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The 2024-2025 Roster Thread

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Dubi Doo said:
You're probably right, and that may be Adam's 'big' addition. Tbf, I like the idea of adding Drury. Just not sure where he fits in. If Adams trades for him, then I'd assume that means McLeod is going to be a top-6C next year, and we'd be hoping Drury or Krebs can hold down the 3rd line C. If that's the case, then Adams would need to build the flanks to support our Cs giving them the best chance to thrive in their bigger roles.

If the idea is to add a C who has played a limited role on a contender, and hope that he can progress into a more impact player with a bigger role- I think we'd have to do something like this:

Peterka-Norris-XXX (two-way forward who can facilitate the puck well)
Thompson-McLeod-Benson
Kulich-Drury-Zucker
Greenway-Krebs-Malenstyn

At least it would give us a center on each line who knows what he's doing in his own zone. I'm concerned with their ability to put up points, especially if Norris misses any time. This is probably the best we can hope for from Adams, though.
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Norris and McLeod as top two centers is worst case scenario.
 
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Doug Prishpreed said:
Upgrading Krebs to Drury is an improvement, but a small one. I don’t see this move having much of an impact, but an upgrade is an upgrade so I’ll take it. Just might be low on the priority list.
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I think it's a mentality upgrade more than a tangible upgrade which we can see, in terms of skills. And that's what Buffalo needs.
 
jc17 said:
Oh definitely. Of course there can be overlap of skillsets.

But I think the term "playmaker" usually connotes a player who is racking up assists with nice passes in the offensive zone. Again, I think that skill can translate to more as you said, I just wouldn't want to get hellbent on a playmaker for the sake of a playmaker and miss the forest through the trees.
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For me, they need to look at the mix of skillsets that they have on this roster and fill in the gaps.

Being better on both sides of the puck, possession, and playmaking are all areas of need on the roster.

And if they get a winger that can set guys up, that works, too.

The Sabres have had a type during the Adams tenure. And I think they have been too focused on that type and that has led to some glaring roster imbalances.
 
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I would add that having more players who generate their offense through low triangle cycle play and getting someone to the net front on a regular basis would make guys who are shooters more likely to start having secondary impacts - they shoot, other players are shoveling in rebounds or getting deflections or at least keeping pucks alive for further chances. Too much of their offense is rush, shoot, retreat, reset.
 
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jc17 said:
Hot take: the playmaking center shouldn't be high on the priority list


Sure, its something we lack, but how many of our problems is it solving? The whole point of a playmaker is to facilitate goals. If we drop Peterka for a set-up man, we're maybe re-allocating goals, but not scoring more. Not to mention, some of our scorers like JJ, tuch, and tage, are actually good at setting up goals as well. They aren't olofsson type of scorers.

This team was 3rd in the league in scoring rate at 5v5. We usually don't lack scoring, and when we do, its not because the offense is stalling after entering the zone, its because they can't get there.

So, if we still want to improve our offense what we really need are possession drivers.

When the offense is stalling its because we're not getting shots, and presumably aren't even in the offensive zone. Whether its forwards or defensemen that can transition the puck (notice how much we suck without Dahlin and Power), or forwards that can retrieve pucks and maintain possession after dump-ins (notice how much we don't suck with benson), we need those possession drivers.

As much as I'd rather have Rossi to Quinn at the draft, or would have traded cozens for him, I don't think he or EP really address the questions that need to be answered, particularly at whatever it would cost
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A playmaking center is important to support the goal scorers we have. The playmaking center is also playing on the right side of the puck more often than not so there is less confusion from swapping positions constantly. It is more the playstyle than "passing the puck".
 
A playmaking center *might* even out some of the disappearing act we see from a lot of our scorers.

Or it might not. I'm willing to try it to find out.
 
Do Brad May's not exist anymore? When I think of what this team is missing this guy comes to mind.

Tough as nails but could still play hockey.
 
toddkaz said:
Do Brad May's not exist anymore? When I think of what this team is missing this guy comes to mind.

Tough as nails but could still play hockey.
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Not really, no. They had close to one but decided to trade him to Minnesota who valued his defensive game. And that guy has openly mocked his hometown team, where his father was once captain. So... not really, no.
 
How big of a deal would it have to be to get both Rossi and Brodin out of Minnesota this summer?



I continue to not care if the defensive stopper is a right-handed shot. They have two unreliable pairs - the one with Power on it and the third pair. Figure out that no one is going to be able to turn Power into something he's not and use him as a high-end transition player and offensive specialist and work on getting some sort of stopper pair. Brodin losing his trade protection would be at the top of my list.

Feels like 2017 all over again...
 
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Chainshot said:
How big of a deal would it have to be to get both Rossi and Brodin out of Minnesota this summer?



I continue to not care if the defensive stopper is a right-handed shot. They have two unreliable pairs - the one with Power on it and the third pair. Figure out that no one is going to be able to turn Power into something he's not and use him as a high-end transition player and offensive specialist and work on getting some sort of stopper pair. Brodin losing his trade protection would be at the top of my list.

Feels like 2017 all over again...
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Don't care how big of a deal it would have to be. I would give up a whole helluva lot to get Rossi and Brodin. Like, pretty much anything not named Dahlin would be on the table. And I full well acknowledge that Minny may demand Benson in return...........and while I'd try like hell to overpay to the point of not including him, to get Rossi and Brodin I'd probably do it.
 
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HOOats said:
Time for my annual "hanging with Sabres in public" update.

UPL, JJ, and Kulich took in some Champions League soccer at a North Buffalo pub yesterday. They kind of got pulled into our crew due to the bar being jammed.

UPL was really nice and happy to chat about all kinds of things. JJ was funny and very locked in on his Bayern Munich match. Kulich was glum and left at halftime to the others' protestation. He was very down on Buffalo - no girls and nothing to do here. Stark difference in maturity between him and the other two.

Funny to watch pro athletes cheer and talk shit about games like any other fan.
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Sounds like Més Que. I used to frequent there with my friends back in my single days, but we went there to watch sports, not pick up chicks. lmao @ Kulich

There were occasionally girls there, but it's mostly dudes trying to watch soccer, as it's a soccer pub.
 
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Another player extends in Winnipeg for the palm trees and low taxes
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BFLO said:
Sounds like Més Que. I used to frequent there with my friends back in my single days, but we went there to watch sports, not pick up chicks. lmao @ Kulich

There were occasionally girls there, but it's mostly dudes trying to watch soccer, as it's a soccer pub.
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Yeah, if I was looking for a hot date I wouldn’t be sticking around Hertel in general. That’s not the vibe (and why I enjoy it tbh)

Doesn’t surprise me that it doesn’t have much to offer for a 21 year old that’s soon to be a millionaire
 
Der Jaeger said:
I think Ruff is after mentality over roster positions and construction. I think Drury was the target in Carolina, not Necas.

If you’re bottom 6 centers are McLeod and Drury, you’re set for a while.

I think Drury projects as Marcus Kruger.
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I think you can make an argument Kruger was the most valuable 4c in recent memory. That's a tall order but I do really like Drury.
 
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DJN21 said:
I think you can make an argument Kruger was the most valuable 4c in recent memory. That's a tall order but I do really like Drury.
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If you want a bottom six center, to me it's part of a package for Jack McBain and Kesselring from Utah. Upgrade Krebs and Clifton in one go
 
BFLO said:
Sounds like Més Que. I used to frequent there with my friends back in my single days, but we went there to watch sports, not pick up chicks. lmao @ Kulich

There were occasionally girls there, but it's mostly dudes trying to watch soccer, as it's a soccer pub.
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He wasn't referring specifically to that day and bar of course, but the larger Buffalo scene (and he's not wrong, unfortunately). Or maybe he just struck out two days before on his 21st birthday 😂.

Peterka tried to order three Carlsbergs (out), then Modelos (don't have), then just asked for pilsners and the bartender somehow still needed more information. I've never seen a German more confused/annoyed. Get the Euros some beers already!
 
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Chainshot said:
Not really, no. They had close to one but decided to trade him to Minnesota who valued his defensive game. And that guy has openly mocked his hometown team, where his father was once captain. So... not really, no.
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Since the Lucic hit on Miller this team has done nothing to rectify that situation with multiple chances to redeem themselves. At least they tried this year the last 15 games or so.

I am sure its a coincidence but that hit started the downfall of this team.

Since then I haven't seen a backbone in this team.
 
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