LGR4GM

I call Miedema and overager because he's in DY+2 so he's one of the older players in his league. Him playing at a ppg pace now is fine but not exciting. Barlow, imo is the example of why the CHL agreement is bad.

Lost to what? If they are good enough, they'll be in Rochester.

I think Harrison Brunicke would have been a better pick than Kleber but we shall see.

It is time, but you are arguing we shouldn't have drafted all of these players and should have drafted something other than centers. Also I don't agree that "Several of them are performing at a better-than-could-be-hoped-for level given their draft position." all the guys I mentioned are at their draft status. They are long shots one and all. Also, you don't develop players in the NHL, certainly not 4th liners which is what most of these guys are. Why should I care if they develop with us? We have guys that are better, so am I supposed to fret that someone guy is Hagel and suddenly gets good? as Opposed to someone getting good like Wahlberg? Should I ship out Östlund so that Miedema has an AHL spot? Why? Again, this is illogical. You are saying "we should move on from these guys, to get a look at these other guys because WHAT IF!?" and I just don't see that as any sort of reason to do anything. Also this is Miedema 4th OHL year, so I understand why you don't call that an overager but he's barely doing a point per game in his 4th OHL seasons. That just screamers tweener. He's basically plateaued and that's not a great sign.

Arthur Kaliyev claimed off waivers by the NYR.

McLeod has also been put with trash linemates while Cozens has had Tuch, JJP, Tage, and Zucker for much of the year in various rotations. Beats Malestyn and Kubel for McLeod. Also McLeod may not be scoring but his actual play isn't terrible. When Cozens is off he is terrible when McLeod is off he is just average. Still doesn't change the fact that Cozens and McLeod are basically the same right now so the notion you posed of not even signing McLeod is on the surface, nuts.

Just FYI: Dylan Cozens: 40games, 8g, 12a, for 20 points and -12, he scores 0.7g/60 and gets 1.0a/60 Ryan McLeod: 40games, 6g, 12a, for 18pts and a +/-0, he scores 0.6g/60 and gets 1.2a/60 But Ryan McLeod shouldn't be re-signed and is a 4th liner and isn't that good and etc... funny how perceptions shift based on recency bias. Both players have similar xGF too. Now Cozens has 102 TOI for PP compared to 4mins for McLeod. My point being is quite simple, we view Cozens as a different level of player but instead maybe McLeod and Cozens are a similar level of player aka middle 6 centers. For those who don't know, /60 above refers to goals or assists per 60minutes of ice time in all situations. Basically this season, these 2 are producing points at almost exactly the same rates.

I say he does it.

Sure but you can't trade a 1st round pick for really good NHL players. You have to add these days. It's why trading for McLeod makes sense, you can trade a former 1st round pick for that. In 2021 they should have drafted Cossa IMPO but Rosen wasn't much of a reach, the next defender to go is Ceulemans and then Lambos 10 picks later. Are we arguing Buffalo should have drafted a defender instead of Rosen? In 2022 the biggest ***** up was taking Leinonen when Noah Warren, Luca Del Bel Belluz and Seamus Casey were all still on the board. Also missed out on Tristan Luneau. 2023, you take Benson and punch old ladies on the way to the stage to do it. I don't here anyone complaining about Wahlberg in the 2nd and then we take a defender in Strbak. I think I can argue that Andrew Gibson would have been a doog pick but Detroit got him before we picked again and Wahlberg is probably the better choice. Sabres take another defender in McCarthy in the 3rd. Really since Buffalo got their drafting in order in 2022, they haven't done much that is awful, except Leinonen, that was stupid. They have drafted a decent mix of forawrds and defense. They also seem to realize the truth of the matter which is good "stay at home" (hate that term because it isn't how the NHL works in 2025) defenders can be found quite easily in rounds 2 and 3 but goal scoring forwards basically only come from the top of the draft.

Probably. Savoie is a winger in the NHL IMPO. Kulich is known for his shot not his playmaking, Östlund certainly is a playmaker. Rosen is a winger. Really you are looking at Helenius and Östlund as 2-way playmaking centers. That's about it in the system.

You wanna play this game then who would you have picked? Personally the only one that I think is obvious, is I would have skipped Savoie and drafted Mintyukov. But both of your arguments make no sense at all. Who cares about having Tuch, Thompson, and Mittelstadt? It takes 2-3 years at the earliest for even first round picks to make an NHL impact. Your argument has no logic behind it other than "but we had drafted other forwards" which is like... well yea, we also have 2 first overall defenders and a 4th overall defender. Why would we be wasting high picks on more LHD? What would you have drafted there? Not centers? Wingers? I don't even understand your argument because it is so illogical. Maybe 1 of the bolded players will be an NHL regular. Sardarian has 26pts in 20 NCAA games which is his 3rd season. He'll be 22 in 1 month. Marjala has 33pts in 32 games in Liiga, he's another guy about to be 22. Those numbers from both look like 3rd or maybe 4th line guys after you get them a full AHL season. Neuchev is interesting as he looks decent in the AHL but is yet another guy a year or more away from the NHL. Richard maybe is a middle 6 winger in another 2-3 years. Miedema is an overager in the OHL so unless he puts up historic numbers, idc. He has AHL tweener written all over him. He maxes out at a 3rd line 30pt winger probably, that's on the high end. But again, this makes your argument even less logical. We shouldn't draft forwards high because we have too many and it hurts the forwards we drafted lower? What ? You draft talent and then trade for what you don't have. Also, this completely ignores the fact there are 12 forward spots and only 6 defense slots, 3 of which are taken by 1st overall, 1st overall, and 4th overall players. Also also, if these guys you claim might be good, why can't we trade them to an org where they will get "oxygen" if they are valuable? You think NHL gms go "oh man Neuchev looks really good but like he was drafted later than Östlund so we can't trade for him". SO my final question is, are you seriously arguing that Buffalo should have drafted fewer forwards and more defenders high? Granted this ignores the Kleber, Strbak, McCarthy picks or the Novikov and Komarov (if his skating improves) that are in the system. Exactly, which is why you trade Savoie and draft Helenius.

Benson was also still eligible to play at the WJC regardless of being on an NHL team. Also Canada left Misa at home when their rush and goal scoring abilities were bad. Wasn't a smart move.

That's not logical. You can always move centers to wing. Also, savoie isn't a center at the NHL level impo. Rosen isn't a center either. Drafting 4 centers aka 4 forwards is fine.

Hanging on to prospects forever because they might some day be something isn't a good way to build a team either. Also McLeod isn't a 4th liner. He's a middle 6 players but the Sabres would rather play favorites than win hockey games.

But to make the Sabres he has to push out either Benson or Peterka at some point. Do we want 2 sub 5'11" wingers?

Zucchini, especially cooked.

We need to move Samuelsson, Jokiharju, and either Power or Byram.

That guy has 21 give aways and 2 take aways this season. Fits perfectly in Buffalo.

Helenius will be eligible and should be at the 2026WJC too. He's never going to be a flashy guy but he's going to be a good 2way player in the NHL in 4 years.

In the 10 games before your cutoff, Savoie had 4a... total in 10 games. No goals. His current 4 game point streak is double the longest previous he's had (2 games). Is it possible something clicked and Savoie is a juggernaut? Sure, but it's not likely.

Savoie is on pace for 62pts in 72 AHL games. Rosen is on pace for 62pts in 69 AHL games.

They also didn't lose because of him. Buffalo gave McLeod trash wingers and you are in here telling me he's terrible. He's exactly what he was a 3rd line center, he should have Krebs spot but Krebs is one of the favorites. Savoie didn't have a roster spot unless you're getting rid of Benson or Peterka. That was the issue there.

It's from the show Shoresy if you didn't know. 1:43 if the time stamp didn't work.

Ok, I'm ready. Pick Byram or Power, add Cozens to the deal, get petterson and whatever you need to balance this out. I think the deal has to be Byram unless you're taking a cap dump to even out the money. I'm not saying that's my preferred choice. Cozens, Byram, 2025 3rd for Pettersson, and a 2nd

It's funny Isn't it? Eichel leaves and gets better. Reinhart leaves and gets better. Next up is Dahlin.