The 2024-2025 Roster Thread

[toddkaz]

Wow, Granlund/Ceci fetched a 1st from Dallas!

If KA has ANY indication that Bryum, Greenway (when healthy), Zucker will not extend he needs to move them asap while the market is high! But he won't because he's a dumb dumb like his team and owner.

FYI: NHL rosters freeze for the 4 Nations starting Feb 12th.

I would imagine Adams will have talks with Greenway and Zucker before the deadline about resigning or if they want to be traded to a contender. Buffalo is not going to make the playoffs and a real GM wouldn't let free agents walk to free agency but its Adams so who knows. They probably could both get a 2nd round pick at the deadline.

I would hope Adams does that but in the past he has not discussed contracts with players and let them walk or traded them without any discussions.

 

[Fjordy]

Using Benson on the 4th line is questionable.

Sign Zucker and Greenway before TDL, if it doesn't work out, trade them and find replacements for them in TDL or in the summer.

Trade Cozens.

Find a top 6 C (maybe trade Power/Byram for top 6 C or Cozens+)

Add two top 4 RDs or one LD (Gavrikov/M. Pettersson type).

 

[zenthusiast]

 

[5 Minute Major]

Good news of the season is that the consensus here is that we "gained" a top 6 player in kulich.

We also thought that with Cozens, Quinn….and Benson, IMO, is not what he was last season. Hopefully they all turn their games around but we’ll see.

Pump the brakes on any assumptions with these kids. This organization has not shown it can develop players properly.

 

[Fjordy]

Zucker - xxxx - Tuch
Peterka - Kulich - Thompson
Benson - McLeod - Greenway/Quinn
Malenstyn - Kozak/Krebs - Greenway/Krebs

Lafferty

 

[ValJamesDuex]

Adams was holding out for a Krebs type player in the return

 

[jc17]

We also thought that with Cozens, Quinn….and Benson, IMO, is not what he was last season. Hopefully they all turn their games around but we’ll see.

Pump the brakes on any assumptions with these kids. This organization has not shown it can develop players properly.

Right, and that was kind of my point. Don't want to go into next season with so many question marks.

 

[joshjull]

There has been chatter that Zucker likes Buffalo and would be interested in staying.

We really need to start kidnapping some of these vets we want. Get them acclimated to Buffalo and many would like it. Assuming they get over the kidnapping of course.

 

[ValJamesDuex]

I would imagine Adams will have talks with Greenway and Zucker before the deadline about resigning or if they want to be traded to a contender. Buffalo is not going to make the playoffs and a real GM wouldn't let free agents walk to free agency but its Adams so who knows. They probably could both get a 2nd round pick at the deadline.

He said in his wgr interview Friday night he has had talks with both agents. About all he really said lol

2nd's may be wishful thinking, Greenway is just off Sports hernia surgery, although does play physical and good at PK. I'm thinking 3rds. I think Zucker will sign 2 years, he seems to like Buffalo (lower cost of living perhaps ?) and has been very important in Kulich's development. Greenway will likely move on, as will Byrum.

But my original point was take advantage NOW of high prices before 4 nations, but KA will dick around (on the Florida yacht hotline) as usual, wait for the deadline and get less of course.

 

[Fjordy]

I think Kulich is good right now and let him play top 6 C, if he keeps this up I have no problem with him being our top 6 C next season since we still have Tage if things don't go well for Kulich at center. I don't want to go into the season with Thompson and Kulich as our two top 6 C's, that's a big risk, but getting a top 6 C somewhere else and having Kulich/Thompson (one of them on the wing) would be fine with me.

I don't see any place for Cozens on line up at all. No one can play with him and he's not a center and there doesn't seem to be any room for him on the wing. Quinn is a bit of a weird guy too, you want to see someone like Greenway in the top 9, I'm not sure Greenway would agree to a contract and play on the 4th line.

 

[Dirty Dog]

I think Kulich is good right now and let him play top 6 C, if he keeps this up I have no problem with him being our top 6 C next season since we still have Tage if things don't go well for Kulich at center. I don't want to go into the season with Thompson and Kulich as our two top 6 C's, that's a big risk, but getting a top 6 C somewhere else and having Kulich/Thompson (one of them on the wing) would be fine with me.

I don't see any place for Cozens on line up at all. No one can play with him and he's not a center and there doesn't seem to be any room for him on the wing. Quinn is a bit of a weird guy too, you want to see someone like Greenway in the top 9, I'm not sure Greenway would agree to a contract and play on the 4th line.

Yeah, Thompson, Peterka, Quinn, benson, Zucker, Tuch as you top 9 wingers isn’t bad if you get a bonafide center to go along with Kulich and McLeod as your second and third line centers.

Edit: god is this roster construction a mess. Even in that scenario you have cozens and greenway as misfits. And the defense has no resemblance to anything that makes sense.

 

[joshjull]

Yeah, Thompson, Peterka, Quinn, benson, Zucker, Tuch as you top 9 wingers isn’t bad if you get a bonafide center to go along with Kulich and McLeod as your second and third line centers.

Edit: god is this roster construction a mess. Even in that scenario you have cozens and greenway as misfits. And the defense has no resemblance to anything that makes sense.

Greenway isn’t a misfit. He brings exactly what we need as an experienced vet with size, physicality and defensive ability/good PKing. We need more of that not less. We have too many softer skill players.

I’m not sure what to do with Cozens. Trying him on wing as an option but requires adding a center. Maybe Mitts is available

 

[Fjordy]

Greenway isn’t a misfit. He brings exactly what we need as an experienced vet with size, physicality and defensive ability/good PKing. We need more of that not less. We have too many softer skill players.

I’m not sure what to do with Cozens. Trying him on wing as an option but requires adding a center. Maybe Mitts is available

Trade Cozens because you want to keep Zucker, Thompson, Tuch, Peterka, Benson and one of Quinn/Greenway on the wing in the top 9.

 

[joshjull]

Trade Cozens because you want to keep Zucker, Thompson, Tuch, Peterka, Benson and one of Quinn/Greenway on the wing in the top 9.

I don’t want Adams in a mindset of moving players out because he’s already sure who fits where. Thats why Mitts got traded and we could sure use him now.

Make trades that make the team better. Not just to move someone out of the way because “there isn’t a spot for them”, so they’re viewed as expendable.

EDIT: Many were convinced Tage couldn’t go back to wing. Now he’s there and tearing it up. But that was one of the justifications to move on from Mitts that I’m sure Adams used. When you have guys capable of playing wing and center in the top 6 like Tage/Mitts and formerly Cozens. Unless the team gets jammed up with the cap or something else forces it, why would you ever move on from one? That gives you a ton of flexibility.

 

[OkimLom]

Adams was holding out for a Krebs type player in the return

Nah, more like he was overvaluing one of his assets and wouldn’t budge on his request.

 

[Fjordy]

I don’t want Adams in a mindset of moving players out because he’s already sure who fits where. Thats why Mitts got traded and we could sure use him now.

Make trades that make the team better. Not just to move someone out of the way because “there isn’t a spot for them”, so they’re viewed as expendable.

EDIT: Many were convinced Tage couldn’t go back to wing. Now he’s there and tearing it up. But that was one of the justifications to move on from Mitts that I’m sure Adams used. When you have guys capable of playing wing and center in the top 6 like Tage/Mitts and formerly Cozens. Unless the team gets jammed up with the cap or something else forces it, why would you ever move on from one? That gives you a ton of flexibility.

Because he's not a very good player and trade asset, because other players are better, because we need a top 6 C, because anyone who play with him gets worse and their metrics go down, I can go on and on about why and what for. Trade him for things that are useful to us.

 

[joshjull]

[BBecause he's not a very good player and trade asset,[/B] because other players are better, because we need a top 6 C, because anyone who play with him gets worse and their metrics go down, I can go on and on about why and what for. Trade him for things that are useful to us.

Not nitpicking but looking for clarity, are you saying he’s not a good player and he’s also not a good trade asset? Because that would be a reason not to trade him (the trade asset part)

 

[Fjordy]

Not nitpicking but looking for clarity, are you saying he’s not a good player and he’s also not a good trade asset? Because that would be a reason not to trade him (the trade asset part)

No he is not a good player for us, but he could be a good trade asset. A lot of teams showed interest in him and a deal was on the table. I think 2-3 GMs in the league would definitely want him and pay for him well, we need a top 6 C and a top 4 RD, well that's my theory.

 

[Dirty Dog]

Greenway isn’t a misfit. He brings exactly what we need as an experienced vet with size, physicality and defensive ability/good PKing. We need more of that not less. We have too many softer skill players.

I’m not sure what to do with Cozens. Trying him on wing as an option but requires adding a center. Maybe Mitts is available

I meant misfit as I don’t think he should push any of the other 6 players as a top 9 winger. Plus, he’s sorta injured a lot?

 

[Fjordy]

I meant misfit as I don’t think he should push any of the other 6 players as a top 9 winger. Plus, he’s sorta injured a lot?

Well, we can replace him with another player, if he go to UFA, for example a vet, we need more vets. For example, Coleman or Gourde, we can always find options.

 

[joshjull]

No he is not a good player for us, but he could be a good trade asset. A lot of teams showed interest in him and a deal was on the table. I think 2-3 GMs in the league would definitely want him and pay for him well, we need a top 6 C and a top 4 RD, well that's my theory.

Thank you for clarifying. I agree, he could definitely be a key piece in a trade that gets us what we need.

I just have no interest saving spots for young players. We’ve done that for the last two seasons and we’ve sucked in part because of it.

 

[dickiedunnwrotethis]

Greenway isn’t a misfit. He brings exactly what we need as an experienced vet with size, physicality and defensive ability/good PKing. We need more of that not less. We have too many softer skill players.

I’m not sure what to do with Cozens. Trying him on wing as an option but requires adding a center. Maybe Mitts is available

Look for an organization that in is desperate need of a reset. Seattle is one that comes to mind. They've been stuck in no-man's land for years and look to be for the foreseeable future. They have Stephenson signed up long term, Wright is developing, and Catton drafted last year. I would try to make an offer they can't refuse for Beniers.

 

[Fjordy]

Thank you for clarifying. I agree, he could definitely be a key piece in a trade that gets us what we need.

I just have no interest saving spots for young players. We’ve done for the last two season. We’ve sucked in part because of relying on those young players.

No, why, on the contrary, I always said that we need to reduce the youth movement and add vets to the team. We need proven and stable players.

 

[joshjull]

I meant misfit as I don’t think he should push any of the other 6 players as a top 9 winger. Plus, he’s sorta injured a lot?

I get the concern over his injuries. Unfortunately that can be an issue for players who play like that.

But I have zero interest in the top 9 you’re envisioning. I don’t think it was your intention but the group you’re proposing would be soft, not good defensively and inexperienced. Thats the same thing we did last season and this one. I have no interest in hoping the 3rd time is a charm.

If we’re gonna build a successful NHL team, we need more Zuckers/Greenways and less youth. Specifically we need top 6 forward/top 4 dman versions of them. If that means trading away some of that youth,I could care less. We have more than enough of it.

I want a 3rd line anchored by McLeod/Greenway

 

[joshjull]

Look for an organization that in is desperate need of a reset. Seattle is one that comes to mind. They've been stuck in no-man's land for years and that look to be for the foreseeable future. They have Stephenson signed up long term, Wright is developing, and Catton drafted last year. I would try to make an offer they can't refuse for Beniers.

There is a danger that could lead to us stuck staring in the mirror.