The Roster Thread, Summer 2024

[toddkaz]

Keep adding...

That's what the open plus is for. I would give up Kulich for him

 

[Sabresfansince1980]

There is no chance in hell Adams does a grand overall change of the roster this offseason especially with the moves he's made previously. He will probably add a 3C and a bottom 6 winger, maybe a depth defensemen for cheap and call it an offseason. Maybe he also splashes a UFA for 1 year like Patrick Kane, I don't see anything more.


You hit the nail squarely here. Skinner's cap isn't a problem this year and could be more of a problem in 2-3 years when we are one player away.

Why do people not understand that making a blockbuster move that isn't giving up X for prospects is virtually impossible due to no move/trade clauses? Even if Adams offers X for player Y and that team agrees to it player Y invokes his NTC and the deal falls apart. People expecting a miraculous makeover of the roster this offseason are going to end up being bitterly disappointed.

I don't see KA having the will to make a huge trade that likely gives up picks/prospects for a win-now player. First I just don't think he has the confidence to give up on futures. Second I think he really believes in building a team through the draft, and doesn't see the urgency for GOOD vets that make a difference in on-ice play and not just "leadership". Then there's the cost aspect that I strongly suspect Pegula is relying on (be competitive for as cheap as possible).

If I'm wrong about all that stuff, there is still the big task of pulling off a trade to acquire a difference making player that somehow another team is willing to send off. It's rare, and part of my frustration with the TDL trade. Finding a C that's better than Krebs and at least as capable if not more veteran savvy at C than Thompson/Cozens...well it's almost impossible. Settling for less and just getting a no-offense checking C that slots Krebs back down won't move the needle enough when the top-two Cs are struggling or just too dumb to play right. I just don't see any good/probable solution this summer, and that no matter how much better Ruff can be as HC, until Thompson/Cozens get better and another quality C is added, we're just pretenders.

So...given how I feel about the team's future for the next couple seasons, I'd just rather eat Skinner's whole cap hit for three years and be done with it as fast as possible.

 

[Sabre the Win]

I remain amazed how many people still look at the Skinner decision as a cap saving idea and not a “this player can’t play here anymore” idea.

If he’s getting bought out it’s not to save them cap this year. It’s because he can’t play in the bottom six and he doesn’t belong in the top six.

The cap is something you deal with because you made the choice to move on from an aging low effort player. Paying him 9 million to sit isn’t a real plan. Moving on is. Because you’re trying to win. And that starts by jettisoning the losers.

Wanting to ride this another year…when you need to start winning…because of the cap penalties 4-6 years away is madness. And if you had the GM job and it was on the line…you wouldn’t do it.

I'll go against you and this entire board on the stance that Jeff Skinner is not the sole reason we aren't making the playoffs and raise you the situation in goal has largely been the biggest factor. He may be a part of it but if you were to run the same team back this year as last minus Skinner, the difference is UPL playing like he did the second half in the first half not Jeff Skinner finding defence.

 

[Sabresfansince1980]

I'll go against you and this entire board on the stance that Jeff Skinner is not the sole reason we aren't making the playoffs and raise you the situation in goal has largely been the biggest factor. He may be a part of it but if you were to run the same team back this year as last minus Skinner, the difference is UPL playing like he did the second half in the first half.

Yeah, the difference between this team finishing 5th or 6th again vs making the playoffs is NOT Skinner. There's a ton more to improve on besides him, and either way they aren't a SC contender for the next couple seasons, so why slap yourself with dead cap for three more years after he could be gone?

 

[GrierIsGod123]

I don't see KA having the will to make a huge trade that likely gives up picks/prospects for a win-now player. First I just don't think he has the confidence to give up on futures. Second I think he really believes in building a team through the draft, and doesn't see the urgency for GOOD vets that make a difference in on-ice play and not just "leadership". Then there's the cost aspect that I strongly suspect Pegula is relying on (be competitive for as cheap as possible).

If I'm wrong about all that stuff, there is still the big task of pulling off a trade to acquire a difference making player that somehow another team is willing to send off. It's rare, and part of my frustration with the TDL trade. Finding a C that's better than Krebs and at least as capable if not more veteran savvy at C than Thompson/Cozens...well it's almost impossible. Settling for less and just getting a no-offense checking C that slots Krebs back down won't move the needle enough when the top-two Cs are struggling or just too dumb to play right. I just don't see any good/probable solution this summer, and that no matter how much better Ruff can be as HC, until Thompson/Cozens get better and another quality C is added, we're just pretenders.

We're a bottom 5-10 Center group until those two figure it out, you're right on here. I'm really hoping Ruff can unlock both of these guys a bit.

Tage was starting to come on at the end of the year. If we can settle into a 70-80 point guy, I think that'd be fine. For this team to be successful, they'll also need Cozens to get back to 30ish goals and 65ish points. Otherwise, you're not competing with the top teams that have 100 point centers. If they can be a bit better defensively and maintain some semblance of last season's scoring levels, we'll be a good team.

Our differentiator will need to be depth, similar to the 05-07 teams. They cannot have passengers on this type of roster build because they simply don't have any elite talent outside of Dahlin, like not a single other player. Hence why the buyout/trade with Skinner is so important to the roster makeup.

 

[jc17]

I'll go against you and this entire board on the stance that Jeff Skinner is not the sole reason we aren't making the playoffs and raise you the situation in goal has largely been the biggest factor. He may be a part of it but if you were to run the same team back this year as last minus Skinner, the difference is UPL playing like he did the second half in the first half not Jeff Skinner finding defence.

Yeah I definitely understand the cultural argument for sending him packing, but the last few times we sent high profile/productive players packing, it turned out they were actually capable of winning

losing him on top of losing mitts, puts the team in an uphill battle to find offense in the offseason. Long term him not being here might be better for the culture, but unless they've got a replacement lined up I don't think it brings us closer to the playoffs immediately.

 

[Fjordy]

Yeah I definitely understand the cultural argument for sending him packing, but the last few times we sent high profile/productive players packing, it turned out they were actually capable of winning

losing him on top of losing mitts, puts the team in an uphill battle to find offense in the offseason. Long term him not being here might be better for the culture, but unless they've got a replacement lined up I don't think it brings us closer to the playoffs immediately.

I'm sure there will be a replacement for them and more than one.

 

[BuffaloGooner]

How we feeling about Nic Dowd?

 

[Fjordy]

How we feeling about Nic Dowd?

Very good 4C, would be a good addition.

 

[Gabrielor]

How we feeling about Nic Dowd?

Do it. Great addition.

 

[Chainshot]

How we feeling about Nic Dowd?

Would love it.

 

[Uberpecker]

Even though history should have me know better given their trade track record over the past couple of years, I still hate it when trades are happening and I can't find the (BUF) anywhere in the headlines on the trade board. I'm like "Darcy, do something!"
Must be a dopamine thing.

 

[jc17]

Looks Washington has 1 too many centers now

 

[Sabre the Win]

How we feeling about Nic Dowd?

Not sure how much he has left in the tank but he's a real good stop gap at 4C this year and you can punt the position need down the line til next year.

I honestly don't see him being the piece we need long-term at 34, next season be will be 35 and looking for a contract.

 

[Joseph Nathan]

Erickson Ek come on down!

Johnson+11th+ going the other way

Minnesota seems like a good match to trade with

Erickson Ek would be a great fit here.

Eriksson ek is Minnesota 1C! lol this isn’t close and wild aren’t trading him. Not a chance

 

[toddkaz]

Eriksson ek is Minnesota 1C! lol this isn’t close and wild aren’t trading him. Not a chance

There is a plus. That means more....Did you miss that part or just wanted to be negative.

 

[MOGlLNY]

the strawman argument that buying out skinner is not gonna solve all the Sabres problems is so weird. Obviously that’s true but it makes things a lot easier cap construction wise + ability to make more moves.

It’s all about what’s done after. Id rather be proactive than reactive on a situation like this.

 

[MarkusKetterer]

There is a plus. That means more....Did you miss that part or just wanted to be negative.

They’re still not gonna trade him. Maybe if it was Tage for JEE.

 

[Gras]

They’re still not gonna trade him. Maybe if it was Tage for JEE.

Trade would probably cost more than what we got from Vegas for Eichel

 

[TehDoak]

In the end, buying out Skinner is absolutely the right move.

But, in the end, it's what we do with the cap space created and all our assets that is going to make the difference. Hopefully this is the start of a fun summer. I have a lot more faith with Ruff in the room dictating the kind of players he needs to build a winning roster than team Granato/Adams. Whether Adams can get them or not, that is another story.

 

[Joseph Nathan]

There is a plus. That means more....Did you miss that part or just wanted to be negative.

Or you know wild aren’t trading their 1C on long term contracts no matter what. He’s not available! Wild aren’t trading their top C no matter what

 

[Djp]

How we feeling about Nic Dowd?

Not trading 11OA for him...

 

[Sabresfansince1980]

the strawman argument that buying out skinner is not gonna solve all the Sabres problems is so weird. Obviously that’s true but it makes things a lot easier cap construction wise + ability to make more moves.

It’s all about what’s done after. Id rather be proactive than reactive on a situation like this.

It's not weird because it's not a strawman. It matters that there is more to improve on, because it's going to take a few seasons. Roster holes have to be fixed and many players need to get older, stronger, and more experienced. KA may actually believe in the prospects being the answer as opposed to big trades. That means time. By the time all that happens Skinner and his contract will be gone.
Unless the buyout...then you keep dead cap when most of these guys finally hit their prime and are ready to be a legit SC contender.

 

[Doug Prishpreed]

There is a plus. That means more....Did you miss that part or just wanted to be negative.

Did you miss the part about them not wanting to trade their 1c? Unless he needs a neck surgery, it’s not happening. How could you possibly think this is in the realm of possibility?

 

[Fjordy]

Not trading 11OA for him...

We wouldn't have to do this anyway.