dudacek

Another guy who would look really good as the bigger body on the 3rd line next to Peyton and JJ is the concept of Max Comtois. No idea if he is a guy who would benefit for our vibes or if his problems run deeper.

Rousek seems pretty well-rounded to me, so maybe we’ll see where that goes. I like Gus Krebs and Kyle as a 3rd/checking line, but that kinda leaves JJ working with spare parts. And I really like the idea of Krebs and JJ with a veteran on an up-tempo 3rd line - I think each Is going to take a step and their games fit together - but that vet can’t be Victor. Maybe the solution is bumping Kyle onto the line with JJ and Krebs - which I don’t mind as a 3rd combo - and limit the ES ice time of the 4th line as a unit? Basically use Z and VO as situational and special teams specialists, with Rousek and Jost getting their shifts mostly against 4th liners, or when penalties jumble up the lines? Better yet, bring in Tatar or some other vet on a 1-year deal to play with Peyton and JJ and run Z, KO and Jost as your 4th line. I’d really like Trent Frederic to be that guy.

Is it Devon Levi who makes you nervous, or the idea of a rookie being handed that role? For me, it’s the latter. Nothing Ive seen or read about Devon himself makes me nervous whatsoever. Its just the concept.

I know Greenway has his doubters, but I really like the concept of a Mitts Cozens Greenway 2nd line next year. I think the doggedness and skill of the first two will elevate the levels of each in Greenway. I think the size and defence of Greenway will create space for the skill guys and improve the line defensively. And I think the size/speed/skill mix of the Sabres top 6 overall would be like defending a landslide, especially with Dahlin out with one unit and Power with the other. I see Tuch Thompson Cozens and Greenway tearing into the opponents like dire wolves with Skinner and Mitts ripping away at the flanks like hyenas.

was that before or after the Clague announcement? 😜

Kane led his entire league in points, 11 points ahead of the next guy. Benson was 3rd in his, 9 behind the 2nd-place guy. I compare Benson to the 2nd because #1 was Bedard, whose numbers relative to the league in his draft year look generational. Both Benson and Kane were the leading scorers of a loaded team. Kane was +42, Benson +68.

This sure doesn’t discourage me from thinking Jokiharju or another D is getting traded. The Sabres now have 10 defencemen who played at least 30 NHL games last year and 9 of them played at least 50.

Please don't read ulterior motives or implications into this question: What are the differences between Benson's game and 5'10" 170-pound playmaking winger Patrick Kane's in 2007? I know Patrick Kane was a #1 pick, but that draft was hardly comparable to this year's in terms of quality up top: https://www.hockeydb.com/ihdb/draft/nhl2007e.html Are we talking similar scouting reports, it's just that Kane's dominance was better by a degree?

Not saying you're wrong, but I've never seen this reported. On the contrary, he is almost universally praised for his hockey IQ, his effort, and for 'playing the game the right way'. I think he dropped for the usual reasons: skepticism as to whether he's big enough, or fast enough to play the game he does at the NHL level.

One option that might work for some is what I’ll call the “Jake Allen” option. This option pre-supposes UPL has value, but is just not a good fit as a #2 behind Levi. It’s for those who trust Levi, don’t trust UPL and don’t want to spend much on a backup. Basically, it means find a team looking for a developmental #2 and find a mediocre veteran who you trust more than UPL. Trade one - directly or indirectly - for the other. If UPL is worth a 2nd or 3rd trade him to a team interested in his upside and flip that asset, or assets of similar value that work better as a safety net for Levi. Im not advocating for Allen but he was the 1st goalie who popped into mind fitting the profile.

I’ve come to realize there is one factor we’ve been overlooking in the goalie conversation: The value of the acquired goalie at the end of next year or the year after. Hart is in the final season of his contract next year, then he becomes an RFA with arbitration rights. If we traded Rosen and next year’s first for Hart to split the crease a number of things could happen: Hart outplays Levi and we have to decide whether to re-sign Hart as our #1 or trade him, likely for a similar or better return for what we paid. Levi outplays Hart and we have to decide whether to re-sign Hart as our #2 or trade him, likely for a similar or worse return for what we paid. Levi and Hart split the duties as most hope and we flip Hart for a similar value than what we paid. Yes, a 4th option is Hart sucks and we have no chance to recoup value. But that is the same risk with any goalie we acquire. It is less likely with Hart than many others. And if it happens, we can qualify Hart and try to rehabilitate his value. Basically, the plan would provide a good safety net for Levi while mitigating loss of asset value in a way you couldn’t with pending UFA Hellebuyck. You could apply a similar thought process to the other options and you might find one you like better.

Entirely fair. But I do think such a move fits the plan. In a lot of ways, last year worked like a final exam for those players who weren’t rookies: Adams wants to build from within, but he also needs to know who is and isn’t part of the puzzle. The guys who didn’t make the grade are being shunted aside: Asplund for Jost was step one, Olofsson and Bryson for Greenway and Stillman was step 2, and I suspect Jokiharju and UPL should be on alert.

To the bold, sure last year was “development,” but it was also “let’s see what we have”. And a good portion of last year’s kids proved they were up to the roles asked of them and don’t need to upgraded. Yes, some - Quinn, JJ, Power, Krebs - will be asked to be better, but it’s not unreasonable to think they can be better. They were rookies, they should get better. And none of them are being asked to move up the lineup, just be more effective in their previous roles. It’s not like the team is moving in another 5 rookies this year. The rest of it -pessimistic or not - is all fair comment. There’s no reason to believe Greenway, Clifton, Levi or anyone else will fix our weaknesses until they do. All they are is acknowledgement that Adams saw what we did and made attempts to fix it.

Personally I think Clifton was acquired to fill the #5 spot and upgrade the PK and the grit factor. Johnson is adding size, experience, depth and defence in a 6/7 role. Joki is going to get flipped as part of the package in a trade for a better number 4 in a move I think Adams is still trying to make.

The other bits that grabbed me were that the Golden Gophers had the best defence in college hockey and he was on the first pair and a key penalty killer. He also went to the Frozen Four two years in a row. These are things I think were overlooked as people called him a meh prospect while they were afraid he was walking. Im happy to have him in the system now, and Novikov and Strbak with him as guys that you can project as having an NHL chance. We don’t need 1st pairing guys coming up, just guys who belong.

I wonder if Kevyn “why would we be interested in a goalie who isn’t any better than the goalie we already have” Adams is interested in John Gibson any more? We know he was a year ago. Things change.

Assuming the Jets want to make a hockey trade as opposed to a futures trade, Hellebuyck for Nylander makes a ton of sense to me.

If we are in the race at the deadline are we going to need him? Seems to me that means status quo worked.

Nice to see Johnson taking a bit of a leadership role at Dev camp. I think people convinced themselves he was walking and tried to forget or minimize his worth as a prospect. He’s still 21 until later this summer, but he has 4 years of college under his belt and is an NHL skater who can extinguish plays and transition pucks. They list him at 6’1” 190 so it sounds like he’s done some filling out. I don’t expect his transition to take too long and he could be a nice complementary player

I thinks he was talking to to Allvin about moving up. The Canucks mandate is to make the playoffs this season. They don’t make it without Demko. I would be stunned if he gets moved.

Except Okposo, Girgensons, Johnson, Clifton, Greenway, Stillman and the developing Samuelsson, Krebs and Cozens. This is what I meant with my post yesterday that people look past what has been happening and continue to see what they want to see on this particular issue. *** I’m surprised people still see “developing” and “making the playoffs” at cross-purposes this year. The Sabres “developed” into a 91-point team last year. If they “develop” any further, they’re in the playoffs.

And I am unreasonably confident that Levi’s going to make a Ryan Miller in 2006 run this year that makes all this talk irrelevant. It just seems awfully risky.

The goal is to get a read on the general board feeling on the situation in net. Subtext is to spark good conversation that points to the best path. I’m not trying to push people to a conclusion I’ve already reached, I’m trying to use the discussion to forge my own conclusion. I”m seeing 3 points of consensus: Levi is going to be this team’s goalie long-term Giving him the keys without a strong support system is a huge risk short-term UPL and Comrie aren’t that support system I don’t know that any of these premises are actually true, but every time I try to pick one apart, I end up deciding I agree with them. So we need a goalie. The next part is what kind of goalie do we want, who is available, and how much should we be giving up? I’m still working through that part, but I actually do see options

Last year, 5 of their 25 picks were NHL regulars. Meanwhile, 8 of the Sabres 20 have hit and a 9th prospect-turned NHLer, Krebs was added through trade. Despite that, the cream of our next wave: Levi/Benson/Savoie/Kulich/Östlund/Rosen still stacks up favourably to their Eidvinsson/Danielson/Kasper/Cossa/Sandin-Pelikka But another issue, like @Randall Flagg points out, is star power: we have Dahlin and Thompson who have broken out as legitimate studs, Skinner and Tuch who are close, and Power and Cozens who legitimately look like they are coming. They have Larkin, who is close and Seider who no one doubts. Not only have we hit on a higher percentage but overall, their ceilings look shinier. Now there is still time for Eidvinsson and Raymond to turn into perennial all-stars, but that is equally true of Levi and Quinn. The develop part matters just as much as the draft and you need a bit of luck as well. So far Detroit seems to be falling short.

However, he is a fan of Comrie’s. Does that give you any hope there?