Kyle Okposo is back

[Sabres73]

In my opinion this is a mistake, but not a huge one. Also, $2.5 million is excessive for what he brings on-ice - I understand the intangibles he brings, but he should have been moved into management where he could still work with players and provide leadership. Maybe it was offered and he declined. 

[tom webster]

1 minute ago, LabattBlue said:

Then the bigger problem is guys like KO and Girgs on your 3rd line. 

Does nobody pay attention to who man’s the third and fourth line on the really hood teams? Boston, who is held in duck high regard, paid Nick Foligno $3.8M per year on a two year deal when he had less left then KO.

[Buffalonill]

15 minutes ago, tom webster said:

Girgs probably will get 3X$3. It’s the going rate for veteran leaders/third liners.

The team has plenty of cap space and still need the veteran leadership these guys provide.

The Rochester people deserve a chance at that spot they have paid  there dues.

Buffalo will never wave kyle even if the Rochester kids beat him out its not right 

Edited May 24, 2023 by Buffalonill

[LGR4GM]

1 minute ago, Buffalonill said:

The Rochester people deserve a chance at that spot they have paid  there dues.

Buffalo will never wave kyle even if the Rochester kids beat him out its not right 

Rousek will be in Buffalo, relax.

[LabattBlue]

1 minute ago, tom webster said:

Does nobody pay attention to who man’s the third and fourth line on the really hood teams? Boston, who is held in duck high regard, paid Nick Foligno $3.8M per year on a two year deal when he had less left then KO.

Two wrongs don’t make a right. 😂

 

What Boston is doing matters not to me. What matters is making the team better to the point where they make the playoffs in 23-24.   Running it back with KO & Girgs does not make the team better.  

[mjd1001]

Lot of other things to think about:

-Mitts, VO might be on the move or other trades could be in the works?  If one of both of them go, that opens up some spots that need to be filled.

-Adams seems to be one of the GM's that thinks too much time in the minors isn't a bad thing.  Might be the plan for the guys who haven't played a lot of time in Buf to be 'eased' onto the big team...getting a few weeks at a time up here next year, not a roster spot in October.

-Might be that Jost isn't back for sure now? Not as confident in Greenway than they thought before they got him?

[Porous Five Hole]

Our tenth-twelfth forward who is immeasurably important off the ice.  
 

I’ll take it. This young team doesn’t want to let down dad.  This can help keep the team accountable as it ascends. 

[Buffalonill]

10 minutes ago, LGR4GM said:

Rousek will be in Buffalo, relax.

Whos spot is he taking? Savoie is a lock and Kulich? With his regular season and playoffs how can you deny him a chance ?

What about rosen ? 

So many people deserve a chance this is a move you make a training at camp if they all disappoint 

 

Zero chance they wave him or press box him for the better player 

 

[mjd1001]

3 minutes ago, Buffalonill said:

Whos spot is he taking? Savoie is a lock and Kulich? With his regular season and playoffs how can you deny him a chance ?

What about rosen ? 

So many people deserve a chance this is a move you make a training at camp if they all disappoint 

 

Zero chance they wave him or press box him for the better player 

 

I'm not sure Savoie is a lock yet.  Possible Yes, but even with his age and the rules, there are ways he can be 'around the team and 'around roch' (his allowed games with Buf, stay with the team and practice, and I even heard someone say he can go to Rochester on 'conditioning' assigments). Plus Rosen and Kulich and Savoi aren't likely playing the same role as KO.  They are top 3 line guys (probably 3rd liners). This Buffalo team, at least last year, had a different role for the 4th line, one that even an aging KO fits better than those young guys (with the single possible exception of Rousek (who could be taking Jost or Girgs role if he makes the team)

Of course, they could transition to not having a typical '4th line' and having that 4th line be a young kids line....and have the 'checking' duties done by comittee.  I'd like to see that but not sure they are going to make that leap.

Edited May 24, 2023 by mjd1001

[LGR4GM]

5 minutes ago, Buffalonill said:

Whos spot is he taking? Savoie is a lock and Kulich? With his regular season and playoffs how can you deny him a chance ?

What about rosen ? 

So many people deserve a chance this is a move you make a training at camp if they all disappoint 

 

Zero chance they wave him or press box him for the better player 

 

Kulich and Rosen will be in Rochester. 

[Flashsabre]

1 year deal I’ll take it. He means a lot more to those  guys on the team then people on messageboards want to admit.

[Buffalonill]

12 minutes ago, mjd1001 said:

I'm not sure Savoie is a lock yet.  Possible Yes, but even with his age and the rules, there are ways he can be 'around the team and 'around roch' (his allowed games with Buf, stay with the team and practice, and I even heard someone say he can go to Rochester on 'conditioning' assigments). Plus Rosen and Kulich and Savoi aren't likely playing the same role as KO.  They are top 3 line guys (probably 3rd liners). This Buffalo team, at least last year, had a different role for the 4th line, one that even an aging KO fits better than those young guys (with the single possible exception of Rousek (who could be taking Jost or Girgs role if he makes the team)

Of course, they could transition to not having a typical '4th line' and having that 4th line be a young kids line....and have the 'checking' duties done by comittee.  I'd like to see that but not sure they are going to make that leap.

No giving the wright treatment would be ridiculously dumb its buffalo and thats it 

[SabresBaltimore]

I like the signing. Far less than we've been paying him to be a bottom 6 forward for most of his time in Buffalo. He's a great locker room guy and still contributing on the ice even if it's not on the score sheet.

Also worse case OK can sit in the press box if the kids are tearing it up.

 

I'm hoping this is "one last hurrah" though as we transition to a younger leader group of Dahlin, Cozens  and ideally Tuch. My guess is next year unless Girgs is back Cozens or Tuch gets and A, and the year after one of them gets the C (likely Dahlin, though my vote would be Tuch).

 

I have really liked Girgenson's work ethic and all, but I hope this means they don't bring him back. I think he's going to want more term than I'd offer him. I'd consider bringing him back on the same deal as OK, but with the understanding that he's a depth forward and may not play every game.

[Buffalonill]

13 minutes ago, LGR4GM said:

Kulich and Rosen will be in Rochester. 

Why ? If they beat out the captain and are heads and shoulders better what  Message does that send to other players "hey sorry hes the voice better luck next year" 

 

Edited May 24, 2023 by Buffalonill

[Mustache of God]

I don't love the signing but I also don't hate it. Our forwards weren't the problem last year. That said I'd like us to have a defensively responsible 4th line along the lines of Okposo/Girgs/Krebs but I don't want to settle for our 3rd line to be a combination of Jost/Greenway/VO/Mitts. I want to see a 3rd line that's just as capable as scoring as our 2nd line and will give other teams defensive fits.  This means icing some of our shiny higher-end draft picks that have been marinating and not DG reclamation projects. 

[LGR4GM]

3 minutes ago, Buffalonill said:

Why ? If they beat out the captain and are heads and shoulders better what  Message does that send to other players "hey sorry hes the voice better luck next year" 

 

Because they aren't ready. That's why. 

[tom webster]

2 minutes ago, Buffalonill said:

Why ? If they beat out the captain and are heads and shoulders better what  Message does that send to other players "hey sorry hes the voice better luck next year" 

 

Trust me, the players know that KO deserves a spot ahead of Rosen. Kulich, while a great prospect, still had to refine his game a tad. Rousek is the only forward in Rochester ready for the NHL.

[nfreeman]

10 minutes ago, Buffalonill said:

Whos spot is he taking? Savoie is a lock and Kulich? With his regular season and playoffs how can you deny him a chance ?

What about rosen ? 

So many people deserve a chance this is a move you make a training at camp if they all disappoint

No.  Savoie is the exact opposite of a lock.  He's about as big a maybe as can be.

 

1 minute ago, Buffalonill said:

Why ? If they beat out the captain and are heads and shoulders better what  Message does that send to other players "hey sorry hes the voice better luck next year"

And do we know that's going to happen?  i.e. is this another "lock" that the Sabres should make FA decisions based on?

If Kulich or Rosen earns a spot, he'll have a spot.  (This seems almost impossible in the case of Rosen, and possible but unlikely in the case of Kulich, IMHO.)

[Buffalonill]

10 minutes ago, tom webster said:

Trust me, the players know that KO deserves a spot ahead of Rosen. Kulich, while a great prospect, still had to refine his game a tad. Rousek is the only forward in Rochester ready for the NHL.

And thats wrong whats the point of competition if you already give it to the captain. 

If you're better then the captain you should get his spot sorry its heartless but its about winning now

[SabresBillsFan]

I was hoping that they would move on from him. I want to see the Czech Mafia up in Buffalo.

[Buffalonill]

13 minutes ago, nfreeman said:

No.  Savoie is the exact opposite of a lock.  He's about as big a maybe as can be.

 

And do we know that's going to happen?  i.e. is this another "lock" that the Sabres should make FA decisions based on?

If Kulich or Rosen earns a spot, he'll have a spot.  (This seems almost impossible in the case of Rosen, and possible but unlikely in the case of Kulich, IMHO.)

I would have agreed with you about a week ago but with buffalo basically telling everyone " hey hes not here to practice but help us win a cup" 

It just seems different 

Edited May 24, 2023 by Buffalonill

[tom webster]

13 minutes ago, Buffalonill said:

And thats wrong whats the point of competition if you already give it to the captain. 

If you're better then the captain you should get his spot sorry its heartless but its about winning now

You seem to lack an understanding of what it is to build a team. You are not looking for the twelve most skilled forwards you can find. There are defined roles and championship teams have places for KO, Gus, etc.

[LGR4GM]

If I drew a venn diagram of all the ppl who say the tank failed because we didn't surround the kids with good leaders and then all the ppl bitching about Okposo coming back... it would be a circle. 

Edited May 24, 2023 by LGR4GM

[Randall Flagg]

Eric Staal is playing in the SCF this year. Not the thing I would have done but not a big deal

[Taro T]

Disappointing news.  Was hoping that only 1 of Okposo and Girgensons would be back and it would be Z coming back as he has more left in the tank IMHO.  Have wanted a strong PKing 4C brought in.  With Savoie's limitation of not having Ra-cha-cha as an option and Rousek having earned a legit shot at making the big club, don't see that vet 4C being brought in.

Expect Okposo will be fine (maybe even good) into November, but don't see it lasting the whole season.  Afraid he will be the defensive forward version of the Corpse of Pominville that last year.  Maybe that's all Okposo plans on being around for, but just can't see him going for a Perreault-esque walking away mid-season.