GASabresIUFAN

Sadly it looks like Cody’s disease has resurfaced and he has retired from hockey again. Our sad franchise could use a person with Cody’s drive and heart. Best of luck Cody. Hey Kevyn hire Cody as a development coach. He could teach our kids a thing or two about hard work. https://theathletic.com/5464327/2024/05/02/cody-hodgson-hockey-retirement-comeback/

They should run a buy one get one free sale.

Honestly, I'm not impressed with either Hoglander or Kaliyev as NHLers so far. Pinto, other than the gambling thing, would be a good addition.

.... and you hated the draft pick 🙂 I totally agree with you on Ryan Johnson. He had a couple of bad games, but was good most of the time. He earned a role last season and should have stayed in the NHL playing a regular shift. He reminds me of Hank Tallinder. I also like your pairings for next season and agree with your thoughts on the Mitts trade. Getting Byram is nice, but it added LHD depth where it wasn't needed and left a gapping hole at center and tossed away our only legit playmaker. The decisions on Benson, Johnson, Mitts, Comrie, Levi and others have soldified for me that KA is the worst GM in the NHL and has no idea how to build a decent roster much less a playoff team.

I completely agree. We traded away Mitts because GMHD/TP didn't want to pay him. No way TP writes $14.67 worth of checks to Skinner to not play for the Sabres. I think our best hope to move on from Skinner is to trade him at the deadline and eat 1/3 of his remaining contract. Hell, who knows, maybe Lindy works some magic on Jeff and he plays again like he did in 2022/23.

Late in the day on Friday

Watching the USA vs Norway in the U-18’s. 4-0 in the first. I’m feeling sorry for Norway. This American team looks lethal.

And what will it cost to acquire the Mitts replacement in trade and how much will his cap hit be? PS: Mitts added 3 assists for the Avs last night.

Quick question. How does KA fill the hole at 2/3C?

His 26 EVP was 201st among NHL forwards last season who played 41 or more games. Still 4th line production.

The fact that Benson was in our top 6 forwards this season is an indictment on the GM and the other players on the roster. As much promise this kid has, at it's a ton, he should not have been in the NHL this season. It was terrible asset management and it didn't make the team better. He should have been in the CHL completing his 4th year in the CHL and then he could play in the AHL or NHL this coming season on the 1st year of his ELC. Just dumb. Did the kid show he could play in the NHL? Yes his did, but he was often knocked off the puck and took dumb penalty after dumb penalty. He was not physically ready of the NHL game and it showed all season. I'm not sure he'll be physically ready next season either because he is only 19 and not yet physically mature. Sadly, he won't be eligible to be sent down to the A if he again isn't physically because of his age. Oh well! I'm sorry, but while I like some of what I saw from Benson this season, Benson's production was 224th among NHL forwards last season. His p/gp of players with 41 or more games last season was 225th (tied with Greenway) at .42 pts p/gp. That was 4th line production. I also think the analytics place him in the top 9 for the Sabres, but considering how bad the offense was this season, that isn't much to write home about. Do I think Benson has top 6 potential? Yes I do, but in 2025/26 just in time for his next contract.

I never said clear out players to make room for Novikov. I said I’d love to see him make a run at a roster spot. Those aren’t the same things. I’m perfectly fine sending Novikov back down. Ruff’s complaint in the presser was having to work in 3 rookies on D because of the injuries. I doubt he’d have a problem with a single rookie making the team if he earns the job. it’s also not realistic to expect KA to add two veteran D to this group. That’s just not realistic with 6 guys (including Johnson) under contract, 3 RFAs and Adams already pinching pennies on player contracts. We’ll be lucky if Adams trades Joki and gets Ruff an RHD upgrade. Just don’t count on it. Adams traded Mitts to avoid paying him and the adding a Cup Vet thing failed last year when Eric Johnson had nothing left in the tank. You even expect Adams to run it back. The “biggest” roster changes coming are the depth forwards. My biggest hope is he trades a couple of our glut of forward prospects to add a 2nd line center. I’m hopeful, just realistic enough to believe that also is unlikely.

I don’t think that will determine whether or not we make the playoffs. With Ruff as the the coach, our D should be much better in zone than under Granato. That should make both goalies’ lives easier. I think the defensive improvement will be one of the reasons we make the playoffs next season. Don’t forget the tandem this season was UPL/Comrie and we ended up with a positive goal differential for the first time in over a decade, despite the offense taking two steps back.

I have become a fan of Novikov as well. He has a skill set that would be a nice addition to the Sabres D group long-term. As I mentioned in another thread making the D group next fall is going to be hard unless KA uses some of our excess LHD to add depth elsewhere. Still, I’d love to see him make a run at a roster spot. As to Krebs, under Ruff even a 4th line job could be a good position. Ruff wants to roll 4 capable lines. Guys like Gaustad and Hecht thrived in his system in the past. My worry with Krebs is that he doesn’t have the drive of guys like Hecht and Gaustad. Maybe his attendance at the presser is a good sign of a new player.

When I think about a Lindy Ruff team, I think about him rolling 4 lines, activating the D, and playing fast. I remember him always having some physical players but not being overly physical as a team. Tough, yes, but not grind you into the ground types. However the thing that always stands out is the good D groups. The 1999 team had McKee, Zhitnik, Woolley, Patrick, Smehlik, and Shannon. 05 had McKee, Lydman, Tallinder, Teppo, Soupy and Kalinin. Even last year’s NJ team was excellent on all 3 pairs. I look at Dahlin, Power, Mule, Byram, and the others and I see a bunch of talented kids desperate for a coach who truly understands 2 way D play and that is Ruff. When we are looking back at the 24/25 season next April (as we march into the playoffs) I think the defense is where Lindy’s biggest impact will be felt.