What will be the Sabres approach at the trade deadline?

[Ctaeth]

https://sports.betmgm.com/en/blog/nhl/nhl-trade-deadline-player-rankings-top-targets-for-deadline-bm19/

Betmgm's top 10 targets for the trade deadline (Byram and cozens are both on the list).  Any interest in the other guys?

[kas23]

30 minutes ago, Ctaeth said:

https://sports.betmgm.com/en/blog/nhl/nhl-trade-deadline-player-rankings-top-targets-for-deadline-bm19/

Betmgm's top 10 targets for the trade deadline (Byram and cozens are both on the list).  Any interest in the other guys?

Would do Cozens for Mitts. He performed for us in the past, so might be able to unlock some value. And his contract is much better. But only if Ruff is OK with it. 

[GASabresIUFAN]

https://www.nhltraderumors.me/2025/02/nhl-trade-rumors-sabres-utah-linked-to.html

Adams allegedly interested in Kesselring from Utah.  No idea why Utah would consider trading Kesselring given his low salary and 2 way game, but kudos to Adams if he finds a way to get him.  I put the likelihood of this trade at 5%.  

https://www.nhltraderumors.me/2025/02/report-sabres-henri-jokiharju-drawing.html

Finland's head coach called Joki "really solid."  Great, Adams trade him now.

https://www.dailyfaceoff.com/news/casey-mittelstadt-seth-jones-join-latest-trade-targets-board-colorado-avalanche-chicago-blackhawks

Byram 4th, Mitts 5th, Cozens 7th, and Quinn 16th on their trade board

[JohnC]

5 hours ago, GASabresIUFAN said:

https://www.nhltraderumors.me/2025/02/nhl-trade-rumors-sabres-utah-linked-to.html

Adams allegedly interested in Kesselring from Utah.  No idea why Utah would consider trading Kesselring given his low salary and 2 way game, but kudos to Adams if he finds a way to get him.  I put the likelihood of this trade at 5%.  

https://www.nhltraderumors.me/2025/02/report-sabres-henri-jokiharju-drawing.html

Finland's head coach called Joki "really solid."  Great, Adams trade him now.

https://www.dailyfaceoff.com/news/casey-mittelstadt-seth-jones-join-latest-trade-targets-board-colorado-avalanche-chicago-blackhawks

Byram 4th, Mitts 5th, Cozens 7th, and Quinn 16th on their trade board

I like Byram a lot. In general, his play has been more than solid. However, from a roster standpoint, I thought that it made more sense to keep Mitts and put him at 2C. That would have allowed Cozens to move to the wing where I believe he is better suited. Is it likely that we get Mitts back? No. Our GM simply lacks the insight and vision to smartly assemble a better-balanced roster. It is an imperative that our GM procure an experienced player to play 2C. I like Kulich a lot but I don't believe that he is ready for that role. 

[GASabresIUFAN]

20 minutes ago, JohnC said:

like Kulich a lot but I don't believe that he is ready for that role. 

Since when has that ever mattered to the Sabres in the last 14 years.

[Pimlach]

Trading to get Mitts back is a bad idea. 
 

You trade for players to improve the team.  Not to get back to the level that was already not good enough.   

[JohnC]

24 minutes ago, Pimlach said:

Trading to get Mitts back is a bad idea. 
 

You trade for players to improve the team.  Not to get back to the level that was already not good enough.   

I have not suggested that we should trade to get Mitts back. That ship has sailed. My primary point about that deal is that from a roster construction standpoint it was not a beneficial deal. What I do believe is that it would make a lot of sense to add a 2C to this roster and move Cozens to the wing where I believe he is more suited. I have said it a number of times (so I apologize for the repetition): KA is a checkers player trying to play chess. He's simply overmatched. 

[JohnC]

11 hours ago, GASabresIUFAN said:

Since when has that ever mattered to the Sabres in the last 14 years.

We are where we are because we continue to do what we do. And so the cycle of futility keeps on keeping on. 

[Pimlach]

35 minutes ago, JohnC said:

I have not suggested that we should trade to get Mitts back. That ship has sailed. My primary point about that deal is that from a roster construction standpoint it was not a beneficial deal. What I do believe is that it would make a lot of sense to add a 2C to this roster and move Cozens to the wing where I believe he is more suited. I have said it a number of times (so I apologize for the repetition): KA is a checkers player trying to play chess. He's simply overmatched. 

It’s no secret that I think we need 1C or 2C help at center.  A skilled playmaker or a top 6 two-way center would make a difference.  

We already established that trading a center for a skilled puck moving defenseman (when we had 2) did not improve this team’s roster.   One year later we have seen what I said at the time - that the trade made a big weakness even worse.   But at least we can now see we have the better player between the two, so maybe they can improve the team by using Bryam or Power to bolster the center spline?  

The insulting and complaining about Cozens is getting old.  Sure, he is not playing well and he will probably be traded.  He will probably end up a good hockey player someday for some other team too.   The concept of Cozens is dying in Buffalo, but maybe not around the NHL. 

History tells us we will regret the trades made by the unqualified GMs that Terry hires.   Its been the norm for 14 years and counting.  
 

 

[Big Guava]

On 1/28/2025 at 2:20 PM, ska-T Palmtown said:

Each year, I seem to get my hopes up that the GM will recreate the magic that landed Briere at the end of a disappointing season, but turned the franchise around. Reaching way back, wasn't Dougy Gilmore also brought in around the trade deadline one year?

Sigh. Last year I sorta had secret hope Byram might be something like that ... but perhaps we need to trade franchises with another city to shake out of this funk? I honestly have doubts that bringing in MacKinnon and Rantanen could right this ship ... 😞 

Edit: OK, whoa ... the Sabres actually acquired the 1996 #24 pick from San Jose for Doug Bodger ... Buffalo later traded that pick to Vancouver for Mikael Grosek and Darryl Shannon. At some point Vancouver sent that pick to PHX and they selected ... Danny Briere. Mind. Blown.

We can say what we want but no GM fleeced other teams better than Darcy Regier.

Not only with the Drury and Briere trades but also getting a 1st round pick for Paul Gaustad.

Edited 5 hours ago by Big Guava

[mjd1001]

On 2/14/2025 at 1:51 PM, kas23 said:

Would do Cozens for Mitts. He performed for us in the past, so might be able to unlock some value. And his contract is much better. But only if Ruff is OK with it. 

If that option was on the table, I'd do it. Although I'd like to see what else was available.  I am fearful that the league-wide value of Cozens may be a lot less than many of us think/hope.

[mjd1001]

3 hours ago, Pimlach said:

It’s no secret that I think we need 1C or 2C help at center.  A skilled playmaker or a top 6 two-way center would make a difference.  

We already established that trading a center for a skilled puck moving defenseman (when we had 2) did not improve this team’s roster.   One year later we have seen what I said at the time - that the trade made a big weakness even worse.   But at least we can now see we have the better player between the two, so maybe they can improve the team by using Bryam or Power to bolster the center spline?  

The insulting and complaining about Cozens is getting old.  Sure, he is not playing well and he will probably be traded.  He will probably end up a good hockey player someday for some other team too.   The concept of Cozens is dying in Buffalo, but maybe not around the NHL. 

History tells us we will regret the trades made by the unqualified GMs that Terry hires.   Its been the norm for 14 years and counting.  
 

 

I don't think its getting old  for 2 simple reasons:  1.) he is here and continues to play at center  2.) He is very bad in that role.

He's a bad player. The team is losing because of his play.  For all the excuses about the position he is in, the team and management around him, for the most part the other 20+ players are not hurting the team as much as he is.

The complaining will continue, and will be justified to many of us in that he contiues to hurt the team.  Until his play gets DRAMATICALLY better, or he is no longer here, the complaining will contiue...and it is justified, after all this is a message board where we talk the most about the very best,and very worst parts about the team.  I would say the complaining about management is getting just as the complaining about Cozens.  But if we don't talk about the things about this team that are bad, we may as well just shut down the forum for the rest of the season.

Edited 3 hours ago by mjd1001

[EM88]

3 hours ago, Pimlach said:

The insulting and complaining about Cozens is getting old.  Sure, he is not playing well and he will probably be traded.  He will probably end up a good hockey player someday for some other team too.   The concept of Cozens is dying in Buffalo, but maybe not around the NHL. 

History tells us we will regret the trades made by the unqualified GMs that Terry hires.   Its been the norm for 14 years and counting.  
 

 

I will stop bringing up complaints about Dylan Cozens when he starts playing a consistently better game for a few weeks at a time.  

Until then he, along with any other player, is fair game to criticize.  No gatekeeping to protect players we may like individually from me.

[Archie Lee]

Complaints about Cozens are fine, of course. At some point they are misdirected though. The complaint should really be about the in-over-their-heads GM and HC who continue to put a young player, and the team, in a position to fail. 

[ska-T Palmtown]

42 minutes ago, EM88 said:

I will stop bringing up complaints about Dylan Cozens when he starts playing a consistently better game for a few weeks at a time.  

Until then he, along with any other player, is fair game to criticize.  No gatekeeping to protect players we may like individually from me.

Hey! You can't gatekeep the gatekeeping! 🤣

[sabremike]

35 minutes ago, Archie Lee said:

Complaints about Cozens are fine, of course. At some point they are misdirected though. The complaint should really be about the in-over-their-heads GM and HC who continue to put a young player, and the team, in a position to fail. 

When a player falls as hard as Cozens has the past 2 seasons my first thought is the rest of the league has figured him out and he has no idea what to do.

[Pimlach]

2 hours ago, EM88 said:

I will stop bringing up complaints about Dylan Cozens when he starts playing a consistently better game for a few weeks at a time.  

Until then he, along with any other player, is fair game to criticize.  No gatekeeping to protect players we may like individually from me.

Sure, fire away if it helps you. 

2 hours ago, Archie Lee said:

Complaints about Cozens are fine, of course. At some point they are misdirected though. The complaint should really be about the in-over-their-heads GM and HC who continue to put a young player, and the team, in a position to fail. 

Bingo.  I have given up on Adams and I think he is pushing Cozens as a favorite.  Still don't get how the kid got an "A" other than salary and expectations.

At some point you would think Lindy would know how to use him better.  

[Pimlach]

2 hours ago, mjd1001 said:

I don't think its getting old  for 2 simple reasons:  1.) he is here and continues to play at center  2.) He is very bad in that role.

He's a bad player. The team is losing because of his play.  For all the excuses about the position he is in, the team and management around him, for the most part the other 20+ players are not hurting the team as much as he is.

The complaining will continue, and will be justified to many of us in that he contiues to hurt the team.  Until his play gets DRAMATICALLY better, or he is no longer here, the complaining will contiue...and it is justified, after all this is a message board where we talk the most about the very best,and very worst parts about the team.  I would say the complaining about management is getting just as the complaining about Cozens.  But if we don't talk about the things about this team that are bad, we may as well just shut down the forum for the rest of the season.

As mentioned, if you can see it, and I can see it, and we have data that explains it, then why, oh why, oh why, is Lindy playing him so may minutes in the top 6 and on PP2?    They are not helping him.  A veteran NHL coach that came in to teach accountability and an NHL system and this is what he get? 

I predict Cozens gets traded, we get minimal back for him, and that in time he gets becomes a good player.  

[rickshaw]

Cozens biggest problem, I believe, is between the ears.