Tyson Kozak Recalled Aube-Kubel assigned to Rochester

[John Tucker]

Kubel woulda played better had we had palm trees

[inkman]

1 hour ago, John Tucker said:

Kubel woulda played better had we had palm trees

[GASabresIUFAN]

Shocking.  

I do hope Aube-Kubel gets an opportunity elsewhere. 

[LabattBlue]

1 hour ago, GASabresIUFAN said:

 

I do hope Aube-Kubel gets an opportunity elsewhere. 

He will…in Rochester. 😂

[Archie Lee]

I recognize that 4th line players like Aube-Kubel get waived, claimed, reassigned, called back up, regularly over the course of the NHL season. I suppose you could also say that the emergence of Kulich and Kozak forced their hands and this is good news because it means we have good young players who have earned a spot on the roster. But, you really can't overstate how incredibly flawed the promise of "we added 2/3's of Washington's 4th line" has turned out to be. I went back and watched the Adams press conference from day one of free agency. The trade for Malenstyn and signing of Aube-Kubel and Lafferty were the keys to "rounding out the roster", "becoming more physical", developing "an identity", being a team that "can wear teams out" and "be relentless on the forecheck" and "more responsible defensively".  Adams also was clear on the impact Ruff was having on the remaking of the bottom 6. 

No GM in my memory has more significantly misjudged what he had in his players and coaching staff.

[Brawndo]

He cleared waivers.

[Brawndo]

NAK assigned to Rochester, Tyson Kozak recalled

[Mr Peabody]

8 minutes ago, Brawndo said:

NAK assigned to Rochester, Tyson Kozak recalled

Phew,  don’t want to see anyone blocked. 

[JohnC]

57 minutes ago, Archie Lee said:

I recognize that 4th line players like Aube-Kubel get waived, claimed, reassigned, called back up, regularly over the course of the NHL season. I suppose you could also say that the emergence of Kulich and Kozak forced their hands and this is good news because it means we have good young players who have earned a spot on the roster. But, you really can't overstate how incredibly flawed the promise of "we added 2/3's of Washington's 4th line" has turned out to be. I went back and watched the Adams press conference from day one of free agency. The trade for Malenstyn and signing of Aube-Kubel and Lafferty were the keys to "rounding out the roster", "becoming more physical", developing "an identity", being a team that "can wear teams out" and "be relentless on the forecheck" and "more responsible defensively".  Adams also was clear on the impact Ruff was having on the remaking of the bottom 6. 

No GM in my memory has more significantly misjudged what he had in his players and coaching staff.

I don't want to belabor my borderline scorn for this earnest GM. However, if KA would have added another Zucker and Greenway type players this past offseason, in addition to adding another veteran defensive/defenseman to the blueline, this roster would be so much better balanced. Why I seem so frustrated with him is that making those type of medium type (not blockbuster) additional moves was very doable. Also, I strongly believe that our younger players would have benefited with having those added experienced players to the room. This season is another wasted season because of the GM's miscalculation of the roster he had on hand. 

[SABRES 0311]

40 minutes ago, JohnC said:

I don't want to belabor my borderline scorn for this earnest GM. However, if KA would have added another Zucker and Greenway type players this past offseason, in addition to adding another veteran defensive/defenseman to the blueline, this roster would be so much better balanced. Why I seem so frustrated with him is that making those type of medium type (not blockbuster) additional moves was very doable. Also, I strongly believe that our younger players would have benefited with having those added experienced players to the room. This season is another wasted season because of the GM's miscalculation of the roster he had on hand. 

Assuming KA is still GM this summer, maybe he learns from the success of adding Zucker and pursues similar acquisitions. 🤷‍♂️ 

[GASabresIUFAN]

1 hour ago, Mr Peabody said:

Phew,  don’t want to see anyone blocked. 

it's funny that you said that, but this is actually how a real team should operate.  Get an NHL vet for a job and if a kid eventually beats him out so be it.  No kid should have a guaranteed job in the NHL.  Internal competition for an NHL job is as it should be.

Edited Tuesday at 09:02 PM by GASabresIUFAN

[Pimlach]

On 1/27/2025 at 4:15 PM, JohnC said:

I like Greenway a lot and would hope that he would be willing to stay with the right offer. But what happens if he tells the front office that he would prefer to be moved to a better functioning organization that will give him a chance to compete in the playoffs? The owner has created an organization that is unappealing to many players. The obstacles that this franchise has to overcome are the same obstacles that itself created. The never-ending loop of incompetency that has handcuffed this franchise since Terry Pegula bought this franchise. 

He doesn't have to say a word.   He just tells his agent he is going the UFA route and wait for offers.  

Edited Tuesday at 10:52 PM by Pimlach

[Pimlach]

35 minutes ago, SABRES 0311 said:

Assuming KA is still GM this summer, maybe he learns from the success of adding Zucker and pursues similar acquisitions. 🤷‍♂️ 

No.  Do not count on it.   He doesn't learn and he has little say in how much he can spend.   Look at his past veteran acquisitions, Zucker is an outlier.  

 

[Pimlach]

2 hours ago, Archie Lee said:

I recognize that 4th line players like Aube-Kubel get waived, claimed, reassigned, called back up, regularly over the course of the NHL season. I suppose you could also say that the emergence of Kulich and Kozak forced their hands and this is good news because it means we have good young players who have earned a spot on the roster. But, you really can't overstate how incredibly flawed the promise of "we added 2/3's of Washington's 4th line" has turned out to be. I went back and watched the Adams press conference from day one of free agency. The trade for Malenstyn and signing of Aube-Kubel and Lafferty were the keys to "rounding out the roster", "becoming more physical", developing "an identity", being a team that "can wear teams out" and "be relentless on the forecheck" and "more responsible defensively".  Adams also was clear on the impact Ruff was having on the remaking of the bottom 6. 

No GM in my memory has more significantly misjudged what he had in his players and coaching staff.

As bad as Adams off season judgement was on his player and coaching moves (see bold), he was even more wrong on the majority of players that he knows and keeps in prominent roles on this team. 

Below was the opening day forward line up.   This team does not stink because of the 4th line.   The 4th line was never the reason they were losing last season, and it is not the reason they are losing  now.  The problem is that the first line and the second line are overmatched almost every night.  

Peterka - Thompson - Tuch

Benson - Cozens - Quinn

Greenway - McLoed - Zucker

Malenstyn - Lafferty/Krebs - NAK

Tage is the only true first line forward on the team, and he is not a very good center (for those who think he is a center) but he is 40 goal sniper that might greatly benefit from a playmaking center. 

No one else on this team can play on contending playoff teams first line.  Tuch is a 2nd line player and is probably a 3rd line player on top tier teams like Vegas, Colorado and Florida.   All the rest of the Sabres top 9 are 3rd liners.  A few of the young guys still have second line ceilings (Peterka, Quinn, Benson) but do not consistently match up well when real bullets are flying, especially when they play together or with Cozens (a third liner too).  

Adams was wrong.  

[JohnC]

2 hours ago, SABRES 0311 said:

Assuming KA is still GM this summer, maybe he learns from the success of adding Zucker and pursues similar acquisitions. 🤷‍♂️ 

KA has been a GM for five years. He is what he is: mediocre at best. I'm being kind and generous in my judgment.

[Night Train]

We've bottomed out yet again. So you give Kulich, Kozak and other youth ice time. 

As others mentioned above, it's the top guys that failed us. Some of them need to be traded away, once we find an actual GM. 

[SABRES 0311]

2 hours ago, Pimlach said:

No.  Do not count on it.   He doesn't learn and he has little say in how much he can spend.   Look at his past veteran acquisitions, Zucker is an outlier.  

 

I think you are right. A decade and a half of this has me delusional.

[mjd1001]

12 hours ago, Doohicksie said:

The players that were brought in have not kept the Sabres out of the playoffs.  The reason the team has faltered is that our top six just haven't played as well as they have over periods in the past.  We looked for players like Tage, Cozens, Quinn and JJP to take the world by storm and they simply haven't.

I usually come to the defense of Tage, and I'm doing so here.  He has pretty much been on a pace for 40-45 goals all year.  He is a scorer, he is streaky so he has periods where he disappears from the scoresheet, and in those times its easy to criticize him. But I also think of the centers on this team, he is NOT the worst defensively either.

To me Tage is doing what he needs to do, certainly for a guy taking up $7 of cap space.  Its the other 3 that are the bigger issue, especailly the 'other' $7m guy.

[Doohicksie]

11 hours ago, mjd1001 said:

I usually come to the defense of Tage, and I'm doing so here.  He has pretty much been on a pace for 40-45 goals all year.  He is a scorer, he is streaky so he has periods where he disappears from the scoresheet, and in those times its easy to criticize him. But I also think of the centers on this team, he is NOT the worst defensively either.

To me Tage is doing what he needs to do, certainly for a guy taking up $7 of cap space.  Its the other 3 that are the bigger issue, especailly the 'other' $7m guy.

I won't say you're wrong.

But during his 47 goal season, he routinely took over games, kind of like he did against Boston yesterday.  Games like that have been rare for him this year.  Granted, that could be just as much the players around him not doing their part, but.... that's my point I think.  Our best players are not playing up to their best level of play in general.

I kind of understand Kevyn's "the answer is in this room" remark.  We know that several players on the team are capable of more than they've shown this year.

[PromoTheRobot]

Aube-Kubel scores in his first game.

[PromoTheRobot]

Levy is having a rough outing.

[Pimlach]

12 hours ago, Doohicksie said:

I won't say you're wrong.

But during his 47 goal season, he routinely took over games, kind of like he did against Boston yesterday.  Games like that have been rare for him this year.  Granted, that could be just as much the players around him not doing their part, but.... that's my point I think.  Our best players are not playing up to their best level of play in general.

I kind of understand Kevyn's "the answer is in this room" remark.  We know that several players on the team are capable of more than they've shown this year.

I agree.  If this team is going to get good then Thompson and Dahlin have to make it happen.