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

[DarthEbriate]

3 hours ago, Weave said:

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

Nothing at all. They're all older.

[GASabresIUFAN]

14 minutes ago, Brawndo said:

 

?

[Brawndo]

1 minute ago, GASabresIUFAN said:

?

Last time they need to get to the cap floor they traded for Bishop and his 5 million dollar cap hit, that cost Terry around 250k in actual dollars.

This is certainly a realistic option for next season 

[GASabresIUFAN]

Just now, Brawndo said:

Last time they need to get to the cap floor they traded for Bishop and his 5 million dollar cap hit, that cost Terry around 250k in actual dollars.

This is certainly a realistic option for next season 

They won’t need to get to the cap floor.  That’s not an issue.  The issue is once they re-sign their RFAs, they won’t have any internal cap left to fix the roster.  

[Brawndo]

41 minutes ago, GASabresIUFAN said:

They won’t need to get to the cap floor.  That’s not an issue.  The issue is once they re-sign their RFAs, they won’t have any internal cap left to fix the roster.  

Tonight’s game not withstanding, a Samuelsson Buyout is very much on the table 

[GASabresIUFAN]

24 minutes ago, Brawndo said:

Tonight’s game not withstanding, a Samuelsson Buyout is very much on the table 

That doesn’t exactly “help.”  All it does is add more dead money and create another bottom of the roster spot that needs to be filled.  I agree he isn’t worth the money nor has earned his contract, but the real change in this roster needs to be finding partners for our top 2 D and real O help.  Dumping Samuelsson does nothing to fix those holes unless they can find a top 4 D for the money saved by dumping Samuelsson.

Edited 20 hours ago by GASabresIUFAN

[Brawndo]

6 minutes ago, GASabresIUFAN said:

That doesn’t exactly “help.”  All it does is add more dead money and create another bottom of the roster spot that needs to be filled.  I agree he isn’t worth the money nor has earned his contract, but the real change in this roster needs to be finding partners for our top 2 D and real O help.  Dumping Samuelsson does nothing to fix those holes unless they can find a top 4 D for the money saved by dumping Samuelsson.

His buyout is 714k on the cap, not too bad. The problem is GMKA spent 7.3 million on Samuelsson and Jokiharju this season. I’ll be captain obvious over here when you are a budget team, that’s horrendous cap management, so I’m not counting on any buyout savings being used wisely

[PerreaultForever]

This is silly. They are nowhere near the cap and won't be. The UFAs are almost certainly not coming back. The team will still be the youngest in the league again. 

[Crusader1969]

2 hours 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. 

It's confusing why people keep saying the same thing about it.   He was never that player and will never be in the future 

I do think he improves with his body positioning as he matures and will be fine 

[GASabresIUFAN]

1 minute ago, PerreaultForever said:

This is silly. They are nowhere near the cap and won't be. The UFAs are almost certainly not coming back. The team will still be the youngest in the league again. 

The math says they will be the youngest team again and I agree the UFAs are unlikely to return.  The issue is even with letting the UFAs walk, just keeping the RFAs puts this mess at 85 to 86 million.  Crazy!  How can a team this bad spend that much and literally have nothing to show for it.  The answer is the investments in Cozens, Power, and Samuelsson.  Now add in 4.4 for Skinner.  

[PerreaultForever]

1 hour ago, GASabresIUFAN said:

The math says they will be the youngest team again and I agree the UFAs are unlikely to return.  The issue is even with letting the UFAs walk, just keeping the RFAs puts this mess at 85 to 86 million.  Crazy!  How can a team this bad spend that much and literally have nothing to show for it.  The answer is the investments in Cozens, Power, and Samuelsson.  Now add in 4.4 for Skinner.  

Well yes, a team this bad should not have a payroll that high, that's fair enough. The Cozens contract seemed right in with a league trend of rewarding young players early. The drop off after the one good year is what makes one wonder. Playing poorly to get traded? idk. Wouldn't doubt it. The Power contract was absurd for a player of his age and experience. 

They definitely are clueless that's for sure. 

[Carmel Corn]

7 hours ago, GASabresIUFAN said:

The math says they will be the youngest team again and I agree the UFAs are unlikely to return.  The issue is even with letting the UFAs walk, just keeping the RFAs puts this mess at 85 to 86 million.  Crazy!  How can a team this bad spend that much and literally have nothing to show for it.  The answer is the investments in Cozens, Power, and Samuelsson.  Now add in 4.4 for Skinner.  

Skinner…..and 6+ $million in 26/27….the buyout that keeps giving!!!

[Pimlach]

14 hours 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.

Is this what Kevyn means by sustainable? 

[JP51]

14 hours ago, Two or less said:

 

Why would Greenway re-sign?

I have a better chance at dunking a basket ball than this happening... Honestly, I dont even think he makes it till the end of the year I see him being shipped out for some 3rd line figure skater with potential or a bottom 6 LHD .... or maybe just a 2nd or 3rd  pick

[John Tucker]

15 hours ago, DarthEbriate said:

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

 

[LGR4GM]

15 hours ago, DarthEbriate said:

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

No he doesn't. You can send every single top 5 pick back next year and you should. Outside of McDavid, I don't think 18yrs olds are suited to the NHL. 

Schaefer won't even be 18 until training camp starts, so he's going back. 

Hagens is in college, not Jr's so him going back to get stronger is smart. 

Misa, I could hear the argument for NHL and is the only one that I could be talked into. 

Martone, he's good but I think Jr's helps him refine his game more

McQueen, he's been injured and has already lost half the yr

Further, I wouldn't want any of these guys up dealing with the fallout from this season because without massive org changes, next year will be a dumpster too.

[thewookie1]

1 hour ago, LGR4GM said:

No he doesn't. You can send every single top 5 pick back next year and you should. Outside of McDavid, I don't think 18yrs olds are suited to the NHL. 

Schaefer won't even be 18 until training camp starts, so he's going back. 

Hagens is in college, not Jr's so him going back to get stronger is smart. 

Misa, I could hear the argument for NHL and is the only one that I could be talked into. 

Martone, he's good but I think Jr's helps him refine his game more

McQueen, he's been injured and has already lost half the yr

Further, I wouldn't want any of these guys up dealing with the fallout from this season because without massive org changes, next year will be a dumpster too.

I doubt we survive another dumpster fire season; they've burned every last bit of good will into ash then shoved it into an atomizer. 

[LGR4GM]

29 minutes ago, thewookie1 said:

I doubt we survive another dumpster fire season; they've burned every last bit of good will into ash then shoved it into an atomizer. 

Carthage wasn't as well destroyed as the Sabres have been and the Romans salted the earth on which it stood.

[SabreFinn]

We should trade Cozens and one of Byram or Power, and buy out Samuelsson. Then if, and it is a big if, Mikko Rantanen not re-sign with Avs we should pay him the price to get him to Buffalo. Then put him on a first line with Peterka and Quinn. A couple of veteran D might also be needed. That might be the game changer for us.

 

One can dream...

 

1 hour ago, mjd1001 said:

I don't think yo uare getting Rantanen.  Even if he doesn't sign with Colorado, I think a lot of other teams will be willing to pay up for him that will be more appealing for me.

The rest of what you said, it still is mind boggling to me why Cozens is still here. He's a bad hockey player overall.  2 years ago he was an overall bad hockey player who had a career scoring year of 31 goals, and now he is reverting to the norm of being a bad hockey player overall again.  As far as Bryam and Power....I go back and forth. What is Bryam's willingness to sign here and for how much?  Whether to trade one of them to me depends on that.

As i said, one can dream. And I think he stays in Colorado. 

Cozens is on his way out, he has to be. I like him in some ways and I wish him all the best, but the Sabres - Cozens relationship is hurting both and has to end.

Feel pretty much the same like you with Power and Byram. Some days I wonder if we could keep both. Some days I want them both gone. The realistic scenario is that Byram is traded by deadline, and that's fine with me.

[mjd1001]

18 minutes ago, SabreFinn said:

We should trade Cozens and one of Byram or Power, and buy out Samuelsson. Then if, and it is a big if, Mikko Rantanen not re-sign with Avs we should pay him the price to get him to Buffalo. Then put him on a first line with Peterka and Quinn. A couple of veteran D might also be needed. That might be the game changer for us.

 

One can dream...

I don't think yo uare getting Rantanen.  Even if he doesn't sign with Colorado, I think a lot of other teams will be willing to pay up for him that will be more appealing for me.

The rest of what you said, it still is mind boggling to me why Cozens is still here. He's a bad hockey player overall.  2 years ago he was an overall bad hockey player who had a career scoring year of 31 goals, and now he is reverting to the norm of being a bad hockey player overall again.  As far as Bryam and Power....I go back and forth. What is Bryam's willingness to sign here and for how much?  Whether to trade one of them to me depends on that.

[LTS]

17 hours ago, JohnC said:

He gets the best contract offer from Buffalo.

So he wants money over winning?  It's possible and if so it's likely a 1 year deal so he can be moved at the trade deadline.

17 hours 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 they are moving Cozens all over to try and get something to click. I don't think it hurts his value as I think other GMs see this roster and the team success and blames a lot of it on the management, not the players themselves.

14 hours 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. 

Right. It's like expecting LGR4GM to not engage in debate on topics. It's not going to happen. (I do not mean that as an insult in any way).

14 hours ago, GASabresIUFAN said:

Which is why we need to trade him.

Power has a lot of room to improve on defensive play, but he is a 22  year old player who is in the top 30 for defensive scoring.  I'm not opposed to trading him but it's not because there is a need for a big, physical player.  They can get one of those AND keep Power.

55 minutes ago, mjd1001 said:

I don't think yo uare getting Rantanen.  Even if he doesn't sign with Colorado, I think a lot of other teams will be willing to pay up for him that will be more appealing for me.

The rest of what you said, it still is mind boggling to me why Cozens is still here. He's a bad hockey player overall.  2 years ago he was an overall bad hockey player who had a career scoring year of 31 goals, and now he is reverting to the norm of being a bad hockey player overall again.  As far as Bryam and Power....I go back and forth. What is Bryam's willingness to sign here and for how much?  Whether to trade one of them to me depends on that.

He was here because they waited to see what would happen. We already know the Sabres had a trade to move him out and it was ultimately killed by Detroit. I think it's safe to say that early on they identified that Cozens hasn't improved (or doesn't want to be here) and are trying to move him.  He might still be moved in season but as it approaches trade deadline Cozens is not the player that playoff teams want to add right now.  He's more likely an off season trade at this point.

[WhenWillItEnd66]

If KA was the reason for the non Cozens trade, he is going to regret that decision. He needs to be out of here ASAP. A bag of pucks is good enough at this point.

[GASabresIUFAN]

13 hours ago, Brawndo said:

His buyout is 714k on the cap, not too bad. The problem is GMKA spent 7.3 million on Samuelsson and Jokiharju this season. I’ll be captain obvious over here when you are a budget team, that’s horrendous cap management, so I’m not counting on any buyout savings being used wisely

I’d add 8.35 for Power.  That’s 15 mill (or nearly 20% of the cap) for terrible defensive play.  
 

I also don’t know why Power is a sacred cow for people here.  Who cares if he was a 1st overall pick if he doesn’t pull his weight.  He doesn’t give more offense than Byram, he isn’t physical despite his size, is terrible in D zone coverage and isn’t fast enough to fix his mistakes.  He certainly isn’t giving us $4 mill worth of value much less 8.35.   If we can get him off the books we free up his cap to find guys who actually play defense.   

 

26 minutes ago, LTS said:

Power has a lot of room to improve on defensive play, but he is a 22  year old player who is in the top 30 for defensive scoring.  I'm not opposed to trading him but it's not because there is a need for a big, physical player.  They can get one of those AND keep Power.

If you move on from Byram.  We really don’t have the money to pay for all 3 of Dahlin, Power and Byram.  Sinking 27 million in 3 offensive D would be terrible cap management.  

[LTS]

Just now, GASabresIUFAN said:

I’d add 8.35 for Power.  That’s 15 mill (or nearly 20% of the cap) for terrible defensive play.  
 

I also don’t know why Power is a sacred cow for people here.  Who cares if he was a 1st overall pick if he doesn’t pull his weight.  He doesn’t give more offense than Byram, he isn’t physical despite his size, is terrible in D zone coverage and isn’t fast enough to fix his mistakes.  He certainly isn’t giving us $4 mill worth of value much less 8.35.   If we can get him off the books we free up his cap to find guys who actually play defense.   

Owen Power: 6G, 18A

Bowen Byram: 5G 18A

it's not really a debatable point.

Bowen Byram is nearly 18 months older than Power as well. This still makes a difference.

Owen Power sacred? No. But I'm not going to unfairly judge him either.  He's not worth his contract now, but his contract wasn't signed for now.

1 minute ago, GASabresIUFAN said:

If you move on from Byram.  We really don’t have the money to pay for all 3 of Dahlin, Power and Byram.  Sinking 27 million in 3 offensive D would be terrible cap management.  

This team has been nothing but a cap management mistake. I'm not worried about it. Like I said, I'm not against trading Power, but it's not because he's not a big, physical defenseman.

[EM88]

1 hour ago, WhenWillItEnd66 said:

If KA was the reason for the non Cozens trade, he is going to regret that decision. He needs to be out of here ASAP. A bag of pucks is good enough at this point.

It does seem highly unlikely that Dylan Cozens is going to turn his play around and become an asset for this team at this point.

At the beginning of this season I was down on his play, but as I have every year, I held out hope for a step forward. It has not happened. He may have gotten worse.  There may not be a better example of the proverbial "change of scenery" being something that benefits both the player and the team.

Your bag of pucks might be apt for what they should get now.  Despite his raw talent, he is a very bad hockey player that actively hurts this team when he is on the ice. I did not believe that 100% earlier in this year, but after reading some posters descriptions and looking into what they have said, I have come around to the team being better under the category of addition-by-subtraction regarding Dylan Cozens.