Benson - Keep him here

[Taro T]

9 minutes ago, GASabresIUFAN said:

You are missing the bigger point.  This decision today is a two-year commitment to keeping Benson on the Sabres because of his age.  He will become a UFA significantly earlier because of this decision.  It's incredibly stupid asset management with only marginal benefit to the Sabres this season.

You are missing the bigger point.  He can be sent back to WA at any point this season.  He CAN NOT be recalled from there (except on an emergency basis) after he goes back.  Game 10 has NOTHING TO DO with him accruing a season of service in the WHL nor with him accruing a season of service in the NHL.

He can go back later in the year and still get his 40 or 50 games (whatever the threshold is to count a season of service in Juniors).  

[GASabresIUFAN]

Just now, Taro T said:

You are missing the bigger point.  He can be sent back to WA at any point this season.  He CAN NOT be recalled from there (except on an emergency basis) after he goes back.  Game 10 has NOTHING TO DO with him accruing a season of service in the WHL nor with him accruing a season of service in the NHL.

He can go back later in the year and still get his 40 or 50 games (whatever the threshold is to count a season of service in Juniors).  

Do you honestly think that is going to happen?  He isn't being returned to Jrs.  He is here for the duration of this season and therefore next season as well.  

Tuch, Skinner, Cozens, Mitts, TNT, JJP, and Quinn are the top forwards on this team when healthy.  That leaves two slots for other forwards in the top 9 and KA is clearly committing to Benson for one of those slots.  It's really that simple.  

[Gatorman0519]

It is what it is now.  All we can do is pull for the kid.  He is fun to watch which adds something positive to an otherwise frustrating season so far. 

[Pimlach]

On 11/23/2023 at 1:06 PM, Carmel Corn said:

IMHO - the fact that this is even a discussion topic is a failure on the part of GMKA.  In general, I would suspect most would feel that what's best for Benson is further development to improve strength, speed, etc.  In other words, maybe next year or the year after.  The failure of management is that they are now in a tough position where he is clearly a top 6 player now.....when he shouldn't be.  There should be other players/vets already forming our top 6, making Benson expendable to go back and save a year on his ELC.  

True because of the lack of action by KA to replace Quinn, or to do anything to improve his roster at the forward position - which of course he views are "blocking" his prospects.    Injuries are unpredictable but you should assume you will have some.  

If Tage was not hurt, and if Quinn was never hurt, and if Cozens was not playing hurt  -  then Benson falls from top 6 to top 9.   He still makes our top 9 on his own merit.   So some of this is great news, if not very fortunate drafting.  

Skinner - TNT - Tuch

Quinn - Cozens - Peterka

Greenway - Mitts - Benson

Girgs - Krebs/Jost  - KO/VO

There are 4 players drafted this year that are playing in the NHL.  #1 Bedard (Chicago), #2 Carlson (Anaheim), #3 Fantilli (Columbus), and #13 Benson (Buffalo).    Benson is freaking good but note all the teams with these players are losing teams right now.  

Benson just blows away our bottom 5 forwards on this roster and that makes keeping him a viable choice.  He was also clearly better than Savoie, Kulich, and Rosen in the preseason.  He was better than Biro and Rousek too.  

The decision on Benson will be what is better for long term.  

Side note:  Because of the injuries and the poor quality of the bottom 5 on this roster the coach is playing 11-7.  So in essence we are developing Ryan Johnson in the NHL  and he is averaging 10:15 minutes of ice per game.   

Food for thought:

Is 10 minutes of NHL ice for Little Johnson better than 20 minutes of AHL ice?   

Given the injuries to Quinn and Tage, and the possibility that Benson goes,  you can bet that Kulich will be up next.  

So are we really playing "all in" to win or are we still developing players in the NHL?   

 

Edited November 24, 2023 by Pimlach

[GASabresIUFAN]

2 minutes ago, Pimlach said:

So are we really playing "all in" to win or are we still developing players in the NHL?   

This has clearly turned into another "development" season.  A GM interested in winning would have added goaltending and better winger and center depth, started Levi in the AHL, moved on from Jost, VO, and at least one of KO or Z.  Krebs would have and should be sent down.  

Instead, we are playing 3 rookies (Benson, Levi, Johnson) as well as keeping Krebs in Buffalo.

 

[Taro T]

17 minutes ago, GASabresIUFAN said:

Do you honestly think that is going to happen?  He isn't being returned to Jrs.  He is here for the duration of this season and therefore next season as well.  

Tuch, Skinner, Cozens, Mitts, TNT, JJP, and Quinn are the top forwards on this team when healthy.  That leaves two slots for other forwards in the top 9 and KA is clearly committing to Benson for one of those slots.  It's really that simple.  

Honestly don't know if it will or won't.  But him not going back today doesn't mean it won't happen come January.

[Taro T]

And to further that thought, didn't Shane Wright stay in Seattle until the WJC's and then go back to Juniors after they were over?  It's not like keeping a kid past the ELC year burning game automatically means he must be up the entire year.

Benson being in the lineup now with Thompson and Quinn out does not guarantee he'll be in the lineup when they come back.

[LGR4GM]

The die is cast

[CallawaySabres]

They are in the process of ruining Levi, and now they will begin the process of ruining Benson. It's so great to see that this organization learns from its mistakes. I wish that management could get burned without doing the same things to the fans. I have checked out of the last 3 games and will not be watching tonight. This team, man...

[PromoTheRobot]

1 hour ago, GASabresIUFAN said:

This has clearly turned into another "development" season.  A GM interested in winning would have added goaltending and better winger and center depth, started Levi in the AHL, moved on from Jost, VO, and at least one of KO or Z.  Krebs would have and should be sent down.  

Instead, we are playing 3 rookies (Benson, Levi, Johnson) as well as keeping Krebs in Buffalo.

 

The goaltending this year has been very good from all three players.

The problem this year, so far, is a lack of scoring from players we expected more from like Tuch and Cozens, Power regressing some, and the defensive free agents not helping much. 

Edited November 24, 2023 by PromoTheRobot

[Sidc3000]

There is no way Donny G will let anyone else develop his new star. 

[GASabresIUFAN]

25 minutes ago, PromoTheRobot said:

The goaltending this year has been very good from all three players.

Levi has played 2 good games out of 8.  His save % in the other 6 games was well under .900. The Sabres are 1-4-1 in those 6 games.

Comrie has played 1 good game out of 4. His save% in the other 3 games was well under .900 and the Sabres lost all 3.

In total the Sabres are 4-7-1 in games started by Comrie and Levi this season.  Sorry, they haven’t been good.

Our 5 in 5 offense hasn’t been bad.  It’s 9th in the NHL with 41 goals.  The failing PP is the key offensive issue.

 

 

Edited November 24, 2023 by GASabresIUFAN

[LGR4GM]

33 minutes ago, CallawaySabres said:

They are in the process of ruining Levi, and now they will begin the process of ruining Benson. It's so great to see that this organization learns from its mistakes. I wish that management could get burned without doing the same things to the fans. I have checked out of the last 3 games and will not be watching tonight. This team, man...

I wouldn't worry about Benson. He'll be good.

[Sabres73]

40 minutes ago, CallawaySabres said:

They are in the process of ruining Levi, and now they will begin the process of ruining Benson. It's so great to see that this organization learns from its mistakes. I wish that management could get burned without doing the same things to the fans. I have checked out of the last 3 games and will not be watching tonight. This team, man...

Ridiculous take.

[mjd1001]

1 hour ago, PromoTheRobot said:

The goaltending this year has been very good from all three players.

The problem this year, so far, is a lack of scoring from players we expected more from like Tuch and Cozens, Power regressing some, and the defensive free agents not helping much. 

The goaltending to me has been "OK", but I wouldn't say 'very good'.

I do agree with you that the problem this year is not goaltending, nor the play of the defensemen. It is that their scoring is down quite a bit.  I would LIKE the Defensemen to be better (I didn't have high expectations for a big jump from Power like others, but he seems to have regressed) and I think the goaltending is decent to good, but not great...but I can live with both. It is the offense that needs to pick things up.

[Curt]

4 hours ago, GASabresIUFAN said:

You are missing the bigger point.  This decision today is a two-year commitment to keeping Benson on the Sabres because of his age.  He will become a UFA significantly earlier because of this decision.  It's incredibly stupid asset management with only marginal benefit to the Sabres this season.

I don’t see how it’s a two year commitment.  He could still be sent back to juniors if he starts struggling later.

[Curt]

3 hours ago, GASabresIUFAN said:

Do you honestly think that is going to happen?  He isn't being returned to Jrs.  He is here for the duration of this season and therefore next season as well.  

Tuch, Skinner, Cozens, Mitts, TNT, JJP, and Quinn are the top forwards on this team when healthy.  That leaves two slots for other forwards in the top 9 and KA is clearly committing to Benson for one of those slots.  It's really that simple.  

I think that some combination of Benson struggling, Thompson and Quinn coming back, and maybe Kane signing, could definitely result in Benson being returned to the WHL.

[Doohicksie]

3 hours ago, Pimlach said:

So are we really playing "all in" to win or are we still developing players in the NHL? 

Yes.

 

(You propose a false dichotomy.)

[North Buffalo]

The team imo is still developing chemistry among various players... goal is to have interchangeable parts... and retire older guys... I'd rather they play 500 hockey, no long losing streaks and take off in Feb, March early april

[Carmel Corn]

4 minutes ago, North Buffalo said:

The team imo is still developing chemistry among various players... goal is to have interchangeable parts... and retire older guys... I'd rather they play 500 hockey, no long losing streaks and take off in Feb, March early april

IDK - the roster has had little change in the forward ranks, so I'm less convinced than you are.  The PP is a train wreck this year and I am skeptical it is a chemistry issue vs. simply a bad strategy/design.  I do agree that certain older guys should not be there, BUT as been discussed....there is insufficient forward depth to even consider that.

[LGR4GM]

2 minutes ago, Carmel Corn said:

IDK - the roster has had little change in the forward ranks, so I'm less convinced than you are.  The PP is a train wreck this year and I am skeptical it is a chemistry issue vs. simply a bad strategy/design.  I do agree that certain older guys should not be there, BUT as been discussed....there is insufficient forward depth to even consider that.

They have enough forward depth, they simply refuse to use it. 

The PP is bad because of strategy. It's been bad for well over a year and they are  somehow still trying to do the same crap. 

[Night Train]

3 hours ago, CallawaySabres said:

They are in the process of ruining Levi, and now they will begin the process of ruining Benson. It's so great to see that this organization learns from its mistakes. I wish that management could get burned without doing the same things to the fans. I have checked out of the last 3 games and will not be watching tonight. This team, man...

I get it but he can have his time managed as he grows. I certainly want him to get PP time. His passing is exceptional.  Team needs to score and lots of current Vets aren't doing that. 

[Marvin]

9 minutes ago, LGR4GM said:

They have enough forward depth, they simply refuse to use it. 

The PP is bad because of strategy. It's been bad for well over a year and they are  somehow still trying to do the same crap. 

What forward depth?  Do you mean Rosen, Kulich, et al. from Rochester?

[Pimlach]

3 hours ago, PromoTheRobot said:

The goaltending this year has been very good from all three players.

The problem this year, so far, is a lack of scoring from players we expected more from like Tuch and Cozens, Power regressing some, and the defensive free agents not helping much. 

The goaltending was been good.  The team defense as measured by GA is 18th out of 32.  Last year we ranked 29th out of 32 in GA.   This is a clear improvement. 

I believe that much if the improvement is because EJ and Clifton are so much better than last years crew of Clague/Boosh/Bryson/Stillman, plus team defense is being emphasized by all skaters.  These factors are helping our goalies.  

UPL looks better than last year.  Comrie is always hurt, hard to tell, probably about the same.  Levi is playing below the level he played last year, his sample size of 7 NHL games last year was woefully too small for KA to think he was ready.  Levi has had good moments and has the look of a kid that will make it. 
 

Lack of scoring is due to many reasons - injuries, slow starts to key players, changes in system emphasis, and most of all they just aren’t playing hard enough long enough 

[Carmel Corn]

35 minutes ago, Marvin said:

What forward depth?  Do you mean Rosen, Kulich, et al. from Rochester?

And/Or Rousek, Biro and of course.....Krebs?