Digger

I'd love to see Fleury on the team for 1 or 2 years. Kadri and Ristolainen together on the same team? Fun locker room brawl.

Just wondering if you have any additional insight on the interviews. Obviously with the players that the Sabres selected for interviews they must be higher on the team's wish list for the projected draft position but why don't they interview everyone in say the top 15 or 20 or 30 in case a player slides in the draft or even a trade that comes up that day, etc? Is it just a time constraint that they can only fit in a certain number? Or have the Sabres actually ruled that player out for a certain reason (skill, projection, attitude, overall fit)?

I'm looking forward to seeing how Rosen looks at camp. It would be great if he shows up able to impress and then play (or dare I say earn a spot) for Rochester. But if he's not ready he will (we will) at least get a strong indication of how he stacks up and where he needs to improve (strength most likely as so many have indicated). The good news to me is that the Sabres now seem to be getting a stronger say in his development which is great. I still have high hopes for him.

Didn't the Sabres push a few years back to get the prospects on the ice for some additional testing after the combine? I can't quite remember but I thought some of the other teams thought that might give the Sabres an extra advantage as the host. Why doesn't the NHL include on ice testing is another question? I did find a older ESPN article from 2019 that addressed that. Here's a clip from that story that gives a bit of rationale: Why the players don't skate at the combine Dan Marr, the director of the NHL's central scouting services, is charged with planning the annual combine. It's a big part of a job that does not begin or end with the execution of the event. Marr, who has been on the job since 2012, used his first year to observe how the combine operated. After that, he looked for ways to better serve the member clubs with this event, so he took a comprehensive survey with input from all teams. Among the questions on that survey was if there was an appetite to add on-ice testing. According to Marr, two-thirds of the respondents did not wish to add an on-ice component to the testing, especially after learning what that would entail. "You have to have guys to bring the equipment. You need proper support staff. You also need the proper insurance," said Marr, noting the introduction of equipment requires the need for equipment managers and potentially more athletic trainers on staff. "There's just not a whole lot of time anyway. [The teams] are already tied up with meetings." Essentially, the benefit was not viewed as significant enough to outweigh the challenges that would come along with on-ice testing. Marr also noted that agents and advisers have expressed concerns about adding an on-ice component, wondering what their clients ultimately would gain from it. Another key issue is the time of year that the combine is held. Some players have been out of action for over two months, while some have either participated in the recent world championship or the Memorial Cup. It creates a further imbalance among the players that could ultimately skew the results.

How much do you think the combine results affect a player's actual draft position? Perhaps the testing just helps identify any unknown weakness or maybe gives an even comparison between prospects? The interviews (in person) are the biggest benefit I would think. I just wonder about how important the combine is after it was cancelled for the last two seasons. As a fan I do enjoy the story lines and extra info that comes from the NHL Daft Combine though.

Kadri may not be a fighter but he is due to get another playoff suspension hurting his team. The guy seems to get a loose screw at times.

Sounds promising to me that both sides want to work out a deal. Most likely a one way deal without a guarantee on a spot with the Sabres. Will he still be waiver exempt? I believe CapFriendly says no so he will need to pass through waivers next season. I don't see a downside for R2 or the Sabres. He works hard in the off-season and comes to camp ready to win a job which puts pressure on Quinn and Peterka to work just as hard. Competition is needed so that Quinn and or Peterka have to earn a spot. R2 could win a spot in camp or we could have an injury. Best case for R2 is that he wins a spot on the Sabres, if he doesn't (but has a great camp) he gets picked up by another NHL team. Worst case demoted to Rochester (and still gets called up in season) but still getting a much better salary than the past year.

It's great that they got a couple of rounds in. The experience should pay off. I still wonder why Quinn didn't have more success (possible injury). I still look forward to seeing him have a great off-season and training camp (and earn a spot with the Sabres). The only other thing that bugs me is that Samuelsson didn't play in the post season. Maybe I'm remembering wrong but they seemed to imply that he was day to day when the Sabres season ended.

Okay, here’s my redraft top 10. I still take Eichel at 2 based on talent and potential at the time of the draft. It’s the Sabres decisions after the draft (trades, coaches, GM’s) that hurt in the long run although I still think the ROR acquisition was a good one (but I won’t take it off topic). I’m not as big of a fan of Marner as some are. I do think that Connor and Barzal were real steals that year for where they got drafted. And Kaprizov. It was a great draft in hindsight and one where it would have been nice to have multiple picks to really change the team. 1. Connor McDavid 2. Jack Eichel 3. Sebastian Aho 4. Kirill Kaprizov 5. Mitchell Marner 6. Kyle Connor 7. Mathew Barzal 8. Mikko Rantanen 9. Timo Meier 10. Zach Werenski

While not necessarily answering the original question of the re-draft of the top 10 I would offer that the Sabres would have been better off trading the #2 overall pick (expected to be Eichel) to the Boston Bruins for picks #13, #14, #15 and Torey Krug. Buffalo selects Matt Barzal, Kyle Connor, and Thomas Chabot (which were the actual next 3 picks after the Bruins poor and bizarre choices in the draft that year). It was well known that the Bruins wanted to move up which is why they acquired the picks by trading Dougie Hamilton and Milan Lucic. Boston may have been willing to pay for the chance to get "franchise player" and hometown boy Jack Eichel. The real dream scenario would have been getting Pastrnak who was an 18 year old rookie for the Bruins that year in place of Krug. Sabre fans would have freaked if we had traded the 2OA that year after the tank but in hindsight trading it may have led to a quicker way to icing a better balanced team.

Another year in the CHL? I was thinking he would be in Rochester next season now that he signed?

Yes my mistake. I had only watched a short clip not the full interview.

And yet here we are both reading this thread. Ah the off-season.

Tampa remembered that they are the reigning Cup champions in the series with the Leafs. They just keep showing that they know how to win. Tough loss for the Panthers though with the late goal. Game 3 should be good.

Great win. Love to see them believe that they can win. Lots of great experience for the boys expecting to push their way onto the Sabres next season.

A missed opportunity but it's good to recognize that they can play much better. Next game we'll see what they have.

I'd be happy to see him go out west. Hated playing the Islanders while he was coaching although they say Lane Lambert is the same style of coach.

I like the thought of Cozens in a Drury type role (from back in the day) but those teams did have some pretty good shut down support in Hecht, Mair, Gaustadt, and Grier. I cringe when I see fans putting Cozens on the "4th line" with Girgensons as a checking line center. I believe the kid still has a great deal of upside and it would not surprise me at all for him to take a big step next season. I liked Okposo in a 3rd line role this past season and his offence was respectable (along with his leadership). I see next seasons team with 3 capable scoring lines. I see Krebs on the wing with spot duty as center as he continues his development (playing with Cozens or Mittelstadt). Where do Quinn and Peterka fit if they make the team? There's lots of potential combinations and it's easy to switch players between lines (nice to have some depth). Skinner Thompson Tuch Olofsson Mittelstadt Quinn Krebs Cozens Okposo Asplund Girgensons XXX

Good points, but since it is playoff time do you think he may have an injury that is slowing down his production (mobility or shot)? I know this type of info won't come out until after the playoffs but it makes me wonder if injury is a contributing factor.

Yes I agree. He was given the opportunity to take the #1 spot and failed to meet the challenge.

So @DarthEbriate missed his cue on this one?

For a song you say. Malcolm Subban sings.😏

Besides the performance of the team, I assume end of season interviews with players are taken into account with this decision. If some of the top players on the team (Barzal, Nelson, Lee, etc.) have grown tired of the style of play with Trotz (along with a down year) it's likely easy to give the coach a shove out the door. My assumptions only. I was thinking the last time we played the Islanders that a guy like Barzal would love to be playing under Granato and the style the Sabres were playing at the end of the season.

https://www.tsn.ca/winnipeg-jets-sign-oskari-salminen-two-year-entry-level-contract-1.1796107 WINNIPEG — The Winnipeg Jets have signed goaltender Oskari Salminen to a two-year, entry-level contract with an average annual value of US$925,000 at the NHL level. Maybe this is the Jets new guy for the rebuild? Most likely a couple of seasons away from NHL though. I still think they would be wanting a goalie back in a trade with us that can play right away. Regardless we're all hoping Adams can pull off some sort of decent solution for goal next season.

What's up with Connor Hellebuyck being available? Is he really available? Winnipeg doesn't seem to have a decent alternative. That being said, I would love to have him on the Sabres depending on the price.