The Johnson watch has started

[WhenWillItEnd66]

Thats not undersized then. Bring him on. His defensive responsibility is supposed to be good! We need that

[kas23]

19 minutes ago, Two or less said:

Smaller then Jokiharju 

Joki is 6’0”, 200 lbs. Johnson is 6’1” at 190 lbs. both are 23 and 22, respectively. There’s no way either will grow in height, but weight could easily be improved. He’s taller than Joki and could easily gain more muscle than Joki. 

[Buffalonill]

I don't understand what's going on. He should be signed right now The only thing that seems likely is that he doesn't want to be here 

Edited April 13, 2023 by Buffalonill

[Flashsabre]

13 minutes ago, Buffalonill said:

I don't understand what's going on. He should be signed right now The only thing that seems likely is that he doesn't want to be here 

He signed 2 days ago but they are keeping it secret to drive you nuts😛

When Thurn wasn’t signing with the Ducks and Brind’Amour with the Oilers they made announcements about it. No news means they are probably going back and forth on things.

[MattPie]

2 hours ago, Pimlach said:

Sone people here think, and posted, that he goes back into the draft if he doesn’t sign.   I believe he becomes a  free agent.

As someone said above, he becomes a special UFA. Any team can offer him an ELC, with all the limits (max salary, term, etc.) that any ELC allows. Essentially, any interested team can offer the same thing (or less) so it's just a matter of picking which offer to sign.

[ExWNYer]

FWIW, GMKA just said on 'Sabres Live' that they had a long, good call with Ryan Johnson and his agents about two days ago, for the purpose of "making sure that we were aligned" and because they wanted RJ (that just doesn't sound right, I know) to talk to them about how he feels coming off of a national championship loss. RJ told them he was still devastated and KA said "you could just hear it in his voice". Said that RJ is just taking his time and thinking things thru and they'll see where it goes. KA said, "I would characterize it as a real positive meeting."

[Pimlach]

47 minutes ago, kas23 said:

Joki is 6’0”, 200 lbs. Johnson is 6’1” at 190 lbs. both are 23 and 22, respectively. There’s no way either will grow in height, but weight could easily be improved. He’s taller than Joki and could easily gain more muscle than Joki. 

A lot of people rail on Jokiharu here, especially in the last Devils game.  I think he could be a good 5/6 third pair guy right now, and he could jump up top 4 if needed to cover injuries.   

More upper body strength will help him.  He is still young for a defenseman.  

I would like to see this happen, but it won't.  Adams should at least get us a veteran #4.   Come on Kyvie!

Dahlin - Muel

Power - new VET

Joker - new VET 

rotate spare 7/8 - Lybushkin, Stillman

9/10 in Rochester  - Johnson and Clague.  

[Pimlach]

10 minutes ago, ExWNYer said:

FWIW, GMKA just said on 'Sabres Live' that they had a long, good call with Ryan Johnson and his agents about two days ago, for the purpose of "making sure that we were aligned" and because they wanted RJ (that just doesn't sound right, I know) to talk to them about how he feels coming off of a national championship loss. RJ told them he was still devastated and KA said "you could just hear it in his voice". Said that RJ is just taking his time and thinking things thru and they'll see where it goes. KA said, "I would characterize it as a real positive meeting."

OK, fair enough, he is sadden by his teams loss.  KA puts the positive spin on it like he should.  

That game is over and he has a pro contract to sign.   He is a #1 draft choice and he should have a roadmap and plan to be in the NHL right now, which means get on contract and start playing hockey for this team and burn that first year ECL.  

Thinking things though does not impress me as much as it concerns me with this kid.  You can say it shows he is smart or careful - but also reluctant and unsure.   

[Taro T]

3 minutes ago, Pimlach said:

OK, fair enough, he is sadden by his teams loss.  KA puts the positive spin on it like he should.  

That game is over and he has a pro contract to sign.   He is a #1 draft choice and he should have a roadmap and plan to be in the NHL right now, which means get on contract and start playing hockey for this team and burn that first year ECL.  

Thinking things though does not impress me as much as it concerns me with this kid.  You can say it shows he is smart or careful - but also reluctant and unsure.   

Unless that is what the Sabres have suggested he do.  Adams is big on the players being in the moment they are in.  Levi took 5 days longer than he needed to to sign his deal.  Wouldn't be surprised if he's been told by the team to absorb where he's at and don't miss it.

[Buffalonill]

1 hour ago, Flashsabre said:

He signed 2 days ago but they are keeping it secret to drive you nuts😛

When Thurn wasn’t signing with the Ducks and Brind’Amour with the Oilers they made announcements about it. No news means they are probably going back and forth on things.

I would agree but the same stuff happened last summer.

We didn't find out untill after camp he was going back to college lol

[ExWNYer]

35 minutes ago, Pimlach said:

OK, fair enough, he is sadden by his teams loss.  KA puts the positive spin on it like he should.  

That game is over and he has a pro contract to sign.   He is a #1 draft choice and he should have a roadmap and plan to be in the NHL right now, which means get on contract and start playing hockey for this team and burn that first year ECL.  

Thinking things though does not impress me as much as it concerns me with this kid.  You can say it shows he is smart or careful - but also reluctant and unsure.   

I prefaced my comments with 'FWIW' which means "decipher and take what you will from the 'GM speak'." That said, it would be nice to have this kid signed and see what he can contribute going forward but if he chooses a different path for himself, so be it. He won't make or break this team's fortunes one way or the other, IMO. Best case, he signs. Worst case, they get a compensatory 2. Some might even argue that you could flip flop the best and worst case scenarios. There will be resolution soon enough.

[JohnC]

5 hours ago, LGR4GM said:

I dont understand what you mean by "draft stock". 

If Johnson doesn't sign Buffalo gets the 63rd pick in the 2024 NHL draft. I'd rather have an NHL defender. 

I didn't make myself clear. That's on me. What I was asking is after his college hockey career was an evaluation of him as a NHL prospect increased, decreased or stayed the same. 

[Flashsabre]

4 minutes ago, JohnC said:

I didn't make myself clear. That's on me. What I was asking is after his college hockey career was an evaluation of him as a NHL prospect increased, decreased or stayed the same. 

Johnson is a steady eddy. His game hasn’t really changed the past couple years. There really isn’t anything to evaluate with him that would change his status as a prospect.

[Eleven]

6 minutes ago, Flashsabre said:

a steady eddy.

By definition, there is no such thing.

(Yeah, I'm being that guy today because I have a flat and I'm angry.)

Edited April 13, 2023 by Eleven

[kas23]

1 hour ago, Taro T said:

Unless that is what the Sabres have suggested he do.  Adams is big on the players being in the moment they are in.  Levi took 5 days longer than he needed to to sign his deal.  Wouldn't be surprised if he's been told by the team to absorb where he's at and don't miss it.

Levi was different. We were asking him to leave college early. We were essentially asking him to become a college dropout. Johnson is a Senior. He has no choice, no matter what he won’t be playing college hockey next year. 

[Taro T]

4 minutes ago, kas23 said:

Levi was different. We were asking him to leave college early. We were essentially asking him to become a college dropout. Johnson is a Senior. He has no choice, no matter what he won’t be playing college hockey next year. 

Levi was coming to the Sabres this spring as soon as his season ended.  He knew it, Adams knew it, we knew it, the peanut vendors knew it.

Maybe if he's here a few days earlier they get the 2 points against the Habs.

He's had months to figure out how he was going to get his classes finished this semester.  He didn't need the extra time to figure that out.  But, he did need that time to get to just enjoy the moment.

And Johnson has classes to finish up this semester just like Levi does.  He even had an extra year to figure out how he was going to deal with that too.  He's taking in the moment.  As long as he signs with the Sabres, don't really have an issue with him doing so.  And, LT, should he sign an AHL ATO with the Amerks this might work out better for the Sabres than had he shown up in Buffalo 2 days ago.

[Andrew Amerk]

3 hours ago, Eleven said:

By definition, there is no such thing.

(Yeah, I'm being that guy today because I have a flat and I'm angry.)

I feel this. I only like the drums, and hate the flats. 

[matter2003]

7 hours ago, kas23 said:

Joki is 6’0”, 200 lbs. Johnson is 6’1” at 190 lbs. both are 23 and 22, respectively. There’s no way either will grow in height, but weight could easily be improved. He’s taller than Joki and could easily gain more muscle than Joki. 

Get those squats in.

[pi2000]

The issue with Johnson is that he hasn't really developed much the past 2 seasons.   What's his cieling? Is this it?

Bottom line is I trust the Sabres judgement here... which isn't something I could confidentily say a few seasons ago.  

[Buffalonill]

If he doesn't sign today I think it pretty much tells everyone that hes walking

[kas23]

15 minutes ago, Buffalonill said:

If he doesn't sign today I think it pretty much tells everyone that hes walking

This is Johnson watch high alert. 

[LTS]

13 minutes ago, Buffalonill said:

If he doesn't sign today I think it pretty much tells everyone that hes walking

And if that happens.. great.  He clearly did not want to be here and Adams only wants players who want to be here.  No big loss.  I think Fox is the most notable player who has gone through college unsigned so he could sign anywhere.  Kevin Hayes did it.. he's good, but not great. Vesey just played his 500th game but we all know he's JAG.

Sign or don't sign.. he's not moving the needle either way.

[Buffalonill]

24 minutes ago, kas23 said:

This is Johnson watch high alert. 

 If he wants his money To burn one year.

has one more  chance 

[Doohicksie]

1 minute ago, Buffalonill said:

 If he wants his money To burn one year.

has one more  chance 

He'd have to sign pretty early in the day to get into the lineup.

[kas23]

29 minutes ago, Buffalonill said:

 If he wants his money To burn one year.

has one more  chance 

People generally don’t understand the time value of money. I guess there’s a reason financial literacy isn’t taught in high school. So the haves can continue to take money from the have nots.