DarthEbriate

I agree with that. Theoretically, in a Frederic acquisition: KO retires, GM sees Frederic as the Zemgus upgrade, and Greenway was already the VO replacement in last year's lineup. But if KO moves on, Greenway becomes KO and you have a 3rd line (in 5-on-5 ice time; we'd all call it the 4th) of Frederic-Krebs-Greenway. Then, you might see VO still on the team as a 4th line scorer and PP guy if they don't find a willing trade partner for him.

True. I know they were traded before the UFA start. (some research).... Fiala: Traded for 1st and Faber (2nd), signed 7x$7.875M. RFA Offer sheet value, if you wait and don't pre-emptively trade: A 1st, 2nd, and 3rd. The trade appears the better option. Towes: Traded for two 2nds, signed 4x$4.1M. RFA Offer value: one 2nd. The offer sheet appears the better option. A revised question is: What is GM Sheevyn willing to part with to acquire the RFA Frederic before signing to an extension? How willing is he to wait and allow other GMs to make their trade offer first?

3x$3 gets him and replaces Zemgus. But more than the money, is GM Sheevyn willing to extend the offer sheet and sacrifice a 2nd round pick (they just gave one away for Greenway, but this would be the only 2024 2nd they own (at the moment). And the grander-scheme question, would he break the GM silence of extending an offer sheet? Particularly on a bottom 6 forward.

Bummer. I was thinking, incorrectly, he would be able to start working on his pro game next season. So without he or Johnson, they're still holding 0 defensemen on waivers-exempt ELCs next season unless Novikov signs. Or.... Nyberg or Lyckasen, I suppose

Savoie likely makes it as 12/13 next season because he can't play in ROC. I believe Kulich plays in ROC all next season except a toe-wetting 2-4 game stint. But the folks who are blocking those two are youngsters themselves: JJP, Quinn, probably Rousek, probably Jost. Adding Kane is all about the role... (see below) Exactly. It's about the role Kane plays. His comparable Sabres players are the PP-only forwards. Skinner, Quinn, Thompson, Mitts, JJP, and currently VO. While Kane might be better than VO: what's VO's current role? Healthy scratch. If they need another PP-only player they've got Savoie or even Kulich waiting in the wings.

I don't know if it counts as gritty, but I can think of 2 instances when Eichel was run and the first (and sometimes only) player who went barreling in to address the hit/roughing was Reino. Now, he had the advantage of being on the ice both times. He also was in the end-game line scrum at Arizona and then was laughing down the tunnel with Eichel and Bogo when I (foolishly) thought the team was coming together, getting scrappy, and the future was bright. They also had several comeback wins that first Bylsma season.

Do not or do not. There is no Kane.

I guess if Quinn had been a draft bust and if VO had no scoring value, sure. But neither of those are true. Kane doesn't fit on the roster and would be blocking Savoie and Kulich. Kane is also not a forechecker/disrupter which is the one role they need. It doesn't make any sense from the hockey side. The only way it happens is if an owner says they must have him for ticket sales. However, this team will earn ticket sales by being good and with the potential arrow sticking straight up. Let him go impact someone else's cap.

Leafs down 0-2 you say?

If the Sabres had made the playoffs (or if Dahlin had simply been shut down with injury instead of seeing his production drop while he played through it and thus the national folks see his loss as the reason they missed the playoffs), then he's a nominee.

The issue is the players who play on the two army teams and their contracts. Fedotov was on CSKA Moskva and was essentially trying to leave the team and his military service for the Flyers. Poltapov is also on CSKA Moskva and under contract through 24/25. Unless he flat out defects (maybe not the best idea for he or his family), he's not coming over the the Sabres system until the summer of 2025. Novikov should be able to join the Sabres this summer if all parties are amenable.

Nice! We may shortly be in need of a new Vi(c/k)tor who can shoot and maybe even be a bit reckless. Start getting this kid some garbage plates and whatever other stuff y'all eat in Rochester and hope he fills out in 2-3 years. The size/speed combo and SHGs, I think. Someone who knows he's a bottom 6 at best and has to fight for it, rather than a top-end skill who has to learn the battle and fill out the size.

Gavrikov or Graves would be excellent at that same Muel-rate and role. Just need to convince them that the Sabres are the next Devils -- ready to make the leap and stay on top for quite some time. Stay away from Dumba at 6 years.

Yay, Lindy Devils! Join Reino and Montour and... Dalpe! forgot about him, didn't you?... continuing on to the semis.

And for good reason. I'd want to play for the Sabres, but if I had been playing through this franchise's garbage for a few seasons (or even a couple)... hey, I've got short career timeline, 20 years if I'm a god-level and never injured, but likely only 3-8 years of prime career time. I wouldn't have stuck around here, either. Not when you're hiring coaches like Krueger or changing your GM or coach every other season.

I got a really good Star Wars prequel trilogy matching storyline with Sheevyn's 10-year phantom menace ascent to GM building around the chosen one of Jackikin Eichwalker out of it. Followed by Eichwalker's fall from grace, becoming more machine than man, and being encase in a Golden Knight's suit. Add to that the trade-offspring of Eichwalker and Reino Amdiala being Tuch and Levi (and a bunch of others) who will rebuild the Sabres to glory and win two Death Stars in the original trilogy timeline... I mean, there's some entertainment to it all.

Montour would've been blocking Joker. I'm a little sad (well, more than a little) that Granato didn't get the gig sooner though maybe that costs us Power. Because Montour maybe would have had a lot of fun with Granato as coach for another month or so. Anyway, he got traded twice and even Florida only signed him to shortish contract because they didn't believe in him either. Maybe he's gained some maturity as well as rounded out his game. But one thing is for sure: he's had a hell of a season and now postseason.

I suppose Tampa could be in for a really long stretch if they traded away Kucherov, Vasilevskiy, Hedman, Stamkos, and Point in a desperate attempt to crater the entire franchise for a #1 draft pick in a couple years. Then realized that they still had some good pieces in Cirelli and Sergachev and Hagel and traded them, too. Then, wheeled-and-dealed all that newfound capital to rebuild a completely different roster around their new #2 picks, then switched the GM and rebuilt a completely different roster, then switched the GM again and rebuilt a completely different roster again again. Then, sold off those not-so-new #2 picks for a completely different roster again again again. That type of effort takes time. And effective, economical, and efficient planning. 😇

Look at that. Take a knee-on-knee cheapshotting Crunch captain out of the lineup, add a Kulich back into Rochester's lineup, and the series suddenly looks very different. Hopefully, Cederqvist can get healthy. If they win, he'd be helpful in the next round.

That's only 2 seasons now, meaning he'd be able to jump the pond at age 20, just as maybe Novikov could potentially do this summer. If the Sabres rate him as a possible top-pair guy, it'd be hard to let him get past 13.

Östlund, Neuchev, and Novikov would be an injection of talent to the Amerks akin to Quinn, JJP, and Samuelsson -- but I think with 1-2 year longer runways on each which is better for Rochester. Neuchev in particular is a high-ceiling if he can become a team-/vision- and 200-game talent as opposed to "just take on the MHL myself" type.

Anger leads to hate, hate leads to suffering. And purposeful suffering leads to hating your organization's capitulation, cheering against your own franchise, churning GMs and coaches which resets all rebuild parameters, windows, player types/styles, and game types/styles (side note: I do think GMTM's team does eventually get back to the playoffs before 11 years, but they reset to JBot. I think his ROR/Eich core also makes it to the playoffs before 11 years except for the Krueger hire, but once you spin your wheels you just keep spinning because it's a good trick to play on the fanbase.) And eventually... suffering leads to decreased season ticket sales and apathy.

But it's good having Kulich back in the lineup.

What!?I ...I've watched all the memes.

But even as a 5/6 he'd have kept Bryson/Clague off the ice for many games this past season. OR another UFA D last summer would have. 😇 The good news on Borgen is that he's becoming a viable top 6 with some muscle and poise that many 'Spacers had projected and hoped he would become. And the Sabres kept Risto and traded him for an absurd package (for then-Risto).