The 2024-2025 Roster Thread

[Fjordy]

https://thehockeynews.com/news/should-the-buffalo-sabres-have-tried-to-get-ken-holland-as-their-gm

How much do we have to pay him to be our team president?

Just an adult in the room build out the front office/scouting department and getting the right people in place and the right processes for decision making.

Is Holland any good and does Terry need this?

 

[TehDoak]

Is Holland any good and does Terry need this?

At this point, I'm not looking for a superstar GM. I want someone who has been in charge of a winning team and knows a repeatable, reliable method for structuring a front office and setting up a roster for success.

 

[SnuggaRUDE]

Season Stats.
Mitts:
17GP
6G
10A
16Pts
-11
19:47 TOI

BO
17PG
3G
8A
11PTS
+9
22:24 TOI

Personally i have no idea why people want to trade BO we need another top 4D not to subtract 1, Ship out more prospects protected 1st's, 2nd's and Joki/Sammy

What happened to his 5v5 play? His possession numbers are significantly off where they have been. It looks like he might be playing with weaker wingers overall.

 

[goach]

I have wanted nothing to do with Zegras previously. His horrible start to this season doesn't change my opinion in that regard.

Quinn + ____ for Crouse was my counter to the Peterka for Crouse idea. If they keep one of Peterka and Quinn, I hope it's Peterka.

Peterka is a keeper

 

[Der Jaeger]

Not going to be a popular idea, but here it is:

Do modern NHL teams need two #1 puck moving defenseman? My argument is no. That is a waste of assets. Let's take a look at the 1 and 2 defenseman of Cup champs.

2024: Montour ran the power play. Forsling, OEL, and Ekblad have a strong case each to be the 2.
2023: Pietrangelo ran the power play. Theodore was the 2.
2022: Makar ran the power play, Toews was the 2.
2020-21: Hedman ran the power play, Sergachev was the 2.
2019: Pietrangelo ran the power play, Dunn and Parayko have a strong case as the 2.
2018: Carlson ran the power play, Orlov was the 2.
2016-17: Letang ran the power play, Schultz was the 2 in 2017. Really not a 2 in 2016 for the Pens.
2015: Keith ran the power play, Seabrook was the 2.
2014: Doughty ran the power play, Voynov and Martinez have cases as the 2.
2013: Keith ran the power play, Seabrook was the 2.
2012: Doughty ran the power play, Mitchell, Johnson, Voynov, and Martinez have cases as the 2.
2011: Chara ran the power play, Seidenberg was the 2.
2010: Keith ran the power plan, Seabrook was the 2.
2009: Letang ran the power play, Goligoski and Gonchar was cases as the 2.
2008: Lidstrom ran the power play, Rafalski was the 2.
2007: Niedermayer ran the power play, Pronger was the 2.
2006: Kaberle ran the power play, Hedican was the 2.

Since the lockout, teams increasing left the older model of running a power play with 2 elite defenseman and went to 1 defenseman at the point operating a 1-3-1 or a variation of that set up. The team requirement was to have one elite power play defenseman and then a second defenseman who could run the second team.

A decent litmus test would be to ask these questions:
"Would I trade for an upgrade for the #1 PP defenseman? Would I be comfortable with my #2 guy running the #1 power play? Am I comfortable with my #2 D running my second power play unit?"

If you answered no to the first question, you have your guy. If you answer no to the second question and yes to the third question, you've also probably got the right #2 D. Aside from Sergachev, few of the recent cup winners have really good #2 defenseman who can run a power play at a top level. No one is looking to upgrade from Makar, Hedman, Letang, Doughty, Keith, etc. But teams would upgrade from Forsling, Towes, Dunn, Schultz, Martinez, etc. if that D was running your top power play.

Apply that to the Sabres. Does anyone think we need an upgrade on the #1 power play from Dahlin? I think that question is a definitive "no." Would everyone be comfortable with Power running the #1 power play? I think that answer is "yes." Would anyone be comfortable with Byrum running the #1 power play? Ehh.... but you'd be looking to upgrade. Would everyone be good with Byrum running the #2 power play? Absolutely.

I have no issues with Owen Power. I think he's a heck of a hockey player. But if you remember, I advocated for taking Matt Beniers over Power during the draft year. Part of that thinking was having two elite #1 defenseman is a waste of assets. Power needs to be running a #1 power play unit. He's that good. But so is Dahlin.

The Sabres could use more defensive-minded defenseman, another center, and a net front presence (when your best two net front guys are Benson and Zucker, you need more). At this point, I'd use Power as the trade asset to adjust the roster.

 

[Fjordy]

What happened to his 5v5 play? His possession numbers are significantly off where they have been. It looks like he might be playing with weaker wingers overall.

It seems to me that Colorado has a lot of injuries in attack and Mitts often played with players from bottom 6, but I could be wrong.

 

[Sabresfansince1980]

It’s a bad opinion

The opinion that the D-corps doesn't make sense with all three of Dahlin, Power, and Byram, and needs a revamp to add defensively capable vets is bad??? I appreciate the time you took out from filing KA's office paperwork to reply.

 

[Fjordy]

The opinion that the D-corps doesn't make sense with all three of Dahlin, Power, and Byram, and needs a revamp to add defensively capable vets is bad??? I appreciate the time you took out from filing KA's office paperwork to reply.

Maybe he meant trading Dahlin or Power. That makes sense, too, Byram has a long history of concussions and even had his career suspended because of them, another accidental concussion could very well end badly for him. I feel sorry for him, but that's also a risk. He also doesn't have a contract for the summer. But I agree that three such defenders is not very good, but if one of them is to be traded, then Byram for me.

 

[zenthusiast]

Colorado’s been in rough shape to start the year. I assume they’ll round out into form

 

[Chainshot]

Byram's last 8 games have been excellent. He's not been under 21 minutes a night, he's got 2 goals, 5 assists and a +8 *yes, I know plus/minus sucks*. Byram's first 9 games were a lot rougher.

 

[TageGod]

You have to avoid mistaking "good offensively" and "moves the puck well" with being poor defensively though.

 

[MOGlLNY]

The opinion that the D-corps doesn't make sense with all three of Dahlin, Power, and Byram, and needs a revamp to add defensively capable vets is bad??? I appreciate the time you took out from filing KA's office paperwork to reply.

You trade Samuelsson and add a steady RD it makes plenty of sense to have all 3, especially when Dahlin plays better on the right. You’re entitled to your wrong opinion - all good.

 

[Beerz]

https://thehockeynews.com/news/should-the-buffalo-sabres-have-tried-to-get-ken-holland-as-their-gm

How much do we have to pay him to be our team president?

Just an adult in the room build out the front office/scouting department and getting the right people in place and the right processes for decision making.

Meh... if he wants to be a figure head i am fine with that... but keep him away from on ice decisions

Not going to be a popular idea, but here it is:

Do modern NHL teams need two #1 puck moving defenseman? My argument is no. That is a waste of assets. Let's take a look at the 1 and 2 defenseman of Cup champs.

2024: Montour ran the power play. Forsling, OEL, and Ekblad have a strong case each to be the 2.
2023: Pietrangelo ran the power play. Theodore was the 2.
2022: Makar ran the power play, Toews was the 2.
2020-21: Hedman ran the power play, Sergachev was the 2.
2019: Pietrangelo ran the power play, Dunn and Parayko have a strong case as the 2.
2018: Carlson ran the power play, Orlov was the 2.
2016-17: Letang ran the power play, Schultz was the 2 in 2017. Really not a 2 in 2016 for the Pens.
2015: Keith ran the power play, Seabrook was the 2.
2014: Doughty ran the power play, Voynov and Martinez have cases as the 2.
2013: Keith ran the power play, Seabrook was the 2.
2012: Doughty ran the power play, Mitchell, Johnson, Voynov, and Martinez have cases as the 2.
2011: Chara ran the power play, Seidenberg was the 2.
2010: Keith ran the power plan, Seabrook was the 2.
2009: Letang ran the power play, Goligoski and Gonchar was cases as the 2.
2008: Lidstrom ran the power play, Rafalski was the 2.
2007: Niedermayer ran the power play, Pronger was the 2.
2006: Kaberle ran the power play, Hedican was the 2.

Since the lockout, teams increasing left the older model of running a power play with 2 elite defenseman and went to 1 defenseman at the point operating a 1-3-1 or a variation of that set up. The team requirement was to have one elite power play defenseman and then a second defenseman who could run the second team.

A decent litmus test would be to ask these questions:
"Would I trade for an upgrade for the #1 PP defenseman? Would I be comfortable with my #2 guy running the #1 power play? Am I comfortable with my #2 D running my second power play unit?"

If you answered no to the first question, you have your guy. If you answer no to the second question and yes to the third question, you've also probably got the right #2 D. Aside from Sergachev, few of the recent cup winners have really good #2 defenseman who can run a power play at a top level. No one is looking to upgrade from Makar, Hedman, Letang, Doughty, Keith, etc. But teams would upgrade from Forsling, Towes, Dunn, Schultz, Martinez, etc. if that D was running your top power play.

Apply that to the Sabres. Does anyone think we need an upgrade on the #1 power play from Dahlin? I think that question is a definitive "no." Would everyone be comfortable with Power running the #1 power play? I think that answer is "yes." Would anyone be comfortable with Byrum running the #1 power play? Ehh.... but you'd be looking to upgrade. Would everyone be good with Byrum running the #2 power play? Absolutely.

I have no issues with Owen Power. I think he's a heck of a hockey player. But if you remember, I advocated for taking Matt Beniers over Power during the draft year. Part of that thinking was having two elite #1 defenseman is a waste of assets. Power needs to be running a #1 power play unit. He's that good. But so is Dahlin.

The Sabres could use more defensive-minded defenseman, another center, and a net front presence (when your best two net front guys are Benson and Zucker, you need more). At this point, I'd use Power as the trade asset to adjust the roster.

Welcome to the dark side.