GASabresIUFAN

I have to admit, as much as I like Howdy Doody for Adams, Kevyn Milbury is a great nickname for our incompetent GM.

Talk back to Terry Pegula instead of saying Yes Sir, Right away Sir!

https://thehockeywriters.com/sabres-who-should-be-dealt-trade-deadline-2025/ This writer believes the Sabres should trade Cozens, Quinn, Tuch, Zucker and Levi by the deadline.

And both would have made the Sabres better, but stupid Adams wouldn’t make those deals because they would have blocked a prospect. It’s past time for no longer worrying about blocking prospects. Each move needs to be about making the Sabres better now. I’d love to see a deal like the Bennett one. I’m not really hopeful that Adams will make such a move, but I do believe it’s what he should be doing at the deadline.

There are trades ever deadline season where teams can actually get talent that can improve a team long-term. The classic example is the Sabres trading Gratton for Briere at the deadline. Another great example is the Pens acquiring Chris Kunitz from Ana at the deadline in 2009. He stayed for the next 8 seasons helping the Pens to 3 Cups. Adams made a similar hockey trade at last year's deadline of Mitts for Byram. The jury is still out if this was a smart trade or not, but Mitts re-signed with Colorado and Byram is having a good season with the Sabres and is an RFA at season's end. I think there are deals like these to be had at this deadline and this is what Adams should be trying to do instead of just jettisoning UFAs.

Good thing the offense scored at TD.

If Zucker is a mercenary, then sign me up for more. Since he arrived he has played hard every shift, done whatever the team asked him to do and raised the play of those around him. Of all the moves KA has made as GM Zucker is by far the best. We “overpaid” for his services, but unlike nearly every other Sabre, Zucker has given the team their monies worth. I’d re-sign him right now for two years at $5 mill a season and be pretty sure I’d get reasonable value on the deal in effort alone.

What if Adams doesn’t trade Greenway and/or Zucker? What if he extends them instead? What a message that would send. It would be the first time in a decade that the team is actually serious about winning or at least getting better.

The famous Kevyn Adams mantra. I tried to get so many players, but no one wanted to come because we didn't have palm trees.

His trade value is fine. He is a former 1st overall pick, with size and good skill. Many teams are going to believe that they can fix his poor D play or they have a defensive D partner for him to cover for his mistakes. Around the league scoring D are at a premium. Unlike most teams, the Sabres don't lack for scoring D and are therefore trading from strength. That said, the most important thing is getting out from under that contract. If we are able to fix one of our roster holes all the better. It's more likely Samuelsson gets bought out as @Brawndo pointed out in another thread. His buyout would be $714K for 10 years according to Puckdepia.com. This results in a cap savings of 3.571 million annually for the next 5 years. That pays for 50% of Byram's next contract. If you can trade Cozens and Power and then buy out Samuelsson, even if you re-sign Byram for $7 mill, you are still nearly 12 million to the good. That cap can be re-directed toward defensive D partners for Dahlin and Byram and/or adding someone like EP. My preference is 2 RHD defensemen who can play defense.

You’re missing the broader point. Whether Power is good or not doesn’t change the fact that we are misallocating resources by keeping Power, Byram and Dahlin. We honestly can’t afford to keep all 3 and still fix the other areas of the team. It’s also a waste as there isn’t enough PP time for all 3. To get the most out of these guys and their bloated contracts, each needs to anchor their own D pair and qb PP1 or PP2. Management needs to make a choice. For me that choice is obvious; dump the defensively inept Power while he still has excellent trade value and get out from under his terrible contract. I honestly don’t care if he blossoms elsewhere.

@JohnC Power is a $8 mill defender who can’t defend. That makes him useless. He is positionally terrible, does not engage physically and turns the puck over constantly. His offense is worth about $3-4 million but he is so bad defensively that he is a near worthless player as he causes more harm than good. He is Ristolsinen 2.0 without the physicality. The Sabres need to win now and can no longer afford to wait another 5 years for Power to figure it out. Byram is the better player now, in the near future and maybe always. He also needs a new contract which will likely be in the $7 mill area (also too much for another bad defender but at least he tries). Investing $27 million in 3 offensive LHD, two of which are liabilities on defense, is stupid and a waste of cap space. Management has to make a choice between Power and Byram. I’d trade Power and reallocate his money to partners for Byram and Dahlin. I honestly don’t know how anyone can watch Power’s play this season and think wow there goes a good player.

Getting out from under at least one of the bad contracts (Cozens, Mule and Power) should be a deadline priority. Whether we end up with a top 6 forward or a partner for Byram or Dahlin is gravy. Admittedly moving one of these contracts will be easier in the offseason, but given the rumors maybe there is a smidgeon of hope Adams gets a deal done.

Why can’t they play like this all the time. I’d settle for even most of the time. Power still stinks.

I am just in the 2nd period watching the game. Those might be the two prettiest goals the Sabres have scored all season. Byram’s play to push the D back on the first goal was impressive. I just wish he’d show the same hustle on every shift.

it's funny that you said that, but this is actually how a real team should operate. Get an NHL vet for a job and if a kid eventually beats him out so be it. No kid should have a guaranteed job in the NHL. Internal competition for an NHL job is as it should be.

I don't think any Sabres fans want Adams in charge any longer, but that is the reality we are living with. If Terry didn't want him to remain, he would have fired him during the losing streak. Doesn't make a lot of sense to leave him place for the deadline just to fire him this off-season.

I'm not sure how to fully articulate this thought, but I don't want the team to go on full sell mode. I would like Adams to protect or even enhance the Amerks roster. They look like they have what it takes to make a deep playoff run and I don't want the Sabres to grab 4-5 players from the Amerks just to finish the season. Yes, I'd like to see Rosen, Johnson and Novikov get an NHL look see this season, but I'd prefer they spend most of the remainder of the season in Rochester helping the Amerks win. Playing important AHL games would do those players and ultimately the Sabres more good then playing out the string in Buffalo. Sadly, I don't think he is. I think Terry gives him one more year to execute his "vision."

How many trades are discussed by GMs and how many of those discussions ultimately lead to a trade? 5%? Less? I’m sure Adams has inquired about Pettersson and my guess is Van’s GM has kicked the tires on Cozens and or Byram. The odds of a deal getting done are still pretty slim.

Will they actually try to fix team needs? Will they only move out guys on expiring contracts? With 8 relevant RFAs, could some of them be moved for other assets in deals similar to Mitts for Byram? Here are the relevant RFAs: NHL: McLeod, JJP, Quinn, Byram, Jokiharju, AHL: Kozak, Johnson & Levi UFAs : Greenway, Zucker, & Reimer (plus Gilbert & Bryson) Players with 1 year left on their contracts: UFAs in a year TUCH, Lafferty, Malenstyn, Clifton; RFAs in a year: Benson & Krebs Players rumored to be on the trading block: Cozens, Quinn, Power & Byram Players allegedly the Sabres have an interest in: Elias Pettersson https://thehockeynews.com/betting/futures/nhl-insider-hints-to-potential-trade-including-sabres-dylan-cozens-canucks-elias-pettersson https://clutchpoints.com/nhl-rumors-sabres-entertaining-owen-power-trade-offers https://pittsburghhockeynow.com/potential-pittsburgh-penguins-trade-targets-linked-to-buffalo-sabres-prospects/ https://bleacherreport.com/articles/10150969-5-trade-destinations-for-dylan-cozens-amid-nhl-rumors https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6071961/2025/01/27/nhl-trade-deadline-tiers-buyers-sellers-needs/

Shocking. I do hope Aube-Kubel gets an opportunity elsewhere.

https://clutchpoints.com/nhl-rumors-sabres-entertaining-owen-power-trade-offers For your entertainment.

It's not exactly a high bar of quality center play for Kulich to step over right now, but you are correct with TNT injured and on the wing, McLeod and Kulich are the two best centers on this roster. Cozens and Lafferty have been awful and Krebs is a JAG. Assuming a Pettersson trade, the hope is Pettersson assumes the No. 1 job and then see where things shake out from there. Do you pair TNT with Pettersson or do you hope TNT and EP can anchor the top 2 lines with Kulich and McLeod battling for the 3rd center job.

I looked at my thoughts from that thread and I was leaning toward not making the playoffs because of the poor special teams and the need to improve defensively. Sadly I turned out to be correct; they didn’t improve defensively and didn’t improve on special teams and therefore they aren’t making the playoffs, but I honestly didn’t expect them to be this bad.