The Summer Recap and What’s Next

[Thorner]

2 hours ago, GASabresIUFAN said:

Yeah new uniforms.  Zzzzzzzzz!

.... and now back to our story. (Sound of crickets).

Until we get some movement on the RFA front, the NHL and consequently the Sabres are at a virtual stand still.  Some enterprising GM could start to break up this log jam of RFAs with a offer sheet or two but that looks unlikely.

These RFAs have “no” leverage but to holdout, which right now seems like the greater power because many of these guys are essential to their teams.  

There is no time crunch yet to get things done because camp is weeks away.  Still Nylander’s season last year should be a cautionary tale for players, GMs and agents.  While he got his money, both his performance and the team’s suffered from the long delay is getting a deal done.  

So the rest of us sit and wait while 2/3 of the league tries to figure out how to get their RFAs signed.  It shouldn’t be this hard.

 

Multiple Darcy Regiers league wide waiting for the market to set. I can't recall an off season where this little has happened by August 18th. 

[dudacek]

I know you’re also talking signings, But last year there were 4 trades between July 4 and Sept. 9.

After Skinner, the biggest name to move in that two-month stretch was Vinnie Hinostrozza.

[Thorner]

1 hour ago, dudacek said:

I know you’re also talking signings, But last year there were 4 trades between July 4 and Sept. 9.

After Skinner, the biggest name to move in that two-month stretch was Vinnie Hinostrozza.

Indeed, precisely why I haven't been very much comforted by the "it's still August" sentiment. 

^That's the opening night roster from last season. It does not look substantially different (at least not at F) from what we are currently looking at for this season, roster surgery be damned. Had looked into it recently and there was only one "hockey trade" between now and the season's start last year. We have to be hoping Botterill is lined up to be in on that deal this year. 

Pominville --> Vesey

Berglund --> Johansson

..may represent a marginal upgrade, and we'll have to see on Thompson --> Olofsson (depends also on who makes the opening night roster). But for a roster that finished 5th last, we were all hoping for more once the clock struck midnight on the 18-19 season.

The D should be improved moving from Beaulieu, Nelson --> Montour, Miller. 

(Currently looking at something like:

Skinner - Eichel - Sheary

Johansson - Mittelstadt - Reinhart

Olofsson - Rodrigues - Vesey

Girgensons - Larsson - Okposo

Dahlin - Montour

McCabe - Ristolainen

Scandella - Miller

Hutton

Ullmark

(Sobotka, Wilson, Nelson) 

IR - Pilut, Bogosian, Hunwick

AHL - Thompson, Jokiharju)

Edited August 18, 2019 by Thorny

[dudacek]

Had the Pacioretty and Karlsson deals go down in mid-September

[Thorner]

2 minutes ago, dudacek said:

Had the Pacioretty and Karlsson deals go down in mid-September

Yea the Patches deal is the one I counted as the "hockey trade". Assuming Risto is the one being moved, we'd need to be looking at a true hockey trade if it's to supplement our this-season roster. 

Edited August 18, 2019 by Thorny

[dudacek]

I really get the sense that Botterill has the framework of a deal in place. He’s just waiting for the other GM to make another move before pulling the trigger on this one.

[GASabresIUFAN]

2 hours ago, Thorny said:

Indeed, precisely why I haven't been very much comforted by the "it's still August" sentiment. 

 

This kind of belongs in the roster thread, but you are forgetting that Sobotka was in last season's opener instead of Larsson and that neither he or Larsson are guaranteed to make the club.

As of right now there are 6 players from last year's lineup that are are either no longer with the organization or unlikely to be starting here this fall (Thompson, Sobotka, Nelson, Baloo, Pominville and Berglund).  That a 30% turnover on the 20 man starting lineup.  There is also a chance that Girgensons, and Scandella won't be starting in the fall depending on Bogo, Pilut, Gilmour, Jokiharju, Wilson and Lazar.  Trade Risto and you could have a 9 starters turnover.  Last I looked that's about 45% of the roster.  How much surgery do you want?

As I've said before, the competition for roster spots this year will be intense.  Of the forwards only Johansson, Reinhart, Skinner, Vesey and Jack are guaranteed starters (if healthy) and KO, because of his contract, will be on the roster.  Everyone else, including Mitts, have something to prove to get a spot and 7 spots are up for grabs. On Defense that list is McCabe, Montour, Miller, Dahlin and Risto if not traded.  If traded, there are 4 D spots up of grabs.  

 

Edited August 18, 2019 by GASabresIUFAN

[Thorner]

27 minutes ago, GASabresIUFAN said:

This kind of belongs in the roster thread, but you are forgetting that Sobotka was in last season's opener instead of Larsson and that neither he or Larsson are guaranteed to make the club.

As of right now there are 6 players from last year's lineup that are are either no longer with the organization or unlikely to be starting here this fall (Thompson, Sobotka, Nelson, Baloo, Pominville and Berglund).  That a 30% turnover on the 20 man starting lineup.  There is also a chance that Girgensons, and Scandella won't be starting in the fall depending on Bogo, Pilut, Gilmour, Jokiharju, Wilson and Lazar.  Trade Risto and you could have a 9 starters turnover.  Last I looked that's about 45% of the roster.  How much surgery do you want?

As I've said before, the competition for roster spots this year will be intense.  Of the forwards only Johansson, Reinhart, Skinner, Vesey and Jack are guaranteed starters (if healthy) and KO, because of his contract, will be on the roster.  Everyone else, including Mitts, have something to prove to get a spot and 7 spots are up for grabs. On Defense that list is McCabe, Montour, Miller, Dahlin and Risto if not traded.  If traded, there are 4 D spots up of grabs.  

 

Larsson will be here, he's a good 4C. I have him in my line-up posted above for Sobotka, it's just not an outside the organization upgrade, or an addition (Larsson) that wasn't already here last year anyways. But yes, 5 changes thus far (with only 4 representing outside the organization additions: Thompson*, Pominville, Berglund, Beaulieu, Nelson for Olofsson*, Vesey, Johansson, Montour, Miller (* presumed). 

It's unquestionably an upgrade on the backend, but it's likely a minimal upgrade at best at F, unless Olofsson has a very good rookie year, to a unit that was sorely lacking to begin with (again, only as of today. Could see more change). 

Johansson should be an improvement over Berglund, but Vesey arguably doesn't represent an improvement over Pommers at all. The big question mark is Thompson/Olofsson.

The bolded aren't NHL players. 

Changing up 3 depth forwards isn't roster surgery, as Botterill has switched out our lower depth guys before to no noticeable improvement. So to answer the italicized question in your post: A lot more. 

We'll have to see on Risto. A lot is hinging on that. Otherwise, it looks like, aside from a few depth adds at forward, Botterill is counting on development from within to improve a bottom of the league forward unit from last year, while undeniably addressing the D with talent upgrades. 

Edited August 18, 2019 by Thorny

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I know, we're supposed to be waiting on the remaining RFAs, but, we're in September now and our roster is just not there.  I'm getting concerned about our upcoming hockey season.