The 2024-2025 Roster Thread

[Fjordsen]

Totally agree on Clifton ... I feel as though you can find someone to fill that role for much cheaper and likely improve. The question becomes, which teams are willing to pay him his current salary? I'd suggested Boston earlier but could see them keeping Jokiharju around on the cheap. They benched Clifton in the playoffs for a reason.

At some point, they need to make room for Ryan Johnson and see if he can be a full-time NHL'er. I thought he looked pretty solid last year, with a few struggles, but he's certainly better than Clifton (imo). You'd like to see him paired with someone that's physical with some size (i.e. someone better than Gilbert). He also seems capable of playing top 4 minutes, if needed. Any time Clifton has played top 4 minutes, it's been an unmitigated disaster.

Basically, you have to get rid of some combination of below to re-shape your defense:

-One of Byram or Power - In exchange for a defensive d-man, preferably a righty
-Clifton or Samuelsson (or both) - Bring in some combination of cheaper vet and/or Ryan Johnson

It's weird to me that Johnson didn't really get much of a chance, was he really that much worse than Bryson and Gilbert? I don't think so, Clifton made mistakes, Sammy made mistakes and was injured for a while. Now we have JBD and I hope he can be a decent third pairing guy.

I don't know what our defense is going to look like at this point, but we need some serious changes there. They're playing Sammy with Dahlin right now, and even if that pairing looks great the rest of the season, we can't just rely on Sammy 100% because of his injuries, so we need some insurance for that. Or Byram playing third pairing with JBD for example, which I don't think would suit him, it's hard to figure out how to build that right now. Either way, we need some good depth on defense and we'll probably have to trade 2-3 D, including for cap reasons.

I don't expect many changes in attack, but I don't want to go with four young players in the top 9 again, that's a risk again. So I would ideally like to add a top 6 C or at worst a top 6 F/legit and solid mid-six forward.

 

[GrierIsGod123]

It's weird to me that Johnson didn't really get much of a chance, was he really that much worse than Bryson and Gilbert? I don't think so, Clifton made mistakes, Sammy made mistakes and was injured for a while. Now we have JBD and I hope he can be a decent third pairing guy.

I don't know what our defense is going to look like at this point, but we need some serious changes there. They're playing Sammy with Dahlin right now, and even if that pairing looks great the rest of the season, we can't just rely on Sammy 100% because of his injuries, so we need some insurance for that. Or Byram playing third pairing with JBD for example, which I don't think would suit him, it's hard to figure out how to build that right now. Either way, we need some good depth on defense and we'll probably have to trade 2-3 D, including for cap reasons.

I don't expect many changes in attack, but I don't want to go with four young players in the top 9 again, that's a risk again. So I would ideally like to add a top 6 C or at worst a top 6 F/legit and solid mid-six forward.

The defense needs to be balanced in the offseason ... somehow someway. In theory, you should have two good top 4 puckmovers ... just need the complimentary pieces. Easier said than done I guess.

For forwards, I'd aim to have Benson start in the AHL (if that's still possible without waivers). Go into the offseason with a skeleton like this:

Peterka-X-Tage
X-Norris-Tuch
Zucker-McLeod-X
Greenway-X-X

X-Dahlin
Power/Byram-X
X-X

On the forwards...they badly need heady playmakers in the two open spots in the top 6. Peterka could get traded for more of a playmaker if he truly wants out. I'd be fine with that in an effort to re-form the top of the lineup. I don't see anyone in our system filling the roles needed. Rosen hasn't looked ready and is likely trade bait. Everyone else can continue slow roasting in Rochester. I'm honestly not sure what to do with Kulich right now. He's solid in the middle but doesn't give us the playmaking ability that we need right now. The only way I put him on the top line is if we somehow ended up with Marner or another top line playmaking winger. Otherwise, he might be a fit on the third line with Zucker and McLeod next year and battle for that spot with Quinn. Plus he gives you depth in case Norris has injury troubles. Fourth line can be anchored by Greenway and hopefully two bigger bodies. I'd only like to see one of Krebs or Malenstyn in the starting lineup, or neither quite frankly. Greenway can also fill in higher up as needed and be on the top PK unit.

Defense as mentioned above needs some re-arranging. I'd aim to have a puck-mover and more stout defensive player on each pairing. Dahlin requires the least help, but you still need someone that can keep up with him. If we MUST keep Samuelsson, that might make the most sense for him. I'd prefer they buy him out or trade him if possible. I'd use Power or Byram as my main trade chip this offseason for either forward help or for a true top 4 righty. Maybe that requires a three team trade, but I'd have to imagine these guys have pretty high value league-wide. Moving on from the failed-Clifton experiment would be huge. Keep Bryson and JBD around for depth. They could possibly make a passable third pairing. Also, Ryan Johnson should be provided a fair shot to make the roster. I think he's a good player and a fit for today's NHL.

 

[zenthusiast]

I’m not saying I’d throw power out the window but at this point I’d listen to calls

 

[EXTRAS]

Byram is 23. What do you guys think his upside is say by the time he is 25-26 if he puts it all together? Does he have the talent to become a #1 dman? (I understand dahlin is that in Buffalo, but i just mean in general be a top 30 dman in the league)

 

[SnuggaRUDE]

Is 3 years of evidence enough to show it isn't just luck? Couldn't it just be players scoring from non-scoring chance areas?

I'm not exactly sure what you're referring to. Buffalo does have a number of players with shooting skill above expected. Thompson is pretty high on that list, he's been outscoring his possession for several seasons.

Even getting lucky, or being really good shooters they aren't at a playoff goal differential, and that's a huge issue. Two years ago they were like 5 goals above expected 5v5. They're a bad team while being significantly better than expected 5v5.

On the powerplay they score right at their expected rate (but below their talent adjusted rate), on the PK they're giving up an extra 5 goals.

Whenever Dahlin/Thompson/Tuch are on the ice it's really tilted in Buffalo's favor. When they're not on the ice it's meh to blah.

 

[zenthusiast]

Byram certainly has a #1 ceiling but I don’t expect to see it. I’d move on sooner than commit long term.

 

[OkimLom]

Byram is 23. What do you guys think his upside is say by the time he is 25-26 if he puts it all together? Does he have the talent to become a #1 dman? (I understand dahlin is that in Buffalo, but i just mean in general be a top 30 dman in the league)

I’m more pessimistic about the team in general so take my opinion with a grain of salt, but IF he figures it out, I think he’s a 2nd pairing anchor sort of player that might be able to support the #1 guy if the chemistry is there. I don’t think he’s a guy that has the top end talent to be a #1 guy, to be the go to guy.

The longer he sticks with Buffalo the less chance he will have to figure things out. If you are invested in the player and want to see him grow into more of a complete player, you would want to see him moved from the current Sabres environment.

The best case scenario you should expect to see from him is a solid to good PMD with the strength of offensive production with a weakness of off puck decision making. I think he’s ends up as a top 4 guy in the league that probably hovers around being a top 40-50 guy.