Speculation: The 2026-27 Roster Speculation Thread: Summer Edition - Throw in All The Oars, We're Trading for Battleships

[Jim Bob]

The faceoffs would be a nice perk yet it seems their bigger issue is someone who can gain the zone on the PP almost as much as it would be someone who can move a puck accurately once in the zone. I'm curious if they figure out they have a couple of those guys instead of trying to trade them away in Ostlund and Helenius.

The crazy thing for me is that their most effective zone entry player on the PP was McLeod.

With as much skill as they have, that was mind boggling to me.

 

[TheMistyStranger]

The crazy thing for me is that their most effective zone entry player on the PP was McLeod.

With as much skill as they have, that was mind boggling to me.

He's the only guy who doesn't pivot at center ice and pass it back to the damn goalie

 

[Jim Bob]

He's the only guy who doesn't pivot at center ice and pass it back to the damn goalie

Well, he was the recipient of the drop pass that everyone hates on PP2.

He just attacked the OZ at full speed and he has wheels.

Dahlin seems like the guy on PP1 that should be able to dangle into the zone and get things set up. But, they never really got that to work consistently.

 

[gallagt01]

This McCarron contract is gross and just inflated Beck's value.

 

[Fezzy126]

Well, he was the recipient of the drop pass that everyone hates on PP2.

He just attacked the OZ at full speed and he has wheels.

Dahlin seems like the guy on PP1 that should be able to dangle into the zone and get things set up. But, they never really got that to work consistently.

There were a number of times that the opposition offered a free zone entry to Dahlin, but he passed it up and forced the drop pass. That seems to point to coaching.

They have a few options with the slingshot entry; 1) Using the wing for a give and go, 2) pass off the boards to themselves, or 3) dump/hard around.

But I noticed when Dahlin keeps it, it feels like the rest of the team doesn't have a plan to support the entry.

 

[Jim Bob]

There were a number of times that the opposition offered a free zone entry to Dahlin, but he passed it up and forced the drop pass. That seems to point to coaching.

They have a few options with the slingshot entry; 1) Using the wing for a give and go, 2) pass off the boards to themselves, or 3) dump/hard around.

But I noticed when Dahlin keeps it, it feels like the rest of the team doesn't have a plan to support the entry.

When they did the hard rim around, they lost way too many retrieval battles for that to be something that I want to see more of.

I think the lack of support when Dahlin kept it goes to a lack of giving the players options.

My current read is Transforming Basketball and it is about the Constraints Led Approach and Principles-based Play. I think a lot of the ideas in that book would help them approach coaching the PP in a new way that could unlock a lot of stuff, especially given the amount of skill they have, especially on the blueline.

 

[Jetskiis]

Well, he was the recipient of the drop pass that everyone hates on PP2.

He just attacked the OZ at full speed and he has wheels.

Dahlin seems like the guy on PP1 that should be able to dangle into the zone and get things set up. But, they never really got that to work consistently.

the single drop is statistically the best way to zone entry on the powerplay, but the Sabres always seemed to get clogged up by puckhandling mistakes. IMO Dahlin should be the one receiving the drop and entering not the one making the drop pass like he was most of the time.

 

[Jetskiis]

When they did the hard rim around, they lost way too many retrieval battles for that to be something that I want to see more of.

I think the lack of support when Dahlin kept it goes to a lack of giving the players options.

My current read is Transforming Basketball and it is about the Constraints Led Approach and Principles-based Play. I think a lot of the ideas in that book would help them approach coaching the PP in a new way that could unlock a lot of stuff, especially given the amount of skill they have, especially on the blueline.

i think one major problem with their slingshot entry was that the rest of the players were just standing at the blue line. dahlin would make the drop and then run into a player just standing on the blue line before he could turn around. one player doing the entry would be moving and the rest were just stationary. feels like they needed more movement across the blue line to help support the entry.

 

[DapperCam]

I’m already expecting them to miss the playoffs next year. The only teams I wouldn’t be surprised if they miss is Detroit and Boston. But I also wouldn’t be surprised if they make it. There’s razor thin margins with all of the Atlantic teams. Right now the only team I can see making it is Montreal. Everyone else is a “yea that checks out”. It’s a deep division

Montreal is just as young as us and rode a similar hot streak into the playoffs this year on the back of a hot rookie goalie. They are just as much a candidate to regress as anyone.

 

[Jim Bob]

i think one major problem with their slingshot entry was that the rest of the players were just standing at the blue line. dahlin would make the drop and then run into a player just standing on the blue line before he could turn around. one player doing the entry would be moving and the rest were just stationary. feels like they needed more movement across the blue line to help support the entry.

The interesting thing is that if you look at that entry by other teams in the league, they stack three guys on the blueline and are pretty static, as well.

 

[Hasekperreault23]

The faceoffs would be a nice perk yet it seems their bigger issue is someone who can gain the zone on the PP almost as much as it would be someone who can move a puck accurately once in the zone. I'm curious if they figure out they have a couple of those guys instead of trying to trade them away in Ostlund and Helenius.

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