2020 Off-season gameplan

[SABRES 0311]

 

[Curt]

7 hours ago, freester said:

Thompson can’t go to Rochester without passing waivers so he’s definitely on the team. I don’t want Simmons or Vesey. I would rather resign Lsrsson and Girgensons. Mitts belongs in Rochester. Johansson belongs on 3rd line LW

This is the chart for determining waiver exemption.  Tage signed his ELC at 19, so he needs to have surpass either 4 NHL season or 160 NHL games before his waiver exemption goes away.  He has not reached either of those thresholds.  Anyone can correct me if I’m wrong here.

Here is the link to the full article:  https://thehockeywriters.com/nhl-waiver-rules/

Edited May 31, 2020 by Curt

[Sabres Fan in NS]

3 hours ago, SABRES 0311 said:

 

She is great.  And, sadly, never wrong.

[Brawndo]

4 hours ago, Curt said:

This is the chart for determining waiver exemption.  Tage signed his ELC at 19, so he needs to have surpass either 4 NHL season or 160 NHL games before his waiver exemption goes away.  He has not reached either of those thresholds.  Anyone can correct me if I’m wrong here.

Here is the link to the full article:  https://thehockeywriters.com/nhl-waiver-rules/

This is correct he doesn’t need waivers next year 

[nfreeman]

3 minutes ago, Brawndo said:

This is correct he doesn’t need waivers next year 

Hold the phone.

It has been accepted SabreSpace canon for at least 6 months that TT has to clear waivers next year, and that accordingly he will almost certainly be in Buffalo and not Rochester.

I have not learned the waiver rules and may never do so.

If @Brawndo says it, I am inclined to believe it.

Does anyone want to dispute his truth?

[freester]

5 hours ago, SABRES 0311 said:

That is amazing but she was too kind to Botteril  

 

[Broken Ankles]

52 minutes ago, nfreeman said:

Hold the phone.

It has been accepted SabreSpace canon for at least 6 months that TT has to clear waivers next year, and that accordingly he will almost certainly be in Buffalo and not Rochester.

I have not learned the waiver rules and may never do so.

If @Brawndo says it, I am inclined to believe it.

Does anyone want to dispute his truth?

 

Cap friendly says it begins 2020/21.   His three year or 160 begins 2017/18 season. 

[Curt]

5 minutes ago, Broken Ankles said:

 

Cap friendly says it begins 2020/21.   His three year or 160 begins 2017/18 season. 

Interesting.  I can’t understand why Cap Friendly lists his Waivers Signing Age as 20.  It should be 19 as far as I can tell.  Which would make it 4 years of waiver exemption instead of the 3 listed by Cap Friendly.

I think this may be the rare case of an error on Cap Friendly.  I’m not 100% though.

[nfreeman]

29 minutes ago, Broken Ankles said:

 

Cap friendly says it begins 2020/21.   His three year or 160 begins 2017/18 season. 

But if the 3-season period started in 17-18, didn’t that period just expire?

[Broken Ankles]

11 minutes ago, nfreeman said:

But if the 3-season period started in 17-18, didn’t that period just expire?

 

...also on Cap friendly.  If an 18/19 year plays more than 11 games in the year he signs the ELA, then waivers exempt years moves to 3.  It suggests his waiver exempt status expires three years from the 2017 season which is 20/21, or next season (considering we are still in 2019/2020). 
 

edit - he played 41 games in 2017. 

Edited May 31, 2020 by Broken Ankles

[Curt]

7 minutes ago, Broken Ankles said:

 

...also on Cap friendly.  If an 18/19 year plays more than 11 games in the year he signs the ELA, then waivers exempt years moves to 3.  It suggests his waiver exempt status expires three years from the 2017 season which is 20/21, or next season (considering we are still in 2019/2020). 
 

edit - he played 41 games in 2017. 

Ah, there we go.  That may be the reason.

It wouldn’t surprise me at all if I was wrong, but it would surprise me that Brawndo agreed with me when I was wrong, haha.

[Brawndo]

I heard it from someone in the organization. 
In retrospect, seeing how the organization has functioned  the past decade probably not the best source. 

[thewookie1]

Here's an idea 

Monahan & Bennett

for

Risto, Mitts, and our 2021 2nd that can become a 1st if we make it to the playoffs.

[Broken Ankles]

11 hours ago, thewookie1 said:

Here's an idea 

Monahan & Bennett

for

Risto, Mitts, and our 2021 2nd that can become a 1st if we make it to the playoffs.

In a NY minute.  However no way Calgary goes for that.  I think it has to be Sam getting moved if Monahan is in the conversation.   Risto might still get you Ehlers as Winnipeg is desperate for defenders.  And Nikolaj could add scoring to Line#1 or 2 RW.  So question is would you trade Mitts, Risto, Reinhart and a second for Monahan, Bennett and Ehlers? 

[Sabres Fan in NS]

EHLERS!!

?

[SABRES 0311]

2 hours ago, Broken Ankles said:

In a NY minute.  However no way Calgary goes for that.  I think it has to be Sam getting moved if Monahan is in the conversation.   Risto might still get you Ehlers as Winnipeg is desperate for defenders.  And Nikolaj could add scoring to Line#1 or 2 RW.  So question is would you trade Mitts, Risto, Reinhart and a second for Monahan, Bennett and Ehlers? 

Yes. I would think all the trade talk might hurt Risto’s morale here. Sam is the one I’d miss the most. He’s quiet on the ice but puts up numbers. Mitts I have no issue moving. Maybe he was overrated or maybe rushed, maybe both. 

[thewookie1]

6 hours ago, Broken Ankles said:

In a NY minute.  However no way Calgary goes for that.  I think it has to be Sam getting moved if Monahan is in the conversation.   Risto might still get you Ehlers as Winnipeg is desperate for defenders.  And Nikolaj could add scoring to Line#1 or 2 RW.  So question is would you trade Mitts, Risto, Reinhart and a second for Monahan, Bennett and Ehlers? 

My only hang up on Reinhart is the fact I need him to make Monahan useful. Monahan is a finisher not a playmaker and we don't exactly have many actually competent passers. Is Ehlers a playmaker or another finisher?

You only have to watch Monhan's highlights to see how he's more of a shooter and receiver than a puck carrier and distributor. 

Interestingly enough this year he looks different for better or worse.

 

My other hold up is Eichel; Reinhart is the only friend he has left here and I don't want to leave him lonely.

 

 

[GASabresIUFAN]

Honestly this whole off-season and the Sabres playoff contention comes down to one thing and that is acquiring a viable 2C.  Get this player and this will be a playoff team next year.   Mark it down. 

No change in goal or defense is necessary, although I’d like to see an upgrade over Hutton.  Using our internal players (including RFAs and one UFA; Larsson) to fill out the forwards and you’ll have a playoff team even if the kids struggle some.  

[Sabres Fan in NS]

Playoffs ... ?????

 

 

[Brawndo]

On 6/3/2020 at 3:23 PM, New Scotland (NS) said:

EHLERS!!

?

My Kingdom for a Mid Round Pick 

[dudacek]

So did anyone catch Krueger’s remarks that he expects a lot of the same cast - the “core” players - back including the RFAs?

He expects to add some youth (Tage, Casey, Dylan?), he expects younger players to improve (Dahlin, VO, Linus?), and he expects Jason to add some veterans (I read this as Johansson/Simmonds types), but he did not imply any big moves.

Now, none of this precludes trading a defenceman for a centre, but I am curious what people think he means by “core.“ And what “knowledge” has Jason shared with the Pegulas in order to keep his job?

What is the plan to get better?

https://www.nhl.com/sabres/video/ralph-krueger-1-on-1/t-277443402/c-5384869

[relevant stuff starts around 9:40 and again at 14:00]

Edited June 11, 2020 by dudacek

[GASabresIUFAN]

I’m not sure any of that is surprising.  To make the cap work in the NHL your going to have to insert youth in the lineup to balance bigger core contracts like Jeff Jack and soon Sam.  Dahlin and potentially VO as core pieces as well.

For me the veteran addition could be depth but I believe Jason had to promise to fix the spine of this team.  I’m kind of banking on grabbing Tyler Johnson from TB.  

If Jbot doesn’t make an additional (Kahun was the first) substantive Vet forward acquisition this off-season, I think he won’t last the Fall. Despite Yerdon’s whining to the contrary there is plenty of cap to acquire and pay a 2c.

If you get Johnson and one of Cozens or Mitts proves ready for the 3c role then you have a spine of Eichel, Johnson, Cozens (I think he wins the job), Larsson with Lazar, Mitts and Kahun filling in as needed. I think that could really work well. 

One of Miller, Montour or Risto won’t be here next fall. An RFA for RFA trade could also be an interesting solution for the 2C, such as Montour for Strome as the key pieces of a Sabres/Hawks trade.

Edited June 11, 2020 by GASabresIUFAN

[nfreeman]

1 hour ago, GASabresIUFAN said:

I’m not sure any of that is surprising.  To make the cap work in the NHL your going to have to insert youth in the lineup to balance bigger core contracts like Jeff Jack and soon Sam.  Dahlin and potentially VO as core pieces as well.

For me the veteran addition could be depth but I believe Jason had to promise to fix the spine of this team.  I’m kind of banking on grabbing Tyler Johnson from TB.  

If Jbot doesn’t make an additional (Kahun was the first) substantive Vet forward acquisition this off-season, I think he won’t last the Fall. Despite Yerdon’s whining to the contrary there is plenty of cap to acquire and pay a 2c.

If you get Johnson and one of Cozens or Mitts proves ready for the 3c role then you have a spine of Eichel, Johnson, Cozens (I think he wins the job), Larsson with Lazar, Mitts and Kahun filling in as needed. I think that could really work well. 

One of Miller, Montour or Risto won’t be here next fall. An RFA for RFA trade could also be an interesting solution for the 2C, such as Montour for Strome as the key pieces of a Sabres/Hawks trade.

I agree with most of this, but I continue to think there is NFW that Tyler Johnson waives his NTC to come here, and I am skeptical that JB will bring in a #2C that people here are excited about.

[dudacek]

57 minutes ago, nfreeman said:

I agree with most of this, but I continue to think there is NFW that Tyler Johnson waives his NTC to come here, and I am skeptical that JB will bring in a #2C that people here are excited about.

Who, or what, is JBot going to bring in?

They have to re-sign or replace Simmonds, Frolik, Girgensons, Vesey and Larsson up front. The depth chart right now is roughly like this, with Kahun and Johansson having some history at centre. You’ve got $10-$15 million to work with.

Skinner Eichel Reinhart

Olofsson ??? Kahun

Johansson ??? ???

??? Lazar Okposo

???

Edited June 11, 2020 by dudacek

[nfreeman]

29 minutes ago, dudacek said:

Who, or what, is JBot going to bring in?

They have to re-sign or replace Simmonds, Frolik, Girgensons, Vesey and Larsson up front. The depth chart up right now roughly like this, with Kahun and Johansson having some history at centre. You’ve got $10-$15 million to work with.

Skinner Eichel Reinhart

Olofsson ??? Kahun

Johansson ??? ???

??? Lazar Okposo

???

Well, based on JB's recent comments, it sounds like Simmonds will be back.  I don't think more than 1 of the other 4 you named will be back.

I think Cozens is close to a lock to be in Buffalo and Mitts is close to a lock to be in Rochester.

I think if Tage can go to Rochester without clearing waivers -- which is still a critical open issue on Sabrespace -- he will at a minimum start the season in Rochester.  Otherwise, he'll be in Buffalo.

And I'd guess that JB brings in another MoJo-level vet forward and tries to plug him in at 2C.  I'd like to think that JB will make a strong move and trade a good defenseman for a good 2C, but I'm skeptical.