GASabresIUFAN

The sad part is Kulich is probably the best player of the current lot of Sabres "centers." TNT has been moved to RW and Ruff wants to make it permanent. Cozens has been a disaster all season and like TNT might be best playing on the wing. McLeod has had good moments and bad. He is ok defensively and solid in the faceoff circle, but he is not a top 6 center. Krebs is the same player he's been for the last few years. He chips in some offense now and again and he has stepped up his physicality and his faceoff %. All in all an adequate 4th line center. Lafferty - has been pure unadulterated garbage, but at least he skates fast. So those are your choices Sabres fans besides Kulich. No wonder Ruff is playing Kulich on his top line.

I think people here are confusing playmakers with guys who have good playmaking skills. Guys like Adam Oates and Kuznetsov are pure playmakers. Guys who focus almost primarily on creating for others. The Sabres don’t have anyone like this on the team and only Östlund may qualify. Then there are guys with an all around skill set and do a good job of creating for linemates. Alex Tuch is such a player. JJP seems to be moving in that direction as well, but his shooting is his best skill. JJP has 40 pts ytd including 26 assists which leads all Sabres forwards. Benson, I know has the requisite passing skills, but he is still figuring out the NHL. McLeod does most of what we want a center to do, but his passing skills are limited. As to the original question, I’d like my centers to play an all-around game, be good in the faceoff circle and play 200 ft. We don’t have anyone that fits that description. The best thing about Kulich in the middle is his willingness to play 200 feet and his skills, especially shooting, allow him to convert opportunities. While I’m a Kulich fan, I’d love for the Sabres to somehow acquire a pure making center (Zegras) or an all-around center (Pettersson) to pair with Thompson on a top line. Moving guys like McLeod and Kulich down the lineup.

Adams stated he wants to retain both Zucker and Greenway. I'll believe it when I see it.

lol! You’re welcome! All 3 current alleged centers are shoot first players in Cozens, TNT, and McLeod. The only “playmaker” on the roster is Tuch. JJP has the passing skills but is also a shoot first player. Quinn is shoot first as well. Benson was known as a creator in the CHL but hasn’t made a consistent impact that way in the NHL. Zucker, who traditionally is a shoot first player, has focused on more playmaking as a Sabre. One of the huge issues with this roster is the lack of playmakers once Mitts was traded and no effort was made to find an adequate replacement.

Is Kulich a center? Yes

5 pretty big deals so far with 5 weeks to go until the deadline. Teams getting a very early start. Calling Howdy Doody.

This is the situation Adams created where kids are going to step up and those are the assets we have. Kulich is the No 1 center right now and is doing pretty well. Kulich is no. 2 in my scenario only because I have pencilled in an acquisition. If Adams fails to acquire someone and TNT remains at RW, the top 2 centers entering next season could be Kulich and McLeod. However real improvement next season will only come by retooling the defense to actually play defense.

I’m not sure what you mean here but I was pretty clear that Adams playoff mandate was a lie.

@Archie Lee I have no idea how the forwards will shake out. I believe we still need a top 6 playmaking center as well. Some of the forward logjam will clear itself up if Adams gets serious about fixing the defense and his cap situation. Those excess forwards should be utilized to get partners for Dahlin and Byram (or Power) to solidify and improve the top 4 D. Either Power or Byram also needs to be traded. If I were in charge Power, Cozens and Rosen are all trade pieces. I’m also waiving Lafferty. I’m also looking to trade or buyout Samuelsson. Getting out from under Cozens, Power and Samuelson’s contracts is a huge offseason goal. The forward group I see for next year looks something like thing this JJP New Player TNT Benson Kulich Tuch Zucker McLeod Quinn Greenway Krebs Malenstyn (Kozak) The defense Dahlin new player Byram new player Novikov Clifton (Johnson?)

No mixed messaging. I think he is a terrible GM. Incompetent. I think he has built a terrible roster. I think he has mismanaged the cap by handing out big contracts to players who haven’t earned them. Failed at every turn to make the obvious move to enhance the roster and because he’s Terry’s yes man he remains the GM through this season and likely beyond. I hope that’s clear enough. In fact, other than adding Greenway, I’m not sure any trade or FA signing made by Adams actually enhanced the team. Even Zucker was a downgrade on paper from Skinner. McLeod is a downgrade from Mitts. Guys like Jost, Lafferty, Robinson, Malenstyn, Kubel, Reimer, Comrie, Stillman, Lyubushkin, Eric Johnson, even Clifton, are just bottom of the roster filler and none have improved the team. Byram may someday help the team, but right now he is just a redundant 3rd offensive LHD who has made our in zone defense worse. As to anything Adams says, take it with a grain of salt. His actions have always prove his words weren’t true. His lasted pronouncement is that he wants to keep Zucker and Greenway. Great if true, but don’t count on it happening. I am also a Sabres fan that despite everything that happened with this team still hopes for the future. There are players I like on this team that could be part of a solution. I like JJP, Kulich, Benson and Dahlin. I have grown to respect TNT. I think UPL plays his tail off for this team like last night. I like what Zucker brings every night. I honestly believe that finding 2 defensive D to partner with Dahlin and Byram will go along way toward fixing this roster as will the acquisition of a top 6 center. Since I’m stuck with Adams as GM, I have no choice but to hope that he has an epiphany and for once makes the right decisions fixing the roster mess he created. This deadline is another opportunity for hope and help. What did Andy say in Shawshank? Hope is a good thing, maybe the best of things and no good thing ever dies. I hope Adams re-signs Greenway and Zucker. I hope Adams acquires partners for Dahlin and Byram. I hope Adams trades for a play making center. I hope that playoff hockey will return to Buffalo. I hope.

I think you’re being overly generous. There is no way he looked the D group he brought back in its entirety with their terrible metrics and thought that was a playoff caliber D group.

Go Amerks. Thanks for giving us a team to root for.

Pitt trading Marcus Pettersson to Van. Apparently, the Canucks are changing their name to the Van Petterssons featuring Elias at center and Elias and Marcus on defense.

I fully agree that Adams “plan” has put to much on players not ready for that responsibility. Cozens, Mitts, Power, Levi, Krebs, and even Quinn. Kulich could easily be the next victim. I even started a thread saying Adams is already penciling in Kulich and Kozak next season. As I have also said in this and other threads, the Sabres still need a top 6 playmaking center. Nothing about Kulich’s development changes that fact, especially with TNT moving to RW. The Playoff mandate was a lie. It was GM bs to get people to buy tickets. Unless and until management gets defenders who actually play defense this team isn’t making the playoffs no matter how many young forwards develop into NHLers.

Of all people you know that development isn’t linear. Go look at Mitts and TNT. Admittedly I’m a big believer in Kulich. I did write off Thompson and was proven wrong. I’m not writing off Quinn either. In Quinn’s first 24 games this season he had 5 pts. He’s had 14 pts in his last 19. He’s far from perfect, but his play of late is much closer to the player who had 19 pts in 27 games last season. Other than Cozens which major forward prospect has fallen on his face? Mitts, Thompson, JJP all improved. Quinn has suffered through injuries, but finally is coming back around as I noted above. The issue with this team is team defense. Our blueliners are terrible defensively across the board and the forwards don’t do enough. Fix the defense and this is a playoff team.

I’m not defending Adams. I’m pointing out that we did get something for Reinhart. FYI Kulich’s 9 goals since 12/1 leads all rookies and his 11 EV goals is tied with Celebrini.

Wouldn’t that be that be an interesting development. I don’t count on it happening, but as I mentioned up thread, re-signing both guys would be a major step forward in how this team is managed.

Talk about spilt milk. Yes the Sabre blew the rebuild now 3 times. As I said before, the team that trades the established player for picks and prospects always losses the deal. We lost the ROR deal, lost the Eichel deal and lost the Reinhart deal. FYI They did have to trade Reinhart as he was a year from UFA status and wouldn’t re-sign with the Sabres. We are trying to move forward and yes Kulich is emerging. Reinhart had 42 pts (23g) as a 20 year old rookie in his first full season. Kulich, also 20, now has 11g 5a in his first 37 games. That translates to 24g and 36 pts over a full season and Kulich’s scoring has been accelerating with 7 points in his last 6 games. No one is saying that this team doesn’t suck or that the roster hasn’t been mismanaged, but it’s wrong to say we got nothing for Reinhart. It’s like saying we got nothing for ROR. Last I looked TNT is a very good NHL forward.

lol. Maybe he really is Howdy Doody.

Sadly even with Kulich a top 6 center is still needed especially if TNT remains on the wing. Don’t worry Adams knows in his heart that he is incompetent.

https://nypost.com/2025/01/31/sports/rangers-reunite-with-j-t-miller-in-blockbuster-trade-with-canucks/ Miller to the Rags for Chytil.

Which means Petterson is staying in Van. Next idea. How about Zegras?

Amen brother, although I'd pair him with Byram after trading Power.

The Sabres received Kulich (28th overall in 2022) and Levi for Reinhart. I wish as you do that we had signed Reinhart long-term, but the emergence of Kulich this season is a very good development. I doubt Kulich will ever put up Reinhart numbers, but he is rapidly developing into a top 6 forward who plays with grit. No trade for picks and prospects ever favors the team selling the established talent, but this trade is finally showing some value to the Sabres.