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Byram or Adams? By the way, I don’t question Byram O skills, or his ability to be aggressive. We saw those two things early after the trade. What I do question is his commitment and ability to actually play defense.

Quinn played for Canada at the U20s and at the 22/23 WC. Quinn was tracking for a 27 goal season last year. If (when?) he take another step or two in his development over then next few years, I think he can become a 35g 45a type player. That kind of player will definitely be on Canada’s radar. I think he has more upside than Cozens. That said, if Cozens also reaches those levels he could be on the radar as well. The issue for Cozens is the depth of Canada at center. McDavid, Crosby, McKinnon, and Point are the top 4 centers now, plus Stamkos and Reinhart who can play either center or wing. Then you can add Bedard and now Celebrini. Cozens has a huge hill to climb.

Yes. Yes he was determined to move on from Mitts and Byram was the best piece offered. Yes, I think he is a Tyson Barrie type player and no I don’t think he is a good partner for Dahlin regardless of what Adams said at a press conference. Byram came with a 1 yr contract and then an RFA. This gave KA a player with potential and some control. However, the money doesn’t work long-term. Quinn, JJP, McLeod and Levi will need new contracts and then Benson and Tuch after them. There won’t be enough cap room after that to pay Byram big $ as well. I predicted before last season that KA would trade Mitts because he didn’t want to commit big $ to him long-term. I make the same prediction about Byram now. He’ll be traded next off-season or if the Sabres are again falling short of the playoffs, he might be traded at the deadline.

Fair? No, Even Adams agrees his core isn’t good enough. Why else makes overtures to acquire Necas among others? I do agree Adams believes that is his core less Byram plus UPL or Levi. Chicago, with Kane, Toews and Sharp, needed to be supplemented with Soupy and Hossa to get over the top initially. Adams fully understands what’s wrong with his roster, he just can’t close the deal he needs to get the job done. I don’t know if it’s risk aversion, the internal cap, FOMO on some of the prospects, incompetence, poor salesmanship or in part all of the above or something else, but it’s past time to get such a deal done.

Asked and answered.

But it doesn’t mean it’s wrong either and in this situation I think Armstrong is correct. Adams could learn something from Armstrong. There is a time for patience and a time for aggression. The Sabre need their GM to be more aggressive and that is the lesson here. Fixing the 4th line is not aggression, it was again Adams doing the bare minimum to simply field a roster. As Yerdon said on Duffer’s podcast, these were the moves of a GM trying to get a playoff caliber team deeper into the playoffs not the moves of a GM trying to turn a moribund franchise into a legit playoff team. The Sabres haven’t not yet replaced the lost production of Mitts and Skinner. It’s past time to fix this issue. It’s time for an aggressive move.

If he gets back to 80+ pts, he'll certainly be in the mix. The biggest issues with Tage are that he really needs to play center and his defensive play is lacking. Larkin is a far superior 2 way center and has a career Face off % of 52.4% to Tage's 42.1%. Also pts wise Tage leads Larkin by a single point over the last 3 years and Larkin has out pointed him 2 of the last 3. The case for Tage is that Lindy helps with his 2-Way game and Tage gets back to being an 80+ point player who scores 35+ goals. From a lineup standpoint, maybe Team USA moves Eichel to the wing, opening a slot for Tage as the 3C. I firmly believe Larkin is making the squad as the 4th line C and top PKer.

I think it's to improve his team with the added bonus of putting Edm between a rock and a hard place. My guess is Stl tried to trade for one or both players and Edm refused to discuss a trade or the price was crazy high. Stl's top 4 D are 31 to 33, plus they have Suter at 39. They could really use a youth injection on defense. Stl's pipeline is decent, but much like ours, if heavily weighted toward forwards. Their best D prospect, Theo Lindstein, is only 18 and years from the NHL.

It wasn't the specific players but the aggressive move to improve his team that caught my attention.

The US team has Matthews, Eichel, Hughes and Larkin already down the middle. The wingers are both Tkachuks, Connor, Robertson, JT Miller and Guentzel. The US also has Keller (33g 76 pts), Boeser (40g), Boldy (only 22 with 29g & 69 pts), as possible depth wingers. Who are you dumping for Tage?

Oh look a GM who is actively trying to make his team better.

After looking at the projected roster for Canada, I'm going to give Quinn a shot at making the Canadian team. The B/R staff lists Zach Hyman and Marchand on the Canadian roster. Hyman is 32 and is coming off a career defining season (54 goals). Is he still going to be that player at 34? Marchand is 36. He is still a solid scorer, but at 67 points each of the last 2 years, is he really going to be one of the 12 best Canadian forwards at 38? If Quinn is a pt a game player in 2 seasons, why wouldn't he get some consideration?

https://bleacherreport.com/articles/10129267-way-too-early-2026-olympic-roster-projections-for-the-top-6-mens-hockey-teams The Fins are pretty deep down the middle. Barkov, Aho and Hintz are locks. Can Helenius beat out Lundell?

After watching the gold medal Men’s basketball game, I began to wonder what the Olympic hockey tournament would look like and what current Sabres (or Amerks) might make their country’s Olympic team. I think there are 3 current Sabres who are “guaranteed” to make their country’s teams. They are Dahlin (Sweden), Jokiharju (Finland) and JJP (Germany). After those 3, I see a few players with a chance to make an Olympic team, but most are long-shots. Canada - Levi and Power have a chance. Levi would have to become our top goalie and Power would have to go from a 30 point D to a 60+ pt D and become more physical to even get a look. USA - Thompson and Tuch maybe? 90 pt Thompson would have a great shot. 60 pt Thompson has none. Finland - UPL. If he continues to play like he did this past season, I can easily see him earning the backup job behind Saros. Czechia - Kulich? Anyone else?

Most of that list looks like primarily 4th line players who occasionally played up or in Ruff’s case, played defense. Luce and Ramsay were definitely 3rd line players.

How about we make the playoffs? Although Charlton Trethewey is a great name.

FYI: Prow is the only "veteran" (aka over 320 pro games) on the Amerks roster Clague (279 games) and Murray (283 games) qualify for the 260 to 320 exception, although if both play, one would be classified as a "veteran" All the other skaters should be classified as developmental players according to AHL rules. After looking at everyone's back ground, I think Laaouan, Cheveldayoff, Nadeau, Tischke and maybe Kozak, will start the year in the ECHL.

I forgot about Rousek in my original post. I’ve amended it to add him in.

Because Buffalo

The AHL doesn't have the same kind of roster limits as the NHL. Their limits on based on how many vets (players over 260 games of pro experience to start a season) can play each night. Anyone with under 260 games is considered a developmental player and you can play as many developmental players as you want. There is also an exception for 1 player with over 260 games but less than 320. Goalies are exempted from these rules. 13 skaters each night must be developmental players. Otherwise there are no roster limits in the AHL. That makes sense considering every injury in the NHL usually causes callups from the A. You don't want to leave the A team shorthanded when the parent club has a rash of injuries.

TP is in charge and he doesn't let Adams forget it.

Are you ok?

Hopefully all the Swedes and Fins get along with the Russians.

This look like a very young and talented forward group for the Amerks, coupled with 3 good D prospects and solid goaltending regardless of whether Reimer or Levi is the Sabres backup. Forwards - Draftees (10) - Helenius (14th overall 2024), Östlund (16th 2022), Kulich (28th 2022), Rosen (20th 2021), Wahlberg (39th 2023), Kisakov (53rd 2021), Neuchev (74th 2022), Tullio (126th Edm 2020), plus other draftees Nadeau and Kozak will be fighting for roster spots. Veterans (7) - Rousek, Murray, Jobst, Dunne, Cheveldayoff, Slaggert, Warren (last 3 on AHL deals) Defense - Draftees (3) - Johnson (31st 2019), Komarov (134th 2022), Novikov (188th 2021) Veterans (6) - Clague, Poolman, Rathbone, Tischke, Prow, Laaouan (last 3 on AHL deals) Goalies - Levi/Reimer, Sandstrom, Houser (AHL deal) - Sabres camp will determine if Reimer or Levi is the starter in Rochester. I suspect Reimer loses that battle.

Enough of this excuse for KA’s failures to get what this team needs. He tried to get Chychrun. He tried to get a goalie and now he’s tried to get a RW. Each time he’s failed. His job is to get what this team needs and if he can’t, he needs to be replaced.