Sabres Extend Jason Zucker 2 years 4.75 million AAV

[Flashsabre]

2 hours ago, Night Train said:

At least they did one thing right today. Should have made more moves than Cozens for a All-Whirlpool player. Too many operations. 

Adams sucks. .

What did u expect them to get for Cozens?

[FrenchConnection44]

I like Zucker and Greenway. Glad to see this. I think they both are solid players and have a professionalism and decent toughness about them. We need that. We still need a real Man to take care of business when needed. But this is good. 

[Turbo44]

4 hours ago, FrenchConnection44 said:

I like Zucker and Greenway. Glad to see this. I think they both are solid players and have a professionalism and decent toughness about them. We need that. We still need a real Man to take care of business when needed. But this is good. 

We need 2 more forwards like Zucker and Greenway along with a top 4 RHD with an ahole attitude.  Need a goalie too, Levi may be our only hope as UPL ain’t it

[PromoTheRobot]

10 hours ago, Turbo44 said:

We need 2 more forwards like Zucker and Greenway along with a top 4 RHD with an ahole attitude.  Need a goalie too, Levi may be our only hope as UPL ain’t it

Learn to defend our end and UPL will get a lot better. Stop turning the puck over. Stop giving up odd man rushes. Stop lazily clearing your zone. Poof! Good goalie.

[LGR4GM]

41 minutes ago, PromoTheRobot said:

Learn to defend our end and UPL will get a lot better. Stop turning the puck over. Stop giving up odd man rushes. Stop lazily clearing your zone. Poof! Good goalie.

Maybe upl could make a save because all teams turn the puck over. 

[PromoTheRobot]

2 minutes ago, LGR4GM said:

Maybe upl could make a save because all teams turn the puck over. 

Not like we do.

[bunomatic]

23 hours ago, PerreaultForever said:

I guess Adams is sure he won't be able to lure any free agents of note here in July. This is a gross overpay for a fading veteran who is injury prone. I don't hate Zucker. He's better than a lot of them, but this is not progress. 

They better hire some extra rehab and medical people the way they are building this team. 

I’m going to have to hire a therapist the way they are building this team.

[Sabres Fan in NS]

This is a fair deal for both.

Has it been confirmed that he said that he wanted to stay?

 

 

[LTS]

An emotional, veteran, leader that wants to continue his career in Buffalo.  I'll take it.

Perhaps having two players who actually have some respect around the league choosing to sign in Buffalo will help.

Either way, I am quite happy with this. Everyone who always looks for the negative in everything can have their concerns.

 

[FrenchConnection44]

On 3/7/2025 at 9:15 PM, Turbo44 said:

We need 2 more forwards like Zucker and Greenway along with a top 4 RHD with an ahole attitude.  Need a goalie too, Levi may be our only hope as UPL ain’t it

Agreed. 

It looked like UPL had devoted himself to getting better last year with working hard in the offseason before 2023-24 and was on the way up. He’s just completely regressed. 

[ska-T Palmtown]

I was looking through the trash heap of old threads and could not find the one that either @GASabresIUFAN or maybe @LGR4GM was lamenting the potential disaster that might be the Sabres 2025 cap situation. I was just wondering what the trades and recent signings have done to that situation?

[mjd1001]

37 minutes ago, ska-T Palmtown said:

I was looking through the trash heap of old threads and could not find the one that either @GASabresIUFAN or maybe @LGR4GM was lamenting the potential disaster that might be the Sabres 2025 cap situation. I was just wondering what the trades and recent signings have done to that situation?

https://capwages.com/teams/buffalo_sabres

I THINK the cap for next season is at $95.5m.

The Sabres have about $70.5m committed (included Skinner's buyout money, he counts $4.4m next year and that number goes up to $6.4m the following year)

That doesn't count McLeod, Quinn, Peterka, Bernard-Docker and Byram as restricted free agents...as well as Bryson and Reimer as UFA's.

So, you have about $25million. Allocate maybe $2m for that backup goalie and 7th/8th D-man that leaves you with $23m

$23m for 3 RFA forwards and 2 RFA D-men. I guess it depends on how much they are going to give each of them.

If you want to go big-game hunting in free agency for another forward or D-man, you are going to have to make a trade off of your active roster or let go one of your RFA's it looks like.

Edited March 13 by mjd1001

[GASabresIUFAN]

1 hour ago, ska-T Palmtown said:

I was looking through the trash heap of old threads and could not find the one that either @GASabresIUFAN or maybe @LGR4GM was lamenting the potential disaster that might be the Sabres 2025 cap situation. I was just wondering what the trades and recent signings have done to that situation?

It was me.  It was when the mid-season contract projections came out.  My comments then were keeping Cozens, Samuelsson and Power while trying to re-up JJP, Quinn, Byram and McLeod could be a cap disaster.  We’d remain a terrible team but one at or near the cap.  Doesn’t sound like a smart plan.  
 

Trading Cozens for Norris did nothing to alleviate the situation.  We need to buyout Samuelson and trade Power or Byram to clear the proper cap room to fix the defense.  

Edited March 13 by GASabresIUFAN

[BlowLeafsBlow123]

9 minutes ago, GASabresIUFAN said:

It was me.  It was when the mid-season contract projections came out.  My comments then were keeping Cozens, Samuelsson and Power while trying to re-up JJP, Quinn, Byram and McLeod could be a cap disaster.  We’d remain a terrible team but one at or near the cap.  Doesn’t sound like a smart plan.  
 

Trading Cozens for Norris did nothing to alleviate the situation.  We need to buyout Samuelson and trade Power or Byram to clear the proper cap room to fix the defense.  

I wonder if this is why we were starting to see the smoke around Peterka. Perhaps they've quietly decided they don't want to pay him. Not sure how I feel about him as a long term piece tbh. I'm most certainly NOT giving him a 6+ year deal. I'd sign him short term for now and see what happens. He either becomes a cap casualty down the line or he's good enough to be a core piece eventually. Right now, I'd see what the market looks like for him and see if you can improve other parts of the roster with him. I kinda like Benson long term over him as a top 6 LW.

[Broken Ankles]

31 minutes ago, GASabresIUFAN said:

It was me.  It was when the mid-season contract projections came out.  My comments then were keeping Cozens, Samuelsson and Power while trying to re-up JJP, Quinn, Byram and McLeod could be a cap disaster.  We’d remain a terrible team but one at or near the cap.  Doesn’t sound like a smart plan.  
 

Trading Cozens for Norris did nothing to alleviate the situation.  We need to buyout Samuelson and trade Power or Byram to clear the proper cap room to fix the defense.  

Samuelsson has value.   If you retain $750k for the remaining 5 you would get something in return.  Especially from Philly.   And then you save the other 5 years of a dead cap of $700k. The buyout is 10 years dead cap.  Same with Clifton.  If you retain 25% you get $2.5m in space even if the return is low draft capital.   Bridge both Peterka and Quinn, and go to arbitration with Byrum and trade Power.  That frees up ~$14.5.  JJP - $3.9m *2.  Quinn go to arbitration- what could he possibly get? $2m?  Arbitration for Byrum as well.  McLeod is 4*$4.5.  That’s $16 leaving you with $23 in cap space for traded players or UFA. A qualified GM who could spend to the cap could subtract and add.  Ours fail basic math literacy. 

[GASabresIUFAN]

3 hours ago, Broken Ankles said:

Samuelsson has value.   If you retain $750k for the remaining 5 you would get something in return.  Especially from Philly.   And then you save the other 5 years of a dead cap of $700k. The buyout is 10 years dead cap.  Same with Clifton.  If you retain 25% you get $2.5m in space even if the return is low draft capital.   Bridge both Peterka and Quinn, and go to arbitration with Byrum and trade Power.  That frees up ~$14.5.  JJP - $3.9m *2.  Quinn go to arbitration- what could he possibly get? $2m?  Arbitration for Byrum as well.  McLeod is 4*$4.5.  That’s $16 leaving you with $23 in cap space for traded players or UFA. A qualified GM who could spend to the cap could subtract and add.  Ours fail basic math literacy. 

Ultimately the key to the offseason is getting out from under Power and Samuelsson.  I've been talking about the disaster that is Power for months and finally people are seeing what has been evident all-season, the guy simply can't play defense.  He is Risto 2.0 except Risto was actually willing to hit someone.  Risto only now is beginning to figure out how to be a defenseman.  Are we really willing to wait 6 more years for Power to figure it out?   

[Thorner]

4 minutes ago, GASabresIUFAN said:

Ultimately the key to the offseason is getting out from under Power and Samuelsson.  I've been talking about the disaster that is Power for months and finally people are seeing what has been evident all-season, the guy simply can't play defense.  He is Risto 2.0 except Risto was actually willing to hit someone.  Risto only now is beginning to figure out how to be a defenseman.  Are we really willing to wait 6 more years for Power to figure it out?   

Get him a proper partner first on a non disfunctional team 

Or live or regret it 

Wookie’s worst nightmare

[GASabresIUFAN]

1 minute ago, Thorner said:

Get him a proper partner first on a non disfunctional team 

Or live or regret it 

Wookie’s worst nightmare

No.  I'm not pissing away another season waiting for him to get a clue.  Even if he  somewhat figures out how to improve positionally, his lack of willingness to engage physically will keep him a defensively liability.  We have Dahlin and we can re-sign Byram.  Sometimes you just have to move on from a player regardless of their draft status.  

[Thorner]

3 minutes ago, GASabresIUFAN said:

No.  I'm not pissing away another season waiting for him to get a clue.  Even if he  somewhat figures out how to improve positionally, his lack of willingness to engage physically will keep him a defensively liability.  We have Dahlin and we can re-sign Byram.  Sometimes you just have to move on from a player regardless of their draft status.  

On a bridge and staple him to Dahlin, sure. But he’s bad away from Dahlin. Dunno what having those two has to do with ditching Power - we already need help on D. He can anchor a second pair with a proper partner 

Edited March 14 by Thorner

[GASabresIUFAN]

5 minutes ago, Thorner said:

On a bridge and staple him to Dahlin, sure. But he’s bad away from Dahlin. Dunno what having those two has to do with ditching Power - we already need help on D. He can anchor a second pair with a proper partner 

I'm not saying Byram is good defensively.  Far from it, but unlike Power he is working to get better and is willing to hit someone.  I think we can retain him at a smaller cap hit than Power and I think he's a better player right now and will be in the near future.

My vision for the Sabres is to find two capable stay at home D that can skate 20-22 minutes a game.  One to pair with Dahlin to form a reliable top pair and free Dahlin to activate more offensively.  The second will pair with Byram to form a reasonable second pair.  I envision a Tallinder type player helping to mentor Byram.  

After that, it won't much matter what is on the third pair as long as they are reasonable defensively and add some energy.   

[Thorner]

12 minutes ago, GASabresIUFAN said:

I'm not saying Byram is good defensively.  Far from it, but unlike Power he is working to get better and is willing to hit someone.  I think we can retain him at a smaller cap hit than Power and I think he's a better player right now and will be in the near future.

My vision for the Sabres is to find two capable stay at home D that can skate 20-22 minutes a game.  One to pair with Dahlin to form a reliable top pair and free Dahlin to activate more offensively.  The second will pair with Byram to form a reasonable second pair.  I envision a Tallinder type player helping to mentor Byram.  

After that, it won't much matter what is on the third pair as long as they are reasonable defensively and add some energy.   

So a guy for the first pairing, and a guy in the mould of one of the best defencemen to play for the sabres ever.

and then i woke up

power continuing to substantially develop after the nearly past his prime age of…22 is within the realm of the living. And then some  

[Drag0nDan]

 

15 hours ago, Thorner said:

So a guy for the first pairing, and a guy in the mould of one of the best defencemen to play for the sabres ever.

and then i woke up

power continuing to substantially develop after the nearly past his prime age of…22 is within the realm of the living. And then some  

Similar number of NHL games for Dahlin and... i don't think i had quite as many gripes as i do with power, but dahlin wasn't looking particularly good.  I seem to remember Dahlin being sloppy in the zone and making a ton of mental mistakes.  Dahlin after that 200ish games improved a lot. He's faster, shiftier, more confident, more structured, more communicative etc.  So a lot changes in the 22-24 age years. 

He didn't have this wholly contact averse game that power has though either.  I don't see the extra gear in power's game at times, like i don't know if he's just slow or tentative.  Like he never is bringing full speed or power to his game.  You also can't be this soft as a hockey defenseman.  

[Thorner]

11 minutes ago, Drag0nDan said:

 

Similar number of NHL games for Dahlin and... i don't think i had quite as many gripes as i do with power, but dahlin wasn't looking particularly good.  I seem to remember Dahlin being sloppy in the zone and making a ton of mental mistakes.  Dahlin after that 200ish games improved a lot. He's faster, shiftier, more confident, more structured, more communicative etc.  So a lot changes in the 22-24 age years. 

He didn't have this wholly contact averse game that power has though either.  I don't see the extra gear in power's game at times, like i don't know if he's just slow or tentative.  Like he never is bringing full speed or power to his game.  You also can't be this soft as a hockey defenseman.  

At the end of the day, it’s very likely Power continues to develop in a meaningful way, due to several strong indicators like draft pedigree, raw attribute, usual aging curves, usual aging curves for D men SPECIFICALLY, and what we know of how the overall sabres environment affects young players. 

Draft pedigree alone is reason enough for me to advocate for him. Yakupov is the exception not the rule.

For all the frivolous, shot-in-the-dark, poor mathemical-odds avenues the sabres management continually pin their hopes on time and time again, I will happily, happily settle for resting on the odds of a first overall pick figuring it out. I can live with that bet, particularly relatively 

Edited March 14 by Thorner