The 2024-2025 Roster Thread

[littletonhockeycoach]

Something I can't figure out: everyone knows this team's shooting percentage is comically awful. What puzzles me is that while it often leads to a breakout the other way it also often leads to getting a dangerous opportunity with everyone scrambling if you get a good bounce yet that never happens for us. It can't just be puck luck, it has to be something we are (or aren't) doing right?

It's a fine line........ If anyone on this board lined up against these guys, they would get smoked. None of us is a NHL-level talent.

But they are (supposedly) NHL talent.

But apparently, not the top of the totem pole (bad reference, I know. Sorry...)

They regularly get out performed in terms of passing precision and accuracy, puck handling skills, close in puck recovery along the boards and in front of the net.

Just compare anyone on today's squad with the skill level of a Sam Reinhart when seeking deflections, redirects, rebounds, possession in close in scrums.

Some of that is physical. A lot more of it is simply better stick and positioning talent (and smarts).

Of all the personnel decisions made the last 2 years, moving Sam (not sure of whether that was what brought Levi here), is one of the worst.

Turned out to be (to me) just another case of wack-a-gopher....

 

[MarkusKetterer]

It's a fine line........ If anyone on this board lined up against these guys, they would get smoked. None of us is a NHL-level talent.

But they are (supposedly) NHL talent.

But apparently, not the top of the totem pole (bad reference, I know. Sorry...)

They regularly get out performed in terms of passing precision and accuracy, puck handling skills, close in puck recovery along the boards and in front of the net.

Just compare anyone on today's squad with the skill level of a Sam Reinhart when seeking deflections, redirects, rebounds, possession in close in scrums.

Some of that is physical. A lot more of it is simply better stick and positioning talent (and smarts).

Of all the personnel decisions made the last 2 years, moving Sam (not sure of whether that was what brought Levi here), is one of the worst.

Turned out to be (to me) just another case of wack-a-gopher....

It is a bad reference. Because the bottom of the totem pole is actually the strongest, even though that’s not as impressive.

 

[sabremike]

It's a fine line........ If anyone on this board lined up against these guys, they would get smoked. None of us is a NHL-level talent.

But they are (supposedly) NHL talent.

But apparently, not the top of the totem pole (bad reference, I know. Sorry...)

They regularly get out performed in terms of passing precision and accuracy, puck handling skills, close in puck recovery along the boards and in front of the net.

Just compare anyone on today's squad with the skill level of a Sam Reinhart when seeking deflections, redirects, rebounds, possession in close in scrums.

Some of that is physical. A lot more of it is simply better stick and positioning talent (and smarts).

Of all the personnel decisions made the last 2 years, moving Sam (not sure of whether that was what brought Levi here), is one of the worst.

Turned out to be (to me) just another case of wack-a-gopher....

They had to trade Sam because he was going to walk as an UFA (I believe he outright told this to KA as he wasn't willing to waste more of his career on another rebuild).

 

[BFLO]

They had to trade Sam because he was going to walk as an UFA (I believe he outright told this to KA as he wasn't willing to waste more of his career on another rebuild).

...because Adams only extended Sam for 1 year the season before, when at the time Reinhart wanted to extend long term.

 

[stealth1]

...because Adams only extended Sam for 1 year the season before, when at the time Reinhart wanted to extend long term.

I don't think it would have made a difference even if they signed him long term. Once they decided on a rebuild he most likely would have asked for a trade. Once Eichel wanted out a rebuild had to happen

 

[littletonhockeycoach]

They had to trade Sam because he was going to walk as an UFA (I believe he outright told this to KA as he wasn't willing to waste more of his career on another rebuild).

Sam wanted to be here. He said so several times. I believe that once again, it was all about the contract and the financial perspective as Adams perceived Pegula would accept.

It is a bad reference. Because the bottom of the totem pole is actually the strongest, even though that’s not as impressive.

Just should have said most of the Sabres are not the creamed la creme across multiple skill sets.

 

[Fjordy]

They do have to spend to get to the cap floor so they have to spend some money. If you have noticed they haven't been close to a cap team since COVID. There is a reason for that.

As far as trading a top 6 C for a LD, I don't think that's who they necessarily targeted but more so that was the best deal available for budget reasons.

Like I said IMO they traded Mitts not necessarily for Byram but to use that money to upgrade the bottom 6. My view was it was either keep Mitts or upgrade the bottom 6.

As far as Reimer goes, Reimer wasn't cut for budget reasons but they wanted Levi up with the big club to start the season. Reimer was the odd one out and they hoped he would pass waivers and could play in Rochester to start.

I do agree Adams isn't doing the best job but at the same time I don't fault him for everything, especially when you are told how to run the team.

I feel all this could have been much better had Pegula not bought the Bills. Since then the Sabres are an afterthought to Pegula.

Well I just don't agree with that, Adams is a bad GM. Terry has done a lot of bad things, but that doesn't absolve Adams of any wrongdoing.

Reimer was never going to clear waivers for me. Keep Levi in Buffalo makes no sense. He just isn't playing, isn't developing, and is failing.

Trading for Byram made no sense, especially trading Mitts.

Adams screwed up with goalies, screwed up with defense, screwed up with attack. Yeah, he improved the bottom 6, but he screwed up the top 6.

We need another GM.

 

[TageGod]

Quinn sucking has put a big dent in our top 6 (Zucker is looking the part but is not ideal). Sabres can score a lot, but they need to pull out some 2-1 wins when they can't. November will get ugly again if the goalies don't steal some games.

 

[stealth1]

Well I just don't agree with that, Adams is a bad GM. Terry has done a lot of bad things, but that doesn't absolve Adams of any wrongdoing.

Reimer was never going to clear waivers for me. Keep Levi in Buffalo makes no sense. He just isn't playing, isn't developing, and is failing.

Trading for Byram made no sense, especially trading Mitts.

Adams screwed up with goalies, screwed up with defense, screwed up with attack. Yeah, he improved the bottom 6, but he screwed up the top 6.

We need another GM.

I never said Adams was good. Pegula isn't helping either. As far as trading Mitts, I fully believe he had to trade him. Budget wise Mitts wouldn't fit. There is a reason they don't spend to the cap now. The Sabres have a budget to spend each season. How else do you explain never spending that much more than the cap floor.

 

[BFLO]

I don't think it would have made a difference even if they signed him long term. Once they decided on a rebuild he most likely would have asked for a trade. Once Eichel wanted out a rebuild had to happen

Was there really any difference between "trying to compete" with Eichel and "rebuilding" post Eichel?

The results have remained the same.

Sam doesn't strike me as the type to request a trade, let alone after the first season into an 8 year extension.

 

[Fjordy]

I never said Adams was good. Pegula isn't helping either. As far as trading Mitts, I fully believe he had to trade him. Budget wise Mitts wouldn't fit. There is a reason they don't spend to the cap now. The Sabres have a budget to spend each season. How else do you explain never spending that much more than the cap floor.

And why are you so sure about this? Adams said the opposite, that he has no internal limit. Or maybe Adams himself is just leaving space in the cap to prolong his kids (Quinn, Peterka and others) in the future. Maybe this is his plan. I have no evidence, so we can only assume. But the fact that Adams is not doing his job is a fact for me.

 

[HaNotsri]

I never said Adams was good. Pegula isn't helping either. As far as trading Mitts, I fully believe he had to trade him. Budget wise Mitts wouldn't fit. There is a reason they don't spend to the cap now. The Sabres have a budget to spend each season. How else do you explain never spending that much more than the cap floor.

With the Skinner buyout and without the Zucker add he'd 100% be able to afford him. Remember that Mitts already had a salary and that we added Byram in his place...

No excuses for Adams, even though we have a budget he's deciding what to spend it on. He's a welfare king that spent all his money day 1 on booze and scratch tickets, now he can't feed the kids. Blaming Pegs for that would be like blaming the government for a single individual's inability to plan.