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The point I'm making and stressing is that just because you can't get the bonanza deal done doesn't mean that you can't make enough smart moves that will consequentially improve your roster. The model to follow are the Washington Capitals. Over the past two years, their GM made at least a half a dozen deals that weren't headline deals, yet dramatically remade the team. Including in those deals were the addition of their two goalies who were an excellent tandem. It can be done. If you have a GM who is creative and enterprising, there are good deals to be made. The Sabres are in a lot better position to participate in the market than most teams. We have a number of good prospects in the system, some players on their current roster that can be dangled (most notably Byram), some cap room and draft pick to parlay. It can be done!

Panthers 2-0.

Adams needs to get off his butt too. I'm reading that Ottawa's primary off season concern is getting a top 4 D man so there's competition if one is in fact available. Sitting back and looking for the perfect trade or trying to win that trade isn't going to get it done. Unless of course they are interested in Byram.

You want me to be blatantly honest? No. No I do not see anybody wanting to come here unless maybe they were born in Buffalo and even then. Why would they? If I was a hockey player in the NHL you'd have to offer me a boatload of cash for any bottom feeder team and a perennial loser like Buffalo? Not a chance. Only if I had no other options. I'm just dreaming about type and style and what the team needs. I'm tired of supporting a loser and making/accepting excuses.

It’s significantly more likely Levi is never an nhl goalie at all than a good one. Man, that was a WILD time for a while. The suggestion he wasn’t Hasek was a hot take

Right. Forgot about that. Well, higher or not at all then. I just want moves and progress. Rolling out the same basic thing with Norris and Levi is going to fail.

14 year drought and we are still seeing “be careful with draft picks” posts super-serum, captain buffalo fans Never change

Sure they are

The $'s remaining in the '25-'26 cap are immaterial to signing a guy like Tuch to a new deal that starts in '26-'27. So, Tuch doesn't matter for that exercise. Really am leaning towards an expectation that they do bring in a vet goalie but with UPL going out the door this off-season as well. So, the goalie won't eat too far into the cap unless someone you find a situation like the Swamp Cats for some reason souring on Bob and being open to trading him; and that sort of move isn't likely to happen. Demko's the most likely established guy that MIGHT become available and he only costs $5MM against the cap in his last season. And, personally expect both Byram and Samuelsson going bye-bye this off-season, so there's money on the backline getting freed up. (Though also personally expect moving Byram to be opening a brand new hole in the lineup.) So, don't expect Bernard-Docker going away and would be mildly surprised if Clifton went away either.

As long as it's after July 1, the Sabres (or any team) could have a contract worked out for a guy with 1 year remaining on his deal prior to, or post, making a trade for the player. (The only exception is for players that have inked a 1 year deal. (You have to wait until January 1 to work out a new follow-on deal for them.) But why a guy who's contract has/will run out on July 1 would be signing a 1 year deal right around the new league year doesn't make a whole lot of sense on 1st glance.)

You really believe that Marchand would be interested in coming here, even if he was offered more money at this stage of his career? The same thought applies to Bennett. Just stop with this fanciful thinking. It might be fun imagining these types of acquisitions, but they fall in the land of fantasy. I'm not arguing that we shouldn't be taking actions to reconstruct the roster but let's not get carried away with what is actually doable. If you look at some of the deals that KA has actually made, they involve players such as McCleod, Zucker and Greenway. If we can add a few more of this caliber of players, I would be pleasantly surprised. I just don't see any blockbuster deals materializing involving players like Marner. If that is the case, then go out and make a few meat and potato deals that help to toughen and reshape the roster. If you can't make a big splash, then make more little splashes that add up.

Only problem with the offer sheet in the 2nd round range is the Sabres don't have their 2nd. Went to the Otters in the Cozens/Norris trade.

He was a -38, the next closest was -17 Season Age Team Lg GP TOI CF CA CF% CF% rel FF FA FF% FF% rel oZS% dZS% 2023-24 27 CGY NHL 78 1858.5 2069 2007 50.8 -0.6 1500 1429 51.2 -0.6 54.8 45.2 2024-25 28 CGY NHL 81 1942.8 1987 2191 47.6 -6.4 1425 1577 47.5 -5.9 44.4 55.6 He also had 36 total hits last season Weegar, the guy I'd want, led the team with +18, he did play the opposite start zone (56% offense), had nicer analytics and over 200 hits

Ha! Yeah, I'd bet that happened. Last time I saw the Sabres in MTL I wore my vintage Bisons "Pepsi Cap" jersey and I was surprised how many locals knew the jersey. He did have a 2+ game shutout streak too,

The pieces they already have in place have gotten them nowhere. Ship guys out. Adams biggest failure is identifying cheap vets that can help the team win. Every other team seems to do it but the Sabres struggle something fierce. Sign a superstar and make the other pieces fit. If Marner signed you could move on from Peterka. Move Byram . Bring in some solid pieces that aren’t costing $7-8 million each.

Which I believe, learning from the Reinhart trade, perfectly legal. Right?

Agree with all of this. Let's say they allocate $12mil to one guy... leaving them with what? $11m? I don't know, is that enough to re-sign Peterka, McLeod, extend Tuch... Quinn will probably get a relatively cheap bridge deal, and then what's left? Enough to find a veteran partner for Power? Upgrade Clifton, Docker? Sign a vet goalie? Those are all glaring needs.

You make it work. Bennett and Marchand I'm thinking is 15. Cuylle is projected at 3.43 and according to the internet if you offered him 4.67 you'd only have to give up a second. Would he take it? idk. I'm offering all the same. So let's just say 20 all 3. I'm moving Norris out and then Byram likely out as well. Byram makes 3.85 but is being projected at around 9 which to me is crazy but there it is. Norris is 7.95. That's your top 4 D money. Parayko for example makes 8. St. Louis isn't trading him but there's enough money to pay a top 4 D man. You might have to bridge JJP if he's greedy but I don't see a problem. The cap is rising too and then we shed Zucker and later Greenway. I see no issue.

I think you need to do a deeper dive into Andersson's underlying numbers and to watch him play. The contract is definitely a thing that must be accounted for before making any deal.

Andersson only has 1 year until UFA and had terrible numbers last year. Not exactly what we are looking to add

Certainly feels like they want to have the first unattended game in NHL history without a CoVid excuse

Why does it have to hurt so much?

This is sounding like how I came to believe the Roy for Ott deal was too big a no brainer to not happen. It is so easy to rationalize a Byram for Andersson deal that it has to happen, right?

I love watching Dallas play. If I could pick a team for Buffalo to emulate, gimme sum Dallas.