The 2024-2025 Roster Thread

[Jim Bob]

32 Thoughts: Soft talks underway between NHL, NHLPA for next CBA

The NHL Board of Governors meetings have wrapped and teams were left with the impression that the ride to the next CBA will be smoother. Elliotte Friedman discusses that, a possible 84-game season and more tidbits from around the league.

www.sportsnet.ca

7. Alright, some other stuff: Buffalo is getting calls on Dylan Cozens. This would terrify me if I were the Sabres, vultures circling overhead while player and team struggle. Right-shot centre, 23 years old, two years removed from a 30-goal season. He’s also signed for five more seasons at a $7.1M AAV, helping his value. I would be very, very careful with this because he’s legitimately wanted.

8. Buffalo goes back-to-back on the weekend in Washington and Toronto. I’m curious to see if Lindy Ruff’s in-game benchings of JJ Peterka and Owen Power during Wednesday’s 3-2 loss to the Rangers are a one-off or a new trend.

“Taking away one or two shifts hasn’t worked,” the coach said post-game, before praising both players for how they performed when put back in. Now that they’ve played 29 games, Ruff can argue he started with an open mind and waited long enough to see what everyone’s got. Power said all the right things about the mistakes that led to his benching, and scored late in third period.

9. During prep for an interview with Peterka at the NHL/NHLPA European media tour in Prague, another player said he is notoriously hard on himself. He admitted that is true. "Yeah, probably last year was too much, because I expect so much out of myself. (Bad things last) too long in my head, I would say. Breathe it in, breathe it out, go on to the next shift."

And some other tidbits that might be of interest to the Sabres:

14. Lou Lamoriello gives no clues, but his peers find it very hard to believe he will move an unsigned Brock Nelson if the Islanders are anywhere near a playoff position. We will see.

15. Alec Regula won’t be Edmonton’s last defensive move. They will consider both lefties and righties.

16. Not the sexiest name, but Seattle’s Will Borgen is being scouted as a potential depth add. Down 2:29 per game, a free-agent-to-be.

21. There’s only one way for Ottawa to end any Brady Tkachuk noise. They’ve got to get into the playoffs. Nothing else ends speculation, you can’t control it.

 

[Fjordy]

32 Thoughts: Soft talks underway between NHL, NHLPA for next CBA

The NHL Board of Governors meetings have wrapped and teams were left with the impression that the ride to the next CBA will be smoother. Elliotte Friedman discusses that, a possible 84-game season and more tidbits from around the league.

www.sportsnet.ca

And some other tidbits that might be of interest to the Sabres:

A Cozens deal could be interesting.

Borgen wasn't great, but the type of player fits.

 

[Jim Bob]

A Cozens deal could be interesting.

Borgen wasn't great, but the type of player fits.

I disagree with both.

Borgen is Clifton (3rd pair RHD). I don't see him adding what the Sabres need.

And my guess is that GMs are trying to buy low on Cozens given how things are going. Just like I bet Verbeek is getting GMs calling to try and buy low on Zegras.

 

[TehDoak]

I disagree with both.

Borgen is Clifton (3rd pair RHD). I don't see him adding what the Sabres need.

And my guess is that GMs are trying to buy low on Cozens given how things are going. Just like I bet Verbeek is getting GMs calling to try and buy low on Zegras.

They absolutely should not be moving Cozens now unless its a similar caliber player coming back or part of a package for an upgrade.

And frankly, the next GM should get to decide what to do with him.

 

[Fjordy]

I disagree with both.

Borgen is Clifton (3rd pair RHD). I don't see him adding what the Sabres need.

And my guess is that GMs are trying to buy low on Cozens given how things are going. Just like I bet Verbeek is getting GMs calling to try and buy low on Zegras.

That's why I said Borgen wasn't good, even though he fits the type of player.

Depends on the deal, I'd trade almost any player on this team. Not necessarily cheap, but Cozens has too many cons and too few pros as a player.

 

[Jim Bob]

They absolutely should not be moving Cozens now unless its a similar caliber player coming back or part of a package for an upgrade.

And frankly, the next GM should get to decide what to do with him.

So, you see Cozens as a Sabre for life?

 

[TehDoak]

So, you see Cozens as a Sabre for life?

I don't even want to imagine an organizational future where Adams survives after missing the playoffs 5 years in a row. It would mean there are no organizational goals or standards. Just loyalty to the owner is all that matters. Any hope that I have for the strong prospect group would be quashed by inevitable organizational dysfunction winning out.

 

[Jim Bob]

I don't even want to imagine an organizational future where Adams survives after missing the playoffs 5 years in a row. It would mean there are no organizational goals or standards. Just loyalty to the owner is all that matters. Any hope that I have for the strong prospect group would be quashed by inevitable organizational dysfunction winning out.

Chad hit the nail on the head. The Sabres are an unserious organization. The fact that someone with as poor a resume for a GM opening as Adams had has been the GM this long with this bad a record just gives me no expectation that things will change as long as Adams is staying away from the communication issues that the prior two GMs had.

NHL Stats

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Of the top 20 RHD in EVTOI/G this season, there is one guy on a bad team that I could see getting moved. And I would think he would be an upgrade over Jokiharju in the top 4:

Cody Ceci

 

[Fjordy]

Preds are also strange guys, they appointed a coach as GM and some kind of nonsense is happening there, It makes sense to take a flyer for Parssinen or Novak. Tomasino is already showing results in the Pens, Fabbro was good in the first pair in Columbus. Tolvanen was there before, but also showed good play in Seattle.

 

[joshjull]

 

[Jim Bob]

 

[thewookie1]

I'm not interested in trading Cozens for garbage or futures so I guess we keep him

 

[zenthusiast]

I’ve never had faith in Cozens. If he proves me wrong, I’ll happily be the fool, but I’d rather he be someone else’s project

 

[Fjordy]

Certainly not for garbage or futures, but on this team almost every player should be available for trade. Some kind of hockey deal? Sure.

Definitely needs a shake up, our attack scores very little (except Detroit with Ville Husso and their garbage defense), even guys like Tuch have stopped scoring. Our defense is terrible without Rasmus, there needs to be changes there too.

 

[sabremike]

I’ve never had faith in Cozens. If he proves me wrong, I’ll happily be the fool, but I’d rather he be someone else’s project

If lots of teams are looking to acquire him that should be a GIGANTIC red flag that unless they get some bonkers offer you can't refuse trading him would end up being a colossal mistake.

 

[joshjull]

Certainly not for garbage or futures, but on this team almost every player should be available for trade. Some kind of hockey deal? Sure.

My “laugh until I cry” feeling comes from Cozens downfall as a player for us. Plus having a GM over his head having other GMs circling to pick our carcass.

 

[paulmm3]

The problem with making a trade when your team sucks is that your team sucks because your players have sucked recently so you're always going to be selling low. Barring a great deal opportunity presenting itself we should probably just stand pat.

 

[TageGod]

Because teams are so interested, that is reason enough to not trade him. Never sell low during a struggling season. His production is at least coming back. He can clean up his game long term. Maybe he doesn't live up to the contract but, with the new salary cap 7m is like 5m, so the contract is going to be FINE.

 

[zenthusiast]

If lots of teams are looking to acquire him that should be a GIGANTIC red flag that unless they get some bonkers offer you can't refuse trading him would end up being a colossal mistake.

Everyone thinks they can improve our misfit toys, and they’ve mostly been right. I don’t blame them. But I think he’s an exception because he has no brain in his head.

 

[Fjordy]

My “laugh until I cry” feeling comes from Cozens downfall as a player for us. Plus having a GM over his head having other GMs circling to pick our carcass.

We don’t see any proposals, it’s hard for me to say what they’re offering.

 

[TheBarnIsElectric]

I take Borgen over Joki 10 times out of 10. I would have already made that trade.

The problem with making a trade when your team sucks is that your team sucks because your players have sucked recently so you're always going to be selling low. Barring a great deal opportunity presenting itself we should probably just stand pat.

I personally would prioritize winning over trade value right now. If you can make a trade and improve the team, but lose on value a little bit, that's ok. Winning will raise the value of all your assets.

The one line I would draw in terms of value is positional. Im less likely to trade Cozens vs Quinn/Peterka because if you trade the one guy who might be a good 2C someday, you leave a huge hole. If we traded Cozens after trading Mitts, we couldn't really hope to be good down the middle any time soon and that means we couldn't expect to have a good team any time soon.

Right now we should be trying to turn Quinn/Peterka+ picks and prospects into top 6 F help (preferably C) or top 4D help.

Only prospects who are off limits for me are Levi and Hele. Edit: and Kulich.

 

[toddkaz]

32 Thoughts: Soft talks underway between NHL, NHLPA for next CBA

The NHL Board of Governors meetings have wrapped and teams were left with the impression that the ride to the next CBA will be smoother. Elliotte Friedman discusses that, a possible 84-game season and more tidbits from around the league.

www.sportsnet.ca

And some other tidbits that might be of interest to the Sabres:

They can claim the vultures are circling I don't mind trading Cozens but I am trading Cozens with the World Championships Value and not the 30 games this year Cozens. A 30 goal scorer who dominated the WC.

If someone wants to pay for his ceiling then sure and if not then buzz off.

If there is a stupid GM out there than I am ok with that.

 

[joshjull]

We don’t see any proposals, it’s hard for me to say what they’re offering.

I’m not thinking about that. Just about the fact that we are in this overall mess in the first place. Instead of a fun team we can enjoy watching. I stopped watching a couple weeks ago. Just sad to see.

 

[Deep Blue Metallic]

Tuch is our leading scorer only because Tage, 1 point back, has played 5 fewer games.

Cozens has been a huge disappointment, but it could end up being a colossal mistake if the Sabres sell low on him now.

The only way Adams makes it to next season is if the Sabres make the playoffs (hahaha). I have faith in Terry at least to that extent.

Ruff may not be *the* problem, but he's certainly not the answer either.

 

[KeyserSoze81]

They can claim the vultures are circling I don't mind trading Cozens but I am trading Cozens with the World Championships Value and not the 30 games this year Cozens. A 30 goal scorer who dominated the WC.

If someone wants to pay for his ceiling then sure and if not then buzz off.

If there is a stupid GM out there than I am ok with that.

I am basically to the same place as I was with Rasmus Ristolainen. Yes, he obviously has a ton of natural ability, was drafted high, plays a valuable position, and he performed very well in international games. He could theoretically be a late bloomer, but he already has a lot of NHL games. He is a complete moron on the ice, and I would like him to go hurt another team. Maybe he blooms when he is not burdened in hockey hell, which is all the more reason to trade him.