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The 2024-2025 Roster Thread

dortt said:
what could we get for it?
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Sorry thats a broad question. What is the 1st overall in 2026 worth? Our what is Buffalo's 1st worth? Also if Buffalo trades the 2026 1st you can top 5 protect it.

I am not that knowledgeable about McKenna but it sounds like not as good as McDavid but better than Bedard and Celebrini. He is a franchise center.
 
OkimLom said:
Production sure, but his overall game, especially his defensive game, was still hanging on.
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Lindy was also inexplicably using him on the 4th line for a bit. There's just no reason for that when he's been one of their top two centers all year. There's no way they should've played Cozens higher in the lineup than him, unless they were trying to pump up his trade value.

I honestly think McLeod's offensive game is a bit underrated. He makes some heady plays out there and is a good playmaker at times. Not that he's someone that should be a top 6 mainstay moving forward, but the dude can hold his own and is certainly a better option for 2C than Cozens was.
 
GrierIsGod123 said:
Lindy was also inexplicably using him on the 4th line for a bit. There's just no reason for that when he's been one of their top two centers all year. There's no way they should've played Cozens higher in the lineup than him, unless they were trying to pump up his trade value.

I honestly think McLeod's offensive game is a bit underrated. He makes some heady plays out there and is a good playmaker at times. Not that he's someone that should be a top 6 mainstay moving forward, but the dude can hold his own and is certainly a better option for 2C than Cozens was.
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Cozens should've been paired with McLeod so he can just play to his strengths. But, now with Norris and McLeod, they have at least their middle 6 centers locked in, or at least they should.
 
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A lot of people trash on Power on these boards but I don't see many giving him credit. He has come a long way especially shooting. He had 1G 2A last night.

I agree he has to get tougher but he is incredibly talented and only 22. He is going to be a 1-2 defenseman in this league.

I changed my mind from 30 games to now and don't think I would trade him. Maybe for a 1C but thats it.

I feel a lot of Power's defensive issues come more from the team's awful play as a whole and not just on Power.
 
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toddkaz said:
A lot of people trash on Power on these boards but I don't see many giving him credit. He has come a long way especially shooting. He had 1G 2A last night.

I agree he has to get tougher but he is incredibly talented and only 22. He is going to be a 1-2 defenseman in this league.

I changed my mind from 30 games to now and don't think I would trade him. Maybe for a 1C but thats it.

I feel a lot of Power's defensive issues come more from the team's awful play as a whole and not just on Power.
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Then I'd question whether you're watching the same games the rest of us are.
 
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Fly Boy said:
Then I'd question whether you're watching the same games the rest of us are.
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I am, and when Power is left covering two guys in front of the net and Tage is nowhere to be found to give support because he isn't a center and the other defenseman is out of position to the average viewer it looks like Power is lost.
 
toddkaz said:
Sorry thats a broad question. What is the 1st overall in 2026 worth? Our what is Buffalo's 1st worth? Also if Buffalo trades the 2026 1st you can top 5 protect it.

I am not that knowledgeable about McKenna but it sounds like not as good as McDavid but better than Bedard and Celebrini. He is a franchise center.
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yes, what could we get for the first overall in 2025?
 
Interesting article from Ruff's NJ coaching days on the system. Seems like the D get a lot of freedom, the center isn't in the zone banging around as a traditional F3, and the wings have a ton more responsibility than a normal defensive system.

After reading this, is explained a lot for me. It's a lot of reading the play on the fly. Hockey IQ and knowing where to be is the number one trait for a Ruff team. Also, it seems complicated.

Ruff Defensive System
 
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Der Jaeger said:
A shift in gears idea, re-engaging on Pettersson.

Peterka
Byram
Helenius

-for-

Pettersson
Willander
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Vancouver already has their 1LD in Hughes and their 2LD in MPettersson. I don't think Byram holds that sort of value to make him useful in a proposal like that. They also wanted a bigger player geared toward Tocchet's approach so that's probably more likely Norris who we know is yet again hurt. They are also very attached to Willander as a smart RD when they only have one good RD (and there is some debate on what level of "good" Hronek is for them).

Edit - it likely has to be something around the Sabres first this year and next. Since they are a mess and there is no evidence they are going to be less of a mess next year, it's possible to put a shot at McQueen into a deal for a guy who may never be the player he was on a very expensive contract. I don't think Buffalo has that risk tolerance or self-confidence to fix things and I don't think Vancouver is going to put value on a guy like Helenius to make up the difference in value.
 
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Chainshot said:
Vancouver already has their 1LD in Hughes and their 2LD in MPettersson. I don't think Byram holds that sort of value to make him useful in a proposal like that. They also wanted a bigger player geared toward Tocchet's approach so that's probably more likely Norris who we know is yet again hurt. They are also very attached to Willander as a smart RD when they only have one good RD (and there is some debate on what level of "good" Hronek is for them).
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I was thinking about their center position and how they'd reset it. I think they might go the free agent route.

I don't think Marcus Pettersson being on the roster would prevent a Byram move, and I think Byram more fits the ideal #2 defender they might be after.

I made the Helenius / Willander swap to reinforce center in Vancouver and defense in Buffalo, which made sense from a structural persepctive.

I also kicked around Peterka and Samuelsson as the base for Pettersson. I think that might work as well.
 
Der Jaeger said:
I was thinking about their center position and how they'd reset it. I think they might go the free agent route.

I don't think Marcus Pettersson being on the roster would prevent a Byram move, and I think Byram more fits the ideal #2 defender they might be after.

I made the Helenius / Willander swap to reinforce center in Vancouver and defense in Buffalo, which made sense from a structural persepctive.

I also kicked around Peterka and Samuelsson as the base for Pettersson. I think that might work as well.
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I made an edit above. If I'm Vancouver, I would want the Sabres firsts this year and next more than any other piece in a possible move.
 
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Still think watching Mitts go to boston for incredibly cheap is going to be the biggest regret, especially if we want thompson on the wing and need another center.

The options are just so slim
 
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Chainshot said:
I made an edit above. If I'm Vancouver, I would want the Sabres firsts this year and next more than any other piece in a possible move.
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Your thoughts make sense, but I don't believe there's any appetite for a futures package on Aquilini's part unless there's a plan to flip those firsts. They're too invested in playoff revenue and more importantly, keeping Hughes happy because losing him is seen as an existential threat to the organization. Just a guess, but I think their focus would be a Peterka++ kind of deal.
 
dickiedunnwrotethis said:
Your thoughts make sense, but I don't believe there's any appetite for a futures package on Aquilini's part unless there's a plan to flip those firsts. They're too invested in playoff revenue and more importantly, keeping Hughes happy because losing him is seen as an existential threat to the organization. Just a guess, but I think their focus would be a Peterka++ kind of deal.
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I don't see Peterka holding the sort of center-based value they seem to need in Vancouver. Trading away Cozens and the Miller trade seems to have closed the window on EP being available.

And yeah, Aquilini is likely much more focused on squeezing some playoff revenue out of the Canucks though at this point, with how they are constructed, I'm not sure Hughes isn't already feeling the urge to leave.
 
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Ideally, we're either +1 in top-6C or top-6W next season. If we ship out Peterka, we'll need two top-6 players in the offseason. I'd love to find one more top-6 C to add to the mix.

Peterka/XXX - XXX- Benson
McLeod-Tage-Tuch
Kulich- Norris- Zucker
Greenway - Krebs/Kozak - Malenstyn

We'd essentially be rolling 3 top-6 Cs to compensate for the fact we lack a true, all situations #1C. Instead of rolling 4 lines, we roll 3 lines w/ the 4th line getting heavy D zone starts.

Benson seems to gel on any line. Ideally, we acquire a competent, playmaking C with a good two-way game to put between him and Peterka.

McLeod will be Hecht-lite on the 2nd line. Can take faceoffs + cover for Tage deficiencies in the D zone. We know Tage/Tuch have chemistry.

Norris appears as the 3C, but can eat top-6 mins on any given night + will get loads of PP time. Kulich and Zucker could compliment eachother well.

Defensively, we need to choose one of Power/Byram holding down the second pairing + make a choice on what to do with Sammy:

XXX-Dahlin
Byram/Power-XXX
Sammy/XXX-Clifton

Dahlin doesn't need a top-pairing defenseman to be great. Give him a guy similar to Sammy from a few years ago, and that pairing will be a good top-pairing.

So, my wish list is:
A top-6 C
Two top-4, veteran defensemen
Potentially a bottom pairing defenseman
 
Der Jaeger said:
Interesting article from Ruff's NJ coaching days on the system. Seems like the D get a lot of freedom, the center isn't in the zone banging around as a traditional F3, and the wings have a ton more responsibility than a normal defensive system.

After reading this, is explained a lot for me. It's a lot of reading the play on the fly. Hockey IQ and knowing where to be is the number one trait for a Ruff team. Also, it seems complicated.

Ruff Defensive System
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In other words: A very bad fit for the youngest team in the league. Zero chance it happens but they'd be wise to just pull the plug because next season is just going to be more of the same.
 
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In terms of next year, I'd probably focus on a retool of the defense.

Byram-Dahlin
Power-XXXX
XXXx-XXXX

I'm moving or buying out Samuelsson. Clifton is fine as a 6, but I'm not opposed to moving him out. Johnson can take the 5 spot.
 
TehDoak said:
In terms of next year, I'd probably focus on a retool of the defense.

Byram-Dahlin
Power-XXXX
XXXx-XXXX

I'm moving or buying out Samuelsson. Clifton is fine as a 6, but I'm not opposed to moving him out. Johnson can take the 5 spot.
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I'd trade one of Byram/Power and add two more defensive top 4 D.
 
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