LGR4GM

I think in regards to Kulich that Adams doesn't see him as the #1 center, he sees Norris as that. Benson - Norris - Thompson Peterka - McLeod/Kulich - Tuch Zucker - Kulich/McLeod - Quinn/Greenway Greenway - Krebs - Malestyn/Lafferty/Quinn Idk if I love that lineup.

If we don't trade for a defender, here are the UFAs. Click on the position (POS) option and it will let you select what position to display, you can click on it again to add additional spots. Dante Fabbro, Nick Perbix are a couple of RHDs that are young and won't break the bank. https://capwages.com/players/ufas

Exactly. Which means the most logical conclusion is we need to acquire better defense and goaltending. Kevyn Adams has proven for 5 years he is incapable of that AND I personally believe this late season run will do the exact thing 2023 did, convince Adams of his own superiority and correctness.

Did this team make the playoffs?

Can't believe this has to be said out loud. Reimer is a nice story for a 37yr old keeper. Find an upgrade that's younger and better and stop this nonsense of "well, he played well for a month so good enough" because "good enough" clearly hasn't been good enough. They need to improve this because status quo is missing the playoffs.

Yes

I've tried to block O'Reilly from my brain... in all forms.

Gravitational pull of the moon.

Is it Benson? McLeod?

assess

Dobson plays better defense and I am willing to pay for that. If I get rid of Samuelsson and Byram, I basically pay for Dobson's contract. Even if I get rid of only Byram, I am almost at Dobson's deal so I can leave with that. I also wonder if Dobson having a down year helps keep that cap # under 10. 37pts doesn't get you 10mil a year for a defender. If you can get him at 9.5, I think you are getting a better player. I have 0 interest in giving Byram anything over 7mil.

The Sabres have repeatedly shown under Kevyn Adams they do not understand sh% or how regression and outlier stretches or seasons impact it. Cozens contract, ditching Reinhart, this years current hot streak. The team does not and has not produced enough chances to be sustainable over a full season, it is like when Vancouver was hot for about 3 months and then washed out never to return to those heights again. Think that was either last year or the 1 before but it is the same thing. We need more offensive driving guys and we need more chances, we can't always rely on the secondary scorers shooting at career levels. Thankfully JJP looks like he is at his average but I we have to drive more chances.

Dobson's projected contract on capwages is 10.5x8yrs Byram's projected contract on capwages is 7.27x7yrs

Dobson is better than Byram and plays the right, so I am more inclined to overpay him a bit compared to overpaying Byram. Dobson is 1 year removed from a 70pt season and has positive possession numbers. Bowen Byram: 23yrs old, 6'1" 205lbs, LHD: 7g, 31a, +13, 110 blocks, 71hits, -4.8xGF Noah Dobson: 25yrs old, 6'4" 200lbs, RHD: 9g, 28a, -15, 113 blocks, 56hits, +9.1xGF This is Dobson's worst season in 3 years (51pts, 49pts, 70pts compared to 37pts). This is Byram's best season. Since 2021, Byram does not have a + xGF whereas Dobson only has 1 negative. I think that Dobson is playing on a bad Islanders team that plays boring hockey whereas Byram is playing on a top scoring Sabres team. I think Dobson would do more with Byram's minutes in Buffalo than what Byram has done and I get a RHD. Idk if Lou would trade Dobson for Byram but I would start there and see what you can do, especially if Dobson prices himself out of the NYI.

Thompson signed his contract 3 years ago coming off a season where he got 8.55% of the cap. They will have almost identical scoring numbers, so 8.15million is roughly the equivalent to the 8.55% cap hit. Thompson 2022: 38g, 30a, 78games Tuch 2025: 34g, 29a, 77games

He's 2nd worst in the NHL in goals saved against average at -22.3 trailing only Georgiev at -32.7 I don't see a way to specifically look at his pp sv% versus others on here without doing it individually.

UPL's pp sv% is .811% He's 3rd in pp goals against at 37 with Columbus and Boston being tied for 1st at 38.

If Buffalo can trade Byram and sign Gavrikov and Dobson, I would be pretty excited for what the offseason holds. Ideally they add in a goalie too but I might be asking too much. If not Dobson, who else can we get on the right side? I might even just offer sheet Dobson for 9.1million x6 years if the opportunity arose. Small chance Lou will be like Not for that money and take the 1st, 2nd round pick compensation. Gavrikov - Dahlin Power - Dobson Samuelsson - Docker Clifton (or trade him)

You know they will. Adams loves his recency bias. Hell if you are in a contract year just play the last 20 games well and you can have a 20 year contract!

This one is my favorite https://chicagohockeynow.com/2024/07/06/chicago-blackhawks-daily-matt-savoie-trade-buffalo-sabres/ No sunshine, not making trades like this have been why Buffalo has been inept for so long. Buffalo has treated every single prospect from the first 3 rounds as though they are the 2nd coming of McDavid. If anything Noah Östlund has made Savoie even more expendable. Savoie: 18g, 29a, 60games, 0.783ppg, +16 Ostulnd: 19g, 17a, 44games, 0.818ppg, +20

https://www.thescore.com/nhl/news/2936236 https://www.eliteprospects.com/news/nhl/trade-analysis-edmonton-and-buffalo-both-did-well-in-the-matt-savoie-for-ryan-mcleod-deal https://edmontonjournal.com/sports/hockey/nhl/cult-of-hockey/edmonton-oilers-trade-ryan-mcleod-for-hot-shot-edmonton-area-prospect This has the best summary of comments about the trade I have seen including this laughable part: This is why I say that anyone interested in prospects should have an Elite Prospects subscription. They have really good and balanced write ups.

The Sabres traded their supposed #2 center and somehow are better even though the 2c they traded for isn't even playing. What a strange world hockey is.