be a real load to handle after dealing with the Tage line. And that leaves Greenway as part of forming a puck hound line with pieces like Mittelstadt/Krebs and one of the other remaining kids.

 

[MarkusKetterer]

Pretty sure you had JJ and a 1st

Possibly. I thought it was him and the earliest of their 2nds. Which I’d still do

 

[Push Dr Tracksuit]

Is Crouse a legit top 6 forward? Adams just traded for Greenway, he had similar seasons with Crouse. Only one pulled ahead, and the second braked, but Granato can work with him. It will be a shame if Peterka becomes a PPG winger and Crouse is just a 30-point physical player in our bottom 6.

Ya, it’s always a shame if the worst case scenario plays out.

 

[Fjordy]

If we're targeting someone on Arizona, Crouse would be the logical target. I don't think Keller is a target because we basically have a copy of Keller coming in Savoie.

The issue with obtaining Crouse is that:
a.) We did just obtain Greenway in the hopes of rehabilitating him
b.) Armstrong clearly wanted Savoie or Kulich for Chychrun, and I doubt he'd back down from that.

Would I offer JJP and 2023 1st for Crouse? Sure would. That'd give us Tuch on line 1, Crouse on line 2 and Greenway on line 3 as big bodies who aren't afraid to get physical on the boards. Problem is, I don't think that offer moves the needle for Armstrong.

Frankly, I think dealing with Armstrong for a marquee name just isn't going to happen.

It's too much for me. I don't understand why Crouse costs so much. I mean, Jeannot had similar numbers to Crouse in 21-22 season, then was traded for a king's ransom and fell through in Tampa.

 

[Sabres]

Can someone explain to me the obsession with Crouse? Cause I'm clearly missing something

Is he someone I'd like on this team? Sure, I think he'd be a great player to have. But trading Peterka and a 1st for him? That would be insanity

 

[elchud]

The thinking is Crouse took a huge step this past season with more steps to come, that he is a year or two away from Alex Tuch type production. That he is the ingredient to making an elite 2nd line with Cozens and Quinn that you can roll out the next four seasons. And he plays a heavy game, and is yet another leader/captain type.

2023 1st plus Olofsson would be my starting offer and 1st plus Peterka my maximum offer.

 

[Fjordy]

Maybe just look at UFA or someone cheaper? Especially if Armstrong is such a tough negotiator and Adams also doesn't want to give up his young players and top prospects.

UFA:

- Barbashev I think it would be a very good pickup, always useful.

- Bunting is probably a product of Matthews and Marner, so I would be very careful about it.

- Zucker looks like a good scorer and plays a lot of physical game.

- Bertuzzi seems like a player who fits.

- Killorn might make sense if the contract doesn't sting.

- Wood still probably a player bottom 6. Like Engvall, Sundqvist and Fast.

TRADE:

Toffoli, Kempe, Konecny, DeBrusk, Tippet, Dube, Mangiapane, Niederreiter, Henrique, Marchment, Colton.

 

[HOOats]

It's too much for me. I don't understand why Crouse costs so much. I mean, Jeannot had similar numbers to Crouse in 21-22 season, then was traded for a king's ransom and fell through in Tampa.

Zman and elchud laid it out well, but my two cents... Only a few players in the league check all the boxes of 25-30 goal ceiling with good linemates, 6'4 220, an actually heavy game, leadership, not afraid of anyone short of the Reaves etc, signed to a great deal. The unicorn term actually applies when describing a 90's style rugged scoring PF in the modern game.

Crouse's development was mishandled not entirely differently than Tage's, but it appears steadied now in the two seasons post-covid. If he had a full track record, his price would be astronomical. As it stands, I don't think Arizona fans would be jazzed about JJ + 2023 1st, even though they'd be underrating JJ there. He'd be a perfect fit to flip some of our perimeter talent into. However, there's no reason for them to trade him now unless things go nuclear winter there.

 

[elchud]

1st + Peterka for Crouse would be tough. Here's the defense for the idea:
1) he's signed for 4 seasons at 4.3. It's a bargain contract
2) he's a forward ingredient that is lacking. He can do the garbage goals, be a net front presence, hits and plays heavier than Tuch and Greenway
3) he's the right age at 25
4) he's a lock for 55 points on the 2nd line and I strongly strongly think that starting in 24/25 a Crouse/Cozens/Quinn line would average 70 points each. The top-6 would be dominant 5on5.
5) it makes us an EC contender beginning 24/25 (pending filling our 6 fillable holes, 4D/5D/1G/2G/PK forward/face off guy, and we may already have the players to fill those roles, I'm just saying)
6) Peterka *and* the 2023 1st, combined, do not help the roster 24/25 through 26/27 as would having Crouse in the top 6.

It would be a ballsy trade, and it is assuming that Crouse is on the verge of taking another huge step in his game. And that step may merely be playing with Cozens/Quinn instead of Macelli/Bjugstad and on a team that is headed to the moon. I dont think Adams makes this trade, I think the organization thinks Peterka is going to be an absolute stud.

I'm not saying Crouse is in the same galaxy as Tkachuk. I would like a Tkachuk type playe on the roster, a top-6 type, and those guys don't hit UFA. Adding Crouse makes us a sure-fire playoff team in 23/24 and gives us a top-6 to ride with for four full seasons (exception being Skinner, maybe Kulich takes that spot after a couple seasons).