dudacek

They eliminated the draft pick compensation. I think it was the season after Bylsma (naturally)

To be fair, he did, he just picked the wrong goalie. It is pretty crazy to look at what happened with the goalies who moved last year. I mean who knew Georgiev and Gustafson would play great Vanecek, Samsonov and Kuemper be OK? And Campbell, Comrie, Talbot, Husso and Murray fail? I can almost guarantee the same goalies won’t be in the same category next year. Seems like there’s only a dozen or so goalies you can count on. Let’s just hope Levi joins them.

Do Jost, Okposo and Girgensons fit? How many of the kids can you project higher int the lineup? Who is expendable? How do you best fill the holes?

Under contract and properly slotted for what they have shown so far (not line combos): Skinner Thompson Tuch Mittelstadt Cozens xxx Greenway/Olofsson xxx Quinn* Peterka* Krebs* xxx Kulich* Savoie* Rousek Dahlin xxx Power* Samuelsson* Lyubushkin Jokiharju Bryson Stillman XXX UPL/Comrie Levi* *A player who could reasonably make a leap

#5 forwards salary-wise make between $3.2 and 4.2 million #5 forwards production-wise score between 35 and 40 points Casey Mittelstadt made $2.5 million and scored 59 points. If you could convince him to sign a similar contract to the 4 year $4.4 million deal just inked by the very comparable Filip Chytil, I would do it. The affordable deals we gave Tage and Cozens creates some flexibility and it’s a very tradeable deal if you need to create space for a breakout Quinn or Savoie.

The flaw in this argument is portraying Casey as a “3rd line guy”. A better argument would be to acknowledge him as the team’s 5th forward: it’s reflected in his ice time and it’s reflected in his production. Maybe the kids will eventually push past him, but right now they haven’t and it’s not particularly close.

It was tongue-in-cheek given your feelings about Krebs. I guess I need to up my emoji game. My serious response would be that I’ve liked the way Krebs has seemed to embraced his role between Girgensons and Okposo. No signs of pouting, just consistent hustle and a much-improved defensive game. As to the bold, my guess is that it’s because he wants to be here and he’s bought into what the coaches are selling. He’s been shown a path to more ice time and he’s blazing it. Or, in other words, maybe he’s not an entitled douchebag?

You and your wishful thinking.

You don’t think acquiring 2 franchise D, a shutdown D and legit starter is the hardest part of building behind the blueline? I think, like most of us, that a 4D is needed and should be acquired. I think Jokiharju, Lyubushkin and Stillman stack up pretty well against the 5-6-7s around the league. I think the lack of depth on defence is the 4th or 5th most important factor in our terrible goals-against (the 5th being the PK) #1 Is a coaching philosophy aimed around out scoring the opposition. #2 Is too many bad performances by our goalies #3 Is the overall inexperience of our team: we had what 5 players with 300 games under their belts to start the season and two of them were 22/23-year-old defencemen? We are addressing #3 by playing (and to a lesser degree by adding Greenway and Jost), #2 by Levi and #1 will have to be addressed through coaching. Funnily enough, down the stretch, with those things in place, our GAA was 3.00, 18th in the league. Improvement is there, if you look.

Old ground, but I don’t know why so many people don’t seem to consider internal growth as improvement. Two years ago we didn’t have a 1C, now we have Tage Last year we didn’t have a 2C, now we have Dylan Maybe next year we have a 1G “because Devon” or a 3C “because Peyton” or a 2W “because Jack” or a 3W “because Jordan” or even another 1D “because Owen”

That really depends on what lens you look through, no? Looks to me like we’ve got maybe the best top 3D groupings in the league and a diamond coming in goal. 3 years ago we had just one of those 4 crucial pieces and many were even questioning him. We didn’t have that before. Seems to me that the hardest parts have been addressed.

It appeared to me that is exactly what they were doing with him this year. Down the stretch he was getting tough matchups and d-zone faceoffs on a regular basis between Kyle and Zemgus and a regular shift on the PK, and playing 15 minutes a night. And as @Brawndo said, he put up some of the best defensive metrics on the team. The number of people who don't see it the way I do have got me 2nd-guessing myself, but to me it's obvious: they've figured out that Tage and Dylan are 1/2 so he's being groomed to be a traditional 2-way 3C behind them. He's got the skillset: he's fast, he's smart, he hustles, he's edgy and he's fearless; he just has to keep reworking his game and gaining experience. it's a major shift in focus for him: he's been a playmaker on offensively bereft teams, forced to be a one-man offensive show for most of his development years. Maybe fans expected a different type of player — an Adam Oates type? — when we got him, and that's why they're slow to come around to seeing him in this role?

I want hear him say “we are going to stay the course” and deflect when asked if he expects the team to make the playoffs. Just to ***** with the posters who think those things mean they don’t want to be good right now.

Remember when the big question was “where’s Terry?”

Dahlin’s late season slump certainly helped the Sabres cap. He’s not likely to demand more than Makar or Fox now, whereas 90 points and an easy Norris nomination might have put him there. Ive posted it earlier, but the only real Power comparable is Aaron Ekblad and his deal in today’s dollars would come in at around $8.5 if memory serves. The Sabres would almost certainly have to offer $8ish to entice him to sign, otherwise he’s more likely just to wait until next summer, betting he can up his value with a good year.

That's hardly apples to apples and largely a question of math. Both the NHL and the NFL draft about 230 players. The NFL has about 1700 roster spots available for what, a dozen different player types? The NHL has about 700 for 3. A much larger percentage of NFL draftees are going to make it and many more will become starters because there are 22 openings, compared to 6. Also, about 60 players picked in any NHL draft actually go on to become NHL regulars. Assuming a general curve of talent, it would make sense that many players picked in the mid to late 1st become mid-roster players or worse.

I believe the experience gained this year, coupled with the additions of Levi and to a lesser extent Greenway and Stillman is enough to put them in the playoffs next year if they come back with the same roster. This does not mean it is what I would do, or what I think they will do. They have holes to fill and the means to fill them. The goal for next year is not to make the playoffs, but to arrive as team that will contend for a long time.

October 2023 Raises are due for Dahlin, Power, Mitts, Jokiharju and Krebs in October 2024

Fair comment. The same can be said for anyone on the roster not yet considered "core". My point is more about people making up their minds that Krebs is the one who "needs to go" too quickly. Let's use the time we've got to see who grows into what, and where the redundancies are.

I think all 3 of Krebs Quinn and Peterka can have NHL futures in the top 9 and agree that Quinn has the highest ceiling. I see no reason why that can't be in Buffalo. And I thought this team, of all teams, should know not to make up their minds on a player too early.

Dave? He’s a killer.

Should give credit where it was due on that one. Good post, but it wasn’t me. Just wish I could remember who. I think @Brawndo?

“I’m going to tell you what I think in a way I will pretend is a question and hope it leads you to agree with me.” Classic PHam. I will say, the players are starting to become comfortable with the media in a way I haven’t seen in a while. Ras is a little goofy and genuine, Casey has an aw shucks thing going, Tage is very focused and analytical, Tuch has them eating out his hands, and Kyle is as thoughtful and articulate as any player we’ve ever seen in front of a mike in that room. Yes, I know the circumstances have changed and that is largely why. But it certainly adds to the likability quotient these guys are building.

“I’m going to tell you what I think in a way I will pretend is a question and hope it leads you to agree with me.” Classic PHam.

You may be right. Personally, I think it’s Olofsson if it’s anyone. Then again, they need 14 forwards. They don’t have to trade anyone to add. Tage Tuch Skinner Cozens Mitts Quinn Krebs Peterka Greenway is only 9. ”Compher” is 10. That leaves 4 spots for any of Olofsson, Girgs, Kyle, Savoie, Rousek, Jost or whoever else they choose to keep, sign or promote.