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

[Zman5778]

Having 4 in the top 20 and 9 in the top 90 strikes me as rather impressive.

 

[sabremike]

I would be surprised if he put up the offensive numbers in 2026-27 to get legit Calder consideration.

I am not betting against a guy who put up historic u-20 numbers in the AHL and was one of our better players when called up for the playoffs.

 

[Chainshot]

Digging around more in Debrusk stuff... not an ES producer in Vancouver, fans think he's been pretty sleepy and he's produced on a productive/functional PP. With five more years and trade protection, not sure he's a fix or not. Seems like he produced in the opportunity on the PP yet is that a matter of something he's going to do somewhere else?

 

[Jetskiis]

Greenway near the bottom of the pile, Malenstyn barely above him is certainly a thing. McLeod being in the bottom half of playoff forwards is also not a surprise.

I was assuming part of the reason Mal and Greenway were dead last was due to defensive zone deployments and getting no o zone time. Just defensive zone and pks. But who was their center? Was it McLeod? He was also very low on that list. If it was Krebs, then I dont even know what to make of that because Krebs was very high on the list...

 

[Gras]

In that same vein -- I see a lot of people writing off Danforth in one way or another. I think he's EXACTLY what Lindy wants on that 4th line. A 4th line of Beck-Carrick-Danforth would be MISERABLE to play against. And if Beck doesn't re-sign, I think it's very likely that Danforth occupies that roster spot. There are success stories (Kasper, Carlson, Terry, Lindholm) and failures (Kevan Miller) from coming back from a broken kneecap.....so I think that LT-IRing him isn't likely, and I think putting him in Rochester is even less likely.

The main argument for Kulich and Danforth to start in Roch is so they can get back up to game speed and make sure they hold up since they both missed nearly the entire season, and there is no need to rush Kulich specially if he isnt up to game speed and conditioning.

 

[Gras]

I was assuming part of the reason Mal and Greenway were dead last was due to defensive zone deployments and getting no o zone time. Just defensive zone and pks. But who was their center? Was it McLeod? He was also very low on that list. If it was Krebs, then I dont even know what to make of that because Krebs was very high on the list...

Carrick, Kozak and Dunne were their primary Centers.

 

[Sabre the Win]

Power is a very good number three/good two with the potential to be more. I don’t see how that equates to a first line center value.

Regardless of how a young player is playing up until now. Where they were drafted still plays in favor of better returns like a pedigree.

 

[Zman5778]

I was assuming part of the reason Mal and Greenway were dead last was due to defensive zone deployments and getting no o zone time. Just defensive zone and pks. But who was their center? Was it McLeod? He was also very low on that list. If it was Krebs, then I dont even know what to make of that because Krebs was very high on the list...

Carrick for a game. Krebs for a few. McLeod for a few. Kozak for a few. Dunne got a game or two. Think Ostlund got a little run with them too, maybe.

 

[Jetskiis]

Carrick, Kozak and Dunne were their primary Centers.

everybody else was so much higher on the list, i wonder what is causing that. specifically for Mal, i know why greenway, guy cant skate with the team

 

[Zman5778]

The main argument for Kulich and Danforth to start in Roch is so they can get back up to game speed and make sure they hold up since they both missed nearly the entire season, and there is no need to rush Kulich specially if he isnt up to game speed and conditioning.

I get the argument.

Problem is, Lindy in his end-of-year presser stated that he's fully expecting Kulich to be NHL ready.

 

[Chainshot]

I was assuming part of the reason Mal and Greenway were dead last was due to defensive zone deployments and getting no o zone time. Just defensive zone and pks. But who was their center? Was it McLeod? He was also very low on that list. If it was Krebs, then I dont even know what to make of that because Krebs was very high on the list...

Remember that Krebs started on Thompson's wing and was productive in the Bruin series at LW. Kozak had some run with Greenway and Malenstyn, so too did McLeod and later Krebs. Not the be all, end all but it's an indicator that they as a fourth line had some issues (which we saw when Montreal was able to get the Suzuki line out against them at times and absolutely pinned them for lengthy shifts in the d-zone).

 

[Chainshot]

everybody else was so much higher on the list, i wonder what is causing that. specifically for Mal, i know why greenway, guy cant skate with the team

Kozak had the most minutes with them at 39.9, Krebs was 13.8, then 12.7 with McLeod and 12.6 with Dunne per moneypuck -

NHL Lines Advanced Stats

The Best Offensive and Defensive Lines in the NHL

moneypuck.com

 

[Zman5778]

everybody else was so much higher on the list, i wonder what is causing that.

How does JFresh define "scoring chance contributions"? That might go a long way. If he defines it as "would have gotten a goal, primary assist or secondary assist had the puck gone in the net".....I think it makes some sense. Beck and Greenway would do the banging on the board, who would get the puck to their center....then the center back to the defense and rinse and repeat.

 

[Sabre the Win]

Ottawa and Florida being above Buffalo seems kind of crazy.

Ottawa yeah but Florida no, they still have the experience to win a cup. Age means nothing as we have seen from Tampa over the years.

 

[mviewer1]

I wrote a post in the playoff thread, and it's basically that the Sabres should lean into their puck possession game and add where they have difficulty competing with Carolina. That's what Tampa, Florida, and Carolina did: double down on their identity and reinforce their poor areas.

The Sabres play a Soviet style possession game where all four skaters are involved. It's refreshing to see because when done correctly, the play style if dominant. Chicago and Tampa had derivatives of the original Detroit style.

I'd expect Jarmo to let internal development and another year in the playoffs direct his next actions. If you ran that out to what it looks like:

Re-sign RFAs Benson, Kesselring, Krebs to AFP projections
Re-sign UFA Malenstyn to AFP projection
Send Danforth and Kulich to Rochester
Trade Greenway as a cap dump
Delay the goalie decision between Ellis and Levi to see who wins out
Byram likes his role and re-signs a long-term extension.

Here's the roster (please don't read into the lines, this is just for accounting purposes)

Krebs - Norris - Thompson
Benson - Ostlund - Doan
Zucker - Helenius - Quinn
Malenstyn - McLeod - Carrick
x Kozak

Samuelsson - Dahlin
Byram - Power
Kesselring - Timmins
x Metsa

UPL, Lyon, Ellis/Levi

That's a lineup that gives a ton of experience to players like Ostlund, Helenius, Benson, and Doan. Kulich starts in Rochester to work back into playing condition, but there will be injuries and he'll get his NHL time too.

This lineup gives Kesselring a year to work back into the player we thought we were getting. It also gives the team a year to figure out the goaltending, as this off-season isn't a great time for it.

This team gets into the playoffs and figures out more of what it takes. Carrick, Zucker, Timmins, Danforth, Metsa, and Lyon are UFAs. Ostlund, Quinn, Kulich, and Ellis/Levi are RFAs.

I think then that narrows the scope of what the team needs for the long-term. I could live with all of this and I think the younger Sabres would be better off.

I doubt Kesselring - Timmins will be used as a regular third pair. If the objective is to rehabilitate Kesselring's game, playing him on his weak side is probably not the way to do it. Switching Kesselring and Timmins puts Timmins out-of-position. Not sure who Ruff has less confidence in: R Johnson or M Kesselring. Don't think we'll be seeing much of either on the roster next season.

 

[Der Jaeger]

Everything Lindy has said indicates he believes Kulich will be ready to go by the start of next season. This idea that he needs to start in Rochester is stupid and people need to stop perpetuating it.

Not really sure why you'd think that. The NHL even has a designation for it: conditioning stint. "Ready to go" doesn't equal ready for NHL level games, after close to a year not playing. There's nothing wrong with Kulich playing 5-10 games in Rochester to start the season.

In that same vein -- I see a lot of people writing off Danforth in one way or another. I think he's EXACTLY what Lindy wants on that 4th line. A 4th line of Beck-Carrick-Danforth would be MISERABLE to play against. And if Beck doesn't re-sign, I think it's very likely that Danforth occupies that roster spot. There are success stories (Kasper, Carlson, Terry, Lindholm) and failures (Kevan Miller) from coming back from a broken kneecap.....so I think that LT-IRing him isn't likely, and I think putting him in Rochester is even less likely.

The easiest two roster decisions to make are Kulich and Danforth if Jarmo wants to keep the roster basically the same.

Otherwise, he's sending Kozak down, starting Helenius in Rochester, or exposing someone to waivers which he doesn't really need to. Or they need a trade.

There will be injuries. Kulich and Danforth won't be there long, if that's how Jarmo starts the season. Norris got hurt on October 9 in the first game and was out until November. Danforth broke his kneecap on October 15 and was out all year. Kulich was out on November 4 and never returned. Benson was hurt on October 31. Zucker went out November 3. Kesselring was out most of the year. Dahlin was out for personal reasons.

Having 2-3 players in Rochester to start the season, who can immediately come up, is smart.

 

[Der Jaeger]

I doubt Kesselring - Timmins will be used as a regular third pair. If the objective is to rehabilitate Kesselring's game, playing him on his weak side is probably not the way to do it. Switching Kesselring and Timmins puts Timmins out-of-position. Not sure who Ruff has less confidence in: R Johnson or M Kesselring. Don't think we'll be seeing much of either on the roster next season.

The top four defense are all left handed D. I don't think having two right handed D on the bottom pairing is a big deal. Metsa spent a good bit of time on the left side.

And the way the Sabres play, the D don't stay on their sides.

 

[Sabre the Win]

Not really sure why you'd think that. The NHL even has a designation for it: conditioning stint. "Ready to go" doesn't equal ready for NHL level games, after close to a year not playing. There's nothing wrong with Kulich playing 5-10 games in Rochester to start the season.

This makes sense if it was mid season but he's been practicing and will have all off season to get in shape just like everyone else.

 

[Gras]

The top four defense are all left handed D. I don't think having two right handed D on the bottom pairing is a big deal. Metsa spent a good bit of time on the left side.

And the way the Sabres play, the D don't stay on their sides.

If they do a full season of rotating the two RD with the 4 LD throughout the game again.

 

[Ace]

I doubt Kesselring - Timmins will be used as a regular third pair. If the objective is to rehabilitate Kesselring's game, playing him on his weak side is probably not the way to do it. Switching Kesselring and Timmins puts Timmins out-of-position. Not sure who Ruff has less confidence in: R Johnson or M Kesselring. Don't think we'll be seeing much of either on the roster next season.

This goes back to an argument being made lately that I think started with Friedman about why Kesselring fell out of favor. It’s something that literally made zero sense but people keep using it as a talking point. Basically…that Kesselring couldn’t adapt to playing a third pair defensive role. …. That’s not how he was used. A majority of the season he was listed on the third pair with Metsa…but they didn’t really play together as a third pair. They rotated in with the top 4 to spread minutes and give different looks. Thats what he was doing. He was bad at it. But he wasn’t being tasked with these third pair shutdown minutes I have no idea where that idea came from. They didn’t try doing that until Stanley came…and after that Kesselring couldn’t get into the lineup aside from like four bad minutes against Boston. If those four minutes are what Friedman or whoever was talking about…I guess…but it seems to come from a fundamental misunderstanding of how this defense was deployed when Kesselring actually played. His minutes were with the top guys. And he sucked anyway. Not because he was asked to do be a shutdown D. Because he wasn’t good.

 

[Chainshot]

His chance and chance assist stuff is certainly something to ponder in terms of methods, though there is also this -

 

[sabremike]

His chance and chance assist stuff is certainly something to ponder in terms of methods, though there is also this -

 

[DJN21]

Malenstyn would low key be just as big a loss as Tuck.

Its not low key at all for me. If I were gm I'd be getting his deal done first and foremost. Byram is signed for the year and tuch is at the very very least getting to July 1st to test the market. No need to waste time on them and lose beck.

 

[thewookie1]

His chance and chance assist stuff is certainly something to ponder in terms of methods, though there is also this -

Love how Tage is just hiding at the bottom being the only 2 round player there. Then you have McKinnon who may as well have broken the chart based on his numbers.

 

[Dingo44]

Love how Tage is just hiding at the bottom being the only 2 round player there. Then you have McKinnon who may as well have broken the chart based on his numbers.

I've seen a couple of people argue we should actually consider trading Tage and his $7,142,857 AAV contract because...???