Are the 24/25 Sabres a better team today then before the draft? Is this a playoff caliber roster?

[TRIP65]

On 7/3/2024 at 8:25 PM, Thorny said:

So you are 100% certain the Sabres make it. I thought I was the guy selling the time share @dudacek

Have a few Vodka drinks or Mia Tias. You will see things better  🙃

 

On 7/3/2024 at 8:26 PM, Thorny said:

And? 

 

On 7/3/2024 at 8:26 PM, Thorny said:

And? 

Only 3 D lines. We have 3 RH D  in Joki, Clifton and Ryan Johnson. Who sits? Dahlin and Bo didn't look right after 3 games. Guess we trade Samuelsson then and Prospects for a 3C

 

On 7/3/2024 at 8:42 PM, Thorny said:

Johnson is a lefty 

just don’t see the relevance in terms of needing to play power with Dahlin 

Both like playing Right side and have top Talent to recover

 

On 7/3/2024 at 8:42 PM, Thorny said:

Johnson is a lefty 

just don’t see the relevance in terms of needing to play power with Dahlin 

I remember when Sabres were trying to sign him they were pegging him for the Right side. That is where he played and they are blaming him for poor performance and send him down?

Kind of Stupid having 6 LH defenseman and two RH defenseman

 

On 7/3/2024 at 8:50 PM, Thorny said:

Dahlin’s metrics are slightly better on the left 

They both play both 

I agree, just finding it stupid we have 6 LH D

That said I would bring in our 2nd round pick then who looks ready and BIG and Trade  Samuelsson, Ryan Johnson for a RH defenseman

 

On 7/3/2024 at 8:53 PM, Thorny said:

Ya the handedness thing tends to bug me too

I don't have this answer but why would you play LH on Right side? Your passing up the middle and a turn over. Vise Versa RH on Leftside which you rarely see.

It seems obvious and dumb to do. Maybe there just aren't enough RH shot people. So they backhand a lot.

There, I feel better. I asked a Dumb question and I don't care!!!!!!!!!!!

 

On 7/3/2024 at 10:34 PM, PerreaultForever said:

That's what I said though, the "stud quarterback" makes all the difference. Hockey isn't the same. One stud doesn't get it done in hockey. 

Eichel sure didn't

We have 2 1st overall picks on Defense. That has to matter

[Thorner]

On 7/3/2024 at 8:33 PM, TRIP65 said:

 

Only 3 D lines. We have 3 RH D  in Joki, Clifton and Ryan Johnson. Who sits? Dahlin and Bo didn't look right after 3 games. Guess we trade Samuelsson then and Prospects for a 3C

Johnson is a lefty 

just don’t see the relevance in terms of needing to play power with Dahlin 

 

On 7/3/2024 at 8:43 PM, TRIP65 said:

Both like playing Right side and have top Talent to recover

Dahlin’s metrics are slightly better on the left 

They both play both 

 

On 7/3/2024 at 8:51 PM, TRIP65 said:

I remember when Sabres were trying to sign him they were pegging him for the Right side. That is where he played and they are blaming him for poor performance and send him down?

Kind of Stupid having 6 LH defenseman and two RH defenseman

Ya the handedness thing tends to bug me too

[LGR4GM]

50 minutes ago, TRIP65 said:

I agree, just finding it stupid we have 6 LH D

That said I would bring in our 2nd round pick then who looks ready and BIG and Trade  Samuelsson, Ryan Johnson for a RH defenseman

Strbak or Kleber? They are the only big 2nd round picks that rhd in the system. Neither is NHL ready. 

[PerreaultForever]

5 hours ago, TRIP65 said:

NO,  why the Bills have success is Josh Allen. Dished Diggs and we shall see what the Bills do this year. I think Josh gets better.

Why Sabres will be better is Ruff and Dahlin/Power. Ruff knew what to do with Briere and Drury, then Hasek. You can see Ruff wants both Grinding type players and scorers. Said, in todays Hockey world you have to play fast and you have to know when to slow things down. That means, get a Lead and Hold it.

 

Pegula signs Paychecks for BOTH Clubs, you see his Vision, Granto blew it

That's what I said though, the "stud quarterback" makes all the difference. Hockey isn't the same. One stud doesn't get it done in hockey. 

[Thorner]

2 hours ago, TRIP65 said:

I don't have this answer but why would you play LH on Right side? Your passing up the middle and a turn over. Vise Versa RH on Leftside which you rarely see.

It seems obvious and dumb to do. Maybe there just aren't enough RH shot people. So they backhand a lot.

There, I feel better. I asked a Dumb question and I don't care!!!!!!!!!!!

The abundance of left handed shots is def a part of it. Many are adept at both sides. But it’s significantly more common to play on your “proper” hand and playing off-hand on a top pair is quite unusual. There are disadvantages, but offensively it may help with passing lanes I guess  

[French Collection]

7 hours ago, Thorny said:

The abundance of left handed shots is def a part of it. Many are adept at both sides. But it’s significantly more common to play on your “proper” hand and playing off-hand on a top pair is quite unusual. There are disadvantages, but offensively it may help with passing lanes I guess  

Another potential advantage is getting a shot on net from the blue line. Quicker release from a cross ice pass and a better shot when walking the line on your forehand.

I’m not a fan of puck retrievals on your off side or having to make more breakout passes with your backhand.

[SwampD]

Your ‘24/‘25 Buffalo Sabres.

Think I have to get off the internet today.

[MISabresFan]

Is this team currently better, not sure.  On paper, they got tougher.  It will all depend on 3 things  #1 Will Ruff be the answer  #2 Will the "top" players play like top player.  #3.The youngsters that play need to play well.

[Alaska John]

Watching the NHL playoffs I saw that the winning teams usually were bigger, stronger, and tougher than the teams the Sabres put on the ice year after year.  I think Adams finally realized that too.  The shorter, quicker forwards the Sabres have been drafting are not the only solution.  So I'm pleased to see the Sabres adding grit and size to go along with the scorers.  As for the scorers, the hope is that the Sabres already have those guys on the roster and just need to scheme up an offensive system that frees them up.  Tage Thompson, Alex Tuch, Jack Quinn, and Dylan Cozens all had down years last season.  Was the problem with them, or with the Granato scheme?  Blending in the young guys has to be done selectively so the Sabres don't revert to being pillows.

I watched the Panthers style of play and how for three games it stifled the Oilers.  That was team defense that led to sufficient offense.  And then the Oilers coaches did their job and figured out how to attack it, setting up that great Game 7.  I don't think the Sabres players or coaches were good enough to play the Panthers system, or to play the way the Oilers did to figure things out.  Zippy skating will get you only so far (did you see how McDavid became invisible late in the series?  Even the great players have to be part of a system that works).  

[Alaska John]

25 minutes ago, TRIP65 said:

Eichel sure didn't

We have 2 1st overall picks on Defense. That has to matter

Dahlin has turned out to be an excellent player, maybe not (yet) the superstar we envision.  So far Power has no power.  He needs to be reminded that playing physical hockey is required.  Bowen Byram was also a very high draft pick and I think he might be more useful than Power this season -- although maybe Power will figure things out and use to his advantage the parts of his game that are exceptional.  

[Rasmus_]

I think potentially we're better off in the bottom six.  Im not convinced of the defensive pairings, but we will see.  We still need another center.  Someone for the faceoff circle and strong two way.  Don't quite care if its a vet or young player.  

[PerreaultForever]

3 hours ago, TRIP65 said:

Eichel sure didn't

We have 2 1st overall picks on Defense. That has to matter

McDavid didn't get it done until they added the necessary team pieces either. Now they are in the running but only because of the team around him combined with his skill. 

2 first overall D men should make a difference absolutely, and if Power becomes a top NHL D man it will make a difference, but that's still and IF and in the meantime we suffer the ineptitude of bad team building. 

[That Aud Smell]

Trigger warning for @PASabreFan: There be stats.

Jfresh’s model predicted the Sabres’ point total within 1 this past season. Average margin of error league wide was ~10 points. For the upcoming season, Jfresh has the Sabres modeled at 82 points.

 

Edited July 5 by That Aud Smell

[IKnowPhysics]

Faster yet again.

[triumph_communes]

1 hour ago, IKnowPhysics said:

Faster yet again.

I can see why Necas is being rumored now. That's a trait not comparable to Skinmer 

[PerreaultForever]

We took a small step closer today but I still don't think it's good enough to compete with the big boys who were ahead of us, or New Jersey who imo will jump above Carolina who will take a step back. 

[Thorner]

58 minutes ago, PerreaultForever said:

We took a small step closer today but I still don't think it's good enough to compete with the big boys who were ahead of us, or New Jersey who imo will jump above Carolina who will take a step back. 

I’m not sure it matters, as, assuming KA is indeed on the hot seat only playoffs makes a difference, but if we add a top 6 forward, by the prism of the moment at least we’d have to commend Adams on a very strong offseason. He’ll have checked all the boxes I can see 

Edited July 6 by Thorny

[PerreaultForever]

46 minutes ago, Thorny said:

I’m not sure it matters, as, assuming KA is indeed on the hot seat only playoffs makes a difference, but if we add a top 6 forward, by the prism of the moment at least we’d have to commend Adams on a very strong offseason. He’ll have checked all the boxes I can see 

I'm not so strong with the praise. There is a recognition of the weaknesses in terms of the roster's construction and they have attempted to remold the bottom 6 in a way that I was saying should be done years ago but the additions are 2nd or 3rd or even 4th choices. I don't think we are there yet. A lot depends on two things. One, the goaltending which is less than certain, and two, Samuelson being healthy and playing at least as well as he did before the injuries. 

[Thorner]

21 minutes ago, PerreaultForever said:

I'm not so strong with the praise. There is a recognition of the weaknesses in terms of the roster's construction and they have attempted to remold the bottom 6 in a way that I was saying should be done years ago but the additions are 2nd or 3rd or even 4th choices. I don't think we are there yet. A lot depends on two things. One, the goaltending which is less than certain, and two, Samuelson being healthy and playing at least as well as he did before the injuries. 

The only thing that matters is the result. I‘m not declaring, nor even predicting success: merely stating that if we add a top 6 F, im not sure anything else could have been expected in terms of offseason supplementation. That’s just imo 

[PerreaultForever]

7 minutes ago, Thorny said:

The only thing that matters is the result. I‘m not declaring, nor even predicting success: merely stating that if we add a top 6 F, im not sure anything else could have been expected in terms of offseason supplementation. That’s just imo 

and to clarify I'm saying he addressed the needs but not with the caliber of player that I think was necessary. So we could be better, but so is most of the direct competition. 

[Thorner]

Just thinking about it. We’d make the playoffs if we added Ehlers. Barring catastrophic injury lucky. Our bottom 6 is too solid for a top 6 with a supplemented Ehlers to miss. I know there’s no guarantees but it would put us in a REALLY good position if we pulled that off. Prospect bandaid is ripped off. Let’s just part with a liiiitle bit more and get this done. We are pot committed. It’s time, anyways. Let’s get EVERYONE excited 

[GASabresIUFAN]

1 hour ago, Thorny said:

Just thinking about it. We’d make the playoffs if we added Ehlers. Barring catastrophic injury lucky. Our bottom 6 is too solid for a top 6 with a supplemented Ehlers to miss. I know there’s no guarantees but it would put us in a REALLY good position if we pulled that off. Prospect bandaid is ripped off. Let’s just part with a liiiitle bit more and get this done. We are pot committed. It’s time, anyways. Let’s get EVERYONE excited 

Could you live with a smaller deal like trading for Eden’s Alex Iafallo from the Jets?  He is a hard nosed dirty work player who can move up and down the lineup.  He has one year left on his deal at $4 mill and no trade protection.  Seems like a perfect Adams type acquisition; someone on a short deal, who is an upgrade on some current players, has ties to Buffalo, can be acquired cheaply, and who can’t say no.

I’d slide him to the 3rd line with Zucker and McLeod and put Greenway on the 4th line with Lafferty.  I can even see Adams trading Greenway  to save $ and get more assets like he did Lyubushkin. 

Edited July 6 by GASabresIUFAN

[thewookie1]

A potential Mid-6 winger would still be Ross Colton who might be on his way out of Colorado. He's certainly not flashy but he's #19 on that chart above and likely wouldn't cost an arm and a leg if WPG plays hard to get.

[Weave]

4 hours ago, PerreaultForever said:

I'm not so strong with the praise. There is a recognition of the weaknesses in terms of the roster's construction and they have attempted to remold the bottom 6 in a way that I was saying should be done years ago but the additions are 2nd or 3rd or even 4th choices. I don't think we are there yet. A lot depends on two things. One, the goaltending which is less than certain, and two, Samuelson being healthy and playing at least as well as he did before the injuries. 

I like the changes. Alot.  But looked at individually, none of them really impress when you look at the rosters of teams that were in the playoffs.  This is going to have to be a situation where the total is greater than the sum of the individual parts.  And I think there is a pretty decent chance that we will see a total greater than the sum of the parts.

I do wish we upgraded a top 6 position, but that might be too much to ask in 1 offseason.

I am positively giddy over 5 new players with a hard to play against game and the idea that we are forcing a rookie to bull their way into the lineup (and likely won’t be able to).

[#freejame]

If the goal is to wear down opponents with a quicker and more tenacious bottom six so our top six can use their high end transition ability to score goals then this might work. If we’re just a collection of parts it won’t matter.