The 2024-2025 Roster Thread

[BFLO]

Krebs deal is basically what most predicted.

Still a small chance Krebs blossoms into something.

But currently he seems too small and slow to play in our bottom 6, and not enough skill or speed for the top 6. He’s a guy who just kinda takes up space. Has never truly earned his spot on the roster in 3 years here.

 

[elchud]

Girgs and Okie were overpaid for years ...

I don't think any of Krebs/Lafferty/NAK are overpaid in comparison/retrospect

 

[elchud]

Kulich as Rochester 1C is best for his development. I can see him being an option if we are a disappointment in December and he is playing dominant hockey in the AHL.

Rosen could use more bulk I think. Maybe next year.

 

[TehDoak]

Girgs and Okie were overpaid for years ...

They absolutely were. It was dumb then too.

I don't think any of Krebs/Lafferty/NAK are overpaid in comparison/retrospect

I will say, the Lafferty/NAK overpayments are understandable. It's the bad team tax.

Pay Krebs a full market rate when he has no leverage is more Adams simply not being able or willing to use leverage when you have it.

 

[elchud]

Pay Krebs a full market rate when he has no leverage is more Adams simply not being able or willing to use leverage when you have it.

An extra 250K for 2 years to a kid who bleeds blue&gold is OK.

I get the point that other bad decisions don't excuse smaller bad decisions. But 250K really is a drop in the bucket. I'm still bothered by the trade overpays for McLeod and Malenstyn. This just doesn't get my gander/dander up.

 

[Fezzy126]

It’s been updated with Krebs as a lock but not Greenway.

Greenway has officially achieved whipping boy status on Sabres twitter. The Krebs ride or die crowd coming in hot.

I must have missed something about Greenway this offseason, I really didn't think he was odd man out. He's pretty much been cemented as a middle 6 forward for the last six years in the league.

I get the speed theme with the guys we brought in, but I don't think Greenway's foot speed makes him "not a fit for the roster".

Is that why everyone is assuming he's the odd man out, skating speed?

 

[Zman5778]

I must have missed something about Greenway this offseason, I really didn't think he was odd man out. He's pretty much been cemented as a middle 6 forward for the last six years in the league.

I get the speed theme with the guys we brought in, but I don't think Greenway's foot speed makes him "not a fit for the roster".

Is that why everyone is assuming he's the odd man out, skating speed?

Skating speed is EXACTLY the reason some are assuming he's the odd man out.

I, like you, find that logic to be flimsy at best.

 

[Doug Prishpreed]

I certainly understand there will be injuries. But....again....isn't that why you drafted all these forwards? What's the point of having all this young forwards ready to come up if you are going to pay your 13th forward almost 1.5M? Sign a guy to a NHL minimum deal for spot work and call up a body if it’s a longer term injury.

That’s what they did last year and it was an unmitigated disaster. It’s called “learning from past mistakes,” and is a much better approach.

It allows for actual accountability because the player who’s gonna take my spot if I’m not playing well enough is an actual NHL player.

Now it’ll take two injuries before an inexperienced teenager gets forced onto the NHL team instead of one. Much preferred to the flawed approach of the last few seasons.

 

[Zman5778]

It’s been updated with Krebs as a lock but not Greenway.

I've already addressed the Greenway thing.....but.....I also think it's a stretch to call Josh Dunne our 4th callup from Rochester. I would imagine that Murray gets a callup before Dunne does. Hell, possibly Ostlund or maybe even Wahlberg.

Rathbone as 4th callup on D also seems like a stretch given the presence of Prow and Novikov.

 

[Chainshot]

I've already addressed the Greenway thing.....but.....I also think it's a stretch to call Josh Dunne our 4th callup from Rochester. I would imagine that Murray gets a callup before Dunne does. Hell, possibly Ostlund or maybe even Wahlberg.

Rathbone as 4th callup on D also seems like a stretch given the presence of Prow and Novikov.

I don't think Prow sees an NHL game unless the defense is in absolute tatters. He's also on an AHL only deal at the moment so there is that as well. He was shot two springs ago IMO. Johnson, Clague and then one of Novikov or Komarov seem like the depth moves if their dipping 10 or 11 deep on the blueline (figuring they keep 8 out of camp)

 

[Matt Ress]

I think Zucker is the safety net under Benson and guys like Kulich and Rosen for 2024-25 given how they talked about his ability to play up and down the lineup.

I think the real wild card scenario is Kulich playing center in the middle 6 with one of Thompson, Cozens, or McLeod sliding to wing.

It will be interesting to see if they need a part time center in Buffalo if they go with Kulich or a more seasoned vet or shuffle around players so that Kulich could come up on the wing.

 

[Matt Ress]

I'm a little sceptical on wether or not a Kulich,Rosen or any prospect has a real chance to make the team out of training camp.
I think Ruff got the players he desired and that's it.
Was hoping to see Kulich or possibly Rosen.

We will

 

[Jim Bob]

It will be interesting to see if they need a part time center in Buffalo if they go with Kulich or a more seasoned vet or shuffle around players so that Kulich could come up on the wing.

With Prospal talking about Kulich playing center and needing more time in the AHL, I wonder how much the organization is viewing Kulich on the wing in the short term.

If they were planning on doing that, shouldn't they have been playing Kulich on the wing at the Prospects Challenge and been talking about him needing to learn how to play on the wing?

 

[Matt Ress]

With Prospal talking about Kulich playing center and needing more time in the AHL, I wonder how much the organization is viewing Kulich on the wing in the short term.

If they were planning on doing that, shouldn't they have been playing Kulich on the wing at the Prospects Challenge and been talking about him needing to learn how to play on the wing?

I have no doubt they're grooming him to eventually be an NHL center. That wouldn't make it absurd to break him in on the wing and have more experienced players fill the pivot this season.

It may depend on what their options are at the time and how Kulich performs. He may see NHL ice as both but yeah, they are absolutely focusing on Kulich as an NHL center. I just don't know if that happens this season.

 

[Jacob582]

I thought Ostlund was our top natural center (before Helenius), and yet he was playing wing at the prospect tournament.

 

[KeepKane]

It will be interesting to see if they need a part time center in Buffalo if they go with Kulich or a more seasoned vet or shuffle around players so that Kulich could come up on the wing.

Krebs can move into C spot. If 2 C's are needed then maybe Kulich or Helenius(prob not more than 9 games) to C .

 

[Djp]

I've already addressed the Greenway thing.....but.....I also think it's a stretch to call Josh Dunne our 4th callup from Rochester. I would imagine that Murray gets a callup before Dunne does. Hell, possibly Ostlund or maybe even Wahlberg.

Rathbone as 4th callup on D also seems like a stretch given the presence of Prow and Novikov.

In terms of playing games I think RyJo is thr primary call up. If they need a 7th warm body D then its Gilbert

With F I think Kulich and Rosen getting the call ups unless they want to dress a more physical player like Murray in a 4th line role.

I thought Ostlund was our top natural center (before Helenius), and yet he was playing wing at the prospect tournament.

Ostlund is nee to NA. I think he starts at W then moves to C in second half of season in Rochester

 

[joshjull]

 

[DapperCam]

I must have missed something about Greenway this offseason, I really didn't think he was odd man out. He's pretty much been cemented as a middle 6 forward for the last six years in the league.

I get the speed theme with the guys we brought in, but I don't think Greenway's foot speed makes him "not a fit for the roster".

Is that why everyone is assuming he's the odd man out, skating speed?

Another reason could be that he was a Granato guy. I’m not sure it was ever confirmed, but I think Granato advocated for bringing him in.

Granato is out, so not he will need to stand on his merits.

 

[Dubi Doo]

And...just like that all the time we spent on figuring out the opening night roster gets spun on its head if Tage and Dahlin miss a ton of time. Who wants to take a stab at the roster without them?!

 

[Zman5778]

And...just like that all the time we spent on figuring out the opening night roster gets spun on its head if Tage and Dahlin miss a ton of time. Who wants to take a stab at the roster without them?!

Peterka-Cozens-Tuch
Benson-McLeod/Krebs-Quinn
Zucker-McLeod/Krebs-Greenway
Malenstyn-Lafferty-NAK
X: Rousek

Power-Jokiharju
Byram-Clifton
Samuelsson-Johnson/Bryson/Gilbert (whoever looks best, hopefully RJ)
X: the other 2

 

[Fjordy]

Peterka-Cozens-Tuch
Benson-McLeod/Krebs-Quinn
Zucker-McLeod/Krebs-Greenway
Malenstyn-Lafferty-NAK
X: Rousek

Power-Jokiharju
Byram-Clifton
Samuelsson-Johnson/Bryson/Gilbert (whoever looks best, hopefully RJ)
X: the other 2

Horrible

 

[Dingo44]

And...just like that all the time we spent on figuring out the opening night roster gets spun on its head if Tage and Dahlin miss a ton of time. Who wants to take a stab at the roster without them?!

Tage just got the wind knocked out of him. He's fine right now.

Hopefully Dahlin just tweaked something - maybe something that he did before camp and he thought he could play through and it wasn't right. Hopefully they are just being careful and it's more about saving him for the regular season.

If they have to play without him for any length of time, maybe we'll see:

Power - Samuelsson
Byram - Clifton
Gilbert - Joki

 

[Deep Blue Metallic]

"If not done right, they do it again."

What a concept!

 

[stokes84]

Peterka-Cozens-Tuch
Benson-McLeod/Krebs-Quinn
Zucker-McLeod/Krebs-Greenway
Malenstyn-Lafferty-NAK
X: Rousek

Power-Jokiharju
Byram-Clifton
Samuelsson-Johnson/Bryson/Gilbert (whoever looks best, hopefully RJ)
X: the other 2

Hello darkness, my old friend