dudacek

Everyone can relax now. Krebs has already lost his spot at 3C. 😘

3C in Lindy’s first practice. 😜 Snark aside, all your points are good ones. I don’t know that playing 12 minutes a night for a month stapled to a pouting Jeff Skinner should be proof that he has blown his shot at 3C, but it certainly was a missed opportunity. But I also don’t know that Ryan McLeod - who has very similar career numbers - is some sort of insurmountable obstacle to Peyton’s life in the Sabrehood. Don Granato asked Krebs to be a 4C. 20 points, 100 hits and a 52% Corsi for are respectable numbers for an NHL 4C, especially one as young as Krebs. He did what he was asked to do. He worked hard, kept his mouth shut and he didn’t pout. For me that counts for something. Whatever offence he had to offer - and we know something was there, looking at what he did in Rochester and Buffalo during his U21 season - was nowhere to be found last year? Why? I see Kulich as different enough to Krebs as to almost be irrelevant, but Östlund and Helenius are different stories. So as we wait 2 years for the latter 2 to become NHLers, where Krebs fits is as a guy who - at minimum - gets an opportunity to cement himself into the 4C role he had last year. Or, better yet, carve himself a new, more important role under Ruff among an unproven forward group where no one should feel comfortable.

Lysowski said he was skating shifts with Cozens and Tage, So Benson and Peterka more likely.

I was talking about Thompson's 2nd contract. Coming off a year where he got hurt and played 1 game, and with 10 career NHL goals, he signed a 3-year deal for $1.4 per. He scored 93 goals over the 3 years of that contract. Still think it has to be the best 2nd contract in Sabres history. Faced with a similar situation that same off-season, Mitts signed his 1-year qualifier.

Adams made it sound like Krebs was the one who caved. I know many won’t buy this because they believe Krebs sucks, but I’m sticking with my theory that Adams played the same hand he did with Thompson and Mittlestadt: You can take your qualifying offer and bet on yourself playing well enough to earn a big raise next summer, or You can take term at a higher AAV for some security, but maybe cost yourself some money next year. He uses his leverage to steer Krebs into term because it thinks he will be better than a $1.4M player over the term of the contract, just like Thompson was over his. I think the fact Krebs started camp at 3C rather than as the 13th forward supports my theory, because it shows the Sabres think more highly of Krebs than you do.

Sounded like Kulich was subbing in with the top 6 a lot (and presumably Malenstyn with the bottom 6?)

Adams: 1st group will be pretty close to our team Paul Hamilton: This is what they rolled out Forwards Peterka Thompson Tuch Benson Cozens Quinn Zucker Krebs Greenway Lafferty McLeod Aube-Kubel Malenstyn, Kulich Defence Power Dahlin (before he got hurt) Mule Clifton Byram Jokiharju Bryson Gilbert Levi and UPL in the net.

It's not about Rousek or Kulich making the team You said there is one guy NHL-ready if there is injury trouble, implying there is no depth. I said that guy, going in to training camp, would probably be the 3rd choice if a forward gets injured. And I said the top defenceman from prospect camp would also be no better than the 3rd man up if there is an injury on D. Meaning there is depth that you aren't considering. Right now, most people have Krebs, Rousek, Kulich, Gilbert, Bryson, Clague and Reimer as the guys outside the starting 20 looking to get in. To start the season, they are the next men up, not Östlund or Komarov.

27 players will be making the trip

Yep, Leanders and Ratzlaff are unsigned juniors so it all works. UPL is in Buffalo, Houser in the ECHL and Sandstrom in Rochester. Levi and Reimer will be #2 in Buffalo or #1 for the Amerks.

I think everybody knows the Sabres 13/8/3 right now. The 14th forward spot is Lukas Rousek’s to lose. That leaves 2 spots for the Prague 27. Id be shocked if they aren’t Kulich and Rosen.

Except right now the first injury replacement is probably Krebs, followed by Rousek. Kulich then Rosen after them if you need a scorer. Dunne and Murray if you need a big body. Johnson is the 9th or 10th D-man, along with Clague. Wahlberg, Östlund, Helenius and Komarov are AHL rookies who will hopefully push past those guys, or follow in their footsteps in a year or 2 or 3.

Oh for sure, I like Krebs more than you do and of course our views of his contract will differ because of that filter. Surprised you think that I think this was a clean sweep of good moves summer from Adams though. I would not have made the Skinner move, without a part B, even though I don't like Skinner. I like the concept of Lafferty, Malenstyn and Aube-Kubel but I don't think they're talented enough to be the every night defensive force people hope they will be. Would have liked them more on top of a real, established middle six player. I doubt McLeod is that player. I think this board has inflated him into something he's not in order to justify trading Savoie. I don't hate the player, or the concept of the trade, I just doubt he's the 3C solution. if you absolutely had to play Skinner in the middle six (you didn't) I think there is a chance plugging Zucker in for him is an upgrade because of Skinner's flaws and how bad he has looked away from Thompson and Eichel. Again, I don't hate the player, I just don't like him being the leading choice for our 4W. The only move Adams made that I outright like is Byram for Mittelstadt, because — unlike most — I think Byram is better fit than he is being credited for and will prove to be better player. Overall, I like the vision of adding speed and edge and giving Lindy the types of players he wants and the idea of moving away from the types of players he moved away from. I just think our GM didn't finish the job. He left far too much on the table relative to what he could have done.

I think it's kinda weird to be complaining about "overpayments" when the team is $7M under the cap. Lafferty, Aube-Kubel, Malenstyn are low-risk contracts. He paid a little more to make sure he got 3 guys he targeted. Each is a cheap, short-term commitment that doesn't handicap the team in any way under that cap. If they provide what they're supposed to, they were good signings, if they don't they weren't. Zucker is pretty obviously a huge overpayment on AAV to avoid term. Maybe he should have been more willing to accept term and chased a better player. But this contract again, doesn't handicap the team under the cap in any way, shape or form. If Zucker does what he's supposed to the signing in and of itself is fine. If Peterka and Quinn take a jump, then it looks very smart. UPL is your straight bet on the player deal: paying the player more than you have to before you have to pay more than you want to. Like the Thompson and Power deals, time will tell if it was a good bet. And with Krebs, it's kinda similar, but which much lower stakes. To me, UPL is the only deal that carries any real risk. I think what Adams didn't spend is far more questionable than what he did.

Maybe Robertson signed his qualifier because the Leafs refused to honour his trade request and a low deal makes it more likely he does get claimed if he is waived? He's basically created the best possible scenario for himself to be in the NHL next year. The difference between Robertson and Krebs is that Robertson has not established himself as an NHL regular. Krebs has. To my knowledge he's not been a healthy scratch for a year and a half. He played 80 games last year. The other thing I disagree with is the idea I've seen floated that Krebs is Tyson Jost. Unlike Tyson Jost, Krebs has shown that he can play effectively in a bottom-six role. He was one of the Sabres more effective defensive players last year. People are judging him through their trade-day top-6 glasses. The guy has shown he can be a decent 4C and the Sabres paid him like one.

The Sabres can carry a maximum of 3 extras. Assuming Krebs is in stone as the 13th-forward and won't play unless injury (which I don't think is actually the case), it would be one of him, Rousek, Gilbert or Bryson getting waived. If Levi (who is not waiver eligible) makes the team, you can add Reimer to that group. If Kulich or another kid (none of them are waiver eligible) makes the team that would add another body. But I think what this contract makes obvious is that Kevyn Adams thinks more of Peyton Krebs than a lot of people on here do and it is very unlikely he will be waived.

Not in my opinion. Also in my opinion, the only way Krebs was ever getting waived was if Lindy just couldn't stand him, and I always thought he was Lindy's type

The Sabres have three guys on ELCs: Peterka, Benson and Quinn. Putting them aside, he's the 9th-highest paid of the other 10 — a fraction behind Aube-Kubel and a fraction ahead of Malenstyn. The 2nd year is confirmation that the organization is not done with him the way some fans are. I'm not surprised that's the case and I actually agree with it.

Of course he does. In line with Aube-Kubel and Malenstyn, and what Adams has done with other 2nd-contract guys yet to break through. Affordable, with some upside and little risk for the Sabres. Gives Krebs a bit of security and the ego-boost of knowing he's more than a minimum wage guy, and still a factor in their long-term plans. Personally, I don't have high hopes of an impact player, but I still see potential for a glue guy. Always liked his commitment. Glad he will be in camp and looking forward to seeing whether he can make any progress under Lindy.

So you actually are serious? i thought you were having some fun playing the role. The body of work generally outweighs — and should outweigh — what you do over the 3 weeks in camp. There is no way Lukas Rousek is making the team over Jason Zucker unless Rousek scores 8 in the exhibition games and Zucker is caught pissing in Lindy's skate boot. Camp competition is on margins and about roles. It's about forcing decisions where people are close: Benson and Zucker battling for a top six LW spot; Levi pushing UPL and Reimer pushing Levi; Clague and Johnson pushing Bryson and Gilbert pushing Clifton and Jokiharju; Byram pushing Power; Krebs pushing McLeod; Lafferty pushing Greenway; Rousek, Rosen and Kulich pushing for the last forward spot on the roster; the top 5-7 forwards battling for PP time; the bottom 5-7 forwards battling for the last spot on the opening night lineup. Also, you've been big on Lindy taking a whole new approach with his lines, wouldn't you rather he spend the 2 weeks he has before Prague figuring out how his NHL combinations might work, than giving Östlund and Komarov a chance to skate a few practices with Tuch and Dahlin? i mean you know who Lindy Ruff is. You can't actually think "safe" will be the theme of this camp?

I think he has a better game than both those guys. I was mostly honing in on the “won’t be in the NHL” comment, but it sounds more like it’s more philosophical for you than anything. My own bias is smart guys who work hard, and Östlund is that, with a high skill level too. He doesn’t tick the big and mean boxes, but he sure ticks a lot of other ones.

Good example of the box score not telling the whole story. Popped to me. Wrote about him in the previous game thread. Was better than Rosen over the 2 games I watched closely. (Today’s I watched more with one eye.) I did see him get robbed by the save of the tourney on a breakaway and get snuffed on a one-timer from the right dot today though. In earlier games I watched him set up Helenius and Wahlberg for fantastic chances they failed to convert. He was generally the fastest, most active skater on the ice, always in motion, always around the puck. Forechecks and back checks hard and looks elite as a puck tracker. Not at all afraid of contact. He has NHL skating, hands, hockey sense and effort. There is certainly question about how good an NHL player he will be at his size. What do Kailer Yamamoto or Tyler Ennis, to name two players of smaller stature, have or do that he does not?

This is absolutely true. It's also true that he is in a similar place to where Casey Mittelstadt was at the same age. Personally I don't see him washing out like Jost or taking a jump like Casey; I think his career will settle out around the Cody Eakin level. But it's an important year for him and it's in his best interest to get on the ice and carve out a role under his new coach. He and his agent must see that.

https://www.audacy.com/wgr550/sports/sabres/listen-adams-theres-still-time-to-sign-peyton-krebs That stuff is towards the end.

Adams interview on WGR says the focus at training camp is getting the big club ready as soon as possible. You will see the guys expected to be on the final roster together pretty much from the get-go, and way less mixing in of players further down the depth chart. The first 2 exhibition games will see them icing a lot of roster regulars and the 27 players headed to Europe will be formalized shortly thereafter.