The 2024-2025 Roster Thread

[TageGod]

Greenway just has slow acceleration. Zucker and Mcleod have more than enough speed for the line. Obviously he is going straight to the net.

 

[HogtownSabresfan]

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

Greenway could be a great player. Could. He easily could be a larger heavier version of Jochen Hecht. The issue is he disappears at times and is completely invisible. Poeple say Lindy gets him to next level. He has had multiple chances and where is he? He's a nice piece but I doubt he gets to another level. Love to be wrong.

 

[Jim Bob]

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.

The other question I have with the D pairs to start is can Samuelsson-Clifton skate well enough to not get exploited with speed.

When they are on the ice, getting the forwards to backcheck hard will be a key. With the other two pairs, it will be about the forwards seeing when the D activate and making sure you have someone covering for them.

 

[joshjull]

The other question I have with the D pairs to start is can Samuelsson-Clifton skate well enough to not get exploited with speed.

When they are on the ice, getting the forwards to backcheck hard will be a key. With the other two pairs, it will be about the forwards seeing when the D activate and making sure you have someone covering for them.

I’m wondering if he plans on using that pairing like the 4th line. Or more likely from time.

 

[Dubi Doo]

The other question I have with the D pairs to start is can Samuelsson-Clifton skate well enough to not get exploited with speed.

When they are on the ice, getting the forwards to backcheck hard will be a key. With the other two pairs, it will be about the forwards seeing when the D activate and making sure you have someone covering for them.

Clifton seems like a pretty strong skater from what Ive seen. Just have to hope he plays a relatively simple game, and doesnt get caught chasing in the D zone.

 

[Dingo44]

 

[Doug Prishpreed]

I'm surprised no one has asked Lindy about faceoffs yet. It's been an issue that the local media has focused on for a while.

 

[Irving Zisman]

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.

It’s really interesting (and refreshing) to think about the defense in this way. Reminds me a bit of those 05-07 teams when Ruff had the ability to mix and match his D and get favorable matchups/adjustments as games progressed.

 

[Sabresbyswords104]

Sabres really do suck , the team is not a match

Can we please send Down louk

 

[CaliSabresfan24]

 

[HaNotsri]

I can't see them carrying 3 goalies again

Why not? It was a great success last year!

 

[Ace]

They won the face-off battle.

Fixed everything.

 

[Chainshot]

Have to figure they waive Bryson when they do their cut down. Three forwards down though probably puts that off for a couple more days.

 

[TehDoak]

So, here is my question for the day.

We remember that the tanking years had reverberations. It made the culture almost impossible to fix.
Adams was widely praised for 'fixing' the culture. However, I have a bit of a question about that.

Did the 'let the kids play' cap floor era having long term effects similar to the tank? No consequences under Granato, just out and have fun.

Adams has brought together a good group of 'hockey guys' who are friends off the ice. Is that a legitimate way to build a team/culture?

Is this 'core' group fixable in a way that will play successful hockey over 82 games. Can we successfully implement a defensive structure that doesn't absolutely cripple the offensive side of the game?

Let me be more specific, I'll identify the core as:

Thompson, Tuch, Cozens, Dahlin, Samuelsson. Basically the captain and co captains.

I'll leave Peterka/Quinn/Power/Byram out for now as they are younger and in Byram's case....wasn't here for the cap floor era.

Can we win with the core group, as is, knowing the volume of youth that will be coming up through the system in the next 2-3 years.

 

[Sabresbyswords104]

What did sabres do wrong these first 2 games ?

 

[Ace]

What did sabres do wrong these first 2 games ?

Hockey

 

[jc17]

So, here is my question for the day.

We remember that the tanking years had reverberations. It made the culture almost impossible to fix.
Adams was widely praised for 'fixing' the culture. However, I have a bit of a question about that.

Did the 'let the kids play' cap floor era having long term effects similar to the tank? No consequences under Granato, just out and have fun.

Adams has brought together a good group of 'hockey guys' who are friends off the ice. Is that a legitimate way to build a team/culture?

Is this 'core' group fixable in a way that will play successful hockey over 82 games. Can we successfully implement a defensive structure that doesn't absolutely cripple the offensive side of the game?

Let me be more specific, I'll identify the core as:

Thompson, Tuch, Cozens, Dahlin, Samuelsson. Basically the captain and co captains.

I'll leave Peterka/Quinn/Power/Byram out for now as they are younger and in Byram's case....wasn't here for the cap floor era.

Can we win with the core group, as is, knowing the volume of youth that will be coming up through the system in the next 2-3 years.

Sorry for the longwinded response but I think the culture stuff deserves some conversation.

The culture problem was two-fold. The team was miserable, and the team had a losing attitude. While the two go hand in hand, we just weren't in a position to not be losers, so the first part of the equation was to fix the non-losing miserable stuff.

This was pretty much the case throughout the entire drought. I think it goes back to Leino calling the locker room a morgue. Even if we ignore free agency & NTC, having a room that isn't miserable does help the product. Some of the eichel teams just had lousy attitudes/personalities and I'm sure that was a cause of some underperformance. No one wanted to work for each other.

That said, I think you're probably correct in thinking that making things more fun or better yet comfortable has had a negative effect. Friends off the ice is fine, but guys have to be able to hold each other accountable on the ice, and this is where I have my doubts. I know Pham has mentioned Dahlin competing hard at practice and pushing guys in the past, but it does kind of seem to me they're lacking guys that will not accept sub-par stuff. Just speculation, we're not in the room, but it's the impression I get.

This is where I think Ruff should shine, but he kind of talked about "not being the same coach I was" back in the day, while I think young Lindy is what they need. If the players aren't going to really demand top stuff from each other, you need a coach that does.

I have mixed feelings about our captains. I like Dahlin, Tage, and Tuch with letters. I don't like cozens and Samuelsson. I think those 2 guys have certainly done good things, but in another sense they haven't done anything significant. Kind of feels like a participation award for guys that have been here a few years, and to me gives a hint of mediocrity.

I think they can win with this core, but its going to take some maturing and some ego checks

 

[Mattilaus]

What did sabres do wrong these first 2 games ?

Scored less goals than NJ did.

 

[Gras]

Gotta look at the positives, Power and Tage both on a 41 goal pace.