GASabresIUFAN

The Sabres new motto is "Destroying Our Fanbase One Game at a Time"

Does it really matter?

Different coach and system. So the 23/24 numbers aren’t really relevant. Also just because Dahlin and Byram are our best pair, that doesn’t make them great or even good. They are the best of a terrible group. No team that is in the bottom four in the NHL in goals allowed is good at defense.

You are using multi season numbers https://www.naturalstattrick.com/pairings.php?fromseason=20242025&thruseason=20242025&stype=2&sit=5v5&score=all&rate=n&team=BUF&loc=B&toi=0&gpfilt=none&fd=&td=&tgp=410

This doesn't work under the cap. We cannot afford to spend $27 mill on 3 puck moving LHDs. One of Byram or Power will have to go in order to fix the holes on this roster. You cannot spend $27 mill, and still spend on a top 6 playmaker, good stay at home D, re-sign vets like Zucker and Greenway and pay the RFAs like JJP and McLeod. There just isn't enough cap space. Also Dahlin and Byram are not a great pair. Dahlin is great and is literally covering for the D shortcomings of everyone he plays with. Put Dahlin with any of our D and their XGF turns positive, put that same D with anyone else and the opposite is true. Power w Dahlin has a XGF of 70.24%, Byram with Dahlin XGF 53.6%, Dahlin w Joker XGF 54.72%, Dahlin with Clifton XGF 57.19, Dahlin w Samuelsson XGF 69.41. In fact, Dahlin's xGF is better without Byram than with, although some of the sample size is small from this season Byram w Joker xGF 35.88, Byram w Samuelsson XGF 41.68, Byram w Power 42.89, Byram w Bryson 46.89 Power's numbers are just as bad. Face the fact that Power and Byram are not good defensively. Keeping both would be a huge mistake. Power is never going to play to the level of an $8.35 a year D. His offense isn't good enough to justify that number and his defense it beyond awful.

For now, but I don’t think it’s the long-term plan.

No it’s not all on the defensemen, but you have to start somewhere and Dahlin and now Byram have gone without adequate partners for far to long.

As I've pointed out the offense is not the problem. We are 12th in the NHL in goals. Keeping our forwards, especially a productive vet like Zucker makes sense especially for a tema devoid of veteran leadership. I do agree that if he won't sign an extension before the deadline, then Adams has no choice but to trade him. He is probably worth a 2nd rd pick plus a prospect. You maybe able to up the compensation if Adams is willing to take a contract back to help the new team take Zucker's cap hit. The key to this deadline and this next off-season is fixing the defense. The Sabres are currently tied for4th most goal against. Byrson, Clifton, Jokiharju, Gilbert and even Power are expendable. Yes even Power. Adams should no longer be patient with anyone in this 3rd NHL season who hasn't improved at all defensively.

none of the above

How is that working out for us? Dahlin is great, but Power is a cream puff and Samuelsson is completely lost.

But we weren't paying McCabe 4.3 million a season. McCabe low contract cost during his development afforded the Sabres time to be patient. We don't have that luxury now.

This is what I think will happen. It was @Brawndo who originally brought up the idea and we all know his sources are very good. This transaction would save the Sabres about $3.5 mill a year for the next 5 years and only cost the Sabres 714k per season the 5 years after that. Given the rising cap, $714K liability is a drop in the bucket.

Adams better have Zucker and Greenway signed to extensions before the deadline. If he doesn’t they aren’t re-signing here and therefore need to be traded. Adams says he wants to keep both, then stop f-ing around and get it done if that is really your intention. Adams also says he won’t be a seller at the deadline. What he didn’t say is that he’ll be a buyer.

Then get rid of Power and use that $8.35 mill on players to pair with Dahlin and Byram. Then find a way to move on from Cozens and his $7 mill contract and utilize that money to fix the top 6 forwards (read playmaker).

He will be bought out this summer as no one is taking on that contract. It will cost the Sabres 714K for the next 10 years.

Let the historic run to the 8th overall pick begin. Honestly, at this point I’d rather have the top 5 pick. We need at least one elite forward on our team.

Ruff said CBJ put out their goons to start the game and Gilbert stepped up.

The Sabres dominate the 2nd period, but then in the 3rd period crawl into a ball again and hope to hang on. Why? In the 3rd period, CBJ had a 8-1 shot advantage, a 7-2 scoring chance advantage and 5-0 HD chance advantage. That's not how to protect a lead. Nice game by Tuch and Reimer. Power stinks.

By peeing in their diapers

So Gilbert starts the game with a fight! Why?

From Matt Fairburn at the Athletic. “1. The aftermath of Noesen’s hit was the latest indication the Sabres still have a long way to go when it comes to showing the rest of the league they won’t be easily pushed around. Luckily Thompson is OK. That may be part of the reason Noesen won’t face discipline from the league after getting a match penalty. It should be pointed out Alex Tuch was livid on the bench when the hit happened and got an interference penalty for a hard hit shortly after that. Tuch fought Devils defenseman Brenden Dillon earlier this season when Dillon laid a high hit that concussed JJ Peterka. I’d bet Tuch was one of the players Lindy Ruff was referring to when he said a few guys on the bench wanted to go after Noesen right away. That doesn’t absolve the rest of the team, but Tuch deserves some credit. Beyond a fight or a retaliatory hit, the Sabres could stand to play with more emotion and snarl in their game. Rasmus Dahlin said they need more pushback. That’s been an ongoing conversation with the team, and this will only make it louder.” https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6111340/2025/02/04/sabres-nhl-salary-cap-contracts-trades/

During his first tenure Lindy had guys like Ray, Mair, Grier, McKee, Barneby, etc. He had guys who would keep opponents from taking liberties and who would quickly settle things on the ice. He didn’t usually have to many instances where the Ottawa game type response was necessary.

Yes, especially for the contract he's on. He's on pace for about 50 points this season. However don't expect him back.

And what was possession time? What were the scoring chances and the high danger chances? NJ had at least 6 hits in the final minute of the game as they tried to tie the game. According to naturalstattrick.com. the Devils had a 4-0 scoring chance edge and 2-0 HD chance edge on the Sabres in the 3rd period.

That C core is currently 12th in the NHL in GF despite a terrible PP and the less than ideal C group. I fully agree that Adams needs to enhance the centers, but scoring is not really the issue with this team. Defense is the bigger problem.