Confirmed with Link: Sabres Sign Jason Zucker, 1 year, $5M AAV

[tsujimoto74]

Lol what? 5mil??

1 year.

Also, not directed at you in particular, but jeez is this board hard to please.
HF: Why won't they spend money?? Why is Adams afraid to lose trades to make the team better? Why aren't they using all this cap space they have while we've got lots of players on ELCs?

Sabres: Start trading B/C-tier futures for pieces that help now and overpay short-term to get free agents to Buffalo.

HF: OMG WHAT IS ADAMS DOING, THAT'S AN OVERPAY.

 

[zuikan]

Meh.

 

[TheMistyStranger]

1 year.

Also, not directed at you in particular, but jeez is this board hard to please.
HF: Why won't they spend money?? Why is Adams afraid to lose trades to make the team better? Why aren't they using all this cap space they have while we've got lots of players on ELCs?

Sabres: Start trading B/C-tier futures for pieces that help now and overpay short-term to get free agents to Buffalo.

HF: OMG WHAT IS ADAMS DOING, THAT'S AN OVERPAY.

I honestly have been thinking about leaving this site because of it. Been here 20 years and it's insufferable

 

[Zman5778]

Since a lot of people believe in JFresh, I'm gonna leave this here:

https://x.com/i/web/status/1807811001653362856

 

[La Cosa Nostra]

Ahh just what I wanted, Matt Moulson 2.0

 

[toddkaz]

Let's face it

We paid 5m for a 15 goal scorer to come to Buffalo.

I don't think he gets more than 3m from anyone else.

Tough being Buffalo

 

[BuffaloGooner]

I honestly have been thinking about leaving this site because of it. Been here 20 years and it's insufferable

Lots of people including myself aren’t around much anymore. It’s not just here. It’s other Sabres spaces as well. It seems everyone is beaten down by the drought to the point where even the decent moves are ripped apart.

 

[TheMistyStranger]

Lots of people including myself aren’t around much anymore. It’s not just here. It’s other Sabres spaces as well. It seems everyone is beaten down by the drought to the point where even the decent moves are ripped apart.

It's sad. I haven't lived in the area since signing up here, and this has been a great place to chat about a team I love with other fans. It's just so toxic now that I guess I question why I even care.

 

[Dubi Doo]

1 year.

Also, not directed at you in particular, but jeez is this board hard to please.
HF: Why won't they spend money?? Why is Adams afraid to lose trades to make the team better? Why aren't they using all this cap space they have while we've got lots of players on ELCs?

Sabres: Start trading B/C-tier futures for pieces that help now and overpay short-term to get free agents to Buffalo.

HF: OMG WHAT IS ADAMS DOING, THAT'S AN OVERPAY.

Some posters really need to take a walk. Their heart will thank them!

 

[dire wolf]

It's sad. I haven't lived in the area since signing up here, and this has been a great place to chat about a team I love with other fans. It's just so toxic now that I guess I question why I even care.

Same. I'm not here as much anymore. There is great info on here and some fantastic posters with a ton of knowledge, but there is also way too much negativity. I've got limited time and a lot of real stress in my life -- I try to limit my exposure to internet downers. No plans to leave here, but I'm not as engaged.

 

[Fjordy]

I don't know why they signed him. I would have preferred Benson to take that third line slot. Benson is also a much better defenseman, since Zucker doesn't seem to be very good at defense either. A trade for Ehlers would make a lot of sense, even if he doesn't want to sign a contract right now.

 

[Aladyyn]

Since a lot of people believe in JFresh, I'm gonna leave this here:

https://x.com/i/web/status/1807811001653362856

I posted this in the live thread but his individual shot/chance numbers these past 2 seasons have been the best of his career. Do not get fooled by counting stats.

 

[itwasaforwardpass]

Eh not mad but it didn't seem like the team was in need of overpaying for a declining offense first winger. Overpay for defensive or gritty identity line players? Sure. Overpay for a two way middle six center? Do it. This? Maybe he's still got some juice but doesn't seem like it was any kind of need to overpay for.

 

[Aladyyn]

Let's face it

We paid 5m for a 15 goal scorer to come to Buffalo.

I don't think he gets more than 3m from anyone else.

Tough being Buffalo

21 goals per 82 games since the season he left Minnesota (where was also a consistent 20+ goal guy)

 

[Sabreality]

At least Kevyn didnt throw away a 2nd & 5th for somebody like Reilly Smith as Drury did. Same contract, I'd rather overpay by $1.5m for Zuck for same level of player then think a 'trade' was the way to go..

 

[HOOats]

Yeah he's totally washed, box score scouts... (secretly very good fancy stats)

https://x.com/i/web/status/1778964567948705990

https://x.com/i/web/status/1742624996206276861

https://x.com/i/web/status/1770961936769024078

Hope he catches a couple of the dirtbag Panthers like this in a Sabres sweater.

I honestly have been thinking about leaving this site because of it. Been here 20 years and it's insufferable

Honestly, the ignore feature is your friend. Using it in about a dozen spots has made this place far less mind-numbing and makes space for the thoughtful, funny folks. Hope everyone sticks around.

 

[toddkaz]

21 goals per 82 games since the season he left Minnesota (where was also a consistent 20+ goal guy)

Ok but he hasn't played in Minnesota in 6 years and is 32 years old.

I mean you really think those stars mean anything? They don't.

You can go sign Kessel if you want to look back 5 years.

He has 14 goals last year. No one is giving him 5m but Buffalo.

 

[Aladyyn]

Ok but he hasn't played in Minnesota in 6 years and is 32 years old.

I mean you really think those stars mean anything? They don't.

You can go sign Kessel if you want to look back 5 years.

He has 14 goals last year. No one is giving him 5m but Buffalo.

Which is why I used the stats from since then? His individual underlyings are as strong as ever, he had a low sh% last year but he has always bounced back from those. He also got 5.3m literally a year ago but w/e your mind is made up and no facts can change it.

 

[tsujimoto74]

I posted this in the live thread but his individual shot/chance numbers these past 2 seasons have been the best of his career. Do not get fooled by counting stats.

Yeah, it seems like he was under-utilized last season and might have more gas left in the tank than the counting stats indicate.

 

[Sabresfansince1980]

In a vacuum, Zucker isn't that bad...just a decent pro on the downside. As the guy that was added in place of Skinner's cap space, he is hardly worth the buy-out and the higher dead cap amount down the road. I don't know how KA can make better use of that cap space the next two years but it's more than likely that he should've just kept Skinner and been completely done with his contract in three summers.

 

[Jim Bob]

https://x.com/i/web/status/1807815878274068681

 

[HaNotsri]

He's the kind of insurance player I wanted last year with Quinn injured.
More functional on a third line than Olofsson and Skinner hopefully.

 

[KeyserSoze81]

He's the kind of insurance player I wanted last year with Quinn injured.
More functional on a third line than Olofsson and Skinner hopefully.

That's where I'm at. I don't love the player or contract, but he is a veteran who can hold his own on the 3rd line, provide secondary scoring, and fill in as needed. There's no risk here, as the Skinner buyout ensures that we can't use that cap space for longer term acquisitions. We are not getting a better player on a 1 year deal.

 

[brian_griffin]

He's fallen off a cliff.

ehhh, we'll see. BUt I will grant you the Sabres have had enough of those over the past decade to rival the Coyote and the ACME anvil company.

Lafferty C? He win 42%FO

Probably puts him in top spot on BUF. (Whoops - wrong thread for LAfferty quote, but hopefully you get the joke.)

Ahh just what I wanted, Matt Moulson 2.0

Hey, at least Matt Moulson wanted to play for BUF, it's just that his legs couldn't keep up with NHL speed.

I don't know why they signed him. I would have preferred Benson to take that third line slot. Benson is also a much better defenseman, since Zucker doesn't seem to be very good at defense either. A trade for Ehlers would make a lot of sense, even if he doesn't want to sign a contract right now.

You may still get your wish.

Yeah he's totally washed, box score scouts... (secretly very good fancy stats)

https://x.com/i/web/status/1778964567948705990

https://x.com/i/web/status/1770961936769024078

Hope he catches a couple of the dirtbag Panthers like this in a Sabres sweater.

In the first clip (Preds goal vs. Black Hawks), for a moment I thought the d-man covering Zucker was Owen Power in a Hawk sweater.

That second clip (which was also posted earlier separately) I have absolutely no problem with Zucker's hit. Cousins hit a guy in the head with his knee / body as the guy was dropping his frame along the boards. It was avoidable.

In a vacuum, Zucker isn't that bad...just a decent pro on the downside. As the guy that was added in place of Skinner's cap space, he is hardly worth the buy-out and the higher dead cap amount down the road. I don't know how KA can make better use of that cap space the next two years but it's more than likely that he should've just kept Skinner and been completely done with his contract in three summers.

That's an interesting take. I don't disagree. I think it comes to the type of game Lindy wants to play rather than the future dead cap.

I stayed out of the Skinner buyout thread. Skinner wasn't the problem. BUt he also wasn't going to be the answer, and for 3 more years I can understand cutting that line and re-casting it with someone else. Maybe it is or isn't Zucker in that role this year (Maybe Benson, etc.) but it could be someone else next year, and the year after. More importantly - it won't be #53.

 

[michaelsaas]

I am choosing to view this as an Olofsson replacement instead of Skinner replacement. Not saying they will replace Skinner's scoring, but if they do it will have to be via trade IMO.