Is next year's spine appearing before our eyes?

[GASabresIUFAN]

I have been outspoken about my wish to move on from Cozens and McLeod.  I have also been outspoken about my wish for the Sabres to bring in a top 6 forward, preferably a playmaking center.  I have also been outspoken on my belief we need more vets like Zucker not less.   

However, I have been watching the Sabres again lately just to see if there is really any hope left and I have found two players, that are bringing me some hope.  They are Kozak and Kulich.   Kozak brings an honest effort every shift.  He has shown more effort in heart in his 8 games than all of Adams 4th line acquisitions except maybe Malenstyn. 

Kulich just keeps getting better with each game played.  He now has 12 points (8 goals) in 33 games and as many goals as Benson (8, 8, 41 games) and twice that of Krebs (4, 12 46 games).  Kulich also was solidly 9/20 in the face off circle last night.  

If Kozak and Kulich continue to build on this game and others like it, the Sabres just may have their 3rd and 4th line centers for the near future.  

The best news about their ascension is it frees our limited capital to begin to fix the other holes in the lineup like defense and playmaking in the top 6. 

[Doohicksie]

8 minutes ago, GASabresIUFAN said:

I have been outspoken about my wish to move on from Cozens and McLeod.  I have also been outspoken about my wish for the Sabres to bring in a top 6 forward, preferably a playmaking center.  I have also been outspoken on my belief we need more vets like Zucker not less.   

However, I have been watching the Sabres again lately just to see if there is really any hope left and I have found two players, that are bringing me some hope.  They are Kozak and Kulich.   Kozak brings an honest effort every shift.  He has shown more effort in heart in his 8 games than all of Adams 4th line acquisitions except maybe Malenstyn. 

Kulich just keeps getting better with each game played.  He now has 12 points (8 goals) in 33 games and as many goals as Benson (8, 8, 41 games) and twice that of Krebs (4, 12 46 games).  Kulich also was solidly 9/20 in the face off circle last night.  

If Kozak and Kulich continue to build on this game and others like it, the Sabres just may have their 3rd and 4th line centers for the near future.  

The best news about their ascension is it frees our limited capital to begin to fix the other holes in the lineup like defense and playmaking in the top 6. 

I think I mentioned a while ago (before Levi was brought up for one game) that I think Kozak is done with the AHL.  Sure he's the easy forward to move if you need to juggle the roster, but I think at this point he's NHL-ready.  He's got the hustle and drive and for a guy just getting his first taste of regular NHL play, he seems very good at not getting bullied around; there were a few times where he got checked hard in the corner but managed to stay on his feet and come away with the puck.  He is also pretty speedy.

I don't expect 20 goals out of him, but I do think he has the ability to tilt the ice toward the opposing goal.

I also think that when it's all said and done, Krebs will be on this team for the long term, and that he will continue improve, albeit at an incremental pace from here on out.

It also seems like JJP and Kulich are starting to build some chemistry.

If we could get Tage, Cozens and Tuch to consistently play with as much heart & hustle as Krebs, Kulich and Kozak, we'd have a team. 

Edited 6 hours ago by Doohicksie

[inkman]

Is everyone good with Kulich at center?  He has twice as many goals as he does assists.  Is that a desired stat line?  I’d rather he play on one of the top 2 lines, regardless of position.  Is McLeod not good enough to play the 4C? 

[Thorner]

Seriously? No 

[Thorner]

19 minutes ago, inkman said:

Is everyone good with Kulich at center?  He has twice as many goals as he does assists.  Is that a desired stat line?  I’d rather he play on one of the top 2 lines, regardless of position.  Is McLeod not good enough to play the 4C? 

We have no interest in making the playoffs next year if Kulich lines up in the top 6 to start the year 

Like, zero 

but to answer your question: no it’s not a desired stat line for a C on this particular team, because we don’t seem to have any traditional playmaking centres 

Edited 6 hours ago by Thorner

[Believer]

22 minutes ago, Doohicksie said:

If we could get Tage, Cozens and Tuch to consistently play with as much heart & hustle as Krebs, Kulich and Kozak, we'd have a team. 

Truth.

[GASabresIUFAN]

57 minutes ago, inkman said:

Is everyone good with Kulich at center?  He has twice as many goals as he does assists.  Is that a desired stat line?  I’d rather he play on one of the top 2 lines, regardless of position.  Is McLeod not good enough to play the 4C? 

He is, but why pay him $4 mill when Kulich and Kozak combine for 1.6 mill?  

Thompson is the No. 1 C

The Sabres need to find a 2

Kulich 3

Kozak 4

with Krebs as a floater.  

[Thorner]

Just now, GASabresIUFAN said:

He is, but why pay him $4 mill when Kulich and Kozak combine for 1.6 mill?  

Thompson is the No. 1 C

The Sabres need to find a 2

Kulich 3

Kozak 4

with Krebs as a floater.  

Did Adams hack your account 

EEE

[K-9]

Sorry, I’m too busy trying to find a heart to look for a spine.

[LGR4GM]

1 hour ago, GASabresIUFAN said:

I have been outspoken about my wish to move on from Cozens and McLeod.  I have also been outspoken about my wish for the Sabres to bring in a top 6 forward, preferably a playmaking center.  I have also been outspoken on my belief we need more vets like Zucker not less.   

However, I have been watching the Sabres again lately just to see if there is really any hope left and I have found two players, that are bringing me some hope.  They are Kozak and Kulich.   Kozak brings an honest effort every shift.  He has shown more effort in heart in his 8 games than all of Adams 4th line acquisitions except maybe Malenstyn. 

Kulich just keeps getting better with each game played.  He now has 12 points (8 goals) in 33 games and as many goals as Benson (8, 8, 41 games) and twice that of Krebs (4, 12 46 games).  Kulich also was solidly 9/20 in the face off circle last night.  

If Kozak and Kulich continue to build on this game and others like it, the Sabres just may have their 3rd and 4th line centers for the near future.  

The best news about their ascension is it frees our limited capital to begin to fix the other holes in the lineup like defense and playmaking in the top 6. 

Why wouldn't the Sabres play Krebs as the 3rd or 4th line center? He's better than Kozak. 

[Thorner]

Any time you have the ability to pencil in a Juri Kulich to a prominent role based on an extrapolation of some rookie-ish stats put up while there was no pressure on team and said player ala Jack Quinn, you have to do so 

[LGR4GM]

26 minutes ago, GASabresIUFAN said:

He is, but why pay him $4 mill when Kulich and Kozak combine for 1.6 mill?  

Thompson is the No. 1 C

The Sabres need to find a 2

Kulich 3

Kozak 4

with Krebs as a floater.  

You legit need to just walk away from the "we should not sign McLeod" schtick you got going. It is still illogical in the extreme. Why the flying F would I give a ***** about paying a legit NHL center 4mil a year just to save a couple million by replacing him with a guy who has 1 NHL goal total, and another who is a 20yr old rookie that if he gets in trouble, in your scenario, there is 0, zilch, nada in the wings to replace him. He's just fed to the wolves. I am sorry but you deserve to be called out every single time you start this bizarre crusade against McLeod. WTF man, you want to get rid of McLeod and his 10g and 24pts to date, a guy who is 6'3" and over 50% on faceoffs so we can hope and pray that 5'11" Tyson Kozak can pick of the slack? You've completely lost objectivity. 

[Archie Lee]

I like Kulich and Kozak (and Krebs) and I am excited about their futures. So, I am not criticizing the original post or dismissing the notion that these players will potentially be important pieces going forward.  I just think this is similar to what we did with Cozens when he was 19-21 (and Quinn, Peterka, Benson, Power, Levi).  When a young player has a good game or does something well, we tend to project a near future where they continue to do that thing well and them building on it by improving in other areas. That next level of improvement doesn't always happen though, or it doesn't happen as quicky as hoped/needed, or the development isn't linear.  I'm not  advocating for the trade of any specific young player.  However, unless we are prepared to be content with awaiting the year where through patience alone the team's combined level of talent, age, and experience, reaches a critical mass that pushes us into the playoffs, then some of these young guys need to be traded.

[Weave]

[msw2112]

I don't know if the premise of the original post has legs after only a game or two, but hey, given the miserable season that we're all experiencing, I'm OK with someone expressing a little optimism about some aspects of the Sabres.  Kulich has looked good.  Quinn has been scoring the last couple of weeks, after being left for dead earlier in the season.  Zucker has played well and Kozak has shown that he may have a future as a hard-working bottom-six player.  The Sabres won a game last night, with a third period comeback, and didn't give up a goal in a 6 on 5 situation.  At this point, with the playoffs pretty much out of reach, and some of us masochists still watching all the games, why not enjoy at least the occasional positive?

It doesn't mean that the Sabres don't need a major organizational shakeup sometime between now and the beginning of next season.

Edited 4 hours ago by msw2112

[mjd1001]

Kulich to me is not ideal as a top 6 center at THIS time.

Next year? I don't think he's ready to be productive enough to be a top 6 center.  BUT, I'd rather have him than Cozens.

If its Cozens vs Kulich, give me Kulich. If its a different veteran vs those 2, give me the other option (likely).

As far as Kozak? Sure, bottom 6 Center.  I differ in that I like McLeod in a bottom 6 role. But Kozak, Krebs, McLeod, I'll take 2 of the 3, I don't care which 2.

Edited 3 hours ago by mjd1001

[WhenWillItEnd66]

Uhhhhhhh no. We still do not have a defensive spine, and Cozens is still here.

[EM88]

2 hours ago, Doohicksie said:

If we could get Tage, Cozens and Tuch to consistently play with as much heart & hustle as Krebs, Kulich and Kozak, we'd have a team. 

To me it is not the heart and hustle that are lacking with those 3 players.

Tage is made of crystal and glass.  He does not need more hustle as much as he needs to stay healthy.  He does notseem like he can.

Cozens is just bad. Hustle is not an issue with him. Its awareness and hockey IQ.  No amount of on-ice effort fixes him.

Tuch I also do not think needs heart and hustle.  Most of the time I think he is very good at what he does. The issue is his talent is that of a 2nd line winger, a guy you can rely on for 20-25 goals. He simply does not have the talent to expect 30 or more goals year after year.

1 minute ago, WhenWillItEnd66 said:

 Cozens is still here.

And that might be the biggest issue of this entire roster, that Cozens still is here and playing meaningful minutes.

[mjd1001]

2 hours ago, GASabresIUFAN said:

He is, but why pay him $4 mill when Kulich and Kozak combine for 1.6 mill?  

Thompson is the No. 1 C

The Sabres need to find a 2

Kulich 3

Kozak 4

with Krebs as a floater.  

I agreed with you as that is a possibility...

The whole idea of a 'kid line' I don't think was bad. The issue is it should be a 3rd line, not a 2nd line. Is Kulich ready to be the centerpiece of a new 'kid' line?  Hopefully the rest of the year this season will tell us that. However, unless he puts up 15 goals in the last 30 games (unlikely), if he IS ready for a role it should be on the 3rd line only AND only with a legit 2nd line put together above him.

As far as McLeod, I don't see an issue with him as a 3rd or 4th line center at all.  When I watch him, I see LESS mistakes from him away from the puck than I do from most other forwards on this team. Its not like he makes no mistakes, he does, but he makes much less.  Add to that hes on an 18 goal, 44 point pace (and doing that with No powerplay time), and he is a plus player on a minus team...I don't see the issue with him. He is the kind of player I LIKE on the bottom 6.

Edited 3 hours ago by mjd1001

[Flashsabre]

Why are you walking away from McLeod?

[JohnC]

58 minutes ago, mjd1001 said:

Kulich to me is not ideal as a top 6 center at THIS time.

Next year? I don't think he's ready to be productive enough to be a top 6 center.  BUT, I'd rather have him than Cozens.

If its Cozens vs Kulich, give me Kulich. If its a different veteran vs those 2, give me the other option (likely).

As far as Kozak? Sure, bottom 6 Center.  I differ in that I like McLeod in a bottom 6 role. But Kozak, Krebs, McLeod, I'll take 2 of the 3, I don't care which 2.

How about having Cozens playing on a wing with Kulich centering for him? I would still like a second line winger added to the mix. That is doable.

Edited 2 hours ago by JohnC

[JohnC]

3 hours ago, GASabresIUFAN said:

I have been outspoken about my wish to move on from Cozens and McLeod.  I have also been outspoken about my wish for the Sabres to bring in a top 6 forward, preferably a playmaking center.  I have also been outspoken on my belief we need more vets like Zucker not less.   

However, I have been watching the Sabres again lately just to see if there is really any hope left and I have found two players, that are bringing me some hope.  They are Kozak and Kulich.   Kozak brings an honest effort every shift.  He has shown more effort in heart in his 8 games than all of Adams 4th line acquisitions except maybe Malenstyn. 

Kulich just keeps getting better with each game played.  He now has 12 points (8 goals) in 33 games and as many goals as Benson (8, 8, 41 games) and twice that of Krebs (4, 12 46 games).  Kulich also was solidly 9/20 in the face off circle last night.  

If Kozak and Kulich continue to build on this game and others like it, the Sabres just may have their 3rd and 4th line centers for the near future.  

The best news about their ascension is it frees our limited capital to begin to fix the other holes in the lineup like defense and playmaking in the top 6. 

Having McCleod as a third or fourth line center is fine with me. I don't know why you are so negative toward having McLeod being a third or fourth line center for us? He's gives you a veteran presence, provides speed and is a good character guy to have mingling with the youngsters. And there is a good possibility that if you provide McCleod with more productive wingers his production will also go up. 

[Carmel Corn]

I'd argue that we still are in need of a true number 1C.  Maybe TNT can suffice as a 2C.  Cozens is not a center and McLeod is a 3C.  Kulich IMHO is more of a shooter, not a playmaker.

[Mr. Allen]

2 hours ago, LGR4GM said:

You legit need to just walk away from the "we should not sign McLeod" schtick you got going. It is still illogical in the extreme. Why the flying F would I give a ***** about paying a legit NHL center 4mil a year just to save a couple million by replacing him with a guy who has 1 NHL goal total, and another who is a 20yr old rookie that if he gets in trouble, in your scenario, there is 0, zilch, nada in the wings to replace him. He's just fed to the wolves. I am sorry but you deserve to be called out every single time you start this bizarre crusade against McLeod. WTF man, you want to get rid of McLeod and his 10g and 24pts to date, a guy who is 6'3" and over 50% on faceoffs so we can hope and pray that 5'11" Tyson Kozak can pick of the slack? You've completely lost objectivity. 

Plus we gave up quite a bit to acquire him.  I doubt we just walk away after spending what we did. 

[msw2112]

39 minutes ago, JohnC said:

Having McCleod as a third or fourth line center is fine with me. I don't know why you are so negative toward having McLeod being a third or fourth line center for us? He's gives you a veteran presence, provides speed and is a good character guy to have mingling with the youngsters. And there is a good possibility that if you provide McCleod with more productive wingers his production will also go up. 

McLeod's production was pretty good when he was playing with Zucker and Greenway and he also produced when he got a couple of games on the top line.  He has blazing speed and seems to be one of the guys that's a bit more responsible defensively and has some hustle to his game.  His speed and hustle was what resulted in the empty net goal that sealed the win against Carolina.  I see him as a good bottom-6 NHL player who can play up in the lineup on occasion when needed and a "young veteran" of the type that the Sabres need.  There are a lot of problems on this year's Sabres roster, but I don't see McLeod as one of them.