The 2024-2025 Roster Thread

[Beerz]

People badly overrate Barzal and Pulock.

Barzal doesn't even play Center anymore I think.

 

[MagnumForce2]

If the offer was really Cozens and Byram for Pettersson, I’m taking that all day. Seems too good to be true.

I’d look to try to move Power to Anaheim. Zegras and McTavish struggling there.

Thompson to Calgary for 1 (2?) of their defenseman?

I want Larkin. I know they have been supposedly talking to Detroit but not sure about who.

 

[Zman5778]

I want Larkin. I know they have been supposedly talking to Detroit but not sure about who.

Larkin isn't moving.

 

[MagnumForce2]

Larkin isn't moving.

I don’t think so either. I just don’t want to see Adams get fleeced trading out of desperation.

 

[ValJamesDuex]

I want Larkin. I know they have been supposedly talking to Detroit but not sure about who.

Your getting Pat Kane with a Uber gift card and your liking it!

 

[MagnumForce2]

Your getting Pat Kane with a Uber gift card and your liking it!

You are picking him up from the Airport.

 

[TheMistyStranger]

If the offer was really Cozens and Byram for Pettersson, I’m taking that all day. Seems too good to be true.

I’d look to try to move Power to Anaheim. Zegras and McTavish struggling there.

Thompson to Calgary for 1 (2?) of their defenseman?

I'd be all about getting McTavish. I'm very meh on TZ.

 

[ValJamesDuex]

You are picking him up from the Airport.

In my Amz truck!

 

[Fjordy]

I'd be all about getting McTavish. I'm very meh on TZ.

I take both.

 

[Fjordy]

All these Barzal and Pulock are unrealistic, we are only looking at the list of players without trade protection.

Pettersson is the biggest fish there and if he is available I would like to get him. He is a natural center unlike Tage, he can provide some defensive play, his numbers have dropped? Well he was injured. Dahlin was not ideal either when he played injured all season. Also Pettersson and Rasmus are good friends, that could be a positive for Pettersson coming here.

 

[yasky]

I want Larkin. I know they have been supposedly talking to Detroit but not sure about who.

Mike Rasmussen.

 

[Fjordy]

Mike Rasmussen.

Is this a guess or do you know something?

Rasmussen looks like a replacement for Greenway, maybe not so bad, although it doesn't change much.

 

[Jim Bob]

On the flip side organizations looking to trade off problematic players with no protections won’t hesitate to send them off to Buffalo as a final act of spite.

Adams and his anal-lytics department should be mining their data for such players.

Tim Murray approves of this message,



That is a tough line to walk with a team that is this young and fragile. If you add players that are problematic the way that EKane and Bogosian were, that is likely to not help.

Byram doesn't make that much, they also have players who make more than Hughes and with the cap going up, those defensemen will probably sign big contracts. I doubt the Canucks would pass up adding Power/Byram. Fans are part of the community and that's what sites like this are for, to share people's opinions with each other.

Byram is an RFA after this season and likely will want a hefty raise. Plus, there is talk that he wants to go somewhere that would allow him to be the #1 D and run PP1.

That isn't happening in Vancouver.

 

[Fjordy]

Tim Murray approves of this message,



That is a tough line to walk with a team that is this young and fragile. If you add players that are problematic the way that EKane and Bogosian were, that is likely to not help.


Byram is an RFA after this season and likely will want a hefty raise. Plus, there is talk that he wants to go somewhere that would allow him to be the #1 D and run PP1.

That isn't happening in Vancouver.

In reality, this almost nowhere happens, that's the problem with Byram, I'm also not sure I want to keep him with his demand.

Montreal, Flames, Blues, Sharks, Blackhawks, Panthers, Flyers, Canucks, Red Wings - potential teams to land Byram, Red Wings fans have seemingly expressed interest, as have Canucks fans.

 

[My Cozen Dylan]

Looking at some realistic trade options that I like:

- Mason McTavish (RFA, 4 more years of team control)
- Trevor Zegras ($5.875M thru 2026, then RFA)
- Joel Farabee ($5M thru 2028, then UFA)
- Lawson Crouse ($4.3M thru 2027, then UFA)

- Connor Murphy ($4.4M thru 2026, then UFA)
- Mackenzie Weegar ($6.25M thru 2031, then UFA)
- Zach Whitecloud ($2.75M thru 2028, then UFA)


This team obviously needs a major shakeup. My thoughts:

[BUF/ANA] Dylan Cozens for Mason McTavish
[BUF/PHI] Jack Quinn for Joel Farabee
[BUF/UTA] Isak Rosen for Lawson Crouse
[BUF/CHI] Mattias Samuelsson, Viktor Neuchev, and a 2025 3rd for Connor Murphy
[BUF/CGY] Bowen Byram and a 2025 2nd for Mackenzie Weegar

2025-26
Farabee-Thompson-Tuch
Kulich-McTavish-Peterka
Crouse-McLeod-Benson
Malenstyn-Krebs-Lafferty/NAK if re-signed
x Kozak

Dahlin-Weegar
Power-Murphy
Johnson-Clifton
x Gilbert (re-signed)

Luukkonen/Levi

Total team payroll would be roughly $88 million, including the Skinner buyout.

Is there some rearranging deck chairs on the Titanic vibe to this? Absolutely. But we can't be worse than where we are now so I think several change-of-scenery deals are in order.

 

[Fjordy]

Looking at some realistic trade options that I like:

- Mason McTavish (RFA, 4 more years of team control)
- Trevor Zegras ($5.875M thru 2026, then RFA)
- Joel Farabee ($5M thru 2028, then UFA)
- Lawson Crouse ($4.3M thru 2027, then UFA)

- Connor Murphy ($4.4M thru 2026, then UFA)
- Mackenzie Weegar ($6.25M thru 2031, then UFA)
- Zach Whitecloud ($2.75M thru 2028, then UFA)


This team obviously needs a major shakeup. My thoughts:

[BUF/ANA] Dylan Cozens for Mason McTavish
[BUF/PHI] Jack Quinn for Joel Farabee
[BUF/UTA] Isak Rosen for Lawson Crouse
[BUF/CHI] Mattias Samuelsson, Viktor Neuchev, and a 2025 3rd for Connor Murphy
[BUF/CGY] Bowen Byram and a 2025 2nd for Mackenzie Weegar

2025-26
Farabee-Thompson-Tuch
Kulich-McTavish-Peterka
Crouse-McLeod-Benson
Malenstyn-Krebs-Lafferty/NAK if re-signed
x Kozak

Dahlin-Weegar
Power-Murphy
Johnson-Clifton
x Gilbert (re-signed)

Luukkonen/Levi

Total team payroll would be roughly $88 million, including the Skinner buyout.

Is there some rearranging deck chairs on the Titanic vibe to this? Absolutely. But we can't be worse than where we are now so I think several change-of-scenery deals are in order.

I don't like this youth movement in attack again, we need vets, Zucker is gone, Farabee is not a vet, Crouse is good add, but that's not enough. I could go on and on about the value of some deals, but I won't. My strategy is no more than 3-4 young players in attack. Maybe it's harsh, but I think it's necessary. I would also like to divide the young players into different lines. I'm also not sure we'll be able to convince Weegar and Murphy to come to Buffalo given the state of the franchise right now.

 

[Fjordy]

By the way, how often and when do players update their M-NTС? Because if only before the season, then maybe some players won't have Buffalo on their roster, since we hired Ruff then and there were even rumors that some players were removing the Sabres from their M-NTС. Now it would be funny to trade for such a player, but it is also a possibility.

 

[My Cozen Dylan]

I don't like this youth movement in attack again, we need vets, Zucker is gone, Farabee is not a vet, Crouse is good add, but that's not enough. I could go on and on about the value of some deals, but I won't. My strategy is no more than 3-4 young players in attack. Maybe it's harsh, but I think it's necessary. I would also like to divide the young players into different lines. I'm also not sure we'll be able to convince Weegar and Murphy to come to Buffalo given the state of the franchise right now.

Can you identify what vets you're thinking of that doesn't have trade protection? Because for the two vets that I suggested, you (rightfully) point out that they may not come.

Your post contradicts itself.

 

[Fjordy]

Can you identify what vets you're thinking of that doesn't have trade protection? Because for the two vets that I suggested, you (rightfully) point out that they may not come.

Your post contradicts itself.

Here is the list. Also above your post I thought about those who have a small M-NTC and before the season for some reason they might not have included the Sabres in their list, I will try to find more such players.

It doesn't have to be all vets, I'm talking about more proven players 25+ who consistently show good play. Because I'm already afraid to put all these young players together. The same McTavish is a promising player, but on the Ducks board he is criticized no less than we criticize Cozens for almost the same reasons (doesn't play defense, no hockey IQ, etc.)

 

[My Cozen Dylan]

Here is the list. Also above your post I thought about those who have a small M-NTC and before the season for some reason they might not have included the Sabres in their list, I will try to find more such players.

View attachment 949773

Half these guys are in the same age group as Farabee.

I don't see why Rossi, Beniers, Konecny, Tippett, Kyrou, Mercer would be available.

I'd LOVE to get ROR back but you and I both know that Pegula would never allow it.

 

[yasky]

Is this a guess or do you know something?

Rasmussen looks like a replacement for Greenway, maybe not so bad, although it doesn't change much.

Looking at who on Detroit could use a change of scenery and he is the first name that jumped out at me

 

[Fjordy]

Half these guys are in the same age group as Farabee.

I don't see why Rossi, Beniers, Konecny, Tippett, Kyrou, Mercer would be available.

I'd LOVE to get ROR back but you and I both know that Pegula would never allow it.

Not really, Farabee is inconsistent and more of a wild card for a change of scenery, but that's not the point. Just putting together these youth lines... well, I'm not sure that's a good thing, it's basically the same thing we've been doing this season. If McTavish sucks, who's our 2C? And Peterka will be inconsistent, and Kulich is still young, etc.

I'm not saying we shouldn't trade for Farabee or McTavish/Zegras, but then make other lines and have some interchangeability, maybe.

Example:

Benson - Thompson - Tuch/Good top 6 winger (Konecny/Terry/Kyrou, just example)
Farabee - Zegras - Tuch/Good top 6 winger (Konecny/Terry/Kyrou, just example)
Kulich/Peterka - McLeod - vet/good third liner

Crouse is a RW by the way and I think you would get the most impact from him on the second line, ideally with a center like Zegras. Crouse is a physical and defensively responsible player who could score 20+ goals playing on the second line.

 

[old kummelweck]

When did Ruff say Cozens and Thompson weren't centers? Wheels seem to have come off right around then. Maybe I'm wrong.

 

[Fjordy]

When did Ruff say Cozens and Thompson weren't centers? Wheels seem to have come off right around then. Maybe I'm wrong.

Ruff said this after vs Utah game, but I think Cozens has been bad and inconsistent all season, he's had some good games in flashes, but not many.

 

[HaNotsri]

Tim Murray approves of this message,



That is a tough line to walk with a team that is this young and fragile. If you add players that are problematic the way that EKane and Bogosian were, that is likely to not help.


Byram is an RFA after this season and likely will want a hefty raise. Plus, there is talk that he wants to go somewhere that would allow him to be the #1 D and run PP1.

That isn't happening in Vancouver.

Byram trade is such a bad investment unless we give him pp1 time.