The 2024-2025 Roster Thread

[WhereAreTheCookies]

Personally I liked Greenway. He brings a different skillset to the line-up. He was also 22nd in the league in shorthanded minutes per game last year, which doesn't seem impressive until you consider that 20 of the top 22 were Dmen, he was 2nd among forwards. Also, his GA/60 on the PK was better than all but a few in the top 50, and actually the same as Jordan Staal who is considered a top tier defensive player.

He's probably a big reason the PK improved last season, along with UPL's improvement obviously.

 

[Butt Ox]

I liked Greenway the instant I saw him win a 50/50; it had been so very long watching so little effort. Hustling back on changes, going in the no-go zone, all the little things.

There was a time a few years back when seeing Blankenburg on waivers would have really excited me.

 

[BUCKSHOT]

I did not understand the few that were saying Greenway would be odd-man out under Ruff. Greenway is almost a prototypical Ruff player.

but he doesn't score goalz !


<sarcasm>

 

[joshjull]

Twitter and the xB folks don't think he's a fit with the speed the Sabres have and are trying to make him the whipping boy before the season even begins

They were telling on themselves with those takes. They clearly don’t understand that an individual player’s foot speed/skating and their ability to play at pace/fast are not the same thing. Largely because playing at speed is about the team game.

A team playing fast is largely a mental excercise. How well do the players understand/buy into the system, how fast do they read/react to plays as they develop, etc. Having speed in the lineup certainly helps. But an entire team a speedsters is not required, and is rarely the case.

Benson isn’t much faster than Greenway, if he is at all. Yet this crowd loves him (as do we all), so not a peep. Its going to be annoying listening to them nitpick the crap out of Greenway’s game all season.

 

[Jacob582]

WGR Joe is another one who doesn't like Greenway and sees him falling out of the lineup.

 

[MOGlLNY]

They were telling on themselves with those takes. They clearly don’t understand that an individual player’s foot speed/skating and their ability to play at pace/fast are not the same thing. Largely because playing at speed is about the team game.

A team playing fast is largely a mental excercise. How well do the players understand/buy into the system, how fast do they read/react to plays as they develop, etc. Having speed in the lineup certainly helps. But an entire team a speedsters is not required, and is rarely the case.

Benson isn’t much faster than Greenway, if he is at all. Yet this crowd loves him (as do we all), so not a peep. Its going to be annoying listening to them nitpick the crap out of Greenway’s game all season.

Even if Greenway is behind in Lindy’s system, shit at least let the games start before we decree that.

I think Greenway will be just fine and will be a nice addition to that third line.

 

[Push Dr Tracksuit]

And if we lose out a playoff spot because Reimer lays multiple eggs while he’s in the crease I guess we can all be happy because Levi got more time in the A.

And if we miss out on a playoff spot because Levi is trying to adjust to inconsistent starts and upl is threatened by his back what do we do then?

That’s the glorious part about these rhetorical statements; they’re useless and mean nothing.

They were telling on themselves with those takes. They clearly don’t understand that an individual player’s foot speed/skating and their ability to play at pace/fast are not the same thing. Largely because playing at speed is about the team game.

A team playing fast is largely a mental excercise. How well do the players understand/buy into the system, how fast do they read/react to plays as they develop, etc. Having speed in the lineup certainly helps. But an entire team a speedsters is not required, and is rarely the case.

Benson isn’t much faster than Greenway, if he is at all. Yet this crowd loves him (as do we all), so not a peep. Its going to be annoying listening to them nitpick the crap out of Greenway’s game all season.

1 player has a decent career going where he’s showed… almost nothing.

The other player made the nhl as an 18 year old and didn’t look out of place doing it. Oh and he also jumped greenway on the depth chart in the process.

Maybe a poor comparison?

 

[Push Dr Tracksuit]

Greenway haters may want to skip this one:

https://x.com/i/web/status/1841857503170122048

I’ll tell that if I got a chance to play in the nhl Lindy would love my hustle. He’d cut me, but damn the effort I’d give would be off the charts. Hopefully greenway can match some ability with it this season.

It would be better for the Sabres if greenway came out and really solidified his place in the Sabres lineup. I’m just waiting to see the player that’s been hyped up here. So far it’s been a guy that occasionally gives you second line play and usually gives you deep depth play. He’s not an instigator. He doesn’t play that hard power forward game. Hes been chased from 1 team already. And his biggest selling point is a coach everyone wanted fired wanted him. I hope he shows out. I have less faith in it than I have faith that he will be a healthy scratch by the end of the season.

Why does his speed get brought up and not benson’s? Because benson brings a complete game around his speed and in some aspects an elite game. Greenway doesn’t, his game is vanilla. He doesn’t leverage his size very well for how big he is and he doesn’t have the mental game benson does and there’s players coming from rochester soon. He’s gotta find it this year because there doesn’t look to be many more goes for him in Buffalo just based on organizational depth.

 

[Beerz]

Greenway.. don't really like him..don't really hate him.

When he is motivated he can be an effective player...the problem is he is not motivated nearly enough.

 

[Reddawg]

I hope he can go full Zubrus for us

You never go full Zubrus.

 

[Jacob582]

Greenway.. don't really like him..don't really hate him.

When he is motivated he can be an effective player...the problem is he is not motivated nearly enough.

I think he will be motivated this season.

1. Contract year
2. Lindy Ruff

 

[KeepKane]

Greenway.. don't really like him..don't really hate him.

When he is motivated he can be an effective player...the problem is he is not motivated nearly enough.

Players tend to be more motivated in a contract year. Also, I feel like plenty of teams would pay for his services come trade deadline. A big defensive forward who is a great Pker for 3.5 mil.

 

[5 Minute Major]

Players tend to be more motivated in a contract year. Also, I feel like plenty of teams would pay for his services come trade deadline. A big defensive forward who is a great Pker for 3.5 mil.

Let’s hope we’re one of those teams that could use his services come playoff time.

 

[MarkusKetterer]

Let’s hope we’re one of those teams that could use his services come playoff time.

Yea. Let’s hope the Sabres are the team that can use him.

 

[Sabresbyswords104]

Did some youth make the team ? Kulich ?

 

[Chainshot]

Did some youth make the team ? Kulich ?

Doesn't look like it at the moment. The fifth line has been Kulich and Rousek flanking Krebs. Seems like they will go back to Rochester when the team returns if they come out of these games without injury.

 

[joshjull]

1 player has a decent career going where he’s showed… almost nothing.

The other player made the nhl as an 18 year old and didn’t look out of place doing it. Oh and he also jumped greenway on the depth chart in the process.

Maybe a poor comparison?

You missed the point.

If their premise is that a player has to be individually fast to play the way a Ruff wants. Then that premise would apply to any player playing for him. Based on that both Greenway and Benson would be in trouble. Obviously that premise is false, since playing at pace within a team construct is mostly mental. Sabres Twitter and the xBuffalo boys didn’t put much thought into this. They just wanted to pile on their newly minted whipping boy.


I have to imagine if Sabres twitter/xBuffalo existed back in the day. They would have had a collective stroke when Andreychuk was put with LaFontaine/Mogilny.

 

[Djp]

You missed the point.

If their premise is that a player has to be individually fast to play the way a Ruff wants. Then that premise would apply to any player playing for him. Based on that both Greenway and Benson would be in trouble. Obviously that premise is false, since playing at pace within a team construct is mostly mental. Sabres Twitter and the xBuffalo boys didn’t put much thought into this. They just wanted to pile on their newly minted whipping boy.


I have to imagine if Sabres twitter/xBuffalo existed back in the day. They would have had a collective stroke when Andreychuk was put with LaFontaine/Mogilny.

Which was slower dave or Ray sheppard?

 

[TheMistyStranger]

You never go full Zubrus.

And that's why they haven't made the playoffs.

 

[Dubi Doo]

Even if Greenway is behind in Lindy’s system, shit at least let the games start before we decree that.

I think Greenway will be just fine and will be a nice addition to that third line.

GIven that Benson and Greenway formed a damn good shutdown line, and neither are speedsters- I agree with this take.

 

[Krieger Bot]

And if we lose out a playoff spot because Reimer lays multiple eggs while he’s in the crease I guess we can all be happy because Levi got more time in the A.

I tend to share your concerns. I mean, I get signing Reimer. It gives the team flexibility if Levi needs more time in the AHL. But he should have a short leash IMO. Backups tend to play 30-35 games in the NHL. If Levi is clearly better than Reimer (which, admittedly, isn't certain), then they need to find a way to get the bulk of those starts to him (whether that's an Ullmark/Swayman situation, or calling up Levi when they want to play the backup like they did at points last year). Every point matters, and they can't afford to piss games away by playing a worse goalie then the one they have sitting in the AHL.

Greenway.. don't really like him..don't really hate him.

When he is motivated he can be an effective player...the problem is he is not motivated nearly enough.

This is where I'm at on Greenway. He's fine. His size is a nice add, though I do wish he applied it with a little more regularity. Defensive game is good. Doesn't really add much of anything in the offensive zone as either a playmaker or a shooter. Speed...is pretty bad.

To me, he's probably the most expendable member of the top 9 if someone like Kulich starts destroying the AHL. In that scenario, I could see Greenway falling to the 4th line, or possibly even out of the lineup if Lindy prefers the speed of someone like Aube-Kubel to what Greenway brings.

That said, this hypothetical is probably all moot since it depends on having a full lineup for an extended period of time

 

[Jim Bob]

I think both the Greenway and the Jokiharju conversations have been interesting this offseason.

I think a fair number of people wanted both of them gone and they are unwilling to see what they will do under Ruff despite them being back.



Personally, if I have to bet on one of them not really working in their role and one being OK in their role, I would bet that Greenway is OK as a 3rd line winger and PKer and Jokiharju just isn't good enough as Dahlin's partner.

 

[elchud]

I think both the Greenway and the Jokiharju conversations have been interesting this offseason.

I think a fair number of people wanted both of them gone and they are unwilling to see what they will do under Ruff despite them being back.



Personally, if I have to bet on one of them not really working in their role and one being OK in their role, I would bet that Greenway is OK as a 3rd line winger and PKer and Jokiharju just isn't good enough as Dahlin's partner.

It would be nice to have a 25 goal scorer on the 3rd line. Once they signed Zucker (I don't know if he has the offense in him anymore) Greenway and Krebs became the most trade-able forwards. And we've been lusting for a 20+ min RHD forever.

But new coach, new season ... let's see what happens.

I feel pretty strongly that Adams will do something big this season if this team isn't cooking and it won't be a tweak or a small add. A Parayko or a Coleman. Kulich is a hell of a trade chip for a big add.

 

[Dingo44]

 

[joshjull]

I think both the Greenway and the Jokiharju conversations have been interesting this offseason.

I think a fair number of people wanted both of them gone and they are unwilling to see what they will do under Ruff despite them being back.



Personally, if I have to bet on one of them not really working in their role and one being OK in their role, I would bet that Greenway is OK as a 3rd line winger and PKer and Jokiharju just isn't good enough as Dahlin's partner.

Building on your Joker comments, I’m really interested to see how Ruff deploys his d-pairs. Is it relatively balanced? Does he lean heavy on 1 or 2 pairs? Does Dahlin get mintues outside his pairing? Does Ruff have a matchup pair, or two, in mind?

We won’t know the answers for a few games at least. But there are some scenarios where Joker works on that pairing and others where he doesn’t.