3C - What is best course going forward?

[GASabresIUFAN]

Long-term the answer to our 3C is pretty easy.  Eventually, one of Savoie, Kulich, Östlund or Wahlberg will win the job and we’ll go from there, but I don’t believe any are ready now.  Savoie and Kulich are the closest, but I don’t think the Sabres can afford to take the risk to try one of them next season. Savoie is the one forward in the system who could force his way onto the roster in camp next season.

Krebs is the other internal candidate. I believe he should be traded, but given he’ll be cheap to retain and has been effective in a 4th line role, my guess is he’ll be re-signed. I worry he is this year’s Asplund.

Ruling out the internal candidates, what should we be looking for in terms of skill set, cost (cap), cost to acquire, and term? 

As to skill set, ideally the player should have a strong 2 way game.  I like someone with good PK ability and who can win a draw.  45-50 points would also be nice.

From a skill set standpoint, getting Cirelli would be ideal.  Only issues are the 7 years left on his deal and that a NTC kicks in after next season.  His 6.25 cap is workable this season and could be worked around long-term if the kids come in wins jobs.  I think other strong UFA candidates, like Stephenson and Monahan, will want 4-5 year deals.

Term:  Does Adams go a for core type player and commit to them long-term blocking his prospects in the process or does he try to find a player for a year or 2 to hold the job until a kid is ready.  I’d love to see him go for it and get a Cirelli, but I suspect he’ll remain cautious and try to find someone who will sign for 3 years or less or acquire someone with limited term remaining.  LV has a couple of other centers, Karlsson and Roy, who may be available.  Both have 3 years left, Karlsson at 5.9 and Roy at 3.  I’d take either, but Karlsson has an NTC and LV, if they let their UFAs walk, don’t have much of a cap crunch right now.  I’d love to have Karlsson, especially because he can play up the lineup as well.

Roslovic is an interesting UFA.  Not great in the FO dot, but he is a guy that I think still has untapped potential and who should be a 45 pt player again in the right circumstances. I also think he could take a shorter deal in right circumstances to get another bite at the UFA apple in 2-3 years. Max Domi is another interesting idea.

If we could get Roy, Cirelli, or Karlsson, how much would it cost to acquire one of them?  

Edited June 10 by GASabresIUFAN

[Pimlach]

I don’t want Cirelli, or any 3C, at $6.25M for 7 years.   We need a veteran 3 C for 3 years max, by then at least one of Krebs, Östlund, Savoie, Kulich, or Rosen better be ready.  
 

I prefer Monahan or Stephenson/Karlsson  for less money and less term.  

[SabreFinn]

I think we will end up with Wennberg. In my dreams we trade for Lundell.

[Stoner]

One of our 1C or2C becomes 3C.

Lance says hello. The top six is set! KA must merely tinker on the edges of this soon to be contender!

[JohnC]

2 minutes ago, PASabreFan said:

One of our 1C or2C becomes 3C.

Who are you pursuing as one of our top two or three Cs?

[PerreaultForever]

44 minutes ago, Pimlach said:

I don’t want Cirelli, or any 3C, at $6.25M for 7 years.   We need a veteran 3 C for 3 years max, by then at least one of Krebs, Östlund, Savoie, Kulich, or Rosen better be ready.  
 

I prefer Monahan or Stephenson/Karlsson  for less money and less term.  

I agree with all this except the term. I think we do need a veteran 3C but I think long term is fine. I want stability on this team, not a puppy mill. There's no reason, should any of these kids step up that they can't be moved to a wing (or Cozens, or even Tage). You can never have too many centers. The main thing for me is to add a solid 2 way dependable guy like the vets you mention. 

[Doohicksie]

1 hour ago, PerreaultForever said:

You can never have too many centers.

No, no, no... just ask Kevyn:  You can never have too many LHD!

Edited May 28 by Doohickie

[GASabresIUFAN]

4 minutes ago, Doohickie said:

No, no, no... just ask Kevyn:  You can never have too man LHD!

Yep, G-d forbid we have forwards who can create offense.

[PerreaultForever]

6 minutes ago, Doohickie said:

No, no, no... just ask Kevyn:  You can never have too man LHD!

I agree with what Adams said to Serivelli. The LD RD thing is over rated and not that big of a deal. Power, Byram and Dahlin have all played RD and been fine. Dahlin's numbers are actually better. Clifton's played the opposite side too actually in reverse (with Boston at one point). 

I think it's clear he sees next year's starting D as: Dahlin, Power, Byram, Samuelsson, Jokiharju and Clifton. Who plays right or left is up to Ruff. 

[xzy89c1]

a trade for bennet from Florida would be ideal. Hopefully Florida will need to clear some salaries to resign Reinhart. He has one year left. He would be one of our top centers right away. Move Thompson off center and it makes top 6 deeper. Krebs needs to be given a chance at some point to be the third center. When he played up in lineup, it was so brief we never saw what he really is. 

And the number one goal of offseason is to buy out skinner. if we don't, not sure anything else matters...

[LGR4GM]

2 minutes ago, xzy89c1 said:

a trade for bennet from Florida would be ideal. Hopefully Florida will need to clear some salaries to resign Reinhart. He has one year left. He would be one of our top centers right away. Move Thompson off center and it makes top 6 deeper. Krebs needs to be given a chance at some point to be the third center. When he played up in lineup, it was so brief we never saw what he really is. 

And the number one goal of offseason is to buy out skinner. if we don't, not sure anything else matters...

Why? 

and what makes him one of our top centers?

[xzy89c1]

1 hour ago, Pimlach said:

I don’t want Cirelli, or any 3C, at $6.25M for 7 years.   We need a veteran 3 C for 3 years max, by then at least one of Krebs, Östlund, Savoie, Kulich, or Rosen better be ready.  
 

I prefer Monahan or Stephenson/Karlsson  for less money and less term.  

Rosen is winger only. 

OF that group only Östlund and Krebs have a chance at center in NHL Savoie could be a good winger in middle six. Kulich is kind of an enigma. Was way overhyped in first year. Being unable to crack the terrible lineup in buffalo while Benson did was telling. His ceiling is a middle sixish guy probably on the wing. 

[Archie Lee]

7 minutes ago, xzy89c1 said:

a trade for bennet from Florida would be ideal. Hopefully Florida will need to clear some salaries to resign Reinhart. He has one year left. He would be one of our top centers right away. Move Thompson off center and it makes top 6 deeper. Krebs needs to be given a chance at some point to be the third center. When he played up in lineup, it was so brief we never saw what he really is. 

And the number one goal of offseason is to buy out skinner. if we don't, not sure anything else matters...

Conceptually, I like the idea of bringing in a centre who can play wing (or moving Thompson or Cozens to wing) and giving Krebs a shot at 3rd C.  If we signed Stephenson, as an example, he could play LW to start and if Krebs flounders or a C is injured, you have a 3rd C available to slide over. I don't see us acquiring anyone who is above the level of 4th C who can play 3C in a pinch though. 

[GASabresIUFAN]

Bennett is a fine choice for the 3C role and he has been solid in that role for the last 3 years in Fla.  He has no trade protection and has been very good in the last 2 playoff runs for the Panthers.  To re-sign Reinhart, Bennett he could easily be traded. How much is 1 year worth to Adams and the Sabres?  Would Fla trade him inside the division?

Edited May 28 by GASabresIUFAN

[GASabresIUFAN]

Possible 3C candidates:

Internal - Krebs, Savoie & Kulich

Trade Targets

Cirelli, 27, C - No NTC - 7 years left at 6.25

Karlsson, 31, C - NTC - 3 years left at 5.9

Roy, 27, C - No NTC - 3 years left at 3

Bennett, 28, C- NO NTC - 1 year left at 4

UFAs  (Projected Contracts) https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1JPtGk5m_S9VuR5e7T8lb_BlilXRwJPF0V2ddQzjjpvc/edit#gid=0

Monahan, 29, C/LW/RW - 4 years at 5.298

Stephenson, 30, C/LW - 5 years at 5.612

Roslovic, 27,  C/RW - 3 years at 3.074

Domi, 29, C/RW - 2 years at 3.575

Wennberg, 29, C - 4 years at 3.856

Duchene, 33, C/RW - 3 years at 4.809

Edited May 28 by GASabresIUFAN

[GoPuckYourself]

I think getting Chandler Stephenson to me would be the ideal 3rd line C for us, he offers everything that Krebs doesn't... Skill, toughness, grit, 52.6% on faceoffs. It's absolutely baffling to me what people see in Peyton Krebs at this point. He doesn't score, he doesn't fight, he has some toughness but is more or less just a guy who talks trash every now and again, only has 46.3% faceoff wins (Has over 400 less faceoff attempts as Stephenson and still not better at it). Stephenson is making 2.75M, bump it up to 3.75M per year for a 2 year deal? A nice million increase might entice him.

[GASabresIUFAN]

Just now, GoPuckYourself said:

I think getting Chandler Stephenson to me would be the ideal 3rd line C for us, he offers everything that Krebs doesn't... Skill, toughness, grit, 52.6% on faceoffs. It's absolutely baffling to me what people see in Peyton Krebs at this point. He doesn't score, he doesn't fight, he has some toughness but is more or less just a guy who talks trash every now and again, only has 46.3% faceoff wins (Has over 400 less faceoff attempts as Stephenson and still not better at it). Stephenson is making 2.75M, bump it up to 3.75M per year for a 2 year deal? A nice million increase might entice him.

Did you see the projection above of 5 years at 5.162?  The last 3 seasons he's had 64, 65 and 51 points.  He isn't taking less than 5 per season.  His age and not as stellar play last season may limit the term to 4 years, but he isn't coming here on a 2 year deal. 

[xzy89c1]

4 minutes ago, LGR4GM said:

Why? 

and what makes him one of our top centers?

Thompson is an awful center. Terrible at draws, cannot match up with other top centers with his speed, make up for it with being physical or being a very smart player. Defensively, he is really bad. Part of that is having to play with Skinner, but he loses his man and battles in our zone consistently. Been in league far too long for that to keep happening.

On the sabres, DC is our only chance at a top 2 center. Verdict is still  out on him after the step back this year. Played better at end of year so there is some hope. Centre is such a hard position in the NHL today. Used to be defense was hardest but center is now.

Bennet is better as a center than any sabre on team today. 

[HILLsabre]

I'd love to get a true, proven 1c, Ryan O'Reilly type for at least 2/3 years and move Thompson and Cozens down to 2c and 3c. Krebs 4c or trade him. 

[GASabresIUFAN]

I added a poll question.

[Doohicksie]

47 minutes ago, PerreaultForever said:

I agree with what Adams said to Serivelli. The LD RD thing is over rated and not that big of a deal. Power, Byram and Dahlin have all played RD and been fine. Dahlin's numbers are actually better. Clifton's played the opposite side too actually in reverse (with Boston at one point). 

I think it's clear he sees next year's starting D as: Dahlin, Power, Byram, Samuelsson, Jokiharju and Clifton. Who plays right or left is up to Ruff. 

My point was the Mitts trade was dumb.  We really didn't need another high-talent, pretty-boy Dman (regardless of handedness) at the expense of a solid 2/3 C.  But Adams decided to invest in Tage and Cozens and walk away from Mitts.  I don't understand that.  I just don't. 

The gap created by trading Casey away is greater than any contribution Byram will make, imo.

[Pimlach]

46 minutes ago, xzy89c1 said:

Rosen is winger only. 

OF that group only Östlund and Krebs have a chance at center in NHL Savoie could be a good winger in middle six. Kulich is kind of an enigma. Was way overhyped in first year. Being unable to crack the terrible lineup in buffalo while Benson did was telling. His ceiling is a middle sixish guy probably on the wing. 

Probably on Rosen.  Maybe on the rest of your conjecture.  

[Pimlach]

46 minutes ago, GASabresIUFAN said:

Bennett is a fine choice for the 3C role and he has been solid in that role for the last 3 years in Fla.  He has no trade protection and has been very good in the last 2 playoff runs for the Panthers.  To re-sign Bennett he could easily be traded. How much is 1 year worth to Adams and the Sabres?  Would Fla trade him inside the division?

One year is the problem and that is all he has on his contract.  

If we got Bennett, and he left in a year it would be complete waste and right back to square one.  I would bet he would never want to come to Buffalo anyway.    

[Drag0nDan]

Is Elias Lindholm an option?  

[GASabresIUFAN]

28 minutes ago, Pimlach said:

One year is the problem and that is all he has on his contract.  

If we got Bennett, and he left in a year it would be complete waste and right back to square one.  I would bet he would never want to come to Buffalo anyway.    

Bennett has no trade protection.  If traded here, he is coming unless he wants to sit out a year.  The one year left on his deal, may or may not be an issue depending on  whether or not management thinks one of the prospects is ready to step up in 2025/26.  
 

Should they try Benson at center?

Edited May 28 by GASabresIUFAN