Two or less

To me, it's hard to even get too excited about players like them because it just feels like we are wasting their careers. We have always dreamed to have players such as Jack, Sam, Ras and Tage play for the Sabres. Two of them have Cups, and their best seasons elsewhere. It just seems like Dahlin and Tage are also headed that way.

What ?

It has to be Luukkonen. If he can get his 2023/24 second half season form, the Sabres should be in a good position to seriously compete for a playoff spot. I think that's the easiest path for the Sabres to make a push. They are a pretty solid EV team, have a good defense (on paper) and can score on most nights. Goaltending holds them back. Not what you asked but besides Luukkonen i think fixing the PP is next important. Lastly, my dark horse for this season is Jack Quinn. Think he's primed for a big season.

I remember hearing Paul Hamilton talk about Housley a few years back on WGR and he said Housley played like 20 games as a center, fwiw.

If this is true, and Pegula hasn't been able to get any tips from him that his hockey club could use some changes, i highly doubt after winning 2 Stanley Cup's Zito would become interested helping out.

in seconded

Wasn't this a point of emphasis last summer too? Guys were saying they must be in top shape because it'll no longer be Donny's camp, but Lindy's and then later in the season we heard all about how players came in not in the best "game shape". What makes anyone think this year will be any different?

You're assuming a lot here. Theres going to be drop off offensively, mainly to guys like McLeod, Zucker and Tuch. The team is still soft. And until they change that, none of this will matter.

Why so negative? Ostund had 19G, 17A, 36PTS in his first season in the AHL all while dealing with a injury which kept him away for a while. 36 PTS in 45 games is pretty good, essp given the circumstances. He also got a cup of coffee in the NHL, didnt score but looked like he belonged. Rosen just scored 55 points in 61 games and had 5 goals in 8 playoff games. I wouldn't exactly sleep on him either. Truth is he hasn't really been effective in any of his NHL call ups but the potential is there.

Well..... wish i knew that tidbit before i posted. LOL Thank you for the insight. Im no longer worried.

Interesting comment by JJP.

I don't think he wanted to play in Buffalo for a quite a long time.

I'm not as down on our forward prospects as some here are, and i like Richard a lot, but he seems like a easy candidate to play it out and leave. I believe he can become a UFA in August 2026, similarly like Jimmy Vesey was.

I forget who said it but there was recently some talk that maybe Sardarian was leaving college to play pro in Europe (presumably in Russia) but i can't find it now.

It looks worse then what it is. Kulich and Benson are not considered prospects because they're on the main club but most teams don't have a 20 and 19 year old play a full season for them. Helenius, Wahlberg, Östlund, Rosen all look promising. Neuchev also did until his injury.

Byram won't be back.

79 points and thats after they went on a heater at the end of the season. 😂

Johnson hasn't made the Sabres yet and as long as Byram is here i think we can still pencil him in for Rocheser: Johnson - Rathbone Novikov - Metsa Geerstan - Komarov

He was always linked in trade proposals by NYR fans for Eichel back in the day. lol

Huck.... lower your expectations. lol The Sabres are getting none of that.

I disagree. He played four years of college hockey. Hes played 106 AHL games and 44 in the NHL. He turns 24 in three weeks. Last season for the Amerks he played big minutes and in all situations, and was on the ice to close games out. He is as ready as it gets. Either he needs to prove his worth with the Sabres - who picked him in the first round, or change organizations and give it a go somewhere else. Either way, the time is now for Johnson to show what he's got. He can't be in the AHL forever.

Hard to take too much out of these training, but one player ive heard that has impressed this weekend has been Luke Osburn.

They'll have a trophy tomorrow for the winning team.

The best comparison ive seen about this kid is Dougie Hamilton. I think next season will be very telling about what kind of player he is. First year he didnt know english and coming from euro game to a NA game is a huge adjustment. He needs to use his body more, he even said himself during the combine few weeks ago that he needed to be more physical and aggressive.

Of course, just like @gomper said this is a positive for the organization. We don't have many of those around here.