The Roster Thread, Summer 2024

[Dubi Doo]

So, after day 1....my thoughts:

1.) LOVE what they did to the 4th line. It's now an actual NHL 4th line that Lindy is going to love.
2.) Zucker is a fine addition to the middle 6. Yeah, he's older, but he's got a bit left in the tank. Yes, he's overpaid.......but that's what we gotta do.
3.) As of right now, our playoff hopes are dependent on:
a.) Tage being healthy and playing more like 22/23
b.) Tuch being healthy and playing more like 22/23
c.) JJP not regressing
d.) Quinn being healthy and progressing
e.) Benson progressing
f.) Cozens progressing and playing more like 22/23
(notice a theme?)
g.) UPL playing like last season

We shall see.

There are probably a few more letters you can add there if you include the defense.

That being said, I'm not jumping off the ledge like most other posters are. Im intrigued by this LU. They have energy players who can actually play and a coach who garners respect.

I'm also probably the only poster who is intrigued with what Krebs can do on a shutdown line between Greenway and Benson. It's not what I prefer. I WANT a known asset there, but Im not throwing in the towel, either (Still strongly prefer a trade).

One thing is for sure, a bottom-6 of...

Greenway-Krebs-Benson
Beck- Lafferty- Aube-Kubel

...is going to bring that energy night in and night out. We've seen Krebs do well on a checking line before, and he's got the linemates to do it again, and now we have another, more physical checking line to throw over the boards. I dont doubt this team will be much more physical, and battle like rabid dogs.

Zucker adds physically to the top-6, and isn't a lazy ass like Skinner. There's a template theyre laying down here that I vibe with even though Im not thrilled to rely on Krebs and Joki again this season.

 

[Beerz]

I think Byram and Power take big steps forward this year.

I think fans are underestimating this team out of spite of Adams.


Perhaps Benson, Quinn and Peterka can have a much better showing this year.

The Skinner buyout is a bit boggling unless a trade is coming he seemed to want to be here and wasn't standing in the way of our prospects.

Savoie, Kulich and Rosen are wild cards.

Shoring up the 4th line was a step forward too

If UPL plays a full year like he did last year and If the team can gel maybe we have a shot at the playoffs.

It's a roll of the dice if those players take steps or not.

We did this last year.

 

[SabresNorth]

I usually go into the season with my hopes up and then get crushed. Last year I didn't think we did near enough to upgrade, and right now i see the roster as worse then what we started with last season. There is a long off season ahead but I think top 4 day as everyone else is saying, and a top line winger would be the missings. Find an upgade to Skinner and push everyone down a line.

Hard part would be to pull it off and keep cozens, quinn, and Benson.

 

[elchud]

Henrique, 1x$7.5

Malenstyn 3x$2.25
Krebs 3x$2
Joker 3x$3.5
UPL 4x$4.5

 

[Beerz]

So now we have to hope for the 5% chance that Savoie just comes in and kills it in preseason and at Center and is ready to take that spot.

 

[StrompTroller]

This is hands down the worst professional team in sports history. There is nothing to sugar coat anymore. Nothing they have done in the last 4 days makes any sense at all.

Imagine being ANY other team and seeing you did something in free agency?? Must be nice. Zucker for Skinner yet paying Skinner still? FFS I would want Zucker to pay us for the chance.

We were a joke....now we are the punchline and somehow worse. Hey at least we have all our picks and prospects to ruin.....

 

[My Cozen Dylan]

Opening lineup last year
Skinner - Thompson - Tuch
Peterka - Cozens - Olofsson*
Greenway - Mittelstadt - Benson
Girgensons - Krebs - Okposo

Samuelsson - Dahlin
Power - Clifton
E. Johnson - Jokiharju

Levi / Comrie

*Would've been Quinn

Where we stand today
Peterka - Thompson - Tuch
Zucker - Cozens - Quinn
Greenway - Krebs - Benson
Malenstyn - Lafferty - Aube-Kubel

Byram - Dahlin
Power - Jokiharju
Samuelsson - Clifton

Luukkonen / Levi

Comparison
Forward: I see a 4th line that has more physicality, energy, and purpose. The 3rd line remains suspect/incomplete. The top-six is the same, if not worse.

Defense: Swapping E. Johnson for Byram is an upgrade, for sure, but we are still missing a true #4.

Goaltending: Better


I think this team, with improved coaching and structure, could get to 90 points, maybe. Almost certainly not a playoff team.

 

[NotABadPeriod]

Opening lineup last year
Skinner - Thompson - Tuch
Peterka - Cozens - Quinn*
Greenway - Mittelstadt - Benson
Girgensons - Krebs - Okposo

Samuelsson - Dahlin
Power - Clifton
E. Johnson - Jokiharju

Levi / Comrie

Where we stand today
Peterka - Thompson - Tuch
Zucker - Cozens - Quinn
Greenway - Krebs - Benson
Malenstyn - Lafferty - Aube-Kubel

Byram - Dahlin
Power - Jokiharju
Samuelsson - Clifton

Luukkonen / Levi

Comparison
Forward: I see a 4th line that has more physicality, energy, and purpose. The 3rd line remains suspect/incomplete. The top-six is the same, if not worse.

Defense: Swapping E. Johnson for Byram is an upgrade, for sure, but we are still missing a true #4.

Goaltending: Better


I think this team, with improved coaching and structure, could get to 90 points, maybe. Almost certainly not a playoff team.

Technically Quinn wasn't in the opening lineup last year (replace with Olofsson).

 

[My Cozen Dylan]

Technically Quinn wasn't in the opening lineup last year (replace with Olofsson).

Yep I remembered that after I typed it out.

 

[joshjull]

I'm worried about the PK. Lafferty and NAK basically didn't pk at all last year, and Malenstyn did but didn't grade out well.

We gained size and speed, but not a ton of defensive acumen added. Lafferty, Zucker, and Malenstyn didn't have great defensive numbers. NAK is solid defensively, but we lost Girgs who grades out better for many years than any of them.

I like Lafferty better than Krebs as 4c, but he's 47% on faceoffs for his career. Not a strength.

We might have slightly changed/improved our 4th line in some ways, but not others. It's not a homerun for me. And that's basically all we did.

Not a ton of excitement for the season if this is the end of the moves.

They are good defensively. We literally have 2/3rds of one of the better 4th lines from last season who played a ridiculously difficult deployment.

 

[toddkaz]

It's a roll of the dice if those players take steps or not.

We did this last year.

Unfortunately Adams isn't capable of improving the team significantly.

So next year it's basically cross you fingers and hope for the best....again

 

[joshjull]

Can we stop the BS from some that Adams said he was done? I listened to the entire interview and that’s not the case. He was talking near the end about things settling after free agency. That teams getting players they didn’t expect in free agency would make others available.

 

[Dirty Dog]

I agree this team could improve and make the playoffs. The part I can’t understand is relying on Krebs to fil the 3C spot, it’s such wishful thinking and seems based on nothing.

And look, maybe they don’t want that and make a trade….but as of right now

 

[joshjull]

Adam’s mentioned Gilbert will be on NHL roster. I have to imagine that means Joker is heading out the door. Unless they plan on sending Bryson to the Amerks.

 

[Dubi Doo]

Can we stop the BS from some that Adams said he was done? I listened to the entire interview and that’s not the case. He was talking near the end about thigns settling after free agency, teams getting players they didn’t expect in free agency which would make others available.

There have been so many hot takes and emotional rants that Im taking 90% of the posters posts with a grain of salt. I may have quite the cluster on my ignore list this year, and this is coming from a man whose wife believes he's the rant king. She hasn't read this board before!

 

[Fjordy]

Maybe they'll trade Greenway, Joker and Krebs.

 

[Doug Prishpreed]

And then what happened?

Look at that roster…with those massive holes in key places.

Now imagine it with one injury. Now imagine it with two.

Now imagine the other teams improving on top of all that.

 

[Dubi Doo]

Maybe they'll trade Greenway, Joker and Krebs.

Joker and Krebs? Hell yeah. Greenway? From my cold, dead hands!

 

[Vito_81]

Adam’s mentioned Gilbert will be on NHL roster. I have to imagine that means Joker is heading out the door. Unless they plan on sending Bryson to the Amerks.

A win-win would be both happening.

 

[Fjordy]

Joker and Krebs? Hell yeah. Greenway? From my cold, dead hands!

I'm just trying to figure out who the top 6 forward will be if Adams adds him.

 

[MOGlLNY]

I’m fine with them running back the defense core and betting on Byram, Power and Dahlin to all be better.

Offense needs another top 6er. Minimum. Ideally we get a 3C too like Colton.

 

[TehDoak]

Can we stop the BS from some that Adams said he was done? I listened to the entire interview and that’s not the case. He was talking near the end about things settling after free agency. That teams getting players they didn’t expect in free agency would make others available.

Based on 5 years of past performance, it certainly feels like he’s done.

Nashville is an obvious target with a few guys without NMC though.

 

[Fjordy]

Unless they plan on sending Bryson to the Amerks

With Johnson, Clague, Davis and Novikov? I doubt

 

[Gras]

Adam’s mentioned Gilbert will be on NHL roster. I have to imagine that means Joker is heading out the door. Unless they plan on sending Bryson to the Amerks.

I imagine Gilbert is the 7, Bryson, RyJo, Clague make up the 8-10

 

[TehDoak]

I'm just trying to figure out who the top 6 forward will be if Adams adds him.

Farabee is signed, with term, and local kid and no trade protection. If I had to guess, it checks kevyns wishlist.