Sabres Acquire Center Eric Staal from Wild for Marcus Johansson

[Thorner]

5 minutes ago, GASabresIUFAN said:

I would thing it looks more like this

Skinner Jack Samson

VO Staal Kahun

Mitts Cozens Tage

Asplund Lazar KO

I don't think Asplund is even an NHL player. 

Neither is Mitts. We're counting on too much youth here. 

Just shows we still need a couple additions. A Mitts for Copp-like swap goes a long way. Or even just acquiring a guy like Copp. 

Or, a top 6 W, of course. 

Edited September 17, 2020 by Thorny

[Huckleberry]

4 minutes ago, Thorny said:

I don't think Asplund is even an NHL player. 

Neither is Mitts. We're counting on too much youth here. 

Just shows we still need a couple additions. A Mitts for Copp-like swap goes a long way. Or even just acquiring a guy like Copp. 

Or, a top 6 W, of course. 

Yeah I know they aren't, just stating the holes we have without larsson and zemgus.

[GASabresIUFAN]

6 minutes ago, Thorny said:

I don't think Asplund is even an NHL player. 

Neither is Mitts. We're counting on too much youth here. 

Just shows we still need a couple additions. A Mitts for Copp-like swap goes a long way. Or even just acquiring a guy like Copp. 

Or, a top 6 W, of course. 

Budget budget budget.  At some point you also have to go with the kids and see what happens.   I wouldn't mind another vet or 2 up front but I'm not sure the new budget would allow for it.

You also have no idea if Mitts and Asplund are NHL players yet.  VO made the NHL at 24.  Mitts is 21 and Asplund is 22.  I think in both guys cases they need more physical development and both will become effective NHL players.  Asplund still projects as a bottom 6 forward and MItts as a middle six, but both still have time on their side.

Edited September 17, 2020 by GASabresIUFAN

[Thorner]

4 minutes ago, GASabresIUFAN said:

Budget budget budget.  At some point you also have to go with the kids and see what happens.   I wouldn't mind another vet or 2 up front but I'm not sure the new budget would allow for it.

So you've gone from Adams being DOA to our team being complete with the addition of one guy haha

We still need more players. We cannot ice a team with Cozens, Mitts, Tage, Asplund all playing, and Kahun in a top 6 roll. We all know this. Previous GMs would make this one move and stop. To put them in a position to find success, Adams needs to keep building. 

But, I'm actually a lot more confident in that now. 

Edited September 17, 2020 by Thorny
AND a second year VO

[Curt]

4 minutes ago, GASabresIUFAN said:

Budget budget budget.  At some point you also have to go with the kids and see what happens.   I wouldn't mind another vet or 2 up front but I'm not sure the new budget would allow for it.

Unless you think the budget is going to be like 68M, there is room to add.  $1.25M more than there was yesterday actually.

[Thorner]

The good thing about adding a guy like Staal is it makes it so that a guy like Casey Mittelstadt only plays if he really should be playing. That's the point. 

[GASabresIUFAN]

1 minute ago, Thorny said:

So you've gone from Adams being DOA to our team being complete with the addition of one guy haha

We still need more players. We cannot ice a team with Cozens, Mitts, Tage, Asplund all playing, and Kahun in a top 6 roll. We all know this. Previous GMs would make this one move and stop. To put them in a position to find success, Adams needs to keep building. 

But, I'm actually a lot more confident in that now. 

I never said complete.  I said what it looks like right now.  More change is certainly coming.  We can't afford to keep both Montour and Risto.  We also need to get more depth on the LD.  However, we are going to save more somewhere and we will have to play some of the kids.

[IKnowPhysics]

Bonus: We've begun to repair our Top Six / Center Corp without having budged our #8 pick.

[LGR4GM]

6 minutes ago, GASabresIUFAN said:

Budget budget budget.  At some point you also have to go with the kids and see what happens.   I wouldn't mind another vet or 2 up front but I'm not sure the new budget would allow for it.

You also have no idea if Mitts and Asplund are NHL players yet.  VO made the NHL at 24.  Mitts is 21 and Asplund is 22.  I think in both guys cases they need more physical development and both will become effective NHL players.  Asplund still projects as a bottom 6 forward and MItts as a middle six, but both still have time on their side.

There was evidence of what Olofsson was at 21 and 22. There's less evidence supporting Mitts being a NHL guy. 

Just now, GASabresIUFAN said:

I never said complete.  I said what it looks like right now.  More change is certainly coming.  We can't afford to keep both Montour and Risto.  We also need to get more depth on the LD.  However, we are going to save more somewhere and we will have to play some of the kids.

Only kid who has a spot currently is Cozens (if earned) with Tage a close 2nd. 

[Thorner]

2 minutes ago, GASabresIUFAN said:

I never said complete.  I said what it looks like right now.  More change is certainly coming.  We can't afford to keep both Montour and Risto.  We also need to get more depth on the LD.  However, we are going to save more somewhere and we will have to play some of the kids.

Yup, I think Cozens and Tage are on the team. 

9 minutes ago, GASabresIUFAN said:

Budget budget budget.  At some point you also have to go with the kids and see what happens.   I wouldn't mind another vet or 2 up front but I'm not sure the new budget would allow for it.

You also have no idea if Mitts and Asplund are NHL players yet.  VO made the NHL at 24.  Mitts is 21 and Asplund is 22.  I think in both guys cases they need more physical development and both will become effective NHL players.  Asplund still projects as a bottom 6 forward and MItts as a middle six, but both still have time on their side.

I do have some idea, but that's irrelevant. 

The point is - they aren't NHL players next season. At least, it's not likely. 

Edited September 17, 2020 by Thorny

[Gatorman0519]

I think a lot more moves are coming.  I would not be surprised if Sam and Risto are moved.

[Thorner]

Please god no on Reinhart being moved

[Brawndo]

I wonder if Dylan Cozens lives with the Staal Family next season 

[Taro T]

Just now, Thorny said:

Yup, I think Cozens and Tage are on the team. 

Cozens, Thompson, & Kahun are definitely pencilled in.  Lazar starts out pencilled is as #13.

Mittelstadt & Asplund have to beat somebody out to start out on the big club.

[GASabresIUFAN]

8 minutes ago, LGR4GM said:

There was evidence of what Olofsson was at 21 and 22. There's less evidence supporting Mitts being a NHL guy. 

Only kid who has a spot currently is Cozens (if earned) with Tage a close 2nd. 

VO broke out at 22.  At 21 he had only 9g 18 (27pts) in 51 SHL games.  By contrast Mitts at 21 scored 9g 16 pts (25 pts) in only 36 AHL games.  Mitts' numbers are better in a better league.  Like I said, time is on Mitts' side. (Mitts also has 114 NHL games under his belt).

Edited September 17, 2020 by GASabresIUFAN

[Thorner]

7 minutes ago, Taro T said:

Cozens, Thompson, & Kahun are definitely pencilled in.  Lazar starts out pencilled is as #13.

Mittelstadt & Asplund have to beat somebody out to start out on the big club.

This is how it should be, and we are getting closer to that. Though I think Lazar is 12th right now. And I don't really like the idea of Cozens and Tage being penciled in already as sure-fire but we all know that's the case. 

That being the case, there are definitely still 2 open spots with no one blocking them, in my mock I had Cozens as 2RW so just going with that - there's a spot at 3C and one at 4LW. I'd like to acquire that depth C and an established checking line guy (just had Girgs in said mock - he'd work), so that guys like Casey and Asplund really would need to beat someone out. 

If Casey has to be moved to fill that centre spot, I'd do it. 

We are really talking some realistic moves, here, and the F group is good to go (there's going to be an element of grading curve here, sue me) for '21. 

Edited September 17, 2020 by Thorny

[Taro T]

3 minutes ago, Gatorman0519 said:

I think a lot more moves are coming.  I would not be surprised if Sam and Risto are moved.

My expectation is 3-4 more moves get made.

As of right now (assuming Girgensons & Larsson are both re-signed - likely a very poor assumption; and also 1 RHD is out the door - likely a good guess), there is 1 open F slot & 1 open D slot.  There's probably 2 open F slots & 2 that could be upgraded via trade.  A goalie slot could also be upgraded.

The off-sesson just got fun. 

[Thorner]

4 minutes ago, Taro T said:

My expectation is 3-4 more moves get made.

As of right now (assuming Girgensons & Larsson are both re-signed - likely a very poor assumption; and also 1 RHD is out the door - likely a good guess), there is 1 open F slot & 1 open D slot.  There's probably 2 open F slots & 2 that could be upgraded via trade.  A goalie slot could also be upgraded.

The off-sesson just got fun. 

At the risk of delving too deeply into the specifics, I think the F is base-minimum complete if Girgs and Larsson are both re-signed. I was counting those spots as the final 2. 

Though I suppose Lazar is the discrepancy, here. You had him at 13. 

Edited September 17, 2020 by Thorny

[GASabresIUFAN]

19 minutes ago, Curt said:

Unless you think the budget is going to be like 68M, there is room to add.  $1.25M more than there was yesterday actually.

How?  If the internal cap is 70-72 mill as projected, we are tight up against that number without dumping another big cap number and still retaining our current RFAs.

We are at 47 mill with 10 players under contract.  That leaves 23-25 mill to re-sign Montour, Kahun, Reinhart, VO, Lazar, Thompson, and Ullmark and sign 5 other players.  That's about $2 mill per player.  Ullmark, Montour, Kahun, VO and Reinhart will all cost more then $2 mill.  Most of the RFAs also have arbitration rights.  Ullmark, Montour, Kahun, VO and Reinhart will probably cost 18 mill to retain.  

Edited September 17, 2020 by GASabresIUFAN

[Taro T]

Just now, Thorny said:

At the risk of delving too deeply into the specifics, I think the F is base-minimum complete if Girgs and Larsson are both re-signed. I was counting those spots as the final 2. 

NOT predicting the lineup, just throwing them in there for counting:

Olofsson - Eichel - Reinhart

Skinner - Staal - Kahun

??? - Cozens - Thompson 

Girgensons - Larsson - Okposo

Lazar

[Thorner]

^ I think the working assumption is the Sabres won't go as low as 70-72. Everyone has pretty much accepted offseason projections are a bit of a fool's errand if we are that bare bones. 

1 minute ago, Taro T said:

NOT predicting the lineup, just throwing them in there for counting:

Olofsson - Eichel - Reinhart

Skinner - Staal - Kahun

??? - Cozens - Thompson 

Girgensons - Larsson - Okposo

Lazar

Lazar was the 12/13th man discrepancy 

Edited September 17, 2020 by Thorny
but The 3rd Man was a better movie

[Taro T]

2 minutes ago, GASabresIUFAN said:

How?  If the internal cap is 70-72 mill as projected, we are tight up against that number without dumping another big cap number and still retaining our current RFAs.

We are at 47 mill with 10 players under contract.  That leaves 23-25 mill to re-sign Montour, Kahun, Reinhart, VO, Lazar, Thompson, and Ullmark and sign 5 other players.  That's about $2 mill per player.  Ullmark, Montour, Kahun, VO and Reinhart will all cost more then $2 mill.  Most of the RFAs also have arbitration rights.  Ullmark, Montour, Kahun, VO and Reinhart will probably cost 18 mill to retain.  

Where are you getting $70-72MM?  The credible rumors are "internal budget."  $75MM meets that description just as easily as setting up up to $10MM below cap.

[dudacek]

12 minutes ago, Thorny said:

This is how it should be, and we are getting closer to that. Though I think Lazar is 12th right now. And I don't really like the idea of Cozens and Tage being penciled in already as sure-fire but we all know that's the case. 

That being the case, there are definitely still 2 open spots with no one blocking them, in my mock I had Cozens as 2RW so just going with that - there's a spot at 3C and one at 4LW. I'd like to acquire that depth C and an established checking line guy (just had Girgs in said mock - he'd work), so that guys like Casey and Asplund really would need to beat someone out. 

I'm sorta looking at it as Staal upgrades Mojo's forced role at 2C, Kahun upgrades ERod's role as the swing forward, and Tage fills Sheary's role as the middle-six offensive winger. (Personally, I think Tage will be an upgrade as well.)

That leaves the Zemgus, Larry, Vesey, Sobotka/Frolik and 13th forward (Casey/Lazar/Asplund) slots to address. (With Sam, VO, Skinner, Kyle and Jack carrying over)

Edited September 17, 2020 by dudacek

[Thorner]

4 minutes ago, dudacek said:

I'm sorta looking at it as Staal upgrades Mojo's forced role at 2C, Kahun upgrades ERod's role as the swing forward, and Tage fills Sheary's role as the middle-six offensive winger. (Personally, I think Tage will be an upgrade as well.)

That leaves the Zemgus, Larry, Vesey, Sobotka/Frolik and 13th forward (Casey/Lazar/Asplun) slots to address. (With Sam, VO, Skinner, Kyle and Jack carrying over)

Merging our outlooks - i've covered the bolded, that leaves 2 depth wingers (Vesey, Sobotka). I guess that's 2 injury guys/an injury guy and 14th forward. 

This is penciling Cozens in on my end, though. 

Edited September 17, 2020 by Thorny

[Taro T]

6 minutes ago, dudacek said:

I'm sorta looking at it as Staal upgrades Mojo's forced role at 2C, Kahun upgrades ERod's role as the swing forward, and Tage fills Sheary's role as the middle-six offensive winger. (Personally, I think Tage will be an upgrade as well.)

That leaves the Zemgus, Larry, Vesey, Sobotka/Frolik and 13th forward (Casey/Lazar/Asplund) slots to address. (With Sam, VO, Skinner, Kyle and Jack carrying over)

Realizing now why this move feels so good.  Even if Vesey were thrown into the 3LW slot @Thorny & I were discussing, that lineup is better than this past year's roster w/ no other moves.  And really expect 2 more F moves, 1 D, & a goalie move to upgrade this lineup.

Edited September 17, 2020 by Taro T