Off-season Game Plan 2024

[PerreaultForever]

21 minutes ago, GASabresIUFAN said:

Yes.  Power for sure and maybe Cozens.  Skinner isn’t tradable and Tuch and TNT elevated their play in the last 3rd of the season. IMHO, Power is thesame player this past season as he was the prior year.  Byram is cheaperand adds an aggression lacking in Power.  I would love to see what an offer to Power might look like.  We need a top 6 center and a top 4 RHD and Power maybe an asset that helps us get there.

An analogy from the Bills was Beane signed Samuel for the slot, so that he could move Shakir to Diggs’ spot and trade Diggs.  Maybe he acquired Byram so that he could ultimately move Power.

Skinner's uncoachable (has to go) but I'd like to see a year of Cozens, Power, etc. under a real NHL coach. A coach who can develop the defensemen and the defensive side of the game. I think these guys could still be much better and just might be. Especially Power. He's still really young. We just haven't developed him properly yet. 

[GASabresIUFAN]

6 minutes ago, PerreaultForever said:

Skinner's uncoachable (has to go) but I'd like to see a year of Cozens, Power, etc. under a real NHL coach. A coach who can develop the defensemen and the defensive side of the game. I think these guys could still be much better and just might be. Especially Power. He's still really young. We just haven't developed him properly yet. 

I don’t necessarily disagree, but where is our organizational depth?  LHD NHLers and forward prospects.  If you are going to gain good assets in trade, those would be the two areas I’d be trading from.

Our NHL LHD depth chart looks like

1. Dahlin

2. Power

3. Byram

4. Samuelsson 

5. Johnson

6. Bryson (RFA)

7. Novikov

We can afford to move on from at least 2 of these players.

Our top 6 forward prospects are

Savoie, Kulich, Östlund, Rosen, Wahlberg and Neuchev stepped up. The top 5 at least are future NHLers.  We can again afford to move on from 2.

[JohnC]

4 hours ago, GASabresIUFAN said:

It's pretty simple.  Which players didn't pull their weight or were cancers in the locker-room, and which of those player might KA trade this summer because of it?

I have not heard (rumor or specifically mentioned) of any player who was considered a cancer in the locker-room. With respect to the issue of players that underperformed that is another issue. The better approach is not getting rid of players who didn't pull their weight because there are a number of players who fall in that deficient category. The more important issue is getting these underperforming players to upgrade their game. Players such as Tuch, Tage and Cozens slipped in performance compared to the prior year. I wouldn't deal any of them. The issue is to get the right coach to collectively get the players to play better.

There is no question that this team needs additions. The organization has the wherewithal to accomplish that without dealing off the key talent it already has on its roster. The critical need is getting the right coach who can implement the right system and hold the players more accountable than it has previously done.

[PerreaultForever]

1 hour ago, GASabresIUFAN said:

I don’t necessarily disagree, but where is our organizational depth?  LHD NHLers and forward prospects.  If you are going to gain good assets in trade, those would be the two areas I’d be trading from.

Our NHL LHD depth chart looks like

1. Dahlin

2. Power

3. Byram

4. Samuelsson 

5. Johnson

6. Bryson (RFA)

7. Novikov

We can afford to move on from at least 2 of these players.

Our top 6 forward prospects are

Savoie, Kulich, Östlund, Rosen, Wahlberg and Neuchev stepped up. The top 5 at least are future NHLers.  We can again afford to move on from 2.

I'm not going to agree with this. I do agree we have too many similar D men and not enough big strong defensive D men but the number of D men is barely adequate. How many times over the last few years have we seen a defensive shortage with injuries? D men get hurt. Especially if they play the right way. You need about 10 competent NHL or marginal NHL bodies in a season for long term durability. We can of course add guys as free agents, but as is, I think our D is barely adequate. 

The bolded are my tradeable commodities. Especially if we build the bottom 6 properly. I'd also move picks. 

[mjd1001]

10 hours ago, French Collection said:

EJ was brought in to be Teppo-light, five years too late.

I'd be ok with another "EJ" guy under 2 conditions:

-He be at least SLIGHTLY better than EJ was. Doesn't have to be great or even very good. Just a guy with experience that doesn't kill you out there, a guy who works hard on the ice, works hard in practice. Defends his teammates, etc.

-He is penciled in as the #7 guy, getting a game every once in a while and when injuries happen.  Not thinking he is a 2nd or 3rd pair guy.  Even Bryson and Clifton played much better once the forwards starting supporting them in their own zone.  I want an experience guy back there, but one that you have to promise ice time to in order to sign him.

[Thorner]

11 hours ago, French Collection said:

They have a ways to go but Robinson, Savard and Lapointe were all LHD. To a lesser extent, Pronger, Niedermayer and Beauchemin were also all LHD.

Beauchemin framed this post 

[Flashsabre]

Just sign Pat Maroon. He goes to the Cup Finals every year😃

[Thorner]

11 hours ago, dudacek said:

On the last good Sabres team, Lydman, Tallinder, Campbell, McKee and Kalinin all shot left.

Teppo was the only rightie.

I wouldn’t say that’s the last good Sabres team tbf 

[French Collection]

11 minutes ago, Thorny said:

Beauchemin framed this post 

I know he is nowhere near the caliber of Dman the other 5 guys were but he was a big part of their corps in that Cup year.

[Flashsabre]

I’m fascinated by who they hire and how it affects the offseason.

Adams has been in this “can’t block the kids” mentality but I think that’s out the window.

His ass is over the flames and he needs results. The type of coach he wants is going to want some vet guys that fulfil specific roles in the lineup.

[GASabresIUFAN]

Coach hired.  Now time to start fixing the roster.  
 

I do worry that run it back GMHD is going to bring back nearly the entire failed roster from last season.

[LGR4GM]

19 minutes ago, GASabresIUFAN said:

Coach hired.  Now time to start fixing the roster.  
 

I do worry that run it back GMHD is going to bring back nearly the entire failed roster from last season.

[GASabresIUFAN]

5 minutes ago, LGR4GM said:

Not only true, but also pretty obvious given GMHD track record as a GM and the players under contract.  As I wrote in the OP there are 16 players under contract and 5 RFAs.  Not hard to envision that those 21 players could easily all return. 

[dudacek]

10 minutes ago, LGR4GM said:

How should we define that?

25 players were on the roster for at least half the season.

Mittelstadt, Johnson and Okposo were regulars from this year’s rosters who won’t be back.

Girgensons, Jost, Olofsson, Robinson and Comrie are unsigned free agents who may not be.

8 of 25 constitutes roughly 1/3 of the failed roster. Is that a fair over/under?

Does a player have to be high on the roster to count? A core player?

Do prospects becoming regulars count?

Do the deadline moves count?

[GASabresIUFAN]

@dudacek

I'm not sure what you are getting at.

Of the players on the roster at the end of the season you have the following:

8 (9 with Rousek) Forwards under contract plus RFA Krebs, 5 (6 with Ryan Johnson) defensemen under contract plus 3 RFAs, and UPL (RFA) & Levi (signed) in net.

The bring it back roster looks like this so far

JJP TNT Tuch

Benson Cozens Quinn

Skinner Krebs (RFA) Greenway

Rousek  ????    ????

Bryam Dahlin

Power Jokiharju (RFA)

Mule  Clifton

R Johnson Bryson (RFA)

UPL (RFA) Levi

Not many open roster spots.  KA could really give the fans a big FU by re-signed Girgensons and Robinson.

 

Edited April 23, 2024 by GASabresIUFAN

[LGR4GM]

1 hour ago, dudacek said:

How should we define that?

25 players were on the roster for at least half the season.

Mittelstadt, Johnson and Okposo were regulars from this year’s rosters who won’t be back.

Girgensons, Jost, Olofsson, Robinson and Comrie are unsigned free agents who may not be.

8 of 25 constitutes roughly 1/3 of the failed roster. Is that a fair over/under?

Does a player have to be high on the roster to count? A core player?

Do prospects becoming regulars count?

Do the deadline moves count?

[dudacek]

39 minutes ago, GASabresIUFAN said:

@dudacek

I'm not sure what you are getting at.

Of the players on the roster at the end of the season you have the following:

8 (9 with Rousek) Forwards under contract plus RFA Krebs, 5 (6 with Ryan Johnson) defensemen under contract plus 3 RFAs, and UPL (RFA) & Levi (signed) in net.

The bring it back roster looks like this so far

JJP TNT Tuch

Benson Cozens Quinn

Skinner Krebs (RFA) Greenway

Rousek  ????    ????

Bryam Dahlin

Power Jokiharju (RFA)

Mule  Clifton

R Johnson Bryson (RFA)

UPL (RFA) Levi

Not many open roster spots.  KA could really give the fans a big FU by re-signed Girgensons and Robinson.

 

I find the "Bring back the same roster" thing usually comes with arbitrary rules around what that means.

Knowing what those ground rules helps me understand the conversation.

It looks like you want to frame it around how many new players will we add this summer who aren't here today.

Which is fine, but it doesn't reflect "bring back the entire failed roster" because that roster included Mittelstadt, Okposo, Johnson, Girgensons, Jost, Olofsson, Robinson and Comrie, who all spent at least half the season on that roster.

Byram — who was not a significant part of the failed roster — effectively replaced Johnson, but the rest of them still need to be replaced.

Rousek and other prospects may take some of their slots, but there are clearly more spots open to add bodies from outside the organization than your ??? would lead one to believe.

Edited April 23, 2024 by dudacek

[PerreaultForever]

Now that Ruff has been hired as coach, the next step is to name Tuch as captain. Why? Because he already has a relationship with and a love for his coach and thus is the best possible bridge between players and coach, which is what a captain has to be. 

[Flashsabre]

I think Adams will make one maybe two significant moves to shakeup the lineup and a couple vet signings. He can’t be banking this season on adding more kids. I wouldn’t be surprised if the 1st pick and/or a prospect or two are moved out for a significant piece that can help win now.

I can’t see Ruff agreeing to come back with the idea of just promoting a couple more kids.

[LGR4GM]

7 hours ago, Flashsabre said:

I think Adams will make one maybe two significant moves to shakeup the lineup and a couple vet signings. He can’t be banking this season on adding more kids. I wouldn’t be surprised if the 1st pick and/or a prospect or two are moved out for a significant piece that can help win now.

I can’t see Ruff agreeing to come back with the idea of just promoting a couple more kids.

If any rookie prospects make the nhl roster, Adams failed this offseason. 

[Flashsabre]

30 minutes ago, LGR4GM said:

If any rookie prospects make the nhl roster, Adams failed this offseason. 

Do you still consider Levi a rookie prospect?

I think him and UPL share the net next season which I’m fine with.

His goal should be to fill out the roster with NHL players that can help now. If a Kulich or Rosen or Savoie or Novikov completely blow the doors off and knock someone out of a spot then great but none of them should be pencilled in or expected to take a spot.

[LabattBlue]

If Skinner is on the team come training camp, then it is still $$$ over winning.  
 

Buy him out ASAP, and at least one step in the right direction will have been taken. 

[LGR4GM]

1 hour ago, Flashsabre said:

Do you still consider Levi a rookie prospect?

I think him and UPL share the net next season which I’m fine with.

His goal should be to fill out the roster with NHL players that can help now. If a Kulich or Rosen or Savoie or Novikov completely blow the doors off and knock someone out of a spot then great but none of them should be pencilled in or expected to take a spot.

No, I am specifically talking about skaters. 

Adams needs to add veterans that make this impossible.

Edited April 23, 2024 by LGR4GM

[LabattBlue]

I am much more concerned about KA building a playoff roster, than I am about Lindy as HC. 

Edited April 23, 2024 by LabattBlue

[Flashsabre]

OK, coach is hired, vibes, accountability talk.

The real work needs to begin. 
 

Step 1: Fill out the staff with quality NHL level coaches

Step 2: Identify what pieces Ruff feels are missing from the lineup. A checking line with some energy and grit is a must. Centre that can win key draws. Sounds like Lindy wants an enforcer type he can move in and out of the lineup.

Step 3: Adams needs to step up and get these pieces. Prospects and draft picks need to be on the table for quality NHL players

You can tell by Adams demeanour today that he knows his ass is over the fire and he better deliver.