DarthEbriate

I'd agree with this. Prospect ranking is who has the highest ceiling or will have a greater NHL-level impact. Readiness/Closest to the NHL is an organization-wide depth chart.

To me, the forward scoring is down to two things: power play and the RFAs. Will the power play have NHL-level pace, movement, and varied setups? Or will it just be the setup TNT show with the occasional other scripted play that works once/month? Will they be able to win PP faceoffs for immediate zone time, or will they spend the first 20 seconds retrieving and getting the puck back up ice to attack? That's where the majority of goals could come from. Individually, Peterka and Quinn have the ability, will get the minutes, and have contract motivation, to take their points to levels we've not seen from either. For Peterka, he'll get the chance at 1st line minutes, presumably with a healthy TNT (because he's not on PK1) and Tuch. In JJP's contract year, can he outscore a normal-Skinner year [not necessarily a Skinner's career year in 2022-23]? I think yes. Plus, he's taller than Skinner. JJP needs to balance out his streaks so he doesn't disappear from the score sheet in December and February as he did last season. For Quinn, he'll drive whichever line he's on. Will he take the initiative to shoot more? Or will Zucker or Cozens be able to get on hot streaks on their finishes of his playmaking? (or Benson, but I think he's bottom 6 this season.)

The outcome (thus far) of that 6th for a guaranteed-lower-6th swap is this: 2018 TOR drafted 156thOA: Pontus Holmberg. NHL 91 GP 12-18-30 +11, 75 hits and 36 PIM in 4th line minutes. This offseason, he is currently listed as Toronto's 3LW. 2019 BUF -- JBott deals that 177thOA plus a 7th to get back into the 5th round to take F Filip Cederqvist, who GMKA traded this season to Montreal for... future considerations. D'oh! Beat me buy a minute!

The concern going in with HCDG was there would be a time when the team needed to go experienced to take the next step. He got the forwards going; he was the anti-HCRK despite serving on his staff. Now, can Ruff be the playoff-experienced coach to take them to the next level? Yes, he should be. In two more seasons, how high is the next level will be the question.

Beautiful, beautiful Sabrepede. Would you believe that Joe Thornton picked up an assist on this? Would you also believe that the Sabres won the game in a shootout courtesy of Miller and Hodgson?

He is Buffalo's all-time leading goalie goal scorer.

This is a good contract for goalies. Saaros, Shesterkin, and Swayman (in UPL's same situation next summer, but with multiple seasons behind the Bruins D) are going to get paid. Last year, Luukkonen had .667% quality starts. That was in excellent company in the league (once you take out the folks who only dressed for a game or two). Tied with Hellebuyck, Ullmark, and Varlamov, and those three had the largest sample sizes. GM Sheevyn finally committed to a goalie. If Luukkonen stays consistent and we see the expected improvements in team defense as the core ages, this should work. Talking myself into it... it'll work.

Previous Sabres GMs would probably tell you they also drafted grinders, or at least bigger guys that could become grinders at the NHL level. They just haven't panned out. Picking out from those prior drafts: Bloom, Cederqvist, Pekar, Murray, Lemieux, Willman, Bailey, Kea, Jacobs. (And Malenstyn nearly stayed a career AHL-er, too. Until last season he'd played only 26 NHL games over 4 seasons.)

I really hope Malenstyn's entire argument for filing arbitration was: "Look at the money you threw at Girgensons the last 4 seasons!" (4 years, $9.1M. 199 GP, 28G 22A 50P)

I'm thinking that by the end of this season Quinn may very well be the 1W and Tuch the 2W, at least in terms of 5-on-5 ice time.

Ranking this high is of three things: 1) It's 98% pity. Awww, the Sabres won a game, even against my favorite team? Good for them. 2) Two seasons ago they were fun to watch. If you went to you home team's game and the Sabres were in town, you'd at least be entertained by an all-out press attack and an attempt to score 7. (Colorado is also very fun to watch the last few seasons.) 3) They don't have any rats/goons on their team since... JBott took over? They don't have individual players to dislike. (Colorado also fits this -- their Cup win was such a fast buzzsaw blur they didn't even get the chance to be called punks about it.)

He's going to have a Jesper Bratt-like season under Ruff. 25-35 goals; 40-50 assists. 73 points this season.

Yes. Give me the top goaltending and dangerously solid team defense. A 3-2 win is an exciting hockey game. The most exciting hockey I've seen was the dead-puck era Hasek Sabres. Chaos in their own end, Hasek makes one amazing save and it's a rush goal going the other way. Plus the hits, dust-ups, and speed that makes hockey fun. The constant tension was the race to 2 goals. In 98-99, the Sabres would have gotten the win or gone to OT by scoring just two goals in 57 of 82 games. To compare, the Bruins would have gotten the win or OT with two goals in 52 of 82 games in 2022-23 (65 wins). I'll bet that regular season was pretty exciting for Bruins fans.

Agreed on both accounts. Purely for fun I was matching up the players to their (somewhat) equivalents of past Ruff lineups. What I can really see with Ruff are those grinder-on-each line setups that may have us scratching our heads because so-and-so isn't a top 6, but it works on the ice. And the grinder gets no PP time and someone else (Briere/TNT) gets double-shifted so the TOI makes sense for the top forwards. Malenstyn-Cozens-Quinn, for example. Myself, I'd start the preseason with the admittedly boring lines that everyone else is already predicting: Peterka - Thompson - Tuch Zucker - Cozens - Quinn Benson - McLeod - Greenway Malenstyn - Lafferty - Aube-Kubel (Krebs)

This was my thought as well. I'll go extra specific: 1. Dahlin and Quinn both play 70+ games 2. The Sabres PP% is 21.5 or better (NSH was 16th with 21.66% last year; BUF was 16.59!) 3. Cozens and TNT combine for 65+ goals (they had 57 last season; 78 two years ago) 4. Luukkonen has a save% of .912+ (better team defense and UPL becoming more consistent with experience; .910 last season)

For our summer amusement: First, a Rufferized lineup using the general '05-'06 regular season roster (all vets up top, Grier/Drury together, Vanek/Roy as kids fresh from ROC on the 3rd line) for inspiration. Fret not: this is for 5-on-5 only. The kids would get PP time to boost their points. [Benson=baby Pommer; Briere=TNT] Zucker - Thompson - Tuch Malenstyn - McLeod - Greenway Peterka - Cozens - Quinn Benson - Lafferty - Aube-Kubel (Krebs) Second, a Benson=Briere shuffle and sneak Kulich=Kotalik into the lineup. Peterka - Thompson - Benson Quinn - Cozens - Tuch Zucker - McLeod - Greenway Malenstyn - Lafferty - Kulich (Aube-Kubel, Krebs)

Does the article provide any definition of what it counts as a prospect, or what criteria it is measuring for comparison with other teams? Is Connor Bedard still a prospect? It's easy to be overrated when you're consistency ranked in the top 5 because that's where you've drafted.

Ben says Benson scores:

Based on TOI, Peterka had already replaced Skinner in March-April last season. If JJP stays on the top line, Zucker is replacing a 2nd-line JJP/Benson or 3rd-line Benson/Skinner.

Chief?

I generally think Fairburn's coverage is pretty even keel, but these offseason grades are through some very rosy glasses, even at the time. Strictly UFA immediately after the opening week. 2022: C for standing pat (C is for Comrie which is good enough for Sheevyn). There was nothing to fail because no moves were made. 2023: B for going and getting experienced RHD from winning teams to help lead/guide the baby Sabres. Unfortunately, on the ice, it didn't work -- but that is not part of the grade. F for not replacing Quinn with any number of folks just like Zucker/Tarasenko who were available short-term with lots of cap to spend, especially since the coach had relegated VO to 13F and his goals needed replacing, too. Average the two = C-. 2024: B+. At least, based on UFA targeting what the GM said he was going to do (bottom 6). GMKA never said he was going to go get Stamkos, so... easy... they didn't go get anyone of note. The long-term deals are being reserved for JJP and Quinn next summer. Deeper dive: GM Sheevyn just took Vancouver's 2023 trade deadline/offseason blueprint and followed it. Moved out a long-term forward (Horvat: Skinner). Got the top-4 defenseman last season at the deadline (Hronek: Byram). Then, in the UFA period, went out and saturated/remade the bottom 6 to play a certain way and open up the game for the top line (Blueger, Suter, Lafferty [via trade] and D Soucy : Malenstyn, Lafferty, Aube-Kubel. The Sabres don't really have a need for a Soucy like the Canucks did; that move is just getting Muel back healthy). It worked in Vancouver.

I knew they were the oldest team in the league by average age this season. But by 4/14/2025: Gagner 35, Henrique 35, Janmark 32, RNH 32 (on 4/12/25), Ryan 38, Arvidsson 32, Hyman 32, Kane 33, Skinner 32. That's impressive. Positives for the Oilers: 1) They can have Savoie replace one of those old guys. 2) McDavid and Draisaitl are going to skate 27+ min/gm in every playoff game. They won't get worn down.

Megaweapon, Megaweapon, Megaweapon, Megaweapon!

A couple notes: McLeod just played in the Final, and Aube-Kubel and Byram have won the Cup. It would appear the last two seasons GMKA has had playoff experience as a requisite in his acquisitions. Now, it hasn't mattered a hill of beans just yet. Games of playoff experience prior to this season: Out: Lyubushkin (7 pre-BUF), Okposo (24 pre-BUF), Jost 46, Stillman 3, Skinner, Girgs, VO. Could also add Clague/Bryson, though they're #8/9 on the depth chart and still around. Out total = 80 games In: E.Johnson (Cup win, 55 -- was on all those bad COL teams pre-Makar); Clifton (46, though no deep runs since 2019); Zucker (52 though pretty much all 1st round exits); Lafferty (21); Malenstyn (4); Aube-Kubel (Cup, 30); McLeod (56, 24 this year alone); Byram (Cup, 27). In total = 291 games and 3 Cups.

I still believe his ceiling is a Lydman. And just as with Lydman, I don't believe he'll reach his professional peak with his first franchise. But, as long as he's with the Sabres he remains a steady and boring defender.