Brawndo

Power is not expected to be on Team Canada as it will be close to start of the Sabres Season

I’m going to preface this with the fact I love Skinner on this team and that His resurgence this year has been sight to behold. I was one of the posters who argued for Him to be paid after His 40 Goal Season, as historically He had been one of the league best 5v5 goal scorers. Watching Skinner-Tage-Tuch has been a positive, along with the young guys growth in an otherwise dismal season. That being said, Skinner is tied with Minnesota’s Kaprizov for 4th on the list of the NHL for highest paid LWs in the league, 500k less than Ovi and Jaime Benn who are third. Skinner ranks 24th in scoring amongst LWs this season, Jaime Benn is the only one with a higher AAV who is scoring at lower rate. As great as the Sabres Top Line has been playing, only Alex Tuch is on an 82 Game Pace for Elite Level Production with 92 points over a full season. Skinner and Tage are on pace for low 60’s. Look at the teams that played last night on TNT in Florida, Carolina, Vegas and Colorado, they have a ways to be before they are there. Yes, the team has quite a bit of cap space in the next 2-3 years, but they also have quite a few players who are coming off of ELCs and those who will need new deals (Tage after next season) who are going to be due for pay raises and I would rather the team keep the younger core intact. Botterill taught a master class in how to evaporate cap space while maintaining Bottom 5 Finishes. VO will be 27 when His next deal starts, as I mentioned in My Original Post giving Him term and an AAV North of 5 million has the potential to hamstring the team moving forward. If he wants 2 years 5 Million, maybe even three years at that AAV sign him. If he wants a longer term with that AAV and or takes the team to arbitration, then all bets are off And yes every team will have players who are overpaid and underpaid on the roster. That’s the goal of having a strong analytics department who can find underpaid players who can produce.

Tuch was on WGR 550 this AM and He mentioned His Love of the 2005-06 Team. Both Jeremy and Howard mentioned that they have repeatedly told Kevyn Adams that the Sabres deserved to win that Cup and that Tuch should say the same thing to Him. Tuch replied with I’m not doing that, He’s My Boss and I have already been traded twice, I don’t want to make it a third time.

That’s fair

I’ll delete if you would like

There is Sabres Hockey Tonight as the team looks to make it three wins in a row. Anderson is in Net.

Olofsson is arbitration eligible and is one year away from UFA as Curt mentioned, he controls His Future. He will be 27 when His Next Deal Starts and Has been taken off the Top PP Unit and I imagine that Quinn is going to be a barrier to His Return to it. Couple that with the strong possibility He is going to be a third liner, His Production is bound to drop. His current deal pays Him 3.05 Million AAV, if He asks an for an AAV north of 5 Million with term, that’s were the trouble begins. Neither Skinner or Okposo are living up to Their Current Deals, but Okposo has embraced a new defensive forward role. Every team signs contracts that they regret at the end, but Skinner still has five years left on His and the potential of having two forwards on the wrong side of 30 taking up 14 Million in Cap Space in 3 Seasons is worrisome. Why purposely put the Your Team into Long term Cap Trouble for a player You know has the potential to have a rapid decline in productivity. Now if He wants to sign a Team Friendly Deal to stay with His Bestie Asplund, that’s a different story. 2-3 years at 4-4.5 AAV is certainly much better.

Of the two Jiricek is the more defensive typ, but he can move the puck and contribute offensively as well

I think Jiricek will be more likely, as Nemec probably goes Top 4 easily.

The Sabres Top Six is currently Skinner-Tage-Tuch Krebs-Cozens-VO With Mitts, Quinn and probably Peterka ready to step in this year or next. Two, probably all three of those players are better than VO and one will take His Spot most likely. Depending what His Contract Demands are, it’s possible that the Sabres would be paying a Third Line Winger North of 5 Million when in a few short years most of those previously mentioned players will need new deals. If the Sabres acquired a 4th First Round Pick this Year or a 2nd Next Season, moving one of those picks as part of a package for a Young RHD becomes most realistic.

I wouldn’t trade Him for anything less than a first. Find out what His Contract Demands are and if prohibitive sign Him to a One Year Deal and move Him at the TDL in 2023

This is from 32 Thoughts yesterday. 9. When it comes to Toronto, I still think the question is if they can clear cap room. They’re trying to move Nick Ritchie, since there’s no path back to the NHL for him barring injury or until the cap disappears in the playoffs. There is interest, but a buyout next season is only $300,000 against the cap so the Maple Leafs are pointing out retaining anything more than that doesn’t make sense for them. Remember: they also made Justin Holl and Travis Dermott available early in the season. Can they create any flexibility? I’m not convinced yet Toronto does a big rental on defence. Maybe the best depth defender they can find for what they need. I’ll take Ritchie and His Full Cap Hit and send back Miller (50% retained) for a First. Ritchie can stay in the AHL if there is fear of Him blocking one of Kids

Mitts doubtful for tomorrow

Unfortunately one is still employed by a team I care about