The 2024-2025 Roster Thread

[TehDoak]

Novak is an interesting name that has been on the struggle bus in Nashville. Probably slots in about the same as McLeod though.

 

[TehDoak]

If St Louis moves on from Schenn, I wonder if a Cozens+ for Kyrou has any interest with St Louis.

 

[Krieger Bot]

For anyone interested here's forwards between 24-27 with no trade protection, 150+ games in past 3 years, and cumulative 5v5+PP goals above replacement over past 3 years. Apologies in advance for the big graphic. combo of puckpedia and evolving hockey

View attachment 976439

Heh - I did something similar the other day. The following is a list of all forwards who:

1) Are between 23 and 32;
2) Have no trade restrictions;
3) Either have some term left after this year or are an RFA;
4) Have been getting top-6 ice time over the past year and a half;
5) Have been scoring at a top-6 rate in terms of primary points at even strength over the past year and a half; and
6) Aren't currently Sabres.

Pretty slim pickings in terms of guys who may actually be available. The best options may be to take a dice roll on a reclamation project (e.g., Maccelli), or gamble on a fringe top-6 type and see if they can play more of a defensive role on a scoring line (e.g., Moore).

Here's a similar list for defensemen. It's limited to defensemen who:

1) Are between 23 and 32;
2) Have no trade protection;
3) Either have term left after this year or an RFA;
4) Have been getting Top-4 ice time over the past year and a half;
5) Are gight handed; and
6) Are not currently Sabres.

Basically just Risto and maybe Kesselring here if you can pry him out of Utah.

 

[jc17]

Heh - I did something similar the other day. The following is a list of all forwards who:

1) Are between 23 and 32;
2) Have no trade restrictions;
3) Either have some term left after this year or are an RFA;
4) Have been getting top-6 ice time over the past year and a half;
5) Have been scoring at a top-6 rate in terms of primary points at even strength over the past year and a half; and
6) Aren't currently Sabres.

View attachment 976560
View attachment 976562

Pretty slim pickings in terms of guys who may actually be available. The best options may be to take a dice roll on a reclamation project (e.g., Maccelli), or gamble on a fringe top-6 type and see if they can play more of a defensive role on a scoring line (e.g., Moore).

Here's a similar list for defensemen. It's limited to defensemen who:

1) Are between 23 and 32;
2) Have no trade protection;
3) Either have term left after this year or an RFA;
4) Have been getting Top-4 ice time over the past year and a half;
5) Are gight handed; and
6) Are not currently Sabres.

View attachment 976563

Basically just Risto and maybe Kesselring here if you can pry him out of Utah.

Yeah obviously one of the issues is once we have the list, so many guys are probably eliminated because the team has no reason to move them.

If St Louis moves on from Schenn, I wonder if a Cozens+ for Kyrou has any interest with St Louis.

St Louis guys have also stood out to me since that team might be one if the few open to re-build/tool. Based on Twitter it seems like there's still belief they can build around those guys but also some people just wanting to blow it up

Novak keeps popping up, and I'm certainly intrigued, but not super proven.

I don't think it will happen but I really would take mitts back

 

[Fjordsen]

He is a top6 talent but I am not sure its wise to add a smallish player especially at C. 5"9 is really tiny.

And what's the problem? He's small but persistent and smart, a decent playmaker and, unlike many of our forwards, he's responsible at defense.

 

[SabresFanNorthPortFL]

And what's the problem? He's small but persistent and smart, a decent playmaker and, unlike many of our forwards, he's responsible at defense.

Because we already have a bunch of smallish players, and a few more in the minors including our only two center prospects (OST/Hel).

 

[My Cozen Dylan]

I don't think it will happen but I really would take mitts back

I don’t think he fits the style they want.

 

[Fjordsen]

Because we already have a bunch of smallish players, and a few more in the minors including our only two center prospects (OST/Hel).

Who are our small players? And how can you close your eyes to all his advantages for our team and only look at his height, it's just stupid, and Ostlund and Helenius are not even close to the NHL, unlike the guy who is 1C in Wild and looks great.

 

[SabresFanNorthPortFL]

Who are our small players? And how can you close your eyes to all his advantages for our team and only look at his height, it's just stupid, and Ostlund and Helenius are not even close to the NHL, unlike the guy who is 1C in Wild and looks great.

We don’t play on the KHL size ice, where size really doesn’t matter….if we’re going to build a team to ACTUALLY contend, a small team will get run over in the playoffs.

As for “smaller” players on the Sabres…Please, if you watched Tage get rocked a couple weeks ago….all of our players at least play small.

 

[Fjordsen]

We don’t play on the KHL size ice, where size really doesn’t matter….if we’re going to build a team to ACTUALLY contend, a small team will get run over in the playoffs.

As for “smaller” players on the Sabres…Please, if you watched Tage get rocked a couple weeks ago….all of our players at least play small.

What does KHL ice have to do with Rossi? He plays in the NHL, plays very well as a top 6 C, we don't have a single center like that on our roster, and Rossi is not a soft or timid player for his height, on the contrary, he is very competitive and smart.

But Rossi doesn't play like that, he's much closer to Benson than Power. If a player like that is available, you try to get him because he's probably the best center next to Pettersson without trade protection, which theoretically could be available. I think some people just haven't seen him play, but they look at his size and think he's small and useless, which is a serious mistake of undervaluing a player.

 

[OkimLom]

We don’t play on the KHL size ice, where size really doesn’t matter….if we’re going to build a team to ACTUALLY contend, a small team will get run over in the playoffs.

As for “smaller” players on the Sabres…Please, if you watched Tage get rocked a couple weeks ago….all of our players at least play small.

Right now Buffalo is 9th in average height and 15th in weight.

We're a pretty average size team.

 

[ValJamesDuex]

Dregs on Sabres Live today re Sabres
"Nothing new"

...When you look at Buffalo you can't close doors on any trade situation, the same calls continue. Gm's have more time to discuss now during the tournament.

...Believes it will be busy when the Four Nations is over. Believes Cozens and or Byrum could still move and the Sabres will make deals.

Byrum depends on league action, you need two teams to be bidding against each other, also depends on player/agent short/long term goals.

 

[Chainshot]

His metrics in Pittsburgh at center were pretty stellar, and a lot of Pitt fans commented on how well he did, but apparently Sullivan didn't give him much of a chance there.

As for with the Kraken, I've watched the majority of their games, and he honestly was more involved at center than the games he played on the wing imo in season one, but Hakstol juggled lines every single game and the lack of quality wingers back then meant that McCann was one of the few threats to play wing in the top six, especially after Schwartz went down. His time at center early while Gourde was out was honestly night and day better than Wennberg, or Johansson, but Hakstol insisted on playing them as the 1 and 2 for most of the season. I know, low bar, but he did look good. And you are right, he hasn't played much center since Beniers arrived.

I'd be curious at him as a wing option but that's probably a sell job on Quinn - if he bounces back to form or if McCann walks after next year, it's a net loss. But 5-on-5 production and being a viable 2-way veteran would certainly interest me. I've soured pretty hard on Quinn so I suspect he will blow up the last third of the season now.

 

[TheDawnOfANewTage]

Right now Buffalo is 9th in average height and 15th in weight.

We're a pretty average size team.

And Benson is one of those smaller players, but plays with more cajones than 90% of these guys. It’s not a size concern, it’s attitude. Dahlin has that “f*** you” factor, not sure why it doesn’t translate to others.

 

[StrompTroller]

Right now Buffalo is 9th in average height and 15th in weight.

We're a pretty average size team.

Greenway on IR swaying that at all lol?