2023-24 Sabres Early Thoughts

[GASabresIUFAN]

2 minutes ago, Buffalonill said:

@Dr. WhoLuke tuch is interesting  wonder if alex gave buffalo the hint.

 

Hopefully not like ROR gave us the hint on COR.  

Like I said in jest in a different thread, now let's draft Luke Mittelstadt and get Tyce Thomspon for Rochester.

[thewookie1]

4 minutes ago, GASabresIUFAN said:

Hopefully not like ROR gave us the hint on COR.  

Like I said in jest in a different thread, now let's draft Luke Mittelstadt and get Tyce Thomspon for Rochester.

Do you want a 1st line in Rochester of L Mitts - Tyce - L Tuch?

2 Lukes and a Tyce?

 

[Taro T]

1 minute ago, thewookie1 said:

Do you want a 1st line in Rochester of L Mitts - Tyce - L Tuch?

2 Lukes and a Tyce?

 

Is Luke, Luke, Tyce played like Duck, Duck, Goose but on skates?

Sounds fun.

[GASabresIUFAN]

2 minutes ago, thewookie1 said:

Do you want a 1st line in Rochester of L Mitts - Tyce - L Tuch?

2 Lukes and a Tyce?

 

Sadly Luke M is a D.  With so many Lukes, we probably need some Matthews and John.  Peter and Paul wouldn't hurt either.

Would Dunleavy call them the Little B's?

Edited April 17, 2023 by GASabresIUFAN

[Taro T]

Just now, GASabresIUFAN said:

Sadly Luke M is a D.  With so many Lukes, we probably need some Matthews and John.  Peter and Paul wouldn't hurt either.

But no Marys.  We don't need a Mary.

[GASabresIUFAN]

4 minutes ago, Taro T said:

But no Marys.  We don't need a Mary.

There is an opening here, but I'm too much of a gentleman to take it, but it has to do with many of our forwards playing too much on the perimeter.

Edited April 17, 2023 by GASabresIUFAN

[dudacek]

1 hour ago, GASabresIUFAN said:

But we did get videos from UPL and Comrie who apparently are also on the chopping block.  No Stillman or Vinnie either on the videos.

I wouldn't to much into the D not being on video.  I would be shocked if all 4 of the D you mentioned plus Stillman were traded this off-season.  All are under contract or control and would all need to be replaced if moved through trade or UFA signings because we have no D prospects to take their place.  This seems way to aggressive.  Bryson and Clague being moved wouldn't be a surprise.  Jokiharju being moved in a hockey trade also wouldn't be a surprise, but I expect both Stillman and Bush here in depth roles next season.

 

 

 

Yes, this all makes sense.

I tend to read into what the coach does more than anything else, especially when he and the GM seem to be on the same page.

On the 12-game run to end the season with the playoffs on the line:

• Mittelstadt and Cozens played 17:30 per night, 2nd only to Tuch
• Krebs played more than 15 minutes a night, 6th among forwards.
• Okposo and Girgensons each played more than 14 minutes a night
• Upon returning from injury, Greenway played mostly on lines with skilled players.
• Olofsson was healthy scratched 5 times
• Jost was healthy scratched twice and played only 10 minutes a night
• Jokiharju played 21 minutes a night
• Lyubushkin played 15, and less when Mule was healthy
• Stillman was healthy scratched 3 times and played less than 12 minutes a night
• Bryson was healthy scratched 6 times and played less than 10 minutes a night
• Clague played just 2 games
• Levi started 7 of the 9 games he was available
• UPL started just twice and only once after Levi arrived
• Comrie started just twice and not at all after Levi arrived.

This should inform a lot of how we perceive where certain players stand.

[GASabresIUFAN]

23 minutes ago, dudacek said:

Yes, this all makes sense.

I tend to read into what the coach does more than anything else, especially when he and the GM seem to be on the same page.

On the 12-game run to end the season with the playoffs on the line:

• Mittelstadt and Cozens played 17:30 per night, 2nd only to Tuch
• Krebs played more than 15 minutes a night, 6th among forwards.
• Okposo and Girgensons each played more than 14 minutes a night
• Upon returning from injury, Greenway played mostly on lines with skilled players.
• Olofsson was healthy scratched 5 times
• Jost was healthy scratched twice and played only 10 minutes a night
• Jokiharju played 21 minutes a night
• Lyubushkin played 15, and less when Mule was healthy
• Stillman was healthy scratched 3 times and played less than 12 minutes a night
• Bryson was healthy scratched 6 times and played less than 10 minutes a night
• Clague played just 2 games
• Levi started 7 of the 9 games he was available
• UPL started just twice and only once after Levi arrived
• Comrie started just twice and not at all after Levi arrived.

This should inform a lot of how we perceive where certain players stand.

That's an excellent summation and I think it's also telling that Z and KO never sat.   Your summation also matches my perception of what DG & KA are thinking for next year.  

On defense, you have the top 3, then a pecking order of Joki, Bush, Stillman Bryson, and Clague.  The real question is if you upgrade the 4th D, what do you do with Joki.  I'm honestly not all that jazzed with a Joki / Bush pairing.

At Forward 9 guys, Tage, Jeff, Alex, Mitts, DC, JJP, Quinn, Krebs, and Greenway) are set in stone for next season with the biggest question on how to deploy them.  The rest are up for debate, except VO is going to get traded.  Can't and won't pay someone nearly $5 mill who no longer works in your top 9, especially when you can re-deploy that cap to defense where it's really needed.  With Savoie almost certainly making this team, it going to be interesting to see what they do with Jost, KO, and Z.

The fact that neither Comrie or UPL were tapped to play either half of the back-to-back against the NYR and NJD was also very telling.  DG had more confidence in letting the kid play back to back nights with the playoffs on the line than he did his more senior goalies. 

 

[Brawndo]

Putting Bjork (1.8 Million AAV) and Vinnie (1.7 Million AAV) in Rochester this season does prove they are not adverse to burying contracts in the AHL 

[Taro T]

1 minute ago, Brawndo said:

Putting Bjork (1.8 Million AAV) and Vinnie (1.7 Million AAV) in Rochester this season does prove they are not adverse to burying contracts in the AHL 

Agree.  But playing devil's advocate, it's tough to read much into moves like that when the team is so close to the salary floor.  While they were in Ra-cha-cha ~1/3 of their salary was still counting towards the Sabres cap payroll.

[dudacek]

29 minutes ago, Brawndo said:

Putting Bjork (1.8 Million AAV) and Vinnie (1.7 Million AAV) in Rochester this season does prove they are not adverse to burying contracts in the AHL 

Where are you going with this? Bryson?

[LTS]

Even with Greenway on the roster I would absolutely welcome they going after Tom Wilson (or someone like him). In my eyes Wilson is a faster, harder player to play against and scores more.

Greenway is big but he does not use his body enough and he certainly hasn't shown an edge to his game yet.

[GASabresIUFAN]

9 hours ago, dudacek said:

Where are you going with this? Bryson?

And or Comrie.

[Buffalonill]

27 minutes ago, LTS said:

Even with Greenway on the roster I would absolutely welcome they going after Tom Wilson (or someone like him). In my eyes Wilson is a faster, harder player to play against and scores more.

Greenway is big but he does not use his body enough and he certainly hasn't shown an edge to his game yet.

 I believe hes a free agent next year That doesn't seem like Adams type of trade now

[Porous Five Hole]

17 hours ago, JohnC said:

Do you believe that KA is going to bring another goalie in the offseason? I don't. I expect Levi to be our primary goalie with Comrie and UPL competing for the backup position. If Comrie becomes the backup, then UPL will go to Rochester. If he is claimed, which is a possibility, then so be it. The issue becomes: will another team claim him to be a backup. I'm not sure he has such an appeal for other teams at this point. We'll have to wait and see how things sort out this offseason. Where I diverge with many here is that I don't believe that our GM has foreclosed Comrie as one of our goalies for next year. Many here have a different view. I'm fine with that. 

You keep saying this like it is some accepted inevitability. It would be bad asset management.

 @dudacek already explained that UPL has value given his age, contract status, and salary. 

UPL is either the backup or getting moved. He’s not passing through waivers with our fingers crossed. 

[dudacek]

4 minutes ago, Porous Five Hole said:

You keep saying this like it is some accepted inevitability. It would be bad asset management.

 @dudacek already explained that UPL has value given his age, contract status, and salary. 

UPL is either the backup or getting moved. He’s not passing through waivers with our fingers crossed. 

Should give credit where it was due on that one. Good post, but it wasn’t me.

Just wish I could remember who. I think @Brawndo?

[Randall Flagg]

In 2023-24 Tage will be at most the 58th-highest-paid player in the league. Pretty cool

Edited April 17, 2023 by Randall Flagg

[Brawndo]

11 hours ago, dudacek said:

Where are you going with this? Bryson?

Stillman as well

1 hour ago, dudacek said:

Should give credit where it was due on that one. Good post, but it wasn’t me.

Just wish I could remember who. I think @Brawndo?

‘‘Twas me 

[Scottysabres]

23/24 early thoughts....

We're 2 vet d men and 2 bottom 6 vet tough as nails forwards from a deep playoff run.

All the youth on the roster who return will be stronger, faster, matured and will compete for a division title on their way to a deep playoff run.

The team is ready to shed the stigma of prolonged regular seadon losing streaks, as their confidence and chemistry grow beyond the capacity of rivals to control.

I will be going to as many games ad I can afford for the first time in 10+ yrs as my faith in the organization grows beyond my own excitement level to contain it.

These are my early thoughts.

 

[LabattBlue]

Just now, Scottysabres said:

23/24 early thoughts....

We're 2 vet d men and 2 bottom 6 vet tough as nails forwards from a deep playoff run.

All the youth on the roster who return will be stronger, faster, matured and will compete for a division title on their way to a deep playoff run.

The team is ready to shed the stigma of prolonged regular seadon losing streaks, as their confidence and chemistry grow beyond the capacity of rivals to control.

I will be going to as many games ad I can afford for the first time in 10+ yrs as my faith in the organization grows beyond my own excitement level to contain it.

These are my early thoughts.

 

…and a 1a/1b goalie. 😉

[Weave]

3 minutes ago, LabattBlue said:

…and a 1a/1b goalie. 😉

Yeah, it is waaayyyyyy too soon to proclaim the goalie problem solved.

[Scottysabres]

21 minutes ago, LabattBlue said:

…and a 1a/1b goalie. 😉

 

17 minutes ago, Weave said:

Yeah, it is waaayyyyyy too soon to proclaim the goalie problem solved.

Levi / UPL

And just like that, I proclaim the goalie problem solved

😀

[GASabresIUFAN]

24 minutes ago, Scottysabres said:

UPL

I don’t believe management views UPL as part of the solution any longer.  

The contrast between UPL and Levi was made evident in the late season shootouts.  Levi stoned Kane, Panarin, Mika and Kakko against the Rangers, while Oshie and Kuznetsov embarrassed UPL. 

[mjd1001]

After thinking it over for a few days I am still where I was before:

-2 new Legit NHL D-men for this rochester, 1 guy who can be a decent NHL fill-in for Rochester.  A better D-group and hopefully better backchecking by the forwards solves a good portion of your goalie problems.

-UPL, Comrie, Levi, AND a low-priced Vet come to camp to fight it out for the sequencing in net. Management/coaching evaluation of all 4 of them in camp in association with what they know of them already now will determine the situation in net next year.

[SabresBaltimore]

I'd like to see us improve at face offs too. I'd maybe put that 3rd (or 4th) on the priority list behind improving defense and goal tending. Ideally if we can get a good PK/shutdown center who is good on the dot in 1 player, that'd help a lot.

 

Cozens was our best FO guy, with a 48.3% win rate (45.6% in Defensive zone FOs). He lead the team in FO taken too, by a large margin with 1,174. Next closest was Tage with 813 (361 fewer Face Offs taken than Cozens, probably due to him moving around more).

 

Tage had 43.1% overall, with an abysmal 34.8 in DZFOs.

 

Mitts was 3rd with 736 taken for 45.9% (42.5% DZFOs) and Krebs 4th with 556 taken for 45.1% (42.9% DZFOs).

Jost was pretty terrible for his 428 taken: 38.3% won (36.1 DZFOs).

 

I hope all of them work on their face offs in the off-season. I think those numbers further make Jost expendable next year too.

  

NHL Face Off Stats (Sabres 22-23)

Edited April 17, 2023 by SabresBaltimore
fixed some typos