DarthEbriate

Overall, I'm fine with the latest expansion rules. This latest protections of 7-3-1G or 8-1G at least gave the newcomers a chance to get 1 NHL/tweener player off your roster.o The last expansion (Wild/BJs) the league didn't have a salary cap in place, so this time around there would be "better" players exposed because of cap implications. It was up to VGK/SEA whether to take those established higher-priced veterans vs. potential or about-to-breakout players. The 2000 protections of 9-5-1G or 7-3-2G + no salary cap meant the only real option was to go full youth movement. What I didn't like about the new expansion? Seattle's delay: They set their date. Then, GMs and players/NHLPA planned and signed contracts that would either expose or protect them or head to UFA accordingly. Then, Seattle put off the expansion for a year. I understand Seattle's reason for the delay, but it was a move that should have come with expansion protection modifications. I would have extended all ineligible players out 1 year in time to meet Seattle's new timeline. VGK should not have been exempt from the expansion draft, especially if the League was going to allow Seattle to shift back a year. Your roster is established by year 3, you're a real GM, you play by the same rules as everyone else. The long-term workaround on this would have been forcing both teams to enter the same season and do a true expansion draft. That way, the 7-3-1 or 8-1 protections make tons of sense. You're losing 1 good player, but which team takes them... that's the fun.

In watching the WHL Final, Benson was the better player than Savoie. Both had the instincts and the awareness, but Benson was more dynamic and shiftier. Of course, paired together on the same line in Winnipeg they were simply eaten up and beaten up by bigger, but just as fast Seattle T-birds guys playing aggressive defense. If Benson is the pick, then you might as well trade Savoie.

Levi is our princess, trade-child of Reino Samidala. He gives us...

As would I. Then, I'd put my Darth-CBJ hat on and reject our trade offer without hesitation.

From the NJD perspective, they've got Hughes to take Severson's PP2 time. Graves could still hit UFA, but this definitely opens the door for the Devils to re-sign him. They can still be pretty smart about their forwards as Meier could get a long-term deal rather than the giant 1-year cap hit, and Bratt could get a bridge as well, then get a big deal when the cap goes up in a couple more years. Columbus is as likely to trade Jiricek as Buffalo is to trade Power.

Levi would be a Conn Smythe candidate within those 2 years.

As would be expected after acquiring a very solid piece, LAK re-signs Gavrikov. That's one defensive d-man option off the UFA list.

Hart is still an inconsistent young goalie. He has flashed some potential. If you believe the Sabres will continue to improve in puck possession over the next 2 seasons and that sub-24ers Dahlin, Muel, and Power (and Joker) are better than 27-28ers Sanheim, Risto, and DeAngelo (and Provorov was) and will continue to improve as they mature... then Hart could be a good bet for 2 years.

Certainly -- the team's D depth got out of whack because Power skipped all pipeline work and went right to top-4 minutes, which is great; the rest of the 2021 draft had only 1 D out of the remaining 10 picks and the 2022 draft had only 2 D from 11 picks. A little course correction is necessary. This year, with 8 picks, something like 4-3-1 would be good, but even 3-4-1 wouldn't be bad. The pipeline still has Savoie, Östlund, Poltapov, and Richard as maybes (plus the AHL stockpile). Next year, start easing back to balance.

Absolutely. He's on the board.

Good for Dahlin and the Sabres (provided the cap goes up as anticipated). The unspoken item is that this year's Cup-winner will have a $10M/year player no matter who wins (Barkov, Bobrovsky, Eichel). The ceiling is broken for winners!

Thanks! I skipped right past it in my notes, 7/13/22 Prow and the 2-year deal. I see Bryson's salary easily passing waivers at the end of training camp; I'm of the mind that the Sabres like Clague as an 8. Either could be on PP2 for the Amerks.

Agreed. If you must draft for need, you do it organizationally. My thoughts are... don't look at the NHL roster because it's 3 years out. And mostly, you can skip the AHL roster, too. Instead, you can base your needs on what is missing in all the feeder systems to maintain a healthy pipeline of potential NHL players. Example: Outside the NHL/AHL, the Sabres have 1 LHD (Lindgren), 1 RHD (Komarov), and 1 G (Leinonen) who you would give a "maybe NHL" grade to if they hit their peak and stay healthy. Nyberg and Lyckasen both appear to be outside the teams' plans. This draft, you'd best find some D and G. Also, this year, I still seriously consider a late pick on a goalie for an AHL backup gig (Milic, Suchanek). I don't think they both make it through to UDFA status. That would be a need pick to keep Rochester competitive so the kids all get meaningful games and a playoff-caliber squad. Also, also, draft by the coolest and most Star Warsy-sounding names. That's a need.

The Amerks are now in the market for someone to run their PP. Prow can be re-signed to an AHL deal. The incoming defensive prospect reinforcements are not especially known for PP prowess. Metsa and Jandric have scored some points throughout college. But Novikov and Johnson probably don't play on a 4F-1D PP unit.

If you have the opportunity to draft someone with the last name Mania... Do it.

It only ever comes into play with dead cap hits after the player is no longer on your team and you can't do any more tweaks with the contract. Even then it's usually easy to plan for.

Per the bolded, last season, yes the Amerks were younger among the forwards. However, for defensemen, the Sabres were younger. In goal, the Sabres were the younger battery anytime Anderson wasn't on the ice.

Komarov with the secondary assist. Remparts build the wall higher to 2-0, midway through the game.

Komarov scores! 2nd shot of the tournament... goal in the Final. (Now T-Birds... get a goal, kindly.)

Welcome to ‘Space, @skip jibblet Always BPA, but just make sure that the draft board is loaded with well-scouted defensemen this season so you can nab the d-man if you’ve got him rated with the same potential as a forward. And unlike seasons/GMs past, keep all avenues open: Russia, CHL, US HS and USHL, etc. Don’t avoid locations, avoid the wrong play style, personality, and hockey IQ.

Mayhaps. But we’re hockey degenerates. If you thread it, we will post.

As stated above: good for the player, good for the Sabres' contract situation, and likely good for the Amerks too as they'll be forced to sign/ice a veteran AHLer center instead of break in another rookie. Biro or Malone or Jobst (if he's playing center) is helpful for the overall club, rather than going all-kids, particularly come playoff time.

The garbage will do. Especially in the playoffs. I'm hopeful that the Sabres don't rush anyone (or rather, they have sufficient talent at the NHL level that the kids can't break in until they're complete players). Seeing this year's playoff Amerks vs. next season playoff Amerks and how much better will Kulich, Rosen, and Kozak look with an extra year of growth/seasoning. And add Nadeau (and also Kisakov knowing he'll be on his 2nd contract before he's ready, strengthwise.) Pilut was the only Amerk D you'd call up and he's a 7/8. Everyone else is AHL talent. I'm not sure what the Bears were rolling in terms of NHL potential, but it will definitely be nice to see Novikov and Johnson (both potentially somewhere in the 4-6th D range at the NHL, depending on partner) added to the mix. And Komarov in another season. If Pilut re-signs, cool, but if not then you can probably figure Bryson starts next season in Rochester and he's a darn good AHL-level guy.

Anaheim has been on the rebuild (6th-8th in their division) for 5 straight years and went full-on tank mode this season for Bedard. While the team was not good, it could also easily be argued that Gibson is a major reason they finished 6-8 instead of 4-6 in those seasons. His play started downhill in 2018 and hasn't stopped sliding. I'm curious why Gibson refused a trade last offseason. There was hope and some young talent (Zegras, McTavish, Drysdale), but they also weren't setting themselves up for anything but a tank year. This year, is he finally tired of losing, or has he appraised that young talent and said, "They don't have it. Send me elsewhere." ? I wouldn't trade for him. But... I do wonder what Anaheim would send with him to get out of that contract? Because I don't think you have to give up anything for Gibson, I think Anaheim would be trying to unload him, especially if they don't have to retain any salary.

When Johnson makes his NHL debut and holds up the "Get to know your 2025 Sabres" placard it reads: Favorite movie = Princess Bride; Favorite snack = anything with salsa!