What Do the Sabres Look Like in 2 years?

[GASabresIUFAN]

When camp breaks for the 2023/24 season, what do we project the team to look like? Will Skinner still be a Sabres? 

Who will be our centers?  Who will be the goaltenders?  We have depth on D, will Dahlin and Power anchor a dominate group?  

KA has focused (for reasons unknown) on drafting wingers, wingers and more wingers (We've done this before under TM), will any of them make the team in 2 years? Will any of Rosen, Quinn, JJP, Poltapov, or Kisakov make the Sabres by then? 

Here are my initial thoughts.  Skinner is currently the only Sabre signed beyond 22/23 season, besides Eichel who will be gone by this season's trade deadline.  I think we are stuck with him and the only question is his role on the team at that time.

At forward I'm looking at a spine of Wright (the 2021/22 tank fruit), Mitts, and Cozen with Wright actually playing 3rd line center as the gets used to the NHL.  JJP, Skinner, Quinn and Routsalainen as 5/6 of our top 6 wingers.  I think JJP and Quinn tear up the A this year and are in the lineup in Buffalo in 22/23.  I don't see Bjork, Girgensons as part of the picture long term.  I also only see one of VO or Thompson here beyond next season.  If here, Asplund will be in the mix for a bottom 6 role, just not sure where or if KA will move on from him as well.  I can see Pekar, but more likely Murray and or Rousek earning a 4th wing spot. All 3 add a physical presence this team needs. I also think Weissbach could surprise and make a run at the top 9 job.  

On defense Power, Dahlin, Jokiharju, Samuelsson and Johnson seem like 5/6 of the long-term pieces.  As an RHD, I think Laaksonen has a chance to grab a job.  My guess is Dahlin and Jokiharju get extended beyond to at least 23/24 this off-season.  I think Power and Johnson sign this year and play here late this season.  Power wins a starting job in 2022/23 and Johnson 23/24 after spending one season in the A.  

Goaltending: UPL will be the backup, but KA will need to bring someone in as the starter.

R2 Mitts Quinn

????  Cozens JJP

Skinner Wright ????

Murray Asplund ?????

Samuelsson Dahlin

Power Jokiharju

Johnson  Laaksonen

????? UPL

[Zamboni]

Just like we’ve seen year in and year out… A lot can change in one year… Let alone two years.

I think 1/3 to 1/2 of the roster today that anyone thinks is going to be here in two years… Most likely won’t be… due most likely to trades. I personally think it’s just an exercise in futility to project what the roster will be in two years. But then again a lot of threads in sports forums are an exercise in futility 😂 

So exercise away 🤔

[Pimlach]

Are we tanking for Wright?   Hope not.  Nothing against Wright but I have huge issues with losing. 
 

[Sabres Fan in NS]

Maybe we need to focus on getting through this offseason (we need to sign Dahlin and some others) and then the upcoming season first.  I can't think that far in advance.

1 minute ago, Pimlach said:

Are we tanking for Wright?   Hope not.  Nothing against Wright but I have huge issues with losing. 
 

NO!!

A THOUSAND TIMES NO!!

[GASabresIUFAN]

22 minutes ago, Zamboni said:

Just like we’ve seen year in and year out… A lot can change in one year… Let alone two years.

I think 1/3 to 1/2 of the roster today that anyone thinks is going to be here in two years… Most likely won’t be… due most likely to trades. I personally think it’s just an exercise in futility to project what the roster will be in two years. But then again a lot of threads in sports forums are an exercise in futility 😂 

So exercise away 🤔

I tend to agree. How many teams ever field a squad with 15 or more internal prospects on their roster.  I think the Blackhawks when they won their first Cup with Kane were close. That said, if we stay as a budget team and with the current philosophy of letting the kids play, I think the likelihood of this kind of roster increases.

This is also an exercise in seeing which prospects do the people here thing will force their way on the team over the next couple of seasons.

Edited August 24, 2021 by GASabresIUFAN

[spndnchz]

[Ogelthorpe]

Hamilton!

[klos1963]

58 minutes ago, Pimlach said:

Are we tanking for Wright?   Hope not.  Nothing against Wright but I have huge issues with losing. 
 

Call it a tank or not, this team is not designed to win many games this season. Not with the goaltending we have as of today.

[Pimlach]

3 minutes ago, klos1963 said:

Call it a tank or not, this team is not designed to win many games this season. Not with the goaltending we have as of today.

Yes.  Call me old school but I think the first thing you do to build a winning team is get some good goalies.   

[klos1963]

Just now, Pimlach said:

Yes.  Call me old school but I think the first thing you do to build a winning team is get some good goalies.   

You got us Crozier, you speak from experience.

[Buffalonill]

1 hour ago, Pimlach said:

Are we tanking for Wright?   Hope not.  Nothing against Wright but I have huge issues with losing. 
 

Can't stop it when it's already set in stone 

[Pimlach]

18 minutes ago, klos1963 said:

You got us Crozier, you speak from experience.

You have to stay in the game to have a chance.  I think Linus will do well in Boston.  Part of me wants to see it, but then it’s Boston.  

[Buffalonill]

They're tanking the next 2 years  It's going to be miserable but w/e if we land Bedard or Michkov with one of the top 3 in 2022

 Team will be unstoppable

Edited August 25, 2021 by Buffalonill

[Weave]

1 hour ago, Zamboni said:

Just like we’ve seen year in and year out… A lot can change in one year… Let alone two years.

I think 1/3 to 1/2 of the roster today that anyone thinks is going to be here in two years… Most likely won’t be… due most likely to trades. I personally think it’s just an exercise in futility to project what the roster will be in two years. But then again a lot of threads in sports forums are an exercise in futility 😂 

So exercise away 🤔

Yup.  Darcy was quoted as saying that he planned to turn over 1/3 of his roster every year.  I strongly suspect that mentality is more common than not among GMs.  This team will look substantially different in 2 years.

5 minutes ago, Buffalonill said:

They're tanking the next 2 years  It's going to be miserable but w/e if we land Bedard or Michkov with one of the top 3 in 2021 .

 Team will be unstoppable

2013 Sabrespace is calling.  They want their fantasy back.

[Rasmus_]

1 hour ago, Pimlach said:

Are we tanking for Wright?   Hope not.  Nothing against Wright but I have huge issues with losing. 
 

With our offseason, you had to question this.  The Plight for Wright is in place.  We're looking to "fly" to the Wright plane. 

[Andrew Amerk]

1 hour ago, Rasmus_ said:

With our offseason, you had to question this.  The Plight for Wright is in place.  We're looking to "fly" to the Wright plane. 

I don’t get the sense that this is the ultimate “plan” though. This is not the same as The Tank. 

The team will likely be bad, but it’s not going to be on purpose. 

[Rasmus_]

2 minutes ago, Andrew Amerk said:

I don’t get the sense that this is the ultimate “plan” though. This is not the same as The Tank. 

The team will likely be bad, but it’s not going to be on purpose. 

At the same time, when your additions are what they are, we're in the market for a top 3 pick.  The plan is to correct past mistakes, and I'm okay with it.  It just sucks that you have to wait this long for competitiveness.

 

[Andrew Amerk]

9 minutes ago, Rasmus_ said:

At the same time, when your additions are what they are, we're in the market for a top 3 pick.  The plan is to correct past mistakes, and I'm okay with it.  It just sucks that you have to wait this long for competitiveness.

 

They didn’t add anyone notable, and explained why. They didn’t want anyone “blocking” ice time from the youngsters. 

This goes for G too. Many people are upset that there is no bonafide G this season, but Craig mentoring 6K makes sense under that “plan.”

KA took his shot last season adding Hall, Staal, Eakin, and Sheahan to the core of Eichel, Samson, Risto, Montour, Olof, etc. and it didn’t work. So, now it’s start from scratch time. 

Edited August 25, 2021 by Andrew Amerk

[SwampD]

1 hour ago, Weave said:

Yup.  Darcy was quoted as saying that he planned to turn over 1/3 of his roster every year.  I strongly suspect that mentality is more common than not among GMs.  This team will look substantially different in 2 years.

2013 Sabrespace is calling.  They want their fantasy back.

I think he’s too young to remember 2013.

[dudacek]

To start 2023/24 the starting lineup will include most of the following, all of whom will be 25 or under:

• Eichel trade piece
• Another Eichel trade piece
• 2022 1st-round pick
• Cozens
• Mittelstadt
• Quinn
• Peterka
• Dahlin
• Jokiharju
• Power
• Samuelsson
• Johnson
• UPL

There may be other leftovers, and there almost certainly will be newcomers, but how good the three above unknowns are, and how far the ten already in the system have progressed will determine whether we will be a playoff contender or not.

Edited August 25, 2021 by dudacek

[LabattBlue]

3 hours ago, Pimlach said:

Are we tanking for Wright?   Hope not.  Nothing against Wright but I have huge issues with losing. 
 

Have you seen the goaltenders signed for 21-22?

[Buffalonill]

All people have to do is look at the goaltending to know buffalo is tanking 

[Andrew Amerk]

3 minutes ago, Buffalonill said:

All people have to do is look at the goaltending to know buffalo is tanking 

It’s not a tank. 

[GASabresIUFAN]

31 minutes ago, Andrew Amerk said:

It’s not a tank. 

It’s a reset without goaltending 

Edited August 25, 2021 by GASabresIUFAN

[Andrew Amerk]

Just now, GASabresIUFAN said:

It’s a reset without goalrending

It’s a reset with questionable goaltending.