Offseason Gameplan 2022 - Solving the goaltending system wide.

[Flashsabre]

https://www.nhltraderumors.me/2022/06/nhl-rumors-maple-leafs-goalie-sets.html

Sources say Campbell is looking for $5 million a year. No mention of term.

[Carmel Corn]

48 minutes ago, Flashsabre said:

https://www.nhltraderumors.me/2022/06/nhl-rumors-maple-leafs-goalie-sets.html

Sources say Campbell is looking for $5 million a year. No mention of term.

Anybody know why he doesn't have much NHL mileage despite his 30 years of age?  Overall career game count seems low....even including his minor league games.  Is he injury prone?

[Brawndo]

Adams mentioned right before the TDL that the Pegulas had given Him permission to spend the remaining cap space.
There were rumors about Buffalo and Arizona discussing a Weber Trade with Montreal. 
 

Other options are to acquire Monahan, Gardiner or another player of the same ilk for an asset with the intention of buying the player out. Similar to what Carolina did with Patrick Marleau. 
 

They could also retain salary as a third party if Chicago or another team wants to make a move.

[NAF]

10 hours ago, thewookie1 said:

 

Lucic 1x5.25mil NTC -- I never want him in Buffalo after what he did to Miller

Monahan 1x6.375mil M-NTC -- Multiple leg injuries and surgeries have left him a shell of a player

N. Foligno 1x3.8mil - M-NTC -- Has slowed down fiercely these past two years

Skjei 2x5.25mil M-NTC -- If his analytics are bad with that D group then I want nothing to do with him

Sissons 4x2.857mil -- 4th liner; he's literally Girgensons production wise if not slightly less

Bailey 2x5mil  -- 3rd line winger

Cizikas 5x2.5mil  -- Way too long of a contract 

Clutterbuck 2x1.75mil  -- Old man 1

Martin 2x1.5mil -- Old man 2

 

I mean they aren't supposed to be good... they're cap dumps for a reason. The goal would be more to eat the contracts for the picks and prospects with the added benefit of having them provide veteran leadership to an incredibly young team. Even if Granato decides to consistently healthy scratch these guys in favor of the Ruotsolainens of the organization, their presence is still valuable.

[PerreaultForever]

8 hours ago, GASabresIUFAN said:

Also leaders Girgensons and KO are UFAs after next season. 

I will place a friendly bet with you that he lets both of them walk (possibly trading them at the deadline if we are out of it) but neither will be back after this year unless they sign for peanuts. 

[dudacek]

10 hours ago, PerreaultForever said:

I will place a friendly bet with you that he lets both of them walk (possibly trading them at the deadline if we are out of it) but neither will be back after this year unless they sign for peanuts. 

Away from the point of your post, I’ve always thought it’s weird how you’re always talking about the need for big bodies and team-first warriors yet you hold these two in such low regard.

[kas23]

10 hours ago, PerreaultForever said:

I will place a friendly bet with you that he lets both of them walk (possibly trading them at the deadline if we are out of it) but neither will be back after this year unless they sign for peanuts. 

KO is the de facto Captain. He’ll be presented a contract, but it will be on the low side for limited term. Nevertheless, it’ll be his decision whether he wants to stay or not, not necessarily KAs. 

[JohnC]

10 hours ago, PerreaultForever said:

I will place a friendly bet with you that he lets both of them walk (possibly trading them at the deadline if we are out of it) but neither will be back after this year unless they sign for peanuts. 

KO was the most consistent player on the team last year. Although I'm not saying he was our best player, I am saying that he was the most consistent contributing player on the team.  I can't recall any lulls to his game last year. When his contract runs out and if he has a desire to play longer it would be warranted and smart to have this premium person on your team. With respect to Girgs, he is a consistently tough/muscular player who knows his role and plays within it. His value is not revealed by his stats.  

[GASabresIUFAN]

11 hours ago, PerreaultForever said:

I will place a friendly bet with you that he lets both of them walk (possibly trading them at the deadline if we are out of it) but neither will be back after this year unless they sign for peanuts. 

It depends on how they play this season.  KO puts up 50 points again he is getting a multi year deal. Z may also be back.  He puts up 25 pts with 10 goals and hits everything, he’ll be back as well.  Who do we have in the organization who is a year away from the NHL and can fill their roles as well?

Edited June 4, 2022 by GASabresIUFAN

[Marvin]

14 hours ago, PerreaultForever said:

I will place a friendly bet with you that he lets both of them walk (possibly trading them at the deadline if we are out of it) but neither will be back after this year unless they sign for peanuts. 

I think you grossly under-estimate the value these two have.  Early in the season, they were the only truly consistent performers of all the dirty jobs that teams need to be successful.  Late in the season, even players like Skinner had upped their games in doing these dirty jobs.  IMHO, the team was more successful at the end of the season in part because it took on the attitude of Okposo and Girgensons.  Signing them to reasonable short-term contracts is in the best interest of the team while the young guys mature into seasoned veterans.

[Sabres Fan in NS]

I have very little doubt that both KO and Girgs will be signed before their currect deals expire.  They are still important parts of this team.

[PerreaultForever]

13 hours ago, dudacek said:

Away from the point of your post, I’ve always thought it’s weird how you’re always talking about the need for big bodies and team-first warriors yet you hold these two in such low regard.

Well they're not the same so shouldn't be considered as a unity but it's not so much low regard, as maybe pieces of a horrible past and not part of the future. Kyle had a good year - finally. I'm far from the only one who a year ago was discussing him as a stiff or talking merits of a buy out and so forth. Harsher critiques than I've ever given were common. So suddenly he's a warrior? A little extreme but good if he is. Should get a good price for him at the deadline then. As for Girgs, not low regard but indifference. No more vital to this team's success than Cody Eakin. 

[PerreaultForever]

10 hours ago, Marvin, Sabres Fan said:

I think you grossly under-estimate the value these two have.  Early in the season, they were the only truly consistent performers of all the dirty jobs that teams need to be successful.  Late in the season, even players like Skinner had upped their games in doing these dirty jobs.  IMHO, the team was more successful at the end of the season in part because it took on the attitude of Okposo and Girgensons.  Signing them to reasonable short-term contracts is in the best interest of the team while the young guys mature into seasoned veterans.

Well if you want you can bring back Larsson too would that make everyone happy? That was the praised 4th line that wasn't a 4th line wasn't it? Just one problem with all of this, we still haven't WON games and had a winning season. You guys really need to step back and stop over valuing a losing team's talent.

[Flashsabre]

Can we get back to discussing goaltenders.

Gibson, Hellebuyck, Kuemper, Husso, Campbell, DeSmith, Comrie etc.

Who you want, what are you willing to pay?

[Turbo44]

I’ve wanted Kuemper for 3 years but there’s no reason to believe he’d want to come here unless for $$$ if COL can’t afford him

Edited June 5, 2022 by Turbo44

[Broken Ankles]

8 hours ago, PerreaultForever said:

Well if you want you can bring back Larsson too would that make everyone happy? That was the praised 4th line that wasn't a 4th line wasn't it? Just one problem with all of this, we still haven't WON games and had a winning season. You guys really need to step back and stop over valuing a losing team's talent.

Zemgus and KO were extremely low on the totem pole as to reasons for losing over the past few years and this year (without other voices in the room) had a lot to do with them winning.  Going into the season I viewed KO as an aging vet and potential anchor (like many).  Wrong!  
This a goaltender thread so I won’t derail, but these two are definitely important to the growth of the team. Talented players and quality leadership for a young core which had been rudderless is vital, regardless if they are a 4th line. Yes a 4th line exceeding $10m AAV is not ideal, but this will correct itself in the next negotiation. 

[Marvin]

5 hours ago, Flashsabre said:

Can we get back to discussing goaltenders.

Gibson, Hellebuyck, Kuemper, Husso, Campbell, DeSmith, Comrie etc.

Who you want, what are you willing to pay?

IMHO, anyone under contract with term should be considered unavailable.  If GMKA was unwilling to pay last year when we needed goalkeeping desperately, then he won't do it now.

12 hours ago, PerreaultForever said:

Well if you want you can bring back Larsson too would that make everyone happy? That was the praised 4th line that wasn't a 4th line wasn't it? Just one problem with all of this, we still haven't WON games and had a winning season. You guys really need to step back and stop over valuing a losing team's talent.

Can we maybe sign or trade for people to nudge them out of their jobs?  Sure -- but at what price?  Until this team gets real goaltending and threatens the playoffs, the Sabres will need to overpay for players like Girgensons and Okposo.  This team is still young and needs veteran players who are always diligent and never take short cuts.

That's not even counting how much credit they got from Tuch, Krebs, et al. for keeping things positive and teaching players to hold each other accountable.  This latter point can not be emphasised enough: that is what winning teams do.  And Krebs and Tuch would know.  If those two see the right habits from Z and KO as they saw in good times with LVGK, then both Girgensons and Okposo clearly have value this season and beyond.  And If the both get $2-3M contracts for next season, that would be cool with me.

[PerreaultForever]

4 hours ago, Broken Ankles said:

Zemgus and KO were extremely low on the totem pole as to reasons for losing over the past few years and this year (without other voices in the room) had a lot to do with them winning.  Going into the season I viewed KO as an aging vet and potential anchor (like many).  Wrong!  
This a goaltender thread so I won’t derail, but these two are definitely important to the growth of the team. Talented players and quality leadership for a young core which had been rudderless is vital, regardless if they are a 4th line. Yes a 4th line exceeding $10m AAV is not ideal, but this will correct itself in the next negotiation. 

The last sentence is the key to the argument right? As a 4th line, making typical 4th line money, I have no problem with them. Correcting it in the negotiation is an assumption and I'm saying you can move on from both of them because I think they will try the open market anyway rather than accept 4th line money to stay. Just my assumption. "Important to the growth of the team" is a whole other point of argument and does lead to derailing the thread so leave it there as an agree to disagree on that. 

[triumph_communes]

Kapanen getting let go would be a great add. Overpay!

[dudacek]

When Kyle Okposo was on the LOG line, it was actually the 3rd or checking line.

This past season, he was 4th among Sabre forwards in ice time. He was also 28th among all NHL right wings in points.

Despite Ralph Krueger’s best efforts, Okposo not a 4th liner and never really has been.

[JohnC]

32 minutes ago, dudacek said:

When Kyle Okposo was on the LOG line, it was actually the 3rd or checking line.

This past season, he was 4th among Sabre forwards in ice time. He was also 28th among all NHL right wings in points.

Despite Ralph Krueger’s best efforts, Okposo not a 4th liner and never really has been.

What did Krueger get right? I'm not trying to be sarcastic but it seems that there wasn't an aspect of the game where his approach was superior compared to the post Krueger era.

[bob_sauve28]

Lots of teams looking for goaltending. Would not surprise me if we start season with Anderson and UPL as twin starters. Just hope our prospect goalies sign with us, but I hate that there is no guarantee. Is that right, they can just sign anywhere after next season? 

[Taro T]

12 minutes ago, bob_sauve28 said:

Lots of teams looking for goaltending. Would not surprise me if we start season with Anderson and UPL as twin starters. Just hope our prospect goalies sign with us, but I hate that there is no guarantee. Is that right, they can just sign anywhere after next season? 

IF Adams starts the year w/ Anderson & UPL as the 2 Sabres goalies, we will know that he likes his odds of landing one of the 3 studs in the '23 draft.

[JohnC]

13 minutes ago, bob_sauve28 said:

Lots of teams looking for goaltending. Would not surprise me if we start season with Anderson and UPL as twin starters. Just hope our prospect goalies sign with us, but I hate that there is no guarantee. Is that right, they can just sign anywhere after next season? 

Not signing Ullmark to the contract he wanted from us was a major blunder. It would have bought the organization time for the organization to figure out if UPL was ready for NHL play. Even if UPL demonstrates that he can play in the league that is far from assuming that he could currently handle the responsibility of being a primary goalie. Considering that the organization had a gargantuan amount of cap space and that it had to buy a contract just to be able to meet the cap floor requirement, KA's decision at the time and in hindsight made no sense to me.  

[JohnC]

7 minutes ago, Taro T said:

IF Adams starts the year w/ Anderson & UPL as the 2 Sabres goalies, we will know that he likes his odds of landing one of the 3 studs in the '23 draft.

The Sabres are starting to assemble a roster that should be able to move up the ranks even with bad goaltending. That's why not seriously addressing the position this offseason makes little sense. As you well know because you are a paying customer in a mostly empty building not doing what he has to do makes little sense from a competitive and business standpoint. 

Overall, I have liked the way KA has handled his responsibilities. However, I am very troubled by how he has managed the goalie situation. He has to get serious in addressing this position this offseason.