dudacek

Good discussion on Vic on SabresLive. 2 of the interesting points raised: His analytics were good last year His 28 goals led all NHLers who averaged less than 15 minutes of ice time last year by a wide margin. No one else had more than 22.

Regardless of the “I want it now” nature of some segments of fandom, I think Mitts and Krebs are firmly “wants to be here” and “he’s a Sabre” guys in the GM’s books. They’re both guys you’d have to work hard to pry out of Kevyn’s hands.

With all the success of most of the team in Donnie’s system, I really wonder how much we are overlooking Vic not being a good fit in that system? Or at least with his role in it? Did we know he’s a positive Corsi player over his career? How do his analytics compare with Dahlin or Power compared to 3rd pairing guys I perceive him to have played with most?

I was watching a Krebs highlihgth video the other day and it was interesting how many of them involved Olofsson. Maybe they can build some chemistry on a 3rd line with Greenway? I'd have no problem with a Cozens Peterka Mitts 2nd line.

Not sure is we'll see Levi or Rousek, and the college and Euro guys won't be around, but will get a mix of Amerks and juniors Here's a potential roster: Benson Savoie Nadeau Cedarqvist Kulich Rosen Kisakov Kozak Neuchev Fiddler-Schultz Miedema Johnson Novikov Metsa Jandric Komarov Lindgren Ratzlaff

Benson Savoie Kulich Rosen Johnson Novikov, maybe even Levi? Can't wait.

If all drafts were equal and every pick was the "right" one, Savoie would be about 26th, Benson 38th and Kulich 82nd out of the past 3 drafts Turning them into 24, 12 and 25 seems like good work by the scouts (although this list is just one man's unproven opinion).

That one team in a 32-team league has 3 top 25 prospects, and that list doesn't include its actual best prospect (Levi)is remarkable.

Casey Mittelstadt was already ahead of Quinn on the depth chart last year by nearly 2 full minutes a game. In terms of ice time, Quinn (#9) was supposed to be pushing Okposo (#6) and Olofsson (#7) further to the periphery, so maybe that doesn’t happen now, or maybe more falls on the shoulders of Greenway (#8) and Peterka (#10). As it is, we’re going to rely on Olofsson to be a regular in a role he wasn’t good enough in last year and an untested rookie to be the fallback rather than a veteran like Hinostroza. That’s 2 “hope” pieces up front. And that’s to go along with the “hope” that Krebs, Peterka and Greenway are better than last year. And the “hope” Mitts, Cozens and the big line all will repeat what they did last year. And the “hope” we stay healthy. I like our forwards and I think most fit in the “for real” or “should get better” categories. But so much went right last year and that’s not something we should be counting on to happen again.

Gretzky was traded for Jimmy Carson, Martin Gelinas and 3 1st-rounders. The most obvious parallel would be Thompson, Benson and 3 1st-rounders. With the Oilers also sending us something like Foegele and Kulak as the Krushelnyski/McSorley Pretty clearly it’s Victor (call me Slava) Olofsson and a 2nd.

How good are Peterka, Krebs, Greenway and Olafsson as middle-six forwards? The projected 13-14-15 guys (Rousek Kulich Savoie) have combined for 2 NHL games. How are they going to replace Quinn?

To me, the bold sounded exactly like what Donnie was planning to do. And not just during a game, but game to game too, depending on the opponent. Clifton and Johnson offer elements that were missing for him tactically last year, and provide more of a trust factor. As an aside, I love listening to Donnie talking hockey. There’s a deep well of knowledge there and all kinds of purpose - both tactically and in how to handle people. It baffles me that some think he’s out of his depth.

Yes and Keith Tkachuk was the epitome of a Masshole. 😁 It's about favourite trades, not best trades.

There seems to be a perception that Comrie is a proven NHL backup and UPL is not: Comrie has played 47 career NHL games, 19 in each of the past 2 seasons, and has 22 wins and .897 sv% UPL has played 46 career NHL games, 9 and 33 in the past 2 seasons, and has 20 wins and .898 sv% The only significant difference in their NHL careers to date is that Comrie has been able to demonstrate his mediocrity over 4 more seasons.

To me this screams Gibson. If it’s a first and Östlund I wouldn’t do it either. If it’s a 2nd and Rosen, sign me up. In between, maybe that’s where a deal gets made.

This feeds into my previous post. Im sure this would have been a big part of the narrative on here if we existed. Today, the media machine would also have been fed the info to prepare the fans something was coming. Back then I had no awareness of this at all.

Maybe it was different for the fans living in Buffalo, but the Mogilny trade hit me out of the blue like a ton of bricks. There was no extended period of social media debate questioning Alex’s commitment, or sense of a trade being merely a matter of “when”, or pages of internet debate on the fair price. It was simply one of the stars of my team suddenly getting traded for what felt like very little in return. If Sabrespace and Eliotte Friedman existed back then, I’m sure it would have been a much different experience.

It’s kinda interesting comparing that deal to the Eichel deal in terms of stud for pieces. The fact that Peca and McKee became very likeable players on good Sabres teams probably made it easier for us to accept that Tuch and Krebs might do the same.

To be clear, I have no issue with losing Luukkonen on waivers if that’s part of the price we pay for a better Levi partner. Id be surprised and disappointed if Adams is unable to get anything for him, but that would probably be less a function of Adams and more of a function of the market and my misreading of it.

At the time Mogilny was a huge wtf? Absolutely hated trading a 26-year-old star for 3 chips who didn’t help the current team a bit, and probably never would reach close to his heights. In retrospect, it kinda opened the door to the contract-motivated star-for-futures trades that have come to be the norm in the modern NHL. Back then it really wasn’t a thing. Stars got traded for other stars, or at least multiple good NHL players.

I don’t. I think there are a number of backups who aren’t any better than him right now who don’t have the perceived upside. And his salary is a non-issue.

And while I’m not interested in re-litigating the hockey merits of, or reasons behind the Eichel trade here, it has become another trade I love. We got 3 fast, competitive guys who play the type of hockey I like, and the type of hockey I identify with the best moments of this franchise. Tuch also happens to be a stud. More importantly, 2 guys who have already thoroughly embraced becoming Sabres for a guy who very publicly didn’t want to be one. Give me guys who are easy to cheer for.

OK, I’m reading this as purely emotional, as opposed to the “best” trades. I think I’ve always had a bias for “Sabres” so in the moment when a homegrown guy gets traded I usually feel more disappointed that they failed, than excited about the new guys coming in. A huge exception was the Hawerchuk trade. Housley was never a favourite and Dale may have been my favourite non-Sabre. Absolutely loved that guy as a Jet, and loved him here too. Probably my favourite all-time Sabre who isn’t thought of primarily as a Sabre. The fact we also got Brad May in that deal cements it. Big fan of him as a prospect and a player.

I guess it’s nice to see the team has progressed to the point where actual NHL players have moved to the top of our punt list instead of guys like Bjork and Meszaros.

Kozak (and Rosen and Kisakov) were tiny 19-year-olds who most organizations would not have had playing in the AHL to start last season. I find it really hard to quantify their games in that context. His chances (and the wisdom of having him in Rochester) will become clearer next year. He’s a long way from Buffalo.