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Mango

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  6. Practice Lines 10/11/23

    in The Aud Club

    Posted

    41 minutes ago, PerreaultForever said:

    Clifton with Johnson is probably a good idea. Clifton certainly hasn't learned (?) how we play yet and imo it's a failure by the coaching staff to play him enough in preseason and get him fully integrated. Either that or he just can't make the adjustment cause things were so different in Boston. Pairing him with another guy more used to a shall we say traditional style will be good as he figures out his new teammates. 

    The lines are pretty much what you'd expect keeping continuity with last season. 

    I think this is one thing that needs a little bit of a shift from Donnie. I think it is fairly safe to assume that Dahlin, Samuelson, and Power would all be able to be successful in Boston. The Boston defense was a huge part of Ullmark winning the Vezina. Clifton was a consistent part of their success until the Orlov trade. 

    Clifton isn't a world beater, he doesn't need to be. But at some point our defensive "system" needs to be able to easily accommodate good players from proven defenses to help protect our goaltenders. 

    • Like (+1) 1

  8. Buffalo Sabres Cap Projections

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    Posted

    On 10/9/2023 at 11:44 AM, GASabresIUFAN said:

    Now that Dahlin is signed, what does our cap look like for next year.  

    Right now we have 12 players signed for next year (8F, 3D and 1G) for a cap hit of 53,206,070.  

    RFAs Power, Mitts, Krebs, Joki, Bryson, UPL, and Stillman.

    UFAs Z, KO, VO, EJ, Comrie

    If Power signs for 8 and Ryan Johnson, Kulich and Savoie make the team, that brings us to 16 players (10-5-1) for $63,967,736.  If the cap jumps to 87.5 million, that leaves about $23,500,000 to complete the rest of the roster.  

    How this plays out will be interesting to watch.  All eyes on Mitts, Krebs and Joki.  Assuming all have good seasons, will KA want to commit to all or just some of them?  Will KA bring back any of the UFAs.  My guess right now is maybe only EJ and that in the role of 7th D.

    (Cap projected at 87.5 next year according to TSN.CA -edited my post to reflect)

     

    From a roster maintenance stand point I feel like if we are going to bring up Kulich and Savoie next year, as well as Benson, we need more consistency from the JJP, Cozens, Quinn line. They need to fully arrive as a top 6 line. Not "going to be great top 6". But "are a great top 6". We can't have an NHL roster with 6 of the top 9 forwards "developing". 
     

    I think Mitts could be a good barometer of what is going on in the FO and/or ownership. If Mitts plays this year like he finished last year I would pay him just about whatever his market value is. What is the point in saving space for the young guys if you don't pay the young guys. 

     

    • Like (+1) 1
    • Agree 1

  10. How concerned is Sabrespace about the defense and goaltending?

    in The Aud Club

    Posted · Edited by Mango

    11 hours ago, SabresBaltimore said:

    I think it's way too early/too small of a sample size to draw any conclusions about the defensive pairings. I'm definitely underwhelmed so far. If this goes on for a long stretch and he doesn't try swapping up pairs, then I'll be more concerned.

     

    With regards to goaltending I'm no more concerned now than I was before. Which is to say a fair bit of concern. We have a rookie goaltender who could be great but is being asked to do far too much. I don't have a ton of faith in either of the others to be a consistent backup. I'd give the edge to Comrie though

    I have to say I am thoroughly surprised we didn’t add a goalie and a better defenseman in the offseason. Yet still are bottom of the league in spending.

    Even if we were always going to role with Levi I thought for sure that meant we’d spend in FA on one if not two big defensemen to protect the kid. 

    I just don’t know how we did nothing and are still at the bottom of league spending. 

    • Like (+1) 1

  11. How serious do you take preseason games?

    in The Aud Club

    Posted

    I want 105-110 points this season. That’s a 15-20 point increase YoY. Similar to the Devils who also had a young team but matured over a season or two. 

    I didn’t need the preseason to be good but I needed it to flash that we were a young, skill-driven, fast team who were committed to better defense from all 5 on the ice.

    Pair that with a failure to upgrade defense and goalie; I find myself carrying 12 years of anxiety at the moment. 

    • Like (+1) 2

  12. How serious do you take preseason games?

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    Posted

    2 hours ago, Marvin said:

    One thing that all the experimenting in the preseason has done is keeping players from developing chemistry.  I saw a lot of hesitancy in the passing the last few games because players were unsure of where they should be, where they should go, and where others should be.

    What worries me the most from the above is how often players got lost in their assignments.  For instance, on the first goal, it is some forward's assignment to drop back when Dahlin goes deep in the zone.  But no one did, which indicates a lack of communication or a lack of awareness.  When they executed their system at both ends, they were very good -- but there were a lot of breakdowns.

    This is one of those things you expect to get better as camp goes on. 

  14. How concerned is Sabrespace about the defense and goaltending?

    in The Aud Club

    Posted

    20 minutes ago, GASabresIUFAN said:

    This is an excellent question.  

    This is a big part of why I really wanted/needed Adams to address the personnel for the defensemen and goaltending. The explanation of goaltending and defense has been pretty muddled with “young guys, learning the game” but also “system”. 
     

    I really wanted to cross personnel off the list so we could get a clear inventory of problems for 24-25. 

  15. Training Camp Roster Moves

    in The Aud Club

    Posted · Edited by Mango

    23 minutes ago, Believer said:

    UPL just turned 23… Takes time to develop NHL goalie skills…

    He has the size… He is developing his hockey sense, movement, glove, blocker, breakaway…

    His aggressiveness and compete need more work… With success will come confidence…

    Look at the swagger Levi developed in his remarkable amateur and college years… 

    Doubt the Sabres give up on UPL at this point in their investment of time in him.

    My thing here is, “at what cost?”

    Devon will need a reliever at best and an actual starter at worst. 

    The team just missed the playoffs last year. It’s year 4 of this regime, and we’re going into year 13 of the longest drought in league history. Sticking with UPL is what’s best for UPL. But UPL isn’t necessary for this teams success. 
     

    What’s best for the Sabres future is that this team be better than it’s ever been in the last 13 years by a large margin. 

    • Like (+1) 1

  16. How concerned is Sabrespace about the defense and goaltending?

    in The Aud Club

    Posted

    I was very high on this team coming into the season. I thought for sure we’d have at least one new top 4 defenseman, a goalie, and a new assistant coach. We kept hearing that “money isn’t an issue”. But here we are basically rolling the whole thing back with the 31st most expensive roster. 

    Pre-season has been bad with little redeeming quality other than Benson. I get it’s pre-season but for me a historically bad hockey owner doesn’t get the benefit of the doubt.
     

    I am unsure of Adams/Donnie have peaked here and this is all by design. Or if Pegula is holding the purse strings tight. 
     

    I’m excited for the season but I’d be lying if I said I am more concerned about this team today than I was last year.

    This regime has to work. I needed Adams to go shore up our deficiencies this offseason and Donnie to show he could coach defense. Or at least one of the two. I’m so sick of being a terrible hockey franchise. 105 points and a 6 game loss or playoff series win was my expectations for the season. That seemed like a reasonable timeline for Adams.

    I know this is so Debbie Downer. But it’s been a long 12 years. 

    • Like (+1) 3

  19. GDT: Sabres V Bluejackets 3pm ET đź“ş sabres.com đź“» WGR550

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    Posted

    42 minutes ago, LGR4GM said:

    No. Players who are not 20 on or by Dec 31st and from the CHL are not eligible to be sent to AHL while their CHL season is ongoing. The only exception is if you have 4 accrued CHL seasons, then you can. Benson does not qualify. 

    I don't think they are, they are just figuring out the depth chart with them.

    I don’t believe he qualifies next year or the year after since his birthday is May and he has zero CHL seasons. He’ll make the roster before he has AHL eligibility.  

  20. What are the 2023/24 Sabres' internal expectations

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    Posted

    2 hours ago, Taro T said:

    Which is why at the B&G Insights last spring, though really wanted to ask Adams about 10 other questions, the one that was actually asked was whether he'd say the playoffs were the goal this season.  IMHO, and have stated this before, it was very important for the fans to finally hear him say yes.  Though he's been consistent in saying since the playoffs have entered their vocabulary that they aren't actually the goal - consistently competing for the Stanley Cup is and will continue to be the goal.  Even that day, the playoffs themselves were not the goal.  Competing for the Stanley Cup is the goal.  (And though WINNING the Stanley Cup is the ultimate goal there is too much luck involved for that to be THE goal they are measuring themselves against.  The goal is to be legit contenders from here on out.)

    And personally really do like that they aren't baby stepping the goal to being happy with making the playoffs but then not doing anything should they get there.  (And this year they should get there.)

    When we ended last season l thought we had a lot of comps to NJ. My expectation is similar. About 105 points and play a competitive playoff series (6 games). If they sneak in at 95 and lose in 5 I’ll be disappointed. 

    • Like (+1) 1

  22. Sabres ticket sales still pretty dismal

    in The Aud Club

    Posted

    3 hours ago, PromoTheRobot said:

    Eventually this excuse will not hold up. Pretty close to there now. Then it will be cup holders and floor cracks.

    I guess the inverse is that Buffalo won’t fill a hockey arena? That doesn’t hold up historically. 
     

    I don’t think it’s an excuse; I think it is a reality. I don’t think Buffalo is permanently over hockey. 

    https://www.hockeydb.com/nhl-attendance/att_graph.php?tmi=5054

     

  23. GDT: Sabres @ Pens- September 28, 2023 - 7:00PM, Sabres.comđź“şWGRđź“»

    in The Aud Club

    Posted · Edited by Mango
    Add on

    13 minutes ago, JoeSchmoe said:

    What have you seen of him that I haven't?

    For a guy as light on talent as he is, you'd think he'd be giving it all to stay in the league by using his size. If he won't do that, give his spot to someone that actually cares.

    I think the second line to end the season with Greenway Cozens and Tage was a solid line. Much more complete than the full kiddo line.  
     

    EDIT: To add on, I think he was our best defensive forward as a whole. I don’t need him to throw his body around, the team needs somebody with Tage to account for his bad play in our own end. I thought Greenway was slow and laborious for a good part of last year. If he can find some explosiveness and play with some more speed, I think he can be a good line mate for a star who right now has a knack for being all offense. 

  24. GDT: Sabres @ Pens- September 28, 2023 - 7:00PM, Sabres.comđź“şWGRđź“»

    in The Aud Club

    Posted

    41 minutes ago, dudacek said:

    Definitely true. He had a terrible season last year.

    I don't think that should be how we define him, not with the rest of his body of work.

    He's a responsible defensive forward with a ton of size and enough offence that he can be the defensive conscience of a middle 6 line.

    I've been saying Mike Grier since we acquired him.

    I think he’s a good line mate for Tage. I am curious what this year looks like for him. If he can become a bit more explosive that could be a good second line with either JJP or Cozens.
     

    Re: Tommers, sometimes I don’t think he’s good enough in our own zone and has a too many head scratchers for a 1C. Or at least an heir apparent 1C. 
     

    Don’t get me wrong, Tage Thompson is a talent. But a guy like Greenway can accidentally find himself on the second line by helping a guy like Tage be a complete player. 

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