dudacek

This is a good post. To clarify my take here: my premise is that NHL experience generally makes for better NHL players: most walk before they can run. Therefore, the 150ish games the actual Benson has played should make him better prepared for the coming season than a hypothetical Benson who played his last two years in junior.

There’s a far better chance Benson will have a breakout year this year than he would had he played junior last year, due to the amount of NHL learning he’s already absorbed.

Your system is a measure of 2-way play, not defensive play. It’s usual, but not inevitable that young players struggle with defensive play. Benson is proof of that. Look where Benson ranks at goals against, shot attempts against and xGoals against.

Actually, they all fit what i am saying: the first group all took a jump in that window, the second group is all in that window. I specifically spoke about taking a jump this year, I never said they would be good forever. And my conclusion was " I would be surprised if a few of them don't pop". Which you agreed with. I used points as convenient way of representing improvement, so I guess lack of clarity there is on me, so to clarify: there is well-established precedent for players improving in the window where a number of Sabre players sit. Saying why this proven trend doesn't or shouldn't apply to certain players is fair comment. But pairing your frequent insistence that the Sabres are too inexperienced with an argument against saying inexperienced players get better seems inconsistent at best.

There's a real doubt around here that — well, not exactly that the kids will never get better, but that they won't get better now. Peterka jumped from 50 points to 68 after 159 NHL games Dahlin from 23 to 53 (and -36 to -22) after 197 Dahlin from 53 to 73 (and -22 to +12) after 275 Cozens from 38 to 68 after 120 Thompson from 14 to 68 after 145 Thompson from 68 to 94 after 223 Mittelstadt from 19 to 59 after 187 McLeod from 30 to 53 after 219 The above isn't unusual for young players. Byram, Power, Kesselring, Mule, Quinn, Benson are all at that approximate window. I'd be surprised if a few of them don't pop this year. The only real argument I see against it is 'because Buffalo"

Mason McTavish's name is on the market because he plays like Dylan Cozens and wants to be paid like Dylan Cozens, and Pat Verbeek doesn't want to repeat the mistake that was Dylan Cozens. By most measures, Owen Power has had a better career to date than McTavish. They are the same age and the same draft. Ryan McLeod had the same amount of points as McTavish last year and is much better in his own zone. I like McTavish, but thinking he's the solution to the Sabres problems seems a bit "grass is greener" to me.

They did at times, but he was a winger in the playoffs and I believe more often during the season

I'm curious as to how they're going to line up at centre ice. I think Osltund is inked as the 1C and Leschsyshyn and Dunne should get two of the other spots. But will Kozak be there as a 3rd defensive centre? Will Savage be the 4C if Kozak makes the Sabres? Or will Wahlberg or Helenius be moved back to the middle? I'm hoping its Helenius and he and Östlund take turns leading the offence.

All valid concerns and I have shared them myself. I wonder how much of "experience" is age, how much is in-game NHL experience, pro hockey experience, practice repetition, mental maturity, physical maturity, exposure to and comfort with NHL routine and lifestyle...so many variables. But there is no doubt this group needs more experience.

It will be interesting. Debrincat wasn’t invited, Robertson wasn’t on the 4 Nations team and Conner was benched 4 nations, so USAHockey may like those guys less than you do. I think Tage is U.S.A.’s 2nd best scorer and Tuch exactly the type I’d want in my bottom 6 so they’d be on my team🤷 But Ill be rooting for Canada so more Chris Kreisler please.

Jokiharju was a square peg last year. He’s gone. Clifton was objectively terrible last year. He’s gone. The biggest need was a physical RHD who could play 2nd pair minutes. Kesselring appears to be exactly that. The Sabres sucked at xGoals last year. They added 2 D in Kess and Timmins who measured very well in that stat. Dahlin is elite and he and Byram were analytically an elite first pair. Power should have better partners supporting him. Byram and Power are very talented and now have enough experience where it should start to show through. Samuelsson can and should be better, will be playing in a lesser role, and is coming in with a lot to prove. The defence corps is among the league’s biggest and can skate very well. The pieces seem to fit together in a way they never did with Bryson, Jokiharju and Clifton. Johnson and Novikov are close and might be ready to be better depth options than Bryson. I realize there remains projection involved and the coaching could be an obstacle, but I am more bullish on this D corps than any other aspect of the team. It could be legitimately good.

Longshot but a very interesting pickup. He’s a UsNDtp grad and played in Michigan state last year so right in their wheelhouse. Brian Savages son, and a D-first hardworking centre with history of wearing letters. Shoulder injury ended his senior year and might have cost him an NHL contract offer.

I hope this matters: the 23/24 Sabres had 7 players in their first 3 seasons (Quinn, Peterka, Power, Samuelsson, Luukkonen, Krebs, Benson) and 5 players in their prime (Tuch (27), Greenway (26), Clifton (28), Girgensons (29), Thompson (25)) getting regular minutes The 25/26 Sabres have 3 players in their first 3 seasons (Benson, Doan, Kulich) and 8 players in their prime (Tuch (29), Greenway (28), Dahlin (25), Thompson (27), Norris (26), Luukkonen (26), Samuelsson (25), McLeod (25)) expected to get regular minutes. (Kesslering at 25 and in his 3rd year could be classified either way)* The average age is still too low, but the maturity of the key players should be improved.

We're talking the kinda leap that doesn't happen too often right? A player stepping into the upper echelon of the league and leading a notable improvement in results and/or hope? Like Tage in 23, Briere in 06, Hasek in 94? I don' think anyone on the roster has that in him, but I guess that's built in to the question. I kinda expect Power, Benson and Quinn taking leaps, but not to that high a level. Best bet is Levi.

https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6562358/2025/08/20/nhl-front-office-confidence-rankings-2025/

Kevyn Adams. Imagine that moment in April when he smirks into the camera and says "I told you so." 😈

Damn that 2nd post was fantastic. Im clearly past my prime. Trade me to another board and give me my cup.

No, I’m talking about how I absolutely wanted that team blown up and you didn’t. I don’t want to revisit that discussion but it’s a fundamental disagreement that I think is fueled largely by our perception of that year.

91 points had many if us on thinking we were on the brink of the suffering being over (it has Montreal fans thinking cup contention. Six points less and we wanted Adams and Granato launched into the sun. Objectively 6 points are three bounces or borderline calls, but what matters is how you feel,

It’s about bad on top of bad. We’ve kinda had this conversation before: you kinda hand wave 2021 as a quirk of the pandemic, I consider it one of the 2 worst years of my Sabre fandom. We judge Adams through those two different lenses.

I’ve clarified, but I’m not sure it matters to the point: wins and losses matter, but what matters more is how the team makes you feel. Montreal fans like their team more than Torontos right now.

It can’t be results because the Sabres are coming off their best 3-year run of the past 15 years. Posted mostly tongue in cheek, but the above is straight up factual. 2011-13 was marginally better. The current run is also better than 02-04 and about the same as 06-08. In terms of regular season results, this group feels worse than it is.

It's not anything more than marketing. They sold the tank, they sold Eichel and Bylsma, they sold Botterill and Housley, they sold Dahlin, the sold Krueger and Taylor Hall, they sold Granato and his blinding light brigade, the sold the return of Lindy. Pro sports is sold on hope: when things don't work you press the reset button and sell the new beginning. They've run out of things to sell and they've given up trying. The fans are at the point they aren't going to buy anything other than wins.

I saw/heard rumblings from one or two local sources that the Sabres had talked to at least one person about joining the coaching staff but those discussions fizzled. I wouldn’t call it a “report” and what the persons role was going to be and whether it would involve replacing anyone was unclear. seemed pretty vague at the time and my recollection of it is vague as well. If someone has a link it would be appreciated.

Pet game day thread peeve of mine: The guy who rips the defence man after other team scores on the PP with a “left the guy wide open” Like WTF man, it’s a PK, did you think he was playing man-to-man?