dudacek

Dahlin, Thompson, Skinner are significantly better. Cozens, Jokiharju and Okposo are better. Tuch is better than we expected. Olofsson and Mitts are worse. Asplund and Bryson are the same. Krebs, Samuelsson, Fitz are rookies. Eakin, Hayden, Bjork, Pysyk, Hagg don’t really matter.

The Mitts line has been so overmatched physically. They look like little boys out there.

Not disputing your point, but he is still 18, unless you meant past his draft year by overage? To your point, 12 other U19 OHL players have better points per game.

Roster/waiver rules, the faint hope of trading Eakin, the need to have some decent bodies in Rochester, a “let’s just wait until the deadline and/or healthy bodies (Hinostroza, Girgs, Quinn) get back” mindset, and the very real possibility that Murray/Biro/Jankowski are whoever else is available is not significant upgrades to those three? (Just spitballing, personally can’t wait until Bjork and Eakin are as relevant as Brian Flynn and Matt D’Agostini)

For some perspective, Mitts has played 75 more NHL games than Cozens has (166 vs 91). He’s not as far along the development curve as one might think.

“ We need to accelerate the developmental process of our players. So I need to get them fast experience. The hope and objective would be they learn faster because they get opportunity. I want to give him opportunity to play against top players and you know, he's really our number one penalty-kill guy. He's our go-to guy on the penalty kill now." That’s Donnie, talking about Mule, but he could also be talking about Cozens, Krebs, Fitz, Thompson, Dahlin, Mitts, Asplund, and others. I count 7 Sabres expected to play tonight who have yet to crack the 200 games mark, plus Bjork and Thompson who just hit it. Our first-pair D are 21 and 22. Our 2nd-pair D have played 27 and 15 NHL games, respectively Thompson and Tuch have never before played on an NHL first line. Cozens, Krebs, Mitts and Asplund - all in the top 9 - have less than 400 NHL games experience combined. We’ve got basically 4 proven players playing significant roles and one of those guys is 64 years old.

And to be clear, this is happening on a team that has had crazy lineups holes this year due to injuries, illness, and call ups and he still hasn’t been able to play himself off the 4th line.

When (if) most of Cozens, Mitts, Krebs, Quinn, Peterka, Power, Samuelsson, Johnson, Luukkonen, Levi etc. grow into their talent the way Thompson and Dahlin have. You’re overthinking it.

I despise Gudas. He’d be a great fit. Good call.

Be well.

I agree the line (which, to be fair, was actually the 3rd line) was often good, but that doesn’t mean Kyle could not have been better utilized. In his 74 games under Krueger he had 9 goals and 14 assists.

Starting to realize how poorly Okposo was miscast as a 4th liner. Donnie gets a lot of credit for the improvement in the play of Dahlin and Skinner and Thompson, but his role in Kyle’s resurgence is never mentioned.

My confidence level is really going to depend on how aggressively Adams attacks the off-season. I see Mitts, Cozens, Thompson, Krebs, Skinner, Tuch, Okposo, Girgensons, Quinn, Dahlin, Jokiharju, Samuelsson, Power and Luukkonen on the team next year. It doesn’t take a genius to see that leaves nice spaces where you could comfortably plug in a Chris Drury, Jay McKee, Teppo Numminen and Marty Biron and ice a competitive team next year. We won’t necessarily have the opportunity, but we have the assets. My confidence will be shaped by how Adams and his “expert” hockey department demonstrates the skill and the will to go get those players or at least reasonable facsimiles.

I have a bad feeling you’re right, which is why we need to see 20 games from UPL to finish the season. Let’s see evidence we need more, or reason to think that might work, instead of blind faith (again) on Adams’ part. Semi-related, Husso impressed last night.

Haven’t read the thread, but I assume Mitts got roasted on the winner? It was a bad play, which is a shame because today was the first game where I saw last year’s puckhandling skills starting to show up. He had some chances, and created some chances. I saw it as a step in the right direction after being absent or filler all season. Hopefully the worm is turning. Overall, I thought we got a glimpse of what this team could become; Samuelsson assertiveness, Cozens doggedness, Dahlin dominance, and three lines capable of scoring. Next step is adding Power, Quinn and Luukkonen to the mix and getting most of the kids playing that way most of the time, rather than some of them some of the time.

Sorry, what have I missed? Are the Pegulas actually doing something in terms of courting fans/marketing the team?

He’s really not either of those things if you’re using him in a #4 role.

Don't worry about this at all. Eakin and Bjork have played themselves off the roster and possibly out of the NHL. We aren't seeing Eakin because they "love" anything about him. We are seeing him because they want(ed) to shield their kids and because they have been obliterated by injuries. Still hoping Eakin is gone at the deadline, but I honestly not sure any team will be dumb enough to take him.

Hasn't looked like that player here, or since, really.

This I like. PK help is a must. Similar role to the Eakin/Hayden/Bjork, much better at it. Much more Girgensons than Jankowski (surprised how many people like him around here)

I know. I didn’t mean actually trading VO for Copp. I meant effectively doing that by choosing to invest a top 6 roster spot and long-term contract slot on a Copp-type than a VO-type. I know we can afford both now, but it probably won’t be the case in a few years when Tage, Power, Dahlin, Cozens and Mitts are all getting raises.

Sure, but the issue is convincing any those guys to come to Buffalo without overpaying on a long-term deal. (That aside, I’d kick the tires on any UFA who is still capable. Manson is a perfect fit, Klingberg not as much. Letang is still real good, Subban not so much)

No offence man, but you pass on anyone with any warts. Where you going to get a better veteran RHD for two years or less at a cheap acquisition price? Myers ain’t great , but also isn’t the player you remember either. He would help this team. He is better than Mark Pysyk or Colin Miller or moving one of our lefties over.

I wonder if the Canucks would give us Tyler Myers for a 3rd rounder or less? They are about to launch a rebuild and need to clear cap space. Cap hit of $6 million for 2 more years, RHD. He’s 32 now and having a decent year. Setting aside his Buffalo baggage, he’d tick a lot of boxes for us and would be an interesting partner for Power.

Actually, the AHL thing is pretty interesting looking at last night’s lineup. Anderson, Tokarski, Pysyk, Asplund, Skinner, Mittelstadt, Thompson, Bryson and Jokiharju spent time last year as healthy scratches or on the taxi squad. Biro, Krebs, Fitzgerald, Samuelsson and Jankowski all played in the minors this year Hayden, Eakin and Bjork probably would not be dressing if this bottom-feeding team was completely healthy. Cozens is in his first full NHL season. That leaves Tuch and Dahlin as unquestionable, full-time proven every day veteran NHL regulars. Obviously Skinner and Thompson have proven themselves this year. But it really is incredible when you look at it that way.