The 2024-2025 Roster Thread

[Nikolajs Sillers]

M.Olivier ,come down. Adams have no balls for that.

 

[Fjordy]

M.Olivier ,come down. Adams have no balls for that.

The main thing is that Cozens doesn't fall into Olivier's hot hands tomorrow, otherwise he will kill him.

Damn, we could really use a player like Olivier.

 

[Chainshot]

M.Olivier ,come down. Adams have no balls for that.

There is no reason for Columbus to deal him. Again, the task is finding guys before they become players teams won't trade away.

 

[Beerz]

Just came to say the exact opposite!

The NHL has become a joke because of the perspective you quote. And the Sabres might be the best parallel example at the franchise-level.

The "skill" and "excitement" are only entertaining under threat of physical harm, or "knuckle dragging" as it's pejoratively called. That's the thrilling essence of the sport, bar none. I could watch kids play shinny if all I wanted was "dipsy-doodling." Did you watch the "Pro-Bowl" flag football game last night? Some incredible balletic moves out there...

None of these current Sabres will have the quality of bonds that were on display at Rayzor's night. Those are only formed through going to war for your teammates (that's what this is all a proxy for, obviously, in the end).

The Sabres have unfortunately collected a stable of players that is representative of everything wrong with the current game (and the results speak for themselves). Watching a bunch of well-paid rich kids toe-drag around the perimeter for 60 minutes while their friends get knocked out, before retreating to their beige condos to eat edibles and play video games just ain't doing it for a lot of fans these days. The Hardest Working Team in Hockey (and the fans who demanded it) feels like a century-old daydream at this point.

The team, the league, and yes the world could use a lot more scarred up knuckles, whether from dragging or other means.

Amen.

 

[Fjordy]

There is no reason for Columbus to deal him. Again, the task is finding guys before they become players teams won't trade away.

Theoretically he's a UFA in the summer, but I agree, we need to find guys like that. I liked Sherwood and he signed with the Canucks for food, and we paid more money to the useless Lafferty.

 

[Beerz]

I'm not sure exactly what you're trying to say here. That bolded sentence is a little confusing. Hockey is and still HAS to include physicality. I don't think anyone denies the need for a strong forecheck, willingness to block shots, push/check guys out of the slot, occasional open-ice hits, etc. That's all great and falls under the "go to war" umbrella. That's all stuff that the Sabres are pretty bad with, and have been for a while, and make them so unwatchable. Head shots and dirty stick work is another topic. That's what the league is terrible about with player discipline. If the league and refs get better, then players don't constantly have to make a split-second decision about going "knuckle dragger" mode, when they're usually not certain what just happened unless it was right in front of them.

I love big hits, but you know what I hate? A clean hit that results in a player or teammate getting butt hurt and derailing the game with a show-dance and performative fighting. My god take the ice and be a warrior...tough enough to be physical, and tough enough to not just make a clean hit, but TAKE a clean hit as well. There's a bunch of guys that can't do that...probably most players in the league. So instead of a bunch of knee-jerk reactions that bog down a game and risk injury via retaliation efforts, maybe the league should just do their damn job properly and take the street justice burden off players. At least do something worth a damn to minimize the need/risk/injury level.

Hell no.. if i see a teammate get smoked.. clean or not a response is warranted... those are the best fights anyways. That is going to war with your teammates. I don't understand this thought process that a clean hit means you can't challenge the guy. Crowd is already probably hyped because of hit and a fight just adds to the intensity.
This thinking has really killed the game and the excitement of actual rivalries between teams.
I want knuckle draggers instead of having to watch talentless boring and dry drabs like Peyton Krebs and Tyson Jost on 4th lines.

 

[Zman5778]

Hell no.. if i see a teammate get smoked.. clean or not a response is warranted... those are the best fights anyways. That is going to war with your teammates. I don't understand this thought process that a clean hit means you can't challenge the guy. Crowd is already probably hyped because of hit and a fight just adds to the intensity.
This thinking has really killed the game and the excitement of actual rivalries between teams.
I want knuckle draggers instead of having to watch talentless boring and dry drabs like Peyton Krebs and Tyson Jost on 4th lines.

I think there's a middle ground. I don't want "knuckle draggers" whose only reason for existence on the gameday roster is to act as a deterrent/fighter....those days are long since gone and are likely not returning (for better or worse; no opinion here, just stating). I also don't think that a solid, clean hit needs to be responded to every single time.

BUT

Every team needs a few guys that will throw down if one of the best players on the team takes a cheap shot.....even after the fact. The issue I had, other than Samuelsson's non-response, is that no one who theoretically would have fed Noesen his teeth did anything to anyone else on the Devils roster. I'd LOVE to see the whole "eye for an eye" mentality come back -- you cheap shot one of our best players.....one of yours is getting run. You hit our goalie, yours is getting hit. You hit someone from behind.....someone on your team is getting f***ed up. And I think that can be done without one-job "knuckle draggers" being rostered.

 

[Beerz]

No suspension for Noesen...

Don't even care honestly... the lack of response is what is sickening

 

[Chainshot]

I wasn't expecting a suspension, much like how a review on a goal is likely going against Buffalo no matter what. They have dug this hole, they have to climb out of it on their own.

 

[Chainshot]

I think there's a middle ground. I don't want "knuckle draggers" whose only reason for existence on the gameday roster is to act as a deterrent/fighter....those days are long since gone and are likely not returning (for better or worse; no opinion here, just stating). I also don't think that a solid, clean hit needs to be responded to every single time.

BUT

Every team needs a few guys that will throw down if one of the best players on the team takes a cheap shot.....even after the fact. The issue I had, other than Samuelsson's non-response, is that no one who theoretically would have fed Noesen his teeth did anything to anyone else on the Devils roster. I'd LOVE to see the whole "eye for an eye" mentality come back -- you cheap shot one of our best players.....one of yours is getting run. You hit our goalie, yours is getting hit. You hit someone from behind.....someone on your team is getting f***ed up. And I think that can be done without one-job "knuckle draggers" being rostered.

Doesn't even have to be certain guys. If your top scorer gets laid out, grab someone and get after it. If you lose, so what. To paraphrase, a coward loses a thousand times while the valiant lose but once. Show one another that you hang together. Same with the flacid powerplay that followed - their nearly half decade lacking urgency to score on the PP stood out as they sort of lazily went about their time on that major. They have no way of feeding off the emotion of the game to raise their play. Anything happens, they panic like children or slouch away like tweens.

 

[jc17]

If teammates can't get dirty (not all of them), then it's either them or the coach is really forbidding them. Ruff said it himself yesterday. I bet if Dahlin and Benson were on the ice at that moment they would have gone to Noesen instead of standing there and watching. Greenway probably too, Clifton too.

Again, I think dahlin would have too.

But he's not always on the ice. So what I would like is for 20 other guys on the team to know that if they dont do anything, their best players and captain is going to be mad at them

For lack of a better term there should be peer pressure from the team leaders

 

[TehDoak]

I wasn't expecting a suspension, much like how a review on a goal is likely going against Buffalo no matter what. They have dug this hole, they have to climb out of it on their own.

First step is to stop digging

 

[Chainshot]

First step is to stop digging

Exactly.

Still so frustrated at yesterday's game and the lineup in general.

You and the rest of the Doak household doing okay?

 

[Chainshot]

'It's their rink, it's their ice, and it's their fuckin' town. But tonight we got our fans...' - Slap Shot

Reggie Dunlop: It's their rink, it's their ice, and it's their f***in' town. But tonight we got our fans with us! [other players cheer] Reggie Dunlop: They spent their own dough to get here, and they came here to see us! All right, let's show 'em what we got, guys! Get out there on the ice and...

clip.cafe

Bleed all over 'em, let 'em know you're there.

 

[jc17]

I know Samuelson is getting a lot of criticism right now, and rightfully so, but the reality is we can't trade the whole team, we have to figure out who will and who won't get on board.

Mattias strikes me as a guy that needs a kick in the ass but will do tough stuff if asked/pushed. Maybe his general play warrants a trade, but I don't think he has to be dumped for this unless there's a true unwillingness going forward

 

[HOOats]

I know Samuelson is getting a lot of criticism right now, and rightfully so, but the reality is we can't trade the whole team, we have to figure out who will and who won't get on board.

Mattias strikes me as a guy that needs a kick in the ass but will do tough stuff if asked/pushed. Maybe his general play warrants a trade, but I don't think he has to be dumped for this unless there's a true unwillingness going forward

He was an obvious trade piece last summer, especially given the LHD glut. He's the nepobaby leader of the water ski brigade, it's clear as day. He's never been willing to do anything tough.

It would have sent a sharp message through the room that the party is over. And he may have even still had some value back then.

 

[Fjordy]

Again, I think dahlin would have too.

But he's not always on the ice. So what I would like is for 20 other guys on the team to know that if they dont do anything, their best players and captain is going to be mad at them

For lack of a better term there should be peer pressure from the team leaders

So maybe they are angry with them, I think they are angry, they just won’t tell it to the press, but they will tell it in the locker room.

 

[Zman5778]

He was an obvious trade piece last summer, especially given the LHD glut. He's the nepobaby leader of the water ski brigade, it's clear as day. He's never been willing to do anything tough.

It would have sent a sharp message through the room that the party is over. And he may have even still had some value back then.

With the cap skyrocketing, he has value. Someone will take a look at his makeup and think they can fix him.

And if he is traded, I do fully expect him to be fixed and become the next iteration of Chris Tanev.

 

[Beerz]

I know Samuelson is getting a lot of criticism right now, and rightfully so, but the reality is we can't trade the whole team, we have to figure out who will and who won't get on board.

Mattias strikes me as a guy that needs a kick in the ass but will do tough stuff if asked/pushed. Maybe his general play warrants a trade, but I don't think he has to be dumped for this unless there's a true unwillingness going forward

To be fair he did lay out a Devil with a beauty hit later in game

 

[Fjordy]

I know Samuelson is getting a lot of criticism right now, and rightfully so, but the reality is we can't trade the whole team, we have to figure out who will and who won't get on board.

Mattias strikes me as a guy that needs a kick in the ass but will do tough stuff if asked/pushed. Maybe his general play warrants a trade, but I don't think he has to be dumped for this unless there's a true unwillingness going forward

Samuelsson is way overrated on these boards, seriously. He seemed to show some good moments two years ago, then that's it, he gets injured a lot and doesn't show good games anymore. His metrics have been in decline for a few years now, he doesn't seem as physical as he used to be, his defense isn't perfect and he makes more mistakes.

We haven't really seen Johnson, he's not getting a chance, Novikov is in his third year of playing at the senior level (two years in the KHL and now a season in the AHL). I would also prefer to see a right vet for the locker room instead of Samuelsson, who can also play decently on the third pair.

 

[HOOats]

With the cap skyrocketing, he has value. Someone will take a look at his makeup and think they can fix him.

And if he is traded, I do fully expect him to be fixed and become the next iteration of Chris Tanev.

Yeah I don't think his contract (or any of our longer-term deals) was a liability to an acquiring team last summer. Cap increase helps cancel out another season's revelation of what he really is.

What do you think his value is to a team that feels similarly about fixing him?

 

[BFLO]

Adams will never trade 'local boy' Tuch. His zip code at birth has made him immune. When his name hit the rumor mill last year Adams met with the press to put cold water on it. This goes back to the 'players who want to be here' BS he pulled when he tried to blame Eichel/Reinhart/Risto for all the teams ills

Teams typically try not to favor the local market, some actively avoid it completely. because those players are typically harder to move when things go south.

I don't have a problem with keeping Tuch, but everything should be on the table this summer other. than maybe Dahlin. I certainly don't want to give Tuch an 8 year, massive extension this summer.




He should be traded or scratched the rest of the year so we can buy him out in the summer. He might turn the corner, he's still young. I don't think its happening here, though.

The funny part about Tuch being the "local boy" is that Jeff Skinner, McLeod, Bryson and Power all grew up living closer to Buffalo than Tuch did.

 

[Fjordy]

Sammy+ for Kesselring

 

[Sabresfansince1980]

Hell no.. if i see a teammate get smoked.. clean or not a response is warranted... those are the best fights anyways. That is going to war with your teammates. I don't understand this thought process that a clean hit means you can't challenge the guy. Crowd is already probably hyped because of hit and a fight just adds to the intensity.
This thinking has really killed the game and the excitement of actual rivalries between teams.
I want knuckle draggers instead of having to watch talentless boring and dry drabs like Peyton Krebs and Tyson Jost on 4th lines.

Yeah I don't know. All the years I played football as a RB, WR, and PR/KR, I took a shit ton of hits. I got off on laughing at guys who thought they smoked me out of the game. I'd just go back out on defense and lay into someone else. Put a guy out of a game myself but you know what...I felt bad and gave him a atta boy after the game. I love hitting, clean hitting, but I just never got butt hurt enough to fight over it. It's part of the game so if you're willing to take the field, that's what you should expect. Just me though, and I admit I'm a bit different in some ways.

 

[Jim Bob]

Is that accurate?