Toggle sidebar

The 2024-2025 Roster Thread

  • We sincerely apologize for the extended downtime. Our hosting provider, XenForo Cloud, encountered a major issue with their backup system, which unfortunately resulted in the loss of some critical data from the past year.

    What This Means for You:

    • If you created an account after March 2024, it no longer exists. You will need to sign up again to access the forum.
    • If you registered before March 2024 but changed your email, username, or password in the past year, those changes were lost. You’ll need to update your account details manually once you're logged in.
    • Threads and posts created within the last year have been restored.

    Our team is working with Xenforo Cloud to recover data using backups, sitemaps, and other available resources. We know this is frustrating, and we deeply regret the impact on our community. We are taking steps with Xenforo Cloud to ensure this never happens again. This is work in progress. Thank you for your patience and support as we work through this.

    In the meantime, feel free to join our Discord Server
Der Jaeger said:
Power's lack of physicality isn't the issue. Lidstrom is arguably the best defenseman ever. After hits were recorded, he logged 212 hits in 388 games. That's almost 1 hit every two games. So, it's completely possible to be hall-of-fame amazing in your own zone and defending odd man rushes and not be physical.

I'm a huge fan of Slava Fetisov, who will never get his due because he played in the NHL at age 31 for the first time. But I think a he's top 5 defensemen ever. Also, not a hitter and used his stick and skating to shut offenses down.

If Power ends up being that type of defender, I'm sold. But right now, Power isn't very good in the defensive zone.
Click to expand...

He gets so lost, and frequently outmuscled on the boards. He's gotta go.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Dahlicious
CowbellConray said:
How are we feeling about Mcleod resigned at 4 years, 4.5M? I've tried to find a comparable deal, closest I got was Yegor Sharagovich who signed 5 years 5.5 this past offseason with 31 goals scored.

Also - JJP should not be traded for any reason. He is the best young player on the team by a mile and has legit PPG potential.
Click to expand...

Means nothing, but a Peterka for Sharangovich trade piques my interest.
 
I understand the frustration associated with Peterka's lack of defensive commitments, or Power's lack of physicality, but these guys are top 5 on this team in terms of skill. If I'm the GM, you need to try to work through those weaknesses purely to see if you can realize the skill ceiling. Hedman was lambasted for his first few years in the league for his lack of physicality and he turned out jussssttttt fine.
 
Der Jaeger said:
Power's lack of physicality isn't the issue. Lidstrom is arguably the best defenseman ever. After hits were recorded, he logged 212 hits in 388 games. That's almost 1 hit every two games. So, it's completely possible to be hall-of-fame amazing in your own zone and defending odd man rushes and not be physical.

I'm a huge fan of Slava Fetisov, who will never get his due because he played in the NHL at age 31 for the first time. But I think a he's top 5 defensemen ever. Also, not a hitter and used his stick and skating to shut offenses down.

If Power ends up being that type of defender, I'm sold. But right now, Power isn't very good in the defensive zone.
Click to expand...

I honestly don't think I've read many people complain about hits. His engagement, compete level, and defensive IQ are all absolute shit. FFS, Power can't mark his man or block a skating lane to protect the house to save his life, he's lost in the dzone. Lidstrom's stick details and positioning were HoF level.

Lidstrom made everyone around him better at all 200' of the ice, with or without possession of the puck. Power makes everyone better when we have the puck. When we don't have possession, it's cover your eyes time.
 
  • Like
Reactions: joshjull, Chainshot, Nikolajs Sillers and 1 other person
CowbellConray said:
I understand the frustration associated with Peterka's lack of defensive commitments, or Power's lack of physicality, but these guys are top 5 on this team in terms of skill. If I'm the GM, you need to try to work through those weaknesses purely to see if you can realize the skill ceiling. Hedman was lambasted for his first few years in the league for his lack of physicality and he turned out jussssttttt fine.
Click to expand...
You could say the same thing about cozens.

When you build through the draft and always take BPA, you’re going to have to trade your skill for role players eventually. Power and JJP and Byram and Tuch are only mentioned as trade bait because they all still have a lot of value, and play redundant roles on the team, to some degree.

Someone needs to be traded to balance the team out, and it ain’t gonna be Quinn or Krebs because no one wants them.
 
Doug Prishpreed said:
You could say the same thing about cozens.

When you build through the draft and always take BPA, you’re going to have to trade your skill for role players eventually. Power and JJP and Byram and Tuch are only mentioned as trade bait because they all still have a lot of value, and play redundant roles on the team, to some degree.

Someone needs to be traded to balance the team out, and it ain’t gonna be Quinn or Krebs because no one wants them.
Click to expand...
I think there would be a good market for Krebs. Quinn would be tough because he just seems to not care.
 
EXTRAS said:
Given what chychrun got makes me worry about what byram will get.
Click to expand...

Byram still has 2 years until UFA and Chyrcun was a pending UFA.

If you assuming that everything past 2 years is probably 8M per and before that is around 5-6M per

So a 3 year deal is 20M, a 4 year deal is 28M, 5 year deal is 36M, etc, etc.
 
Doug Prishpreed said:
You could say the same thing about cozens.

When you build through the draft and always take BPA, you’re going to have to trade your skill for role players eventually. Power and JJP and Byram and Tuch are only mentioned as trade bait because they all still have a lot of value, and play redundant roles on the team, to some degree.

Someone needs to be traded to balance the team out, and it ain’t gonna be Quinn or Krebs because no one wants them.
Click to expand...
Power has more pure skill than Cozens, and Peterka has shown greater offensive ability than cozens at similar ages.

And, I personally still like cozens, and expect him to play 1000 games in this league.

You could also have said this about Thompson, who was almost traded for a 6th round pick before his breakout season. Peterka has probably the highest offensive potential of any forward on the team, and power has the frame and skill to be an all situations #1 D

Any trade of top end skill for role players is a loss. You trade for or sign role players, but you draft and grow skill. If we traded Peterka or powers for a package of role players, I’d be furious. It would be a waste of that talent. Trade prospects and picks for role players or overpay in FA.

I don’t think people realize we are truly pretty bare when it comes to top end talent, and losing Peterka and power makes that situation ever worse
 
  • Like
Reactions: Willgamesh, warpath72, Sabreality and 1 other person
Steddy33 said:
This would be preferred. And as long as Kevyn is GM there's zero chance of it happening. Honestly I'd be surprised if one of them gets moved let alone both.
Click to expand...
Look at our depth chart on Defense and you will quickly realize how completely insane and foolish doing such a thing would be. Besides Dahlin it's nothing but the typical defensemen you would find on a pre-Vegas expansion team.
 
sabremike said:
Look at our depth chart on Defense and you will quickly realize how completely insane and foolish doing such a thing would be. Besides Dahlin it's nothing but the typical defensemen you would find on a pre-Vegas expansion team.
Click to expand...
Looking at the current defense and thinking anything less than 2 of the top 4 being replaced leads to anything less than the Sabres missing the playoffs again next season is insane. This team is horrendous at defense. They absolutely suck at it. I'm interested in assembling a team that can play defense and compete for a playoff spot. Power and Byram aren't part of that happening. They need two new top four defenders desperately
 
  • Like
Reactions: Doug Prishpreed
1742963764915.png
 
  • Haha
  • Like
Reactions: JLewyB and Krieger Bot
Zman5778 said:
Oh, be very very very careful of what you wish for. The Monkey's Paw can curl at any time.
Click to expand...
Like things can get so much worse. Next year they could be 32nd place instead of 29th. This roster isn't close. They need major help in the top 4 and top 6. Or I guess they can just keep waiting for the prospects to develop. Oh by the way, they're horrible at developing prospects too.

Be a real team, get some real management, make some smart hockey trades, plant some palm trees and sign a UFA.

I know, dreams
 
enthusiast said:
Simple: trade both power and byram
Click to expand...
Start with Byram this offseason. At this point in his career, he's just not very good. He isn't good defensively. And he doesn't really generate any offense when Dahlin or Power aren't there to carry the mail for him. He reminds me a lot of a fast Bogosian right now. Looks like the kind of hockey player you would build in a lab. But he's just not particularly good at actually playing the game.

Moreover, while he might be good someday, we simply can't develop both him and Power simultaneously. That's what we tried to do this year and it failed. Miserably. We are, once again, at the bottom of the league in scoring chances given up. And Power/Byram are at or near the top of the culprit heap. There's just not enough roster spaces/ice time to develop multiple, young offensive defenseman on a team that expects wins games in the NHL.

Then, next year, get Power a proper partner. And perhaps equally as important, scale back his role. Fewer minutes and some sheltering. That we continue to trot out a struggling 22 year old defenseman for 20+ minutes per night in all situations with a collection of meh partners -- and then wonder why he isn't getting any better! -- is utterly insane. We need to develop him the way a normal NHL team would. Not even a good one. Just a normal one. Then, you assess where he is a year from now.

One caveat: this all goes out the window if someone calls and offers a star forward for Power. But I doubt that's happening, so move on from Byram and see if you can salvage Power by putting him in a proper role for someone his age.
 
I know people love McLeod as a 3C, but I'd love to have him and Benson each on a separate line in the top-6 to help solidify those lines defensively while also bring some goal scoring. I've said it before, but I'd be hell-a-bent on finding a top-6C this offseason:

Just chicken scratching these lines:
Peterka- XXX -Benson
McLeod- Thompson -Tuch
Kulich- Norris -Zucker

If Quinn forces his way into the top-9, then Zucker and Greenway are the flanks of the 4th line, and Zucker is the savvy vet we move around the LU throughout the game to provide stability to a line when it's needed. I also view McLeod as an integral piece that can be moved around the LU depending on in-game scenarios.

I want that top-6C to be a veteran with solid two-way play. You essentially have three lines that can score, good center depth for injuries that will likely impact the center spine, and each line has a good blend of defensive play + grit.
 
Notable that our best line last night consisted of a guy who people insist on calling "low IQ" in thompson, and a 20 & 21 year old.

For as much as youth has been talked about around here, there are also signs that age might be overstated as a factor contributing to our lack of success.
 
jc17 said:
Notable that our best line last night consisted of a guy who people insist on calling "low IQ" in thompson, and a 20 & 21 year old.

For as much as youth has been talked about around here, there are also signs that age might be overstated as a factor contributing to our lack of success.
Click to expand...
Consistency is the issue. I would expect them to show up on occasion but also disappear other nights or be flat out bad as well. I am high on Benson but he’s definitely been quiet offensively for long stretches this season. Im even higher on Kulich but he’s struggled defensively for extended periods of time.

And those 2 are probably the 2 young guys who consistently bring it. Power, Peterka, Krebs, Cozens when he was here, highs were higher and lows were much lower. And Quinn has fallen off the face of the planet.
 
Dubi Doo said:
I know people love McLeod as a 3C, but I'd love to have him and Benson each on a separate line in the top-6 to help solidify those lines defensively while also bring some goal scoring. I've said it before, but I'd be hell-a-bent on finding a top-6C this offseason:

Just chicken scratching these lines:
Peterka- XXX -Benson
McLeod- Thompson -Tuch
Kulich- Norris -Zucker

If Quinn forces his way into the top-9, then Zucker and Greenway are the flanks of the 4th line, and Zucker is the savvy vet we move around the LU throughout the game to provide stability to a line when it's needed. I also view McLeod as an integral piece that can be moved around the LU depending on in-game scenarios.

I want that top-6C to be a veteran with solid two-way play. You essentially have three lines that can score, good center depth for injuries that will likely impact the center spine, and each line has a good blend of defensive play + grit.
Click to expand...

It's really difficult to think about the lineup structure without knowing how they feel about three key questions:
  1. Is Tage a C or RW?
  2. Where do they see Kulich fitting in next year? (disregarding our feelings about long term growth/development/projections)
  3. What are they doing with Quinn?
My personal preferences would be Tage at wing, Kulich fighting someone in camp for a spot, and trade Quinn:

Benson-[Someone New]-Tage
Peterka-Norris-Tuch
Zucker-McLeod-Greenway
Malenstyn-Krebs-Lafferty
Kulich, Kozak

I really wish Tavares wasn't glued to Toronto, he'd be my best idea to fix the top 6 and mentor the kids.
 
  • Like
Reactions: jc17
You must log in or register to reply here.

Latest posts

Ad

Ad

Top Bottom