The 2024-2025 Roster Thread

[joshjull]

 

[jc17]

Well, Colorado fleeced the Sabres in that trade. It would only make sense that if the Sabres trade Byram they will be getting less than Mittelstadt in return. Not everyone has a JV GM like we do.

unless kevyn reaches deep into the CBA and invokes the right of Tradsie Backsie

 

[Dubi Doo]

Ottawa getting their shit together before us would really add salt to the wound.

I just can't believe how unlucky we are as fans. As soon as the Bills end the longest playoffless streak in the NFL, the Sabres begin having the longest playoffless streak in the NHL. How nice, right?

We all could've been born in different areas of the country or been given different fandoms from our closest relatives, and yet, here we are- supporting potentially the worst city of sports fandom. Woe is me.

 

[MarkusKetterer]

Ottawa getting their shit together before us would really add salt to the wound.

I just can't believe how unlucky we are as fans. As soon as the Bills end the longest playoffless streak in the NFL, the Sabres begin having the longest playoffless streak in the NHL. How nice, right?

We all could've been born in different areas of the country or been given different fandoms from our closest relatives, and yet, here we are- supporting potentially the worst city of sports fandom. Woe is me.

If it makes you feel any better, my second favourite team is the Sharks. So I can’t even watch them and enjoy it

 

[Beerz]

What an embarrassing sequence from Power. Could he be any more timid?

Ooof.. I watched that replay like 10 times but never even noticed that until you mentioned it

 

[toddkaz]

While other teams takes players like Savoie and packages them with a 1st to upgrade the team with a top line player Adams trades for McLoed a 3rd line player.

While other teams trade a 2nd for a top 6 winger Adams is trading them away for 4th line players that play 8 minues.

Not a knock on either of these players but it just shows that Adams isn't capable of playing with the big boys.

 

[Sabresbyswords104]

So looking at the team why are they so bad ? They have skilled players. Why Didnt they play mitts as second line center ? And cozens on the wing .

They just make stupid mistakes over and over again

 

[Chainshot]

What an embarrassing sequence from Power. Could he be any more timid?

There is no fight in that dog.

 

[MagnumForce2]

I wouldn’t mind giving Kulich a shot on the 1st line with Tuch and Thompson. Potentially bring up Rosen and pair him Peterka and Cozens on the 2nd line. Hammer away.

 

[Hasekperreault23]

I’m willing to pay the pound of flesh to get someone in here but I dont think I’m willing to give up Benson. Anybody 21 and under + any pick but not Benson.

I really think Benson is gonna be high high end.

Benson will be our top 2 way player in 2 years or less in my opinion of course

 

[VaporTrail]

So looking at the team why are they so bad ? They have skilled players. Why Didnt they play mitts as second line center ? And cozens on the wing .

They just make stupid mistakes over and over again

Because they're a bunch of losers..We still have a losing culture....Major lack of leadership on the roster....

I want players that get mad at losing...I want winners.

 

[DJN21]

Because they're a bunch of losers..We still have a losing culture....Major lack of leadership on the roster....

I want players that get mad at losing...I want winners.

You mean not guys whos feelings get hurt when they get booed on home ice?

Maybe we should have a guy who holds his own optional practices after losses and get on him so hard he wants to take up a new sport....

 

[toddkaz]

Did Adams and Pegula value wanting to be here over winning?

Can't help but think so.

 

[itwasaforwardpass]

So looking at the team why are they so bad ? They have skilled players. Why Didnt they play mitts as second line center ? And cozens on the wing .

They just make stupid mistakes over and over again

They're the youngest team in the league. Every year. By design.

 

[Panthaz89]

Have to wonder if the Mitts deal even goes down if Ruff is here. He seems like a player Ruff would love, and even if Adams wanted to deal him, Im not sure Ruff would've wanted Byram.

Mitts was literally heading up the first line with Granato I don't think the coaches thoughts matter to our GMs

 

[HaNotsri]

There is no fight in that dog.

I'm not sure there's any dog in that dog.

 

[HaNotsri]

Did Adams and Pegula value wanting to be here over winning?

Can't help but think so.

Problem with that is that they didn't try to sign our best players or postponed it.
My feeling is that a**kissing is more important than true loyalty.

 

[stealth1]

They're the youngest team in the league. Every year. By design.

I disagree it's by design. The Sabres are a lot like the Jets. Both teams struggle to sign high end free agents and have to build mostly through the draft. The difference is the Jets have done better then the Sabres in drafting.

IMO the biggest issue that this team has is style of play. Preseason, regardless of who they played, the run and gun style was working and it fits the players we have. For some reason once the season started they have been mostly playing a more defensive game. This team plays much better when they play with speed. It feels like ever since that season they missed by a point the coaches have been trying to take that out of their game.

 

[Jim Bob]

Well, Colorado fleeced the Sabres in that trade. It would only make sense that if the Sabres trade Byram they will be getting less than Mittelstadt in return. Not everyone has a JV GM like we do.

I don't think they fleeced the Sabres as much as the fit was never right.

And because the fit wasn't right, Adams might have to make a panic move after making a trade for a guy that was redundant with two 1OV LHD already a part of the team's core and locked up long term.

This trade is the perfect example to me of how you need a GM that actually knows how to build a roster. And Adams has not figured that part out yet.

 

[TehDoak]

I don't think they fleeced the Sabres as much as the fit was never right.

And because the fit wasn't right, Adams might have to make a panic move after making a trade for a guy that was redundant with two 1OV LHD already a part of the team's core and locked up long term.

This trade is the perfect example to me of how you need a GM that actually knows how to build a roster. And Adams has not figured that part out yet.

Pretty much this. Moving Mittelstadt wasn't a mistake.

Moving him for a redundant piece on defense was.

Especially when you already have 19M committed to your top 2 d-men and the piece you got will need to be paid within a year.

They needed to go out and find a complimentary piece, not just go out and add another body. And this years UFA market was ripe with those complimentary middle pair d-men.

I've said this from the very beginning of Adams tenure. It's a mistake to bring someone in with no management experience at any level. This isn't a 'fake it till you make it job', this is a career captstone job that has tens of millions of dollars of impact every year. Adams has yet to show he's capable at this job. Its time for him to go.

 

[Fjordy]

Pretty much this. Moving Mittelstadt wasn't a mistake.

Or maybe there was, why Mitts and not Cozens for example, now it looks like Adams not only got an unnecessary left-handed defenseman in the top 4, but he traded the wrong center. I hope Cozens can recover.

 

[DapperCam]

I disagree it's by design. The Sabres are a lot like the Jets. Both teams struggle to sign high end free agents and have to build mostly through the draft. The difference is the Jets have done better then the Sabres in drafting.

IMO the biggest issue that this team has is style of play. Preseason, regardless of who they played, the run and gun style was working and it fits the players we have. For some reason once the season started they have been mostly playing a more defensive game. This team plays much better when they play with speed. It feels like ever since that season they missed by a point the coaches have been trying to take that out of their game.

Buffalo is like 1-1.5 hours from where a lot of these guys grew up and their extended families live. It isn’t the middle of nowhere like Winnipeg (no offense to people from there).

The reason we struggle to sign FA is because nobody wants to sign with a loser unless they are ridiculously overpaid. That is self-inflicted by the owner and management.

 

[Fjordy]

This trade is the perfect example to me of how you need a GM that actually knows how to build a roster. And Adams has not figured that part out yet.

Absolutely, Adams still thinks this is a team for developing young players, it shows in every position.

Goalies: Young guys, signed an experienced Reimer, then just waived him. Levi is not playing, this doesn't look good yet.

Defense: Instead of getting an experienced top 4 RD with a bias towards defense, he traded for Byram, who is left-handed and likes to move the puck and play at PP. It makes no sense. Dahlin, Power and our young defense in general have long needed some experienced player to help.

Attack: Our top 6 is basically young players with the exception of Tuch and Thompson, well, that's all clear.

Kevyn Adams just doesn't understand how to build a playoff team, everything is based on developing young players, everything is based on internal growth and this nonsense about "players who want to be here". It doesn't work that way.

 

[stealth1]

Buffalo is like 1-1.5 hours from where a lot of these guys grew up and their extended families live. It isn’t the middle of nowhere like Winnipeg (no offense to people from there).

The reason we struggle to sign FA is because nobody wants to sign with a loser unless they are ridiculously overpaid. That is self-inflicted by the owner and management.

While so agree to an extent on what you're saying, I think the problem goes all the way back to when Pegula bought the Sabres, when they signed Ville Leino to that big contract and how it failed to make the team better. Ever since it feels like he doesn't want to spend big bucks on FA.

 

[joshjull]

Did Adams and Pegula value wanting to be here over winning?

Can't help but think so.

If they highly valued “wanting to be here“ then Mitts would still be on the team.