Free Agent Frenzy 2024

[OverPowerYou]

This is the least interested I’ve ever been in this team despite them hiring Ruff. That’s saying a lot considering the 2012-2015 teams were abysmal. This may be the first time in 18 years that I don’t even watch the home opener.

They need to make some type of big move to get my attention 

Edited Tuesday at 01:00 AM by OverPowerYou

[JoeSchmoe]

Joe Schmoe verdict...

Pro's:

Bottom end much stronger

Apparently tougher to play against

Not resigning Girgensons 

Not getting a top 6 through a long term FA contract (they rarely live up to their contracts)

Bryson deal

Con's:

Not getting a top 6 through a trade

Not getting a top 6 through a short-term possible overpaying contract

Losing Skinner who despite not being a great defender, still helped us far more than he hurt us (though he will likely fall off in another year or so) 

 

 

[Brawndo]

 

[LGR4GM]

6 minutes ago, Brawndo said:

 

[Curt]

19 minutes ago, LGR4GM said:

I think it’s going to have to be a trade.

[oddoublee]

2 hours ago, thewookie1 said:

I didn’t say a perfect offseason just a great one. Granted the bar is rather low at this point so looking like you actually want to make the playoffs is big.

I am fairly certain you are KA's mother

[GoPuckYourself]

1 hour ago, JoeSchmoe said:

Joe Schmoe verdict...

Pro's:

Bottom end much stronger

Apparently tougher to play against

Not resigning Girgensons 

Not getting a top 6 through a long term FA contract (they rarely live up to their contracts)

Bryson deal

Con's:

Not getting a top 6 through a trade

Not getting a top 6 through a short-term possible overpaying contract

Losing Skinner who despite not being a great defender, still helped us far more than he hurt us (though he will likely fall off in another year or so) 

 

 

I agree with everything other than Skinner helped us more than hurt us comment. He was not only a liability on defense, he literally didn't do it. How many terrible passes had he commited where the opposition is taking it the other way for a breakaway? So many times I can't remember. Maybe he'll actually try now that he's on a real team that has structure but the jury is still out on him even with a new address.

 

It's also very telling that the first thing Ruff wanted to change when he got here was getting Skinner off the roster by any means necessary imo.

Edited Tuesday at 03:22 AM by GoPuckYourself

[Brawndo]

1 hour ago, LGR4GM said:

2 x 3 AAV 

 

He wanted to be there per reports 

[JoeSchmoe]

7 minutes ago, GoPuckYourself said:

I agree with everything other than Skinner helped us more than hurt us comment. He was not only a liability on defense, he literally didn't do it. How many terrible passes had he commited where the opposition is taking it the other way for a breakaway? So many times I can't remember. Maybe he'll actually try now that he's on a real team that has structure but the jury is still out on him even with a new address.

I know this is the popular sentiment, but he was 3rd best forward on the team in 5 on 5 GF% at 55%. Add in us not getting his offense on the PP either, and we're a hurting unit.

[PerreaultForever]

6 hours ago, Sabres Fan in NS said:

I don't think he would ever agree to be traded.  He would retire before accepting a trade.

I disagree. He's very good buddies with Marchand. They train off season together. He's also very good buddies with McKinnon. If either of those teams is on a cup run possibility and the Pens are out of it he will gladly move at the deadline. What he does the season after that run is another story. Long term top players have moved at deadlines before. This is not a new idea. 

Kane left Chicago. Stamkos just left Tampa. What makes you think Crosby would be any different?

[GoPuckYourself]

28 minutes ago, JoeSchmoe said:

I know this is the popular sentiment, but he was 3rd best forward on the team in 5 on 5 GF% at 55%. Add in us not getting his offense on the PP either, and we're a hurting unit.

I'd love to know what % were actually meaningful goals.

[Thorny]

7 hours ago, #freejame said:

I’m always fascinated by the pushback some posters get around here for being disappointed or for not being sold on the team/front office/media. The angry people have been right for a decade plus now.

The best is you know an “I told you so” is coming once we finally make it 

[PerreaultForever]

5 hours ago, OverPowerYou said:

This is the least interested I’ve ever been in this team despite them hiring Ruff. That’s saying a lot considering the 2012-2015 teams were abysmal. This may be the first time in 18 years that I don’t even watch the home opener.

They need to make some type of big move to get my attention 

I was so pumped when they hired Ruff. I thought finally they have admitted they were fools and have hired a real coach. I just thought give him the tools he needs. It isn't a huge ask. You have capital to trade, you have money to spend. It can all happen but.....................

same old same old. Garbage franchise. 

[triumph_communes]

Final upgrade is going to have to be trade. I think they can still manage it. You have teams like the jets who did Jack ***** yesterday who might be ready to bite the bullet now and rebuild and take prospects

Edited Tuesday at 10:59 AM by triumph_communes

[Sabres Fan in NS]

7 hours ago, PerreaultForever said:

I disagree. He's very good buddies with Marchand. They train off season together. He's also very good buddies with McKinnon. If either of those teams is on a cup run possibility and the Pens are out of it he will gladly move at the deadline. What he does the season after that run is another story. Long term top players have moved at deadlines before. This is not a new idea. 

Kane left Chicago. Stamkos just left Tampa. What makes you think Crosby would be any different?

I know he is good friends with the two you mentioned.  They are all from Halifax so that is no surprise.

Let's just agree to disagree.  

Crosby (and Marchand and McKinnon for that matter) are different than many others.  I don't see any of them leaving their draft teams.

Edited Tuesday at 11:17 AM by Sabres Fan in NS

[Night Train]

After FA, some teams will have to work to become cap compliant. So trade opportunities are there to be had. 

[Pimlach]

20 hours ago, pastajoe said:

Going to hate if Zadorov goes to Boston. Was hoping the Sabres would get him.

Their next Chara  ( they hope) 

Edited Tuesday at 11:43 AM by Pimlach

[North Buffalo]

Seems like a lotta maybe not top end but young guys still out there and some interesting RFAs though NHL website slow to update so unsure... anyone use guys interested in?

[FrenchConnection44]

16 hours ago, SDS said:

Bergeron and Marchand had been linemates since 2011. If you have two of the best NHL players on your first line for a dozen years, it makes filling out the rest of your roster a hell of a lot easier. What does this team look like if you push our first line down to our second line and insert a decade long partnership of two of the best forwards in the NHL?

Sure. But it’s not as if they are “lucky,” they drafted Bergeron in the 2nd, Marchand in the 3rd, as well as Pastrnak & McAvoy in the first after the Sabres drafted their players. The year they drafted McAvoy we drafted Nylander. 🙄

They get McAvoy, we draft Ryan Johnson - now 23 and still borderline NHL. As much as people talk about Buffalo’s pipeline, none of our picks have panned out to be stars. Closest is Dahlin but that’s one guy. We have been mediocre to poor evaluators, frankly. If at least one of Kulich or Savoie or Rosen and Ryan Johnson (soon to be 23) are not in the lineup playing well this year, then if not a failure yet, it will be a disappointment given all 3 were first rounders and need to start showing high talent potential. And if Power isn’t 230 and beastly then we are not instilling a work ethic and developing talent either. 
 

I don’t think Adams could draft a strong two-way or defensive forward over 200 lbs if he were paid half a mil for each one. He certainly hasn’t been able to recruit one in free agency. 

 

[FrenchConnection44]

On 7/1/2024 at 7:48 AM, Pimlach said:

You see the news and you see the good teams are already on track to sign the best players. 
 

4 years under the cap for what reason?  The last two season were so grossly mishandled and completely wasted.  Clearly the Sabres are not taken as a serious franchise.  

To be fair, they are taken seriously as a talent feeder for Cup contenders. 😂 🤦‍♂️

[LTS]

7 hours ago, Thorny said:

The best is you know an “I told you so” is coming once we finally make it 

Which would be as justified as all the naysayers saying "I told you so". If, by some miracle, the Sabres make the playoffs next year without making much more in the way of changes then all the doomsayers of today would be wrong. Pessimism or not.

I get that the joy of pessimism is that you can be right, or pleasantly surprised with being wrong. That's why so many opt for it. But being wrong is wrong. Not the end of the world by any means because most of us on here are wrong more than we are right.  Hell, that's true in life too.

There is all of July, August, September to go before the team takes the ice. Still unimpressed by the changes, but 3 months is an eternity in hockey.

[FrenchConnection44]

13 hours ago, thewookie1 said:

Worst part is all they need to do is acquire 1 Top 6 player or a solid 3C and they would have had a damn good offseason.

 

So close to greatness!

Really. 

If they just landed a physical, 2-way forward we’d be in a much better spot. Just no toughness on this team. Some try (Cozens) but they just aren’t made for that role. Sabres seem bent on primarily under 6 feet, 160-185 pound forwards who all look like future Lady Byng candidates. 

[LGR4GM]

7 minutes ago, FrenchConnection44 said:

I don’t think Adams could draft a strong two-way or defensive forward over 200 lbs if he were paid half a mil for each one. He certainly hasn’t been able to recruit one in free agency. 

 

I mean Helenius is all of this but 10lbs short of your goal at only 18, most 18yr old players are not over 200lbs. Wahlberg is 194lbs and turning 19 so he's got a chance to crack that 200lb threshold this season. Ziemer is 196lbs, so he is also close to the 200lb threshold. 

4 minutes ago, FrenchConnection44 said:

Really. 

If they just landed a physical, 2-way forward we’d be in a much better spot. Just no toughness on this team. Some try (Cozens) but they just aren’t made for that role. Sabres seem bent on primarily under 6 feet, 160-185 pound forwards who all look like future Lady Byng candidates. 

sigh... not accurate

[xzy89c1]

16 hours ago, TheAud said:

Your lack of an intelligent response is absurd. 

Just put me on ignore please. I already ignored you.  

why ignore someone who makes me laugh multiple times a day

[xzy89c1]

12 minutes ago, LTS said:

Which would be as justified as all the naysayers saying "I told you so". If, by some miracle, the Sabres make the playoffs next year without making much more in the way of changes then all the doomsayers of today would be wrong. Pessimism or not.

I get that the joy of pessimism is that you can be right, or pleasantly surprised with being wrong. That's why so many opt for it. But being wrong is wrong. Not the end of the world by any means because most of us on here are wrong more than we are right.  Hell, that's true in life too.

There is all of July, August, September to go before the team takes the ice. Still unimpressed by the changes, but 3 months is an eternity in hockey.

bunch of ifs right. If we do nothing else we need a lot of players to take steps forward. Cozens needs to be a good center. thompsons deficiencies as a center were partially due to skinner and he is better at the position than he has shown. Quinn needs a big year etc..