The 2024-2025 Roster Thread

[ValJamesDuex]

Puljujärvi clears waivers
Terry could not pronounce his name and Forton was not a fan so would not let Adams put in a claim

 

[Fjordy]

Because getting younger will help us?

Well Beniers is a good center, but Seattle still doesn't do it. Cozens don't center.

 

[DJN21]

Puljujärvi clears waivers
Terry could not pronounce his name and Forton was not a fan so would not let Adams put in a claim

or he's just not good.....

 

[ValJamesDuex]

or he's just not good.....

analytics were ok, can't be any worse than some of bums that lost 13 in a row

 

[Djp]

Puljujärvi clears waivers
Terry could not pronounce his name and Forton was not a fan so would not let Adams put in a claim

last time I checked the Pool Party has frozen over

 

[sabremike]

This roster flat out stinks and is nowhere close to being anything but a bottom 5-8 team. Lots of Quadruple A and AHL quality players. The fact that it was poorly constructed and thought out is the shit icing on the shit cake.

 

[jc17]

This roster flat out stinks and is nowhere close to being anything but a bottom 5-8 team. Lots of Quadruple A and AHL quality players. The fact that it was poorly constructed and thought out is the shit icing on the shit cake.

Hyperbole

The rosters of teams 4-8 in the east aren't anything spectacular. Carolina has Tyson Jost and Eric Robinson running a GF% over 60%. There are no names in all these teams' bottom 6s, and bottom pairings.

 

[Fjordy]

Hyperbole

The rosters of teams 4-8 in the east aren't anything spectacular. Carolina has Tyson Jost and Eric Robinson running a GF% over 60%. There are no names in all these teams' bottom 6s, and bottom pairings.

They have RBA, and we don't. They have a solid core and vets, a properly built defense, and we don't. Our roster is simply not that good, it is too young and unstable.

 

[jc17]

They have RBA, and we don't. They have a solid core and vets, a properly built defense, and we don't. Our roster is simply not that good, it is too young and unstable.

I just don't think the team is unthinkably far from being competitive.

We remain a break-even team at 5v5 even with multiple guys struggling horribly. Would prefer to be better, but its average not horrendous.

PP continues to kill us. Could we use another forward thats strong on the PP? Sure. But I think the current performance is not nearly meeting the ability of the roster.

Look around at playoff rosters. They aren't filled with all stars. Agree that the youth has been an issue

 

[Fjordy]

I just don't think the team is unthinkably far from being competitive.

We remain a break-even team at 5v5 even with multiple guys struggling horribly. Would prefer to be better, but its average not horrendous.

PP continues to kill us. Could we use another forward thats strong on the PP? Sure. But I think the current performance is not nearly meeting the ability of the roster.

Look around at playoff rosters. They aren't filled with all stars. Agree that the youth has been an issue

The rosters may not be stars, but they have a lot of experienced players who have played well, or at least more balanced rosters. Look at what the Caps and Devils did in the offseason and compare it to ours. Florida has done it before.

 

[jc17]

The rosters may not be stars, but they have a lot of experienced players who have played well, or at least more balanced rosters. Look at what the Caps and Devils did in the offseason and compare it to ours. Florida has done it before.

Yeah I agree on that point, and admittedly in the offseason I didn't think the youth would be such an issue, so I'll take the L there.

Of course, I still don't completely think youth is the problem. Byram, Benson, Kulich doing fine at the moment. Even though people have soured a bit on Peterka as of late, analytics still indicate he's helping more than hurting. A lot of fans thought we should have been in on the Kakko trade, but he's not increasing the average age.

 

[Jim Bob]

Will Samuelsson make it 10 games without getting injured? The issue with Sammy isn't skill its staying healthy.

If we trade a defenseman away and Sammy goes down it won't be pretty.


If Kulich can take the 2C next year maybe that makes Cozens expendable. I would trade Cozens if its upgrading this team.

We aren't winning with him.

I hate that argument.

The Sabres didn't win with Eichel or Reinhart or a whole host of other guys that have won elsewhere.

People made the "Sabres aren't winning with him" argument when the Eichel and Reinhart trades happened. And they haven't won since making those trades.

There are plenty of arguments for why trading Cozens could be a good move. That they haven't won with him yet is just a weak argument.

Especially since you can an easily say that they haven't won with every single core guy on the roster.

 

[Fjordy]

Yeah I agree on that point, and admittedly in the offseason I didn't think the youth would be such an issue, so I'll take the L there.

Of course, I still don't completely think youth is the problem. Byram, Benson, Kulich doing fine at the moment. Even though people have soured a bit on Peterka as of late, analytics still indicate he's helping more than hurting. A lot of fans thought we should have been in on the Kakko trade, but he's not increasing the average age.

There is also a problem with youth, as there are too many of them and they are unstable. You can see for yourself. Kulich almost did not produce at the beginning, Quinn was terrible and he had one empty-net goal in 25 games. Cozens is not a center and his pace is 41 points per season. Peterka was very cold right after Tage got injured. Benson is also not the most productive player yet, although he does a lot of other little things. Krebs seemed to look best as a 4C, but sometimes played in the top 9. Not to mention the fact that even experienced players like Tuch or Tage can have a slump during the season.

It is generally funny to talk about defense, the oldest player in our top 4 is 24 years old, all left-handed, three PMDs and one DFD, who suffers from injuries. You can also remember that Jokiharju, Bryson and Johnson played in our top 4 this season.

 

[jc17]

I broke down and got the evolving hockey subscription

Top 10 cumulative "goals above replacement" players from past 3 years

 

[Sabre the Win]

I broke down and got the evolving hockey subscription

Top 10 cumulative "goals above replacement" players from past 3 years

View attachment 954412

If the Sabres dont take a good run at him, its just another sign that things aren't ever going to get better.

You give them Cozens + and we only add an extra 4 million to the roster bringing him here.

 

[sabremike]

Hyperbole

The rosters of teams 4-8 in the east aren't anything spectacular. Carolina has Tyson Jost and Eric Robinson running a GF% over 60%. There are no names in all these teams' bottom 6s, and bottom pairings.

We have been eliminated from playoff contention before New Years Day, getting rid of some of the failing kiddies and replacing them with actual NHL players would probably help. Adams roster construction philosophy was essentially the same as betting your life savings on the Washington Generals and the results were 100% predictable.

 

[jc17]

There is also a problem with youth, as there are too many of them and they are unstable. You can see for yourself. Kulich almost did not produce at the beginning, Quinn was terrible and he had one empty-net goal in 25 games. Cozens is not a center and his pace is 41 points per season. Peterka was very cold right after Tage got injured. Benson is also not the most productive player yet, although he does a lot of other little things. Krebs seemed to look best as a 4C, but sometimes played in the top 9. Not to mention the fact that even experienced players like Tuch or Tage can have a slump during the season.

It is generally funny to talk about defense, the oldest player in our top 4 is 24 years old, all left-handed, three PMDs and one DFD, who suffers from injuries. You can also remember that Jokiharju, Bryson and Johnson played in our top 4 this season.

Every player has ups and downs, even the older ones. It just seems to me that there are a couple of guys that really swing hard.

Like at risk of opening old wounds, there are a bunch of guys who were drafted in 2020 and 2019 that aren't struggling nearly as much as Cozens, Krebs, Quinn. Maybe its injury, maybe its coaching, maybe its role but I don't think its all attributed to youth.

 

[truthbluth]

I would trade Byram+Cozens for Pettersson, but I think I’d prefer to extend Byram and use almost anything else in that deal. I’ve like what I’ve seen in Byram. I would consider Power in that deal if something else were coming back.

 

[Fjordy]

Every player has ups and downs, even the older ones. It just seems to me that there are a couple of guys that really swing hard.

Like at risk of opening old wounds, there are a bunch of guys who were drafted in 2020 and 2019 that aren't struggling nearly as much as Cozens, Krebs, Quinn. Maybe its injury, maybe its coaching, maybe its role but I don't think its all attributed to youth.

Which doesn't exclude the fact of youth and instability. I said this before the season, that our team is too young, they will be unstable. In general, we just have a mentally weak team, which is also the youngest. This is the path to the top 5 - top 10 draft.

Do you see such a team in the playoff zone now? Only Ottawa probably, but they added 2-3 good vets who play important roles in the team. And also their leaders in attack are very good and productive (Stutzle, Tkachuk, Batherson). Their defense is more balanced.

I would trade Byram+Cozens for Pettersson, but I think I’d prefer to extend Byram and use almost anything else in that deal. I’ve like what I’ve seen in Byram. I would consider Power in that deal if something else were coming back.

Assuming Byram wants to stay in Buffalo and sign a reasonable contract, which I'm not sure about yet.

 

[jc17]

I would trade Byram+Cozens for Pettersson, but I think I’d prefer to extend Byram and use almost anything else in that deal. I’ve like what I’ve seen in Byram. I would consider Power in that deal if something else were coming back.

I just don't know what to expect contractually. We already have some of the most money invested in defense.

Dahlin and Power put us in a tough spot

 

[Chainshot]

I just don't know what to expect contractually. We already have some of the most money invested in defense.

Dahlin and Power put us in a tough spot

So deal Power for Pettersson.

 

[My Cozen Dylan]

So deal Power for Pettersson.

As long as Byram extends first. We can’t afford to run that risk.

 

[Chainshot]

As long as Byram extends first. We can’t afford to run that risk.

I wouldn't let that stand in the way of making a deal for EP.

 

[jc17]

So deal Power for Pettersson.

Never say never, but I have a hard time seeing the canucks trading a player because his personality is too soft, and choosing to get Owen Power in return

 

[Chainshot]

Never say never, but I have a hard time seeing the canucks trading a player because his personality is too soft, and choosing to get Owen Power in return

There is that. But I would make that offer.