2022 Offseason Game Plan

[Flashsabre]

1) Get a goalie

2) Get a goalie

3) Get a goalie

4) Get a goalie

5) Get a goalie

[GASabresIUFAN]

1 minute ago, Flashsabre said:

1) Get a goalie

2) Get a goalie

3) Get a goalie

4) Get a goalie

5) Get a goalie

From your lips to G-d’s KA’s ears

[Sabel79]

26 minutes ago, Flashsabre said:

1) Get a goalie

2) Get a goalie

3) Get a goalie

4) Get a goalie

5) Get a goalie

I agree with your list, but would add: Get a Goalie for the love of god…

[Crusader1969]

Watching the game last night and I’m thinking - who are the two guys being replaced by Quinn and JJ?   
Let’s assume the 12 forwards who played last night all are back for 22/23

my only thought right now is Asplund goes to 4th line center - replaced by JJ 

and Hinostroza get replaced by Quinn

for the first time in 13 years there are actual  roster decisions to be made !

 

[WildCard]

16. Buffalo has told goalie Craig Anderson it would like to have him back next season. The Sabres are willing to wait on his timetable — see how he feels after the season — but he knows the red carpet is rolled out for a return.

Friedman's Thoughts 

Edit: @SDS seems like every mobile post I submit has a few extra lines of white space at the bottom. Any idea why?

Edited March 31, 2022 by WildCard

[GASabresIUFAN]

31 minutes ago, Crusader1969 said:

Watching the game last night and I’m thinking - who are the two guys being replaced by Quinn and JJ?   
Let’s assume the 12 forwards who played last night all are back for 22/23

my only thought right now is Asplund goes to 4th line center - replaced by JJ 

and Hinostroza get replaced by Quinn

for the first time in 13 years there are actual  roster decisions to be made !

 

Hopefully Eakin and Bjork are gone next season. They are the 12th and 13th forwards.  VO is other player on the bubble so to speak because KA must decide how committed he is to VO in the long-term.  KA might also stash JJP back in Rochester next season to work on his 2 way game and then he'll be the 1st injury recall.  Hinostroza may also be back, but may get a better offer elsewhere

Right now you are looking at a next year's depth chart as follows:

LW Skinner, Krebs, Asplund, Girgensons

RW Tuch, Quinn, Okposo

C Thompson, Cozens Mittelstadt

The questions

1) JJP - is his 200 foot game ready for the NHL

2) VO - does KA want him back and for what term and how much $

3) Bjork - under contract, but it's pretty clear (hopefully to KA as well), that he has no place in Buffalo next year. 

4) Hinostroza - seems like a nice fit and has had a very good season.  If KA doesn't think JJP is ready, the odds of Vinnie returning increase dramatically.  I'd like him back regardless as you can't have enough depth.

5) Eakin - Please don't cuss me out, but he wins draws and seems to have chemistry with Girgensons and KO.  No I don't want him back and I hope KA finds an upgrade who can actually score for the 4th line center job.

6) Asplund - His defensive metrics are among the best on the team and he seem to play better when coupled with Mittelstadt.  Has one more year left on his deal, but I'm not sure where he fits long-term

7) Okposo - What is his role next season?  3rd line scoring forward or 4th line energy forward.  He has excelled in both roles this year.

😎 The Others - Brio, Murray and R2 are RFA's and are certainly good depth, but do any of the them have a role in Buffalo going forward?  R2 is a point a game player in the AHL. 

[Flashsabre]

In Friedman’s 32 Thoughts he says Sabres have informed Anderson they want him back next season. As a 3rd goalie sure but if the idea is a UPL-Anderson tandem then yikes.

[GASabresIUFAN]

30 minutes ago, Flashsabre said:

In Friedman’s 32 Thoughts he says Sabres have informed Anderson they want him back next season. As a 3rd goalie sure but if the idea is a UPL-Anderson tandem then yikes.

That is frightening. 

[LGR4GM]

53 minutes ago, Flashsabre said:

In Friedman’s 32 Thoughts he says Sabres have informed Anderson they want him back next season. As a 3rd goalie sure but if the idea is a UPL-Anderson tandem then yikes.

[jsb]

1 hour ago, Flashsabre said:

In Friedman’s 32 Thoughts he says Sabres have informed Anderson they want him back next season. As a 3rd goalie sure but if the idea is a UPL-Anderson tandem then yikes.

If true he has to be a #2.

1. Sign a RHD UFA: Manson or Gudbranson, neither will cost much even as an overpayment
2. Get a #1 GK or sign Husso as an UFA, I don't think Anderson comes back, age and family commitments
3. Trade for Theodore, Dumba or Myers or a similar vet RHD
4. Sign Burakovsky UFA from Colorado, he won't be 28 until the end of the season, big, fast and can score

Lineup: Skinner-Thompson-Tuch           Burakovsky-Mitts-Olofsson         Krebs-Cozens-Quinn     Girgensons-Asplund-Okposo

Dahlin-RHD Trade       Power-RHD UFA     Samuelsson-Joker     Bryson/Fitzgerald 7/8

 

 

[Crusader1969]

1 hour ago, GASabresIUFAN said:

 

1) JJP - is his 200 foot game ready for the NHL

 

yes , he needs to be in the NHL next year.  

2 minutes ago, jsb said:

If true he has to be a #2.

1. Sign a RHD UFA: Manson or Gudbranson, neither will cost much even as an overpayment
2. Get a #1 GK or sign Husso as an UFA, I don't think Anderson comes back, age and family commitments
3. Trade for Theodore, Dumba or Myers or a similar vet RHD
4. Sign Burakovsky UFA from Colorado, he won't be 28 until the end of the season, big, fast and can score

Lineup: Skinner-Thompson-Tuch           Burakovsky-Mitts-Olofsson         Krebs-Cozens-Quinn     Girgensons-Asplund-Okposo

Dahlin-RHD Trade       Power-RHD UFA     Samuelsson-Joker     Bryson/Fitzgerald 7/8

 

 

im assuming you are doing 3 if you can't complete 1? 

[jsb]

4 minutes ago, Crusader1969 said:

yes , he needs to be in the NHL next year.  

im assuming you are doing 3 if you can't complete 1? 

I'd let JJP stay in Rochester and use him as a call up

No I would do both. Fitzgerald and Bryson show flashes but I'm not sure they're ready for the big time if you truly want to push for a playoff spot next year. We'll have plenty of spare cash to sign/get 4 of those parts without worrying about the Cap. Afterwards you have Okposo's and Girgensons contracts coming off the books or at a lower level and you add a couple of kids and your not in CAP hell afterward either if KA plays it smart.

[Crusader1969]

8 minutes ago, jsb said:

I'd let JJP stay in Rochester and use him as a call up

No I would do both. Fitzgerald and Bryson show flashes but I'm not sure they're ready for the big time if you truly want to push for a playoff spot next year. We'll have plenty of spare cash to sign/get 4 of those parts without worrying about the Cap. Afterwards you have Okposo's and Girgensons contracts coming off the books or at a lower level and you add a couple of kids and your not in CAP hell afterward either if KA plays it smart.

if you do both you are blocking Fitz and Bryson.  

I like 1 but I don't like selling assets to get a guy like Myers and the cost for the other 2 may be pretty high.

I feel like im on an island in saying JJ needs to be in the NHL. he has nothing more to prove or learn the the AHL.

oh and I like points 2 and 4! 

[jsb]

6 minutes ago, Crusader1969 said:

if you do both you are blocking Fitz and Bryson.  

I like 1 but I don't like selling assets to get a guy like Myers and the cost for the other 2 may be pretty high.

I feel like im on an island in saying JJ needs to be in the NHL. he has nothing more to prove or learn the the AHL.

oh and I like points 2 and 4! 

As to the bolded, all 3 of those teams will be in CAP hell next year, so although it will cost us some (primarily assets), it won't be astronomical.

[dudacek]

What I’d do:

• Acquire the best goalie I can on a 3-year term or less, for Florida’s 1st or less
• Acquire a legit defensively strong 2nd pair RHD for Victor Olofsson
• Re-sign Hinostroza, Pysyk, Caggiula
• Sign Nick Deslauriers and Andrew Copp or reasonable facsimiles thereof
• Promote UPL, Power and Quinn, leave the door open for Peterka to join them.
• Move on from Tokarski, Anderson, Bjork, Miller, Butcher, Eakin, Hayden

[nfreeman]

3 hours ago, Flashsabre said:

In Friedman’s 32 Thoughts he says Sabres have informed Anderson they want him back next season. As a 3rd goalie sure but if the idea is a UPL-Anderson tandem then yikes.

I agree but it just feels like this is probably KA's plan.

[Norcal]

1 hour ago, Crusader1969 said:

if you do both you are blocking Fitz and Bryson.  

I like 1 but I don't like selling assets to get a guy like Myers and the cost for the other 2 may be pretty high.

I feel like im on an island in saying JJ needs to be in the NHL. he has nothing more to prove or learn the the AHL.

oh and I like points 2 and 4! 

You are not alone. I too believe in JJ and think he belongs in the NHL next season. 

[jsb]

Just now, Norcal said:

You are not alone. I too believe in JJ and think he belongs in the NHL next season. 

If you add 3 rookies and keep Anderson/UPL as your GKs, prepare for another tank year. They may be good 2-3 years down the line but rookies make errors that you need vets to overcome. We aren't defensibly responsible yet and those GKs aren't good enough to save us (pun intended). Fitz or Bryson we could live with, both of them are a problem IMO. 

[Norcal]

As the season has progressed and the boys have fallen into their respective roles, I feel like there is a type of player being modeled for the next generation.

I see it like this:

Hagg~Samuelsson~

Done. Hagg set the tone and Muel has stepped in and improved on it. 

Hiney-Stroka~JJ Peterka~I think JJ replaces Hiney and is a spark plug going forward.

Eakin~Mitts/Krebs~

The boys are already there learning every day. Like him or not, he does play the game the right way, he just sucks at it mostly.

Those two are definitely upgrades. 

 

 

13 minutes ago, jsb said:

If you add 3 rookies and keep Anderson/UPL as your GKs, prepare for another tank year. They may be good 2-3 years down the line but rookies make errors that you need vets to overcome. We aren't defensibly responsible yet and those GKs aren't good enough to save us (pun intended). Fitz or Bryson we could live with, both of them are a problem IMO. 

Who's keeping Anderson? I said JJ sir! 

Fwiw, i'm looking for goalies in the off season

Edited March 31, 2022 by Norcal

[steveoath]

5 minutes ago, Norcal said:

Who's keeping Anderson? I said JJ sir! 

Fwiw, improving for goalies in the off season

I think he was referring to the story that GMKA will welcome Andreson back next season if he choses to play.

Edited March 31, 2022 by steveoath

[Norcal]

Just now, steveoath said:

I think he was fererring to the story that GMKA will welcome Andreson back next season if he choses to play.

Right. But I didn't comment on that.

I quoted Crusader about my man JJP. 

He's going to change opinions quickly around here imo

[jsb]

2 minutes ago, steveoath said:

I think he was referring to the story that GMKA will welcome Andreson back next season if he choses chooses to play.

FIFY, it's a Crebs, Dhalin thing for me, sorry if it offends but otherwise you are 100% correct.

[jsb]

4 minutes ago, Norcal said:

Right. But I didn't comment on that.

I quoted Crusader about my man JJP. 

He's going to change opinions quickly around here imo

Hiney gets replaced by Quinn, JJP I believe plays the left side. I hope I'm wrong but I don't think he can step in and be an improvement over what we presently have and/or adding someone who is established already such as Burakovsky. 

[Norcal]

Just now, jsb said:

Hiney gets replaced by Quinn, JJP I believe plays the left side. I hope I'm wrong but I don't think he can step in and be an improvement over what we presently have and/or adding someone who is established already such as Burakovsky. 

Burakovsky isn't it

20 goals once and never topped 29 assists on stacked teams. No thanks. 

[Flashsabre]

Mason Marchment and Nichuskin are two interesting UFA wingers.

Marchment is having a breakout offensive year in Florida. Brings size, toughness and compete.

Nichuskin is a giant version of Hinny, will score 20+ this season.

Both playing for good teams that probably won’t be able to afford them.