The 2024-2025 Roster Thread

[slip]

I would love to see a revamp to a defensive style game. Most of the idiots on the team are low IQ so they probably dont get it.

Go get Power a partner and play defensive hockey. I would rather watch them grind out 2-1 wins than 6-4 losses.

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Power's partner isn't the only obstacle to revamping this team to a defensive style. First, there is Power himself. Second, you'd need to swap out at least half the current forwards for much better 2-way players. Third, the goaltending just ain't there.

 

[toddkaz]

Power's partner isn't the only obstacle to revamping this team to a defensive style. First, there is Power himself. Second, you'd need to swap out at least half the current forwards for much better 2-way players. Third, the goaltending just ain't there.

You could say that about every system you try to put in there. Thats why this team is a failure for 15 years.

 

[SnuggaRUDE]

I think they need to take a pretty hard look at the $20M they're paying Power/Cozens/Sameulsson to underwhelming results. That's 25% of their cap seriously under performing in highly leveraged roles.

If your 3/4D and 4F are holding you back at that cap hit you can't over come it. I don't think it's impossible they turn it around, but I've my concerns.

 

[Fjordsen]

Kevyn did such a "great" job on that 4th line. Lafferty sucks, NAK is in the AHL, Malenstyn often plays 7-8 minutes a game.

 

[Archie Lee]

Kevyn did such a "great" job on that 4th line. Lafferty sucks, NAK is in the AHL, Malenstyn often plays 7-8 minutes a game.

And the 4th line changes and bringing in Ruff, were the big off-season moves. You can’t do a worse job than what Adams has done. I’m sure he is a good man, but keeping Adams on as GM is an insult to Sabres’s fans. It amounts to gross negligence on Pegula’s part.

 

[Jim Bob]

Sounds good to me.

I wish every player would ask out or tell them they’re leaving ASAP.

People still don’t seem to grasp the level to which things need to change in this organization. Their goal is to spend as little as they can and try to win enough to string fans along…and they’ve ridden that plan into last place ten points behind Montreal in the division.

And…the expectation is they’re going to run it back. Same GM. Same roster. Same bullshit.

Burn.

It.

To.

The.

Ground.

They aren’t going to be good. Not with this mindset. Not ever. I need every contracted player to tell Terry Pegula to go f*** himself. Because change isn’t coming. And it’s the hope that kills you.

So, start another rebuild?

Great....

20 year playoff drought incoming.

 

[Fjordsen]

People in the comments section of Baker and Fairburn's broadcast said they needed an experienced, tough GM with connections, hinting at Brian Burke.

 

[Jim Bob]

And the 4th line changes and bringing in Ruff, were the big off-season moves. You can’t do a worse job than what Adams has done. I’m sure he is a good man, but keeping Adams on as GM is an insult to Sabres’s fans. It amounts to gross negligence on Pegula’s part.

It's interesting that you overlook the two "big" moves that actually have worked.

His biggest UFA signing worked.

The trade where he gave up the biggest trade chip to add an NHLer worked.

He didn't do enough and he shouldn't be the GM any longer. But, the changes you listed were not the biggest moves he made after they hired Ruff.

This season is the epitome of the Adams tenure. He got some things right. He got some things wrong. He made some moves that reeked of cheapness over trying to win. He made statements that showed a complete inability to read the room. He was too inactive. And he has been completely unable to address glaring needs on the roster while also overestimating the growth he would get from the talent he had acquired.

"The solution is in the room" when it absolutely was not sums up the Adams tenure.

People in the comments section of Baker and Fairburn's broadcast said they needed an experienced, tough GM with connections, hinting at Brian Burke.

Good luck getting Pegula to hire an experienced GM for the first time ever.

 

[Beerz]

People in the comments section of Baker and Fairburn's broadcast said they needed an experienced, tough GM with connections, hinting at Brian Burke.

Lol.. hell no

 

[Krieger Bot]

Power's partner isn't the only obstacle to revamping this team to a defensive style. First, there is Power himself. Second, you'd need to swap out at least half the current forwards for much better 2-way players. Third, the goaltending just ain't there.

Agreed. They simply don't have the horses to play that kind of style. You see it with how bad they are at trying to defend a lead.

 

[Fjordsen]

Good luck getting Pegula to hire an experienced GM for the first time ever.

Anything is possible.

Lol.. hell no

Well I'm not a fan of his either, but an experienced GM makes a lot of sense and Terry probably won't hire POHO.

 

[Jim Bob]

Anything is possible.

I do not believe that for an instant.

 

[Fjordsen]

I do not believe that for an instant.

Your problems.

 

[My Cozen Dylan]

A modest, productive offseason proposal:

(Assumes Greenway extended 4 x $4M)

[BUF/UTA] Dylan Cozens for Lawson Crouse and Michael Kesselring
[BUF/BOS] Isak Rosen and Connor Clifton for Brandon Carlo and a 2026 4th (BOS)
*Post 7/1* [BUF/PIT] Jack Quinn for Bryan Rust

UFA - David Rittich 1 x $1M
UFA - Alex Iafallo 3 x $4M
Extend Bowen Byram 2 x $5.5M
Extend J-J Peterka 2 x $4M
Extend Ryan McLeod 3 x $4M

Peterka - Thompson - Tuch
Crouse - Kulich - Rust
Greenway - McLeod - Benson
Malenstyn - Kozak - Iafallo
x Krebs, Lafferty

Byram - Dahlin
Power - Kesselring
Samuelsson - Carlo
x Johnson

Luukkonen / Rittich

Team comes in with about $5 million in cap space and a much impoved blueline.

 

[Fjordsen]

A modest, productive offseason proposal:

(Assumes Greenway extended 4 x $4M)

[BUF/UTA] Dylan Cozens for Lawson Crouse and Michael Kesselring
[BUF/BOS] Isak Rosen and Connor Clifton for Brandon Carlo and a 2026 4th (BOS)
*Post 7/1* [BUF/PIT] Jack Quinn for Bryan Rust

UFA - David Rittich 1 x $1M
UFA - Alex Iafallo 3 x $4M
Extend Bowen Byram 2 x $5.5M
Extend J-J Peterka 2 x $4M
Extend Ryan McLeod 3 x $4M

Peterka - Thompson - Tuch
Crouse - Kulich - Rust
Greenway - McLeod - Benson
Malenstyn - Kozak - Iafallo
x Krebs, Lafferty

Byram - Dahlin
Power - Kesselring
Samuelsson - Carlo
x Johnson

Luukkonen / Rittich

Team comes in with about $5 million in cap space and a much impoved blueline.

Not bad, although center depth is a concern, they have no right to get injured at that position. Also as far as I know Crouse and Rust are both RWs, maybe swap Crouse with Greenway and Benson for LW on the third line.

 

[Beerz]

A modest, productive offseason proposal:

(Assumes Greenway extended 4 x $4M)

[BUF/UTA] Dylan Cozens for Lawson Crouse and Michael Kesselring
[BUF/BOS] Isak Rosen and Connor Clifton for Brandon Carlo and a 2026 4th (BOS)
*Post 7/1* [BUF/PIT] Jack Quinn for Bryan Rust

UFA - David Rittich 1 x $1M
UFA - Alex Iafallo 3 x $4M
Extend Bowen Byram 2 x $5.5M
Extend J-J Peterka 2 x $4M
Extend Ryan McLeod 3 x $4M

Peterka - Thompson - Tuch
Crouse - Kulich - Rust
Greenway - McLeod - Benson
Malenstyn - Kozak - Iafallo
x Krebs, Lafferty

Byram - Dahlin
Power - Kesselring
Samuelsson - Carlo
x Johnson

Luukkonen / Rittich

Team comes in with about $5 million in cap space and a much impoved blueline.

An absolute mistake trading Quinn for a 32 year old Rust...

Edit: Will be a 33 year old Rust

 

[Archie Lee]

It's interesting that you overlook the two "big" moves that actually have worked.

His biggest UFA signing worked.

The trade where he gave up the biggest trade chip to add an NHLer worked.

He didn't do enough and he shouldn't be the GM any longer. But, the changes you listed were not the biggest moves he made after they hired Ruff.

This season is the epitome of the Adams tenure. He got some things right. He got some things wrong. He made some moves that reeked of cheapness over trying to win. He made statements that showed a complete inability to read the room. He was too inactive. And he has been completely unable to address glaring needs on the roster while also overestimating the growth he would get from the talent he had acquired.

"The solution is in the room" when it absolutely was not sums up the Adams tenure.


Good luck getting Pegula to hire an experienced GM for the first time ever.

I think we are just in disagreement on what the big off-season moves were. But, playing the “It’s interesting that you…” game, it’s interesting that you have decided to draw the line after the Ruff hire. We can agree to disagree on what the big player moves were. I’m not omitting the McLeod and Zucker moves, I just think that Adams touted the “harder to play against” new 4th line as the big on-ice change. Maybe I’m wrong and it was one of the 3 big moves. Regardless, THE big move was Ruff. And it’s been a disaster.

 

[My Cozen Dylan]

An absolute mistake trading Quinn for a 32 year old Rust...

Edit: Will be a 33 year old Rust

I know you believe in Quinn. I don’t see the IQ or consistent skating ability to be successful long term.

 

[DapperCam]

I'm almost to the point of saying "screw it, trade all these idjits and start over".

Almost. But closer than I should be after this many rebuilds.

It’s really hard to imagine this group making the playoffs, let alone winning a round. If my goal was to actually make the playoffs, I would be jettisoning about half of the top-6. We have plenty of sample size at this point to know how this collection of players perform.

We had a season where every single player had a career year and we still missed.

 

[TheMistyStranger]

I'm almost to the point of saying "screw it, trade all these idjits and start over".

Almost. But closer than I should be after this many rebuilds.

If I were to hazard a guess, you and I are in the same boat that the players, by and large, are unlikeable. I want to like the team that I love, and I haven't had that in a long time.

 

[TehDoak]

I don't think anyone is advocating a full rebuild.

There is talent here. There is talent in the system.

It's a poorly built team lacking leadership.

You are going to have to shake up the top 6 forwards and top 4 d-men quite a bit.

 

[Beerz]

I know you believe in Quinn. I don’t see the IQ or consistent skating ability to be successful long term.

I agree on the skating... but as far as IQ goes... he has some of the best eyes/reads on the team outside Dahlin.

A bad year after showing progression every year since being drafted and wanting to jettison him for a 33 year old Rust who won't have a Crosby seems awfully knee jerkery

I have no problem trading Quinn but it would have to be for a long lasting piece who is an impact player.

Trading Quinn on his own right now just seems like bad asset management

 

[Dubi Doo]

Not bad, although center depth is a concern, they have no right to get injured at that position. Also as far as I know Crouse and Rust are both RWs, maybe swap Crouse with Greenway and Benson for LW on the third line.

Top-4 D and top-6 C should be at the top of the list of needs. Top-4 D become available fairly frequently. That shouldn't be hard. Top-6 C is a bigger issue. Not many teams are willing to give up a top-6 C, and we saw how expensive McLeod cost in a trade. I fear we're in it for the long haul with this lack of center depth, so I suppose building the flanks up may be the best option. Also, finding another middle-6 C like McLeod who can stay afloat and put up some points in a top-6 role should be an option.

Leaning on Kulich to be a solid top-6 C seems destine for failure. I'd rather find a Hecht-lite player to hold that spot down, put Kulich on the wing, and roll with that for the foreseeable future until Kulich proves he can hold down the all too valuable top-6 C spot.

 

[Jim Bob]

I think we are just in disagreement on what the big off-season moves were. But, playing the “It’s interesting that you…” game, it’s interesting that you have decided to draw the line after the Ruff hire. We can agree to disagree on what the big player moves were. I’m not omitting the McLeod and Zucker moves, I just think that Adams touted the “harder to play against” new 4th line as the big on-ice change. Maybe I’m wrong and it was one of the 3 big moves. Regardless, THE big move was Ruff. And it’s been a disaster.

Zucker was the most expensive UFA they signed by AAV and the UFA that was expected to play higher up in the lineup than any other UFA signing.

I don't think too many people would argue that Zucker wasn't the bigger UFA signing when compared to Lafferty and NAK.

And I think most people would say the McLeod trade was bigger than the Malenstyn trade. They certainly gave up the more valuable trade chip in Savoie vs a 2nd round pick.

Obviously hiring a new coach is a huge move. That was why I was putting it in it's own bucket.

 

[Fjordsen]

Top-4 D and top-6 C should be at the top of the list of needs. Top-4 D become available fairly frequently. That shouldn't be hard. Top-6 C is a bigger issue. Not many teams are willing to give up a top-6 C, and we saw how expensive McLeod cost in a trade. I fear we're in it for the long haul with this lack of center depth, so I suppose building the flanks up may be the best option. Also, finding another middle-6 C like McLeod who can stay afloat and put up some points in a top-6 role should be an option.

Leaning on Kulich to be a solid top-6 C seems destine for failure. I'd rather find a Hecht-lite player to hold that spot down, put Kulich on the wing, and roll with that for the foreseeable future until Kulich proves he can hold down the all too valuable top-6 C spot.

Well, that's what I'm talking about, it's very risky to go with these centers next season, any injury and we won't even have anyone to put there.

As for the centers, I would look for any options. I would ask everyone, even if they have a full NMC, for luck, maybe one of them wouldn't mind playing in Buffalo.

Potential centers in UFA for Buffalo. Although I know that it is unlikely that such UFAs will come to us, but as I already said, I try to use any chance. Bennett, Tavares, Nelson, Granlund.

Potential trade for C:

EP40, Cirelli, Horvat. Lundell, Rossi, Kadri, ROR, Beniers, Trocheck, Pinto, McTavish, Zegras, Hayton