The 2024-2025 Roster Thread

Trade Byram/samuelsson

sign / trade these guys to play with power
Gavrikov
Hauge
Lundkvist

Gavrikov-Dahlin
Power-Lundkvist
Johnson-Clifton
 
I feel like the team needs to do four things:


1) figure out if you’re keeping Power or Byram. Move the other out for an ssset.

2) find partners for Dahlin and whichever of Power/Byram you keep.

3) add a playmaking forward. If you could convince Marner, I mean you do it all day, but I doubt that happens. But they need a shifty puck handler who can facilitate in the offensive zone.

4) add a goalie to compete with UPL and keep Levi in Rochester.

In going with this theme:
Our 1st should 100% be available
Quinn should absolutely be available.
One of Power/Byram absolutely should be moved.
 
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So Zucker-Krebs-Tuch works?
Seems like a lot worked tonight, but hasn't been super reliable

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so, if that sustains and transitions into "real" games next season

C
Kulich
Norris
Mcleod
Kozak/Krebs/Laff

Ostlund/Helenius/Wahlberg cooking in Roch

I think without considering any major changes, this is what the forwards should look like right now:

Benson-Thompson-Kulich
Peterka-Norris-Tuch
Greenway-McLeod-Zucker
Malenstyn-Kozak-Krebs

Lafferty in for Kozak when he gets hurt
Ostlund called up for Norris when he gets hurt

Quinn fired into the sun.

If they can add another top 6 caliber player to bump Greenway down and allow them options to shuffle the lines when the team struggles that would be ideal, but I'm not expecting anything to happen with the forwards this offseason.
 


so, if that sustains and transitions into "real" games next season

C
Kulich
Norris
Mcleod
Kozak/Krebs/Laff

Ostlund/Helenius/Wahlberg cooking in Roch

I think Ostlund looks ready but with potentially no spot for him. I have liked what I have seen from him in his 2 game stint.
 
In the latest Baker-Fairburn podcast they bring up the off season of the offer sheet coming. Peterka, Byrum, McLeod could be targets.

 
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Exact thats what i say, Cozens would not be any better for Ottawa as top 6 C . If he is something is wrong with the Sabres.

They are much closer then what you think, they winn much now in the end , if you look at the top 6 wings . They are good enough . Just add a Center and balanced it out.

Thompson 40 goals, Tuch 32 goals , Peterka 23 goals . Peterka improves . With this Zucker, Quinn , Benson . If they really plug their weakness and balance the D Core . Also if they can add a good top 6 center it Will be a different season NeXT year .

Ottawa is not better just better balanced . Even with eichel oreilly reinhart mittle they could not build a playoff team. Now they lack the star but have many promising and good pieces.

I would say trade power for a center and trade Byram + something for another d that suits us
Nobody is saying it's impossible. But Kevyn Adams has done exactly nothing at this point for me or anyone semi rational to think he has what it takes to make the moves required. Even acquiring a top 6 center and a top 4 RHD in one offseason is very hard for a competent GM to accomplish. Sabres need at least another big time acquisition on top of that. They're not close
 
In the latest Baker-Fairburn podcast they bring up the off season of the offer sheet coming up. Peterka, Byrum, McLeod could be targets.


With the amount of space available due to the cap increase these offer sheets are likely just doing these GMs jobs for them. I welcome a JJ offer sheet. Dealing with Allen Walsh sucks lol
 
And yet Bales has not shown he can unlock anything from anyone while he's been here.
Ullmark had his best two Buffalo seasons under Bales.

And since Ullmark walked, here is what he's had to work with:

21-22:

Screenshot 2025-04-07 072324.jpg


22-23:

Screenshot 2025-04-07 072424.jpg


23-24:
Screenshot 2025-04-07 072517.jpg

24-25:
Screenshot 2025-04-07 072613.jpg


Bales hasn't gotten a solid veteran in their prime to work with since Ullmark walked.

Bales also hasn't been able to coach goalies that play behind a solid defensive team.

Given the goalies and the defensive environment that Bales has had to work with, he hasn't been horrible.

I won't shed a tear if they replace Bales. But, I also do not believe that replacing him is a lock to get improved goalie play, either.

I think the goalie talent and the defensive environment are much bigger factors in how the goaltending has been the last 4 seasons than Bales.
 
I feel like the team needs to do four things:


1) figure out if you’re keeping Power or Byram. Move the other out for an ssset.

2) find partners for Dahlin and whichever of Power/Byram you keep.

3) add a playmaking forward. If you could convince Marner, I mean you do it all day, but I doubt that happens. But they need a shifty puck handler who can facilitate in the offensive zone.

4) add a goalie to compete with UPL and keep Levi in Rochester.

In going with this theme:
Our 1st should 100% be available
Quinn should absolutely be available.
One of Power/Byram absolutely should be moved.
I echo this plan, the other area that the shifty/playmaking forward will def help is the PP. Adding a playmaker with Thompson and Dahlin has to improve the PP1. Tage is now first in the league in 5v5 scoring with 36 goals. He only has 7 PP goals which should double or even triple with the right playmaker/passer across from him.....think Marner. Marner has 26 PP assists. Our leading assist guy on the PP is Dahlin with 14. Go get the next best playmaker available if Marner refuses. Use Peterka, Byram, 1st, Rosen, Quinn. I think Quinn will be cheap for 1/2 yr and could turn it around(though I would not count on him at all in the top 6/9).

Sign a free agent RHD and trade for one. (My guess is 1 or the other happens).
 
I know it's early in their careers, but man am I glad we trade Savoie and not Kulich. Not sure if it was just due to who EDM was targeting, or if Adams had Kulich as a more valuable asset. Regardless, Kulich has stupidely high potetial.

I'd still like another top-6C that moves Kulich down to 3C allowing him some room to breathe if he hits a wall. He'd pretty much be what Roy was in 05-06.
 
Honest question…. Is Kulich our 1C next year?
SHOULD he be our 1C? He's looked OK with Tage and Benson, though Benny is doing most of the work on that line and Tage is cleaning up. So no, we shouldn't count on him to be our nominal 1C.

WILL he be our 1C? I mean, this is Adams we're talking about. Of course he will be.
 
I know it's hard to picture considering he probably won't play the rest of the year... but we do still have Norris and he probably is a top 6 center in the NHL. I don't see why we have to pencil Kulich in as the 1C next season.

It'll probably be less who is the 1C and who is the 2C, and more who can handle defensive responsibilities and whose lines are clicking to start the season.
 
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I wonder if Boston goes into a rebuild? See if McAvoy is available?

10 teams have no 1st round pick. Take our 10th overall and see if we can get a shutdown defenseman.

Ten teams are currently without first-rounders for June, including Colorado, Dallas, Edmonton, Florida, Minnesota, New Jersey, New York Rangers, Tampa Bay, Toronto and Vegas
 
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I'd love for Adams to consider EP again from the Canucks. Vancouver is going to miss the playoffs, and may still try to trade EP before the draft. If the Sabres end with the 8/9th overall pick, I wonder if they offer that plus one of the RFAs + Prospect to make a deal happen. I doubt it could occur after Norris/Zucker/Greenway moves, but if you think Peterka and Byram are going to get paid, maybe Peterka + 2025 1st + Clifton gets it done?

He has 10 points in his last 10 games since the trade deadline, might be a chance to take a swing at a potential #1 C without having to give up a prime prime asset? IDK how the money would work though.... Unfortunately I think the ship has sailed
 
I wonder if Boston goes into a rebuild? See if McAvoy is available?

10 teams have no 1st round pick. Take our 10th overall and see if we can get a shutdown defenseman.

Ten teams are currently without first-rounders for June, including Colorado, Dallas, Edmonton, Florida, Minnesota, New Jersey, New York Rangers, Tampa Bay, Toronto and Vegas

I’d do the 1st for Whitecloud from Vegas and wouldn’t give it a second more of thought.
 
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