The Sabres are already behind the cap eight ball for 2025/26 without dumping a contract or two.

[GASabresIUFAN]

The cap for next year could be as high as $93 million, but we all know that the team has an internal cap.  If they bring back most of this current failed squad they will have zero $ for actual upgrades without moving on from Power, Cozens and/ or some other high priced player(s).

Here is the situation in a nutshell.   There are 13 current Sabres under contract for next season for 61.793 million (including 4.44 to Skinner)

Forwards:  The Sabres have 8 forwards under contract (TNT, Cozens, Tuch, Lafferty, Malenstyn, Krebs, Benson and Kulich). Cap cost 25.629

Defense: 4 "Defenders" (and I use that term loosely) are under contract for nearly $27 million (Clifton, Dahlin, Samuelsson, & Power).

Goaltending: 1 UPL 4.75

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1EIVzd3tGEpaoQXCXkE3DkiksczGJvlc8GywXZl0Twjo/edit?gid=1769332179#gid=1769332179

Mid-season contract projections from AFP

Sabres UFAs - Zucker (2 years $5 per season), Greenway (4 year 3.74)

RFAs = McLeod (3 years 2.947); Byram (ST) (2 years 5.073), (LT) (7 years 7.045); Quinn (ST) (2 year 3.371), (LT) (6 years 5.624); JJP (ST) (2 years 4.091), (LT) (6 Years 5.624) 

Using these contract estimates and bringing back all the RFAs and UFAs listed with LT deals for Byram and JJP and a bridge for Quinn, the Sabres would have a cap of 90.364 million for only 19 players (13F, 5D & 1G).  Obviously this isn't sustainable, it would still be a horrible roster and at 90 million, it will be above TP's internal cap.  We still be missing defenders who can defend and playmakers to make the offense go.  It's a pretty grim state of affairs.   

Here is what that roster would look like.

JJP Cozens Thompson

Benson Kulich Tuch

Zucker McLeod Quinn

Greenway Krebs Malenstyn (Lafferty)

Dahlin ?????

Byram Power

Clifton Samuelsson

UPL ?????

My guess is that the internal cap for next season with be about 85 to 86 million.  To get there, Adams will have to let Greenway walk (allowing Kozak to take his job) and bridging all the RFAs.  Those decisions will bring the projected cap back down to about 81.5 million, but still leave us short one goalie, a partner for Dahlin, 2 depth defensemen and without any help on offense.  I don't see how Adams can reasonably fix all those holes, much less improve the squad of 4.5 to 6 million.

The only way to fix this crap roster is to move on from at least 2 major contracts and use the saving to fix other roster holes.  Step 1 is deciding to keep either Power or Byram and then trading the other. Step 2 is trading Cozens.   These two moves clears $15 million from the internal cap allowing money to be invested in actually defensemen and maybe, just maybe a top 6 center.

Edited Thursday at 10:12 PM by GASabresIUFAN

[Flashsabre]

Did this really need to be a thread? It’s not fact but rather what you want to see happen.

[GASabresIUFAN]

8 minutes ago, Flashsabre said:

Did this really need to be a thread? It’s not fact but rather what you want to see happen.

First the 13 players under contract for nearly 62 million is fact.  

Second we have 4 current RFAs on the roster who will almost certainly be retained and AFP's models have been very good.  So if you follow the model and the players under contract you come up with 17 players for about 80 million (using only bridge deals) with no upgrades.  This may not be "fact" but it's simple logic given Adams' operating history and the players involved.  This is before trying to keep either vet (Greenway or Zucker), going against the grain and not locking up either Byram or JJP long-term or even completing the roster.   No matter how you spin it, the Sabres are in a difficult starting position to upgrade the roster. 

So yes this needs it's own thread and needs to be discussed.   

I'm not even suggesting what I truly want done.  I'm only going where the number say we are going and trying to look at it from the Adams/TP point of view.

If you read the number differently please show us.  

 

[Indabuff]

I just can't fathom how in the blue ***** an abysmal team at the bottom of the standings could possibly be tight against the cap.  

And the hits just keep on coming.

[DarthEbriate]

This is why Sheevyn was shaving up all those dollars in the last 4 years. JJP needs 1W money and Quinn needs 2W money.

Trade Greenway (if healthy), Jokiharju, and Zucker at the deadline. Next season, make room for Isak Rosen, Ryan Johnson, Nikita Novikov, Tyler Kozak, and Devon Levi.

[Weave]

7 minutes ago, DarthEbriate said:

This is why Sheevyn was shaving up all those dollars in the last 4 years. JJP needs 1W money and Quinn needs 2W money.

Trade Greenway (if healthy), Jokiharju, and Zucker at the deadline. Next season, make room for Isak Rosen, Ryan Johnson, Nikita Novikov, Tyler Kozak, and Devon Levi.

[DarthEbriate]

Would it make you feel better if I told you everyone is a year older? 😇

JJP - Cozens - Thompson
Benson - McLeod - Tuch
Krebs - Kulich - Quinn
Malenstyn - Kozak - Rosen
(Lafferty)

Byram - Dahlin
Samuelsson - Power
RJohnson - Clifton
(Gilbert or equivalent, Novikov)

Luukkonen
Levi

 

Now, if they get a top 5 pick... he's gotta play. Too young for the AHL, too good for Juniors.

[GASabresIUFAN]

20 minutes ago, DarthEbriate said:

This is why Sheevyn was shaving up all those dollars in the last 4 years. JJP needs 1W money and Quinn needs 2W money.

Trade Greenway (if healthy), Jokiharju, and Zucker at the deadline. Next season, make room for Isak Rosen, Ryan Johnson, Nikita Novikov, Tyler Kozak, and Devon Levi.

So dump more vets, get younger, don’t improve the defense, stay at the internal cap and actually get worse again.  What a plan.

[LTS]

Zucker and Greenway won't be there.

I don't think Byram, JJP, or Quinn get long term contracts.

I also don't think Cozens will be on this roster next year.

All of that said, it's just about February, next season is a long time away and frankly this season is bad enough without me wanting to begin thinking about next season and any doom and gloom.

[DarthEbriate]

19 minutes ago, GASabresIUFAN said:

So dump more vets, get younger, don’t improve the defense, stay at the internal cap and actually get worse again.  What a plan.

That's just it; there's no planning necessary. Trades are hard, because palm trees, but being the Sabres GM is easy.

And if any of the RFAs signs an offer sheet -- take the picks. Because that means they don't want to be here.

[Two or less]

 

Why would Greenway re-sign?

[kas23]

This is why I was hoping for the Cozens for Kasper trade to materialize. Sure, it starting over with a younger player, but it’s sort of like a do over for the Cozens contract.

[Ctaeth]

Further proof that this team is less than the sum of its parts

[GASabresIUFAN]

27 minutes ago, Two or less said:

 

Why would Greenway re-sign?

He won’t.

[JohnC]

33 minutes ago, Two or less said:

 

Why would Greenway re-sign?

He gets the best contract offer from Buffalo.

[Weave]

1 hour ago, DarthEbriate said:

Would it make you feel better if I told you everyone is a year older? 😇

JJP - Cozens - Thompson
Benson - McLeod - Tuch
Krebs - Kulich - Quinn
Malenstyn - Kozak - Rosen
(Lafferty)

Byram - Dahlin
Samuelsson - Power
RJohnson - Clifton
(Gilbert or equivalent, Novikov)

Luukkonen
Levi

 

Now, if they get a top 5 pick... he's gotta play. Too young for the AHL, too good for Juniors.

So, basically run it back?  What could go wrong?

[mjd1001]

52 minutes ago, LTS said:

Zucker and Greenway won't be there.

I don't think Byram, JJP, or Quinn get long term contracts.

I also don't think Cozens will be on this roster next year.

All of that said, it's just about February, next season is a long time away and frankly this season is bad enough without me wanting to begin thinking about next season and any doom and gloom.

With every day that goes by, I fear the opposite.

The team has shown very little that makes me think they don't think/want him as a big part of the future. He's 4th among forwards in ice time. Hes a fixture on either the 2nd or the first team PowerPlay. When tage got hurt and couldn't take faceoffs/play center, Cozens was promoted to first line center.

I will be shocked (and delighted) if he isn't here next year.

[GASabresIUFAN]

1 hour ago, mjd1001 said:

With every day that goes by, I fear the opposite.

The team has shown very little that makes me think they don't think/want him as a big part of the future. He's 4th among forwards in ice time. Hes a fixture on either the 2nd or the first team PowerPlay. When tage got hurt and couldn't take faceoffs/play center, Cozens was promoted to first line center.

I will be shocked (and delighted) if he isn't here next year.

And this is why I started the thread.  Running it back one more time runs us into both the internal cap and possibly the actual cap without any real improvement in the roster.   I honestly didn’t think the mis-management could get any worse until I started running numbers using the projections. 

[kas23]

1 hour ago, mjd1001 said:

With every day that goes by, I fear the opposite.

The team has shown very little that makes me think they don't think/want him as a big part of the future. He's 4th among forwards in ice time. Hes a fixture on either the 2nd or the first team PowerPlay. When tage got hurt and couldn't take faceoffs/play center, Cozens was promoted to first line center.

I will be shocked (and delighted) if he isn't here next year.

I think this is their best chance of showing him off. If they kept him buried, there’s less of a chance someone will want him. 

[GASabresIUFAN]

40 minutes ago, kas23 said:

I think this is their best chance of showing him off. If they kept him buried, there’s less of a chance someone will want him. 

That's very optimistic of you.  From your lips to G-d's ears.  

[mjd1001]

1 hour ago, kas23 said:

I think this is their best chance of showing him off. If they kept him buried, there’s less of a chance someone will want him. 

The problem is he went to first line center, and his former linemate (Quinn) scored 3 times in his first 2 games without Cozens....and the line Cozens joined the first game (Thompson and Tuch) had their worst game of the season with him (I think they had no points and their single worst 'minus' game of the year for them).  

Not exactly good for showing him off.

Edited Friday at 02:42 AM by mjd1001

[FrenchConnection44]

This team desperately needs more physical players. Power is such a disappointment. He should be dominating with physicality and speed and he’s just not near the force he could have been by now. It’s a soft team. About the only thing we are really good at is Kulich winning face-offs especially in the offensive zone. 
 

I don’t dislike our forward lines. If we kept them as is but added one more rugged player who can play and be tough I’d be happy. Doesn’t look possible. Especially with defensive needs. Such a soft group of players. It’s just incredible that none of these know how to play defense with any dominance. Not a one. Physicality is a major part of this game. Not just getting in a scuffle but physically over powering the attacker. We just don’t have it. 
 

I would be happy to trade Power and a prospect in Rochester for a more defensive defenseman with some size and toughness. Or to sign one. 

[LGR4GM]

Just now, FrenchConnection44 said:

This team desperately needs more physical players. Power is such a disappointment. He should be dominating with physicality and speed and he’s just not near the force he could have been by now. It’s a soft team. About the only thing we are really good at is Kulich winning face-offs especially in the offensive zone. 
 

I don’t dislike our forward lines. If we kept them as is but added one more rugged player who can play and be tough I’d be happy. Doesn’t look possible. Especially with defensive needs. Such a soft group of players. It’s just incredible that none of these know how to play defense with any dominance. Not a one. Physicality is a major part of this game. Not just getting in a scuffle but physically over powering the attacker. We just don’t have it. 
 

I would be happy to trade Power and a prospect in Rochester for a more defensive defenseman with some size and toughness. Or to sign one. 

Owen Power has never played like this bolded part. Not in college and never in the NHL. It's not who he is. 

[Brawndo]

 

[GASabresIUFAN]

24 minutes ago, LGR4GM said:

Owen Power has never played like this bolded part. Not in college and never in the NHL. It's not who he is. 

Which is why we need to trade him.