The Cozens Contract

[Brawndo]

Having Your Top 2 Centers locked up for an AAV of approximately 14 million would be some phenomenal GMing by Adams

[LGR4GM]

8 minutes ago, Brawndo said:

Having Your Top 2 Centers locked up for an AAV of approximately 14 million would be some phenomenal GMing by Adams

It would be zetterberg/Datsyuk like. 

Cozens for 7 mil or there about would be a coup.

[mjd1001]

I think the Sabres are really going to try to go long term with him but keep it close to 7.25 per year.

The Thompson contract comes to about $7.142M per year.  Cap is going up a bit more than 1% supposedly next year.  Add that 1% to Tage's deal, and you get close to 7.25m per year.

[tom webster]

15 minutes ago, mjd1001 said:

I think the Sabres are really going to try to go long term with him but keep it close to 7.25 per year.

The Thompson contract comes to about $7.142M per year.  Cap is going up a bit more than 1% supposedly next year.  Add that 1% to Tage's deal, and you get close to 7.25m per year.

As Chad has said, Cozens camp for the first time has indicated a willingness to sign for around Tage’s deal provided the structure is to their liking. I’m confident this gets done, maybe before the break ends. 
To have Tage, Tuch and Cozens locked up for the foreseeable future at less than $20M will be unbelievable.

[Huckleberry]

1 hour ago, Brawndo said:

 

If Kevyn Adams pulls this off and locks our 1C and 2C for under 15 mill a season -  We got a a lot of team friendly deals then.   
Reminds me a bit of the red wings in the 90's.

[tom webster]

On other thing, make no mistake, this is player driven. There is a lot of pressure on these guys by the NHLPA to not accept below market deals. 

[Brawndo]

15 minutes ago, tom webster said:

On other thing, make no mistake, this is player driven. There is a lot of pressure on these guys by the NHLPA to not accept below market deals. 

I wonder if they get creative with structuring of the deal and front load as much cash as they can under CBA Rules. The next three seasons of the CBA the escrow payments are only 6% per an Athletic Article  that would increase the amount of money in His Bank Account or if they convert most of His Money to signing bonuses. 

[PromoTheRobot]

22 minutes ago, tom webster said:

On other thing, make no mistake, this is player driven. There is a lot of pressure on these guys by the NHLPA to not accept below market deals. 

This is why bringing in a Timo Meier, I feel, creates a two tier system of homegrown talent taking less than traded and free agent players. How does that work?

[mjd1001]

32 minutes ago, Huckleberry said:

If Kevyn Adams pulls this off and locks our 1C and 2C for under 15 mill a season -  We got a a lot of team friendly deals then.   
Reminds me a bit of the red wings in the 90's.

Can you get Dahlin then....long term under $10m?

[tom webster]

16 minutes ago, PromoTheRobot said:

This is why bringing in a Timo Meier, I feel, creates a two tier system of homegrown talent taking less than traded and free agent players. How does that work?

First, again, I don’t think they get him but eventually they will have to make this kind of move. Playing Quinn and JJP fit the plan this year fit the plan.  Next year, there should be no room for rookies playing significant roles unless they prove they earned it.

Second, his situation will be different as he is closer to free agency.

Third, players take home grown discounts with the understanding that the team will spend the money to increase their chances of winning a championship.

[LGR4GM]

11 minutes ago, tom webster said:

First, again, I don’t think they get him but eventually they will have to make this kind of move. Playing Quinn and JJP fit the plan this year fit the plan.  Next year, there should be no room for rookies playing significant roles unless they prove they earned it.

Second, his situation will be different as he is closer to free agency.

Third, players take home grown discounts with the understanding that the team will spend the money to increase their chances of winning a championship.

There isn't any room in the top 9 for a rookie next year. 

Also, how do you earn it without proving you can do it in the NHL?

[Mr. Allen]

14 minutes ago, LGR4GM said:

There isn't any room in the top 9 for a rookie next year. 

Also, how do you earn it without proving you can do it in the NHL?

By having the type of season Quinn and Peterka had in the AHL. 

[tom webster]

17 minutes ago, LGR4GM said:

There isn't any room in the top 9 for a rookie next year. 

Also, how do you earn it without proving you can do it in the NHL?

There is definitely room for them to be worked into the lineup for stretches until they prove they can handle the rigors of an 82 game schedule. At some point it stops being about making room for rookies and actually trying to contend for a Cup. There’s a reason most teams don’t have 3 or 4 contenders for rookie of the year.

[LGR4GM]

2 minutes ago, tom webster said:

There is definitely room for them to be worked into the lineup for stretches until they prove they can handle the rigors of an 82 game schedule. At some point it stops being about making room for rookies and actually trying to contend for a Cup. There’s a reason most teams don’t have 3 or 4 contenders for rookie of the year.

What are you talking about? There is literally no open spot in the top 9. What room is being made?

10 minutes ago, Mr. Allen said:

By having the type of season Quinn and Peterka had in the AHL. 

Not everyone needs or should go the AHL route. 

[LGR4GM]

4 minutes ago, tom webster said:

There is definitely room for them to be worked into the lineup for stretches until they prove they can handle the rigors of an 82 game schedule. At some point it stops being about making room for rookies and actually trying to contend for a Cup. There’s a reason most teams don’t have 3 or 4 contenders for rookie of the year.

Here I'll help. 

Skinner - Tage - Tuch

JJP - Cozens - Quinn

Mitts - Jost - Olofsson 

Krebs who can slot in.

There's no room and what you're talking about is over now.

[tom webster]

11 minutes ago, LGR4GM said:

Here I'll help. 

Skinner - Tage - Tuch

JJP - Cozens - Quinn

Mitts - Jost - Olofsson 

Krebs who can slot in.

There's no room and what you're talking about is over now.

I feel like we are arguing the same point but whatever.

I like how Jost and Mitts have played and Mitts especially has surprised me but I think they both can and should be improved upon next year. 

 

Edited February 4, 2023 by tom webster

[JohnC]

4 minutes ago, LGR4GM said:

Here I'll help. 

Skinner - Tage - Tuch

JJP - Cozens - Quinn

Mitts - Jost - Olofsson 

Krebs who can slot in.

There's no room and what you're talking about is over now.

You are not accounting for injuries. I don't know if any prospect will be ready to fill in for any of the top nine spots if injuries do happen. We'll just have to see who can make the jump. If you recall, UPL was expected to get a heavy workload in Rochester this season. Injuries to Comrie and the determination to keep Anderson's workload in check resulted in UPL playing more games in the NHL than expected. So far, he has done better than expected as a regular starter in this league. My point is that you never really know how the situation will develop. You have to adjust to the unexpected. 

[elijah]

As a relatively fresh hockey fan, and more so Sabres than NHL, I haven’t watched a contending team (closely) yet so I don’t know how the roster gymnastics work. 

But our 13th forward currently has 26 games played of our 50, provided the rookie next year isn’t Savoie due to whatever rules his league has, couldn’t the rookie ‘earn it’ in that 50% game share bouncing back and forth between AHL and NHL? Or are there rules - i.e.) number of call-ups and send downs maybe - that would prevent that? 

[sabresparaavida]

31 minutes ago, elijah said:

As a relatively fresh hockey fan, and more so Sabres than NHL, I haven’t watched a contending team (closely) yet so I don’t know how the roster gymnastics work. 

But our 13th forward currently has 26 games played of our 50, provided the rookie next year isn’t Savoie due to whatever rules his league has, couldn’t the rookie ‘earn it’ in that 50% game share bouncing back and forth between AHL and NHL? Or are there rules - i.e.) number of call-ups and send downs maybe - that would prevent that? 

That is certainly possible, but I’d put it as a little unlikely. The young Sabres most likely to have a shot at the big leagues next season are Savoie and Kulich and to an extent Rousek. Savoie can play up to 9 games in the NHL and can still be sent back to the WHL. Any more, and he’s stuck on our roster. It’s possible he gets a shot, but probably unlikely that he’s here for the season. Kulich can be sent up and down from the AHL, however, I doubt they would use him like you describe. The Sabres are going to have a 13th roster forward that stays on the roster. They also aren’t going to carry a young rookie just to sit him, they’d prefer for him to keep getting consistent games. They also are unlikely to keep 3 goalies next year, so there could well be a 14th forward in the same role. Unless Kulich is getting consistent playing time, he will not be on this roster IMO. Rousek could perhaps make the roster, he’s likely nearly done developing, so could be kept as a 13th/14th forward, and stay on the roster.

[Huckleberry]

2 hours ago, tom webster said:

I feel like we are arguing the same point but whatever.

I like how Jost and Mitts have played and Mitts especially has surprised me but I think they both can and should be improved upon next year. 

 

Disagree on that, Jost can be our  4C easy for years to come if he keeps playing like this.   But someone needs to step up first and take his 3C spot away.

[French Collection]

2 minutes ago, Huckleberry said:

Disagree on that, Jost can be our  4C easy for years to come if he keeps playing like this.   But someone needs to step up first and take his 3C spot away.

Krebs and Jost are auditioning for the 3C role now. Krebs has more development ahead and I think he nabs that role. 

I like Jost, he has a spot in the bottom six for awhile. He hoped for more due to his draft status but I think he is now embracing a lesser role in the NHL. He could be the Sabres 4C for a few years if Savoie and Kulich move to wing. Their present skill sets are top 9 so it will be interesting if they get there.

[tom webster]

1 hour ago, Huckleberry said:

Disagree on that, Jost can be our  4C easy for years to come if he keeps playing like this.   But someone needs to step up first and take his 3C spot away.

I don’t think we necessarily disagree. Depending on what else is available, Jost on the 4th line isn’t terrible. However, if you get someone better then Krebs and Jost, then for me Krebs is ahead of Jost for fourth line role.

[PerreaultForever]

3 hours ago, LGR4GM said:

There isn't any room in the top 9 for a rookie next year. 

Also, how do you earn it without proving you can do it in the NHL?

Well the mantra is "earn it" right, so you can't build a culture if you don't follow your own mantra. As such if a rookie plays better than a veteran he gets the spot. Has to work that way if that's your mantra. 

We will have injuries. There are always injuries. If the team has true depth there will be a rookie waiting for every position in the line up. He comes up and plays well enough he stays and Jost or whoever might become the next Vinnie. That's how it goes. It shouldn't be easy for a rookie to the make the line up. It should be really hard and they should have to work exceptionally hard to earn a spot and if they go up and down to the AHL so what? 

There's still plenty of room on this roster. The team is far from that good yet.

 

[Huckleberry]

35 minutes ago, tom webster said:

I don’t think we necessarily disagree. Depending on what else is available, Jost on the 4th line isn’t terrible. However, if you get someone better then Krebs and Jost, then for me Krebs is ahead of Jost for fourth line role.

Man I hope Krebs turns into something better than a 4th liner, or our team will be so stacked he gets put there.   I do like his energy for it.

[Thorner]

6 hours ago, mjd1001 said:

Can you get Dahlin then....long term under $10m?

No