DarthEbriate

I'm sure there were other threads (such is the nature of 'Space), but are some of the preseason prediction threads from @Curt, @GASabresIUFAN, and @Doohickie. Obviously, don't reply in these outdated threads, but how does everything look after a season?

There are tons of veterans who bounce around -- they won't be part of your core but you give them a 2-year deal as a scoring boost. With that shot, VO can make himself a really nice career. Someday you'll sitting around remembering some guys and be like "Oh! Goalofsson! Remember that guy?" And you'll look up his stats and see that he scored 400 NHL points and you're like... "That can't be right." But he had 20+ goals/season for 10 seasons for 6 different teams and got to 402 points and you'll owe your friend a beer.

VO started the season on the top line, but Thompson was ice cold (new contract signed pressure? new baby lack of sleep?) and Tuch was on fire. The top line was reunited and... VO went to the perfect spot in the lineup for him: 3W. There, he provided excellent secondary scoring (75% of his goals at EV, only 7 PP goals), particularly in January when the 7s (Mitts-Jost-VO) got hot and Olofsson netted all the goals for them. And the rest of the story: terrible defensively. When the team struggled most in its own end it was VO and Bryson as puck after puck went into the Sabres net. There are scoring-deficient teams that will employ a much stouter overall defensive structure where VO could absolutely thrive (as a 2W/3W and PP specialist). Find that team and make the trade happen. Preferably out West so we don't notice as much when he turns into a 30G scorer for a couple seasons. I agree, thank you Victor! Not too shabby for a 7th round pick. I dig your dancing tunes.

One note on Boushh. He looked very good the first few games until he blocked the shot, then he looked like he was skating on a broken/severely contused foot for about 6 weeks. With better depth, he can probably rest for a month before coming back, but Muel, Joker, and Dahlin all missed time in the next couple weeks.

A side note on Skinner: When asked to waive his NMC for the expansion draft, he did so. His contract prevented him from being taken, but his resurgence easily could have been as a part of the Kraken's top line instead of helping guide Thompson-Tuch. The Sabres elected to protect Bjork instead.

Alright. Heading out to for Friday date-night dinner. Playoff-wise a bit short, but a very entertaining and promising season. It's been an honor to serve with y'all on the 'Space this season. Keep your S-foils ready to deploy.

Levi's gaffe in the end of the period should help motivate the Sabres to finish them off in the third.

Oooof, Levi. ok offense, go get it back.

3:1 Sabres advantage in shots and CLB can't get anything established but got a rebound early that hit Levi, Dahlin's skate, and Mitts had his stick lifted before he could get to it... It's not like the Sabres are getting steamrolled here.

Hud(BryGirgenOlofThompMuels)son: You maybe haven't been keeping up on current events but we just got our ***** kicked, pal! VasKrebz: All right, we got seven canisters of TNT-72 (replaced today by a bunch of VO-71). I say we roll them in there and nerve gas the whole ***** nest. Of Blue Jackets, which I assume are some sort of stinging insect. Wait... wrong movie!

Edited so it didn't look like I changed @GASabresIUFAN's responses. So what are Sabrespacer’s thoughts on the team? Either right on track or right on track but should've been more on the attack or still all a bunch of flak. What is overall grade for the season? A What grade would you give Adams and Granato (including his staff)? B It was stated as a development year and they did not deviate from that. My expectations were met and some were exceeded. I think Granato should have focused more on defense, but again, the stated objective was learn to score first and they did. What grade would you give the Forwards, the Defense and the Goaltenders? B Forwards: for what they were, they followed the offensive plan and produced more than any Sabres offense in years. For all the crap given to them about defense, they frequently made other teams who were stressing defense look woefully outmatched. They have a bunch of room for improvement in their own end, which is good so there's no resting on their laurels. B Defensemen: When healthy, they're good. When running with two injuries (or more), they were problematic. Dahlin can control games already, Power soon will. The issue was depth, which really isn't on the defensemen suited up playing above their station. C Goaltending: It was the known weakness going into the season and it remained so (Anderson needed multiple rest days; Comrie had multiple injuries; Luukkonen was an inconsistent youngster as was expected). Levi had one bad game in a small sample size, but gives the team a confidence they haven't had since Ullmark. What grade would you give the Power Play and the Penalty Kill? C- PP1 was a overly dependent on Tage and rarely crashed the net. PP2 needs Power to develop a shot (or at least take it to keep the opponent honest) but still managed to stay in the top 10 leaguewide. They'll be alright with tweaks and growth. The PK is Tuch and too passive. 1 experienced D and coaching change to be more assertive will do wonders. With the talent the Sabres are amassing, a mid-tier PK will be sufficient to do real damage in the standings. Edit: And it should be noted, the Sabres don't take many penalties and it's doubtful they will next year, either. Just getting to a middling PK rate will be fine since they just don't give up very many opportunities. Who is your MVP? Dahlin and it's not particularly close despite career years from all 3 top liners and Muel-Pace Pts% being a real thing. Who is your ROY? Power and it's not particularly close despite Quinn's excellent all-around game and top line potential. Who is your MIP (most improved player)? Mitts was 1C at the start of last season until the game 1 injury. We'd seen glimpses of a decent player and then he lost half a season again. This year he was given VO and an ever-changing cast of 3rd liners and he grew. His board work became among the best on the team, his feistiness elevated, he hit probably 7-10 posts this season. He really developed into a full-grown hockey player. And when a 1C was needed, he's been good enough to lead a playoff push against teams that needed wins for home-ice, etc. The question for the other most-improved contenders is simply gaining core and leg strength to fend off checks and win battles: Quinn, Peterka, and Power will take enormous strides when they stop looking like baby Reino and start looking 3rd-year Reino with better speed, grit, and shots. Who is your unsung hero? UPL. The season could have gotten away from them entirely, but he stabilized them and went 12-4 in his Dec/Jan starts. Did they need to score a bunch to win? Yes, but he gave them +.900sv% tending and swagger. Then, as expected with inexperience and unpolished goalie, he faded as the season wore on and teams scouted him as the Sabres #1 starter. But he is the reason the Sabres got past that 8-game skid and started the climb.

All they had to do was keep Crosby, let Letang and Malkin go to UFA, and save cash. Trade off everyone (Jarry, I guess) as a rental during the season and weave their Penguin-waddling magic for Bedard. Then, re-sign Letang and Malkin and Rust who would've all suspiciously signed one-year deals this season... and boom, igloo reassembled.

The Amerks on AHL deals are covered, it's the Amerks D on Sabres entry-level contracts that are missing. Going into next season it's currently 0. If Komarov signs an ELC, it's 1 (I'd put that likelihood at 95% unless he has some weird Memorial Cup desire for next year or plays the "doesn't want to be here" option). The only other pieces available in the pipeline are Lyckasen, Novikov, and Nyberg who don't have to cross the pond this offseason, if ever. RFA addendum: To start next season I think you can easily slip Bryson at $1.8M down to ROC. Clague would be 50/50.

This has nothing to do with the playoffs. Hextall was a dead GM walking for the new ownership. National pundits have been hearing this rumor for months. It was just a question of how quickly after the season ended did they can him. He was not going to be allowed to lead the team in the draft or new/next direction.

There is a significant ripple effect and it continues on from this season. The Sabres don’t have waiver exempt D assets for short-term injuries. They lost Fitz and then had to give up an asset for Stillman instead of having a waiver-free D guy available. The same will happen next season except Komarov unless they can convince European prospects to get out of their contracts to join the AHL only (unlikely). Or, you’re using your trade assets (VO) to get a prospect + pick instead of a 4D if you wanted to go the trade route. If not, it’s more Clague types who have to keep on the Sabres or risk losing when sent down.

Win and finish cleanly above the @deluca67 threshold.

(Edit: Because no Tager on the PP1, it's...) Time to get VO to 30.

But... there isn't an A on it. With the exception of the arm/tomahawk wrap that could be any team (which is subtle and cool, but... that's it?). Get some branding on the figure, marketing team!

It's ATO and Rochester or free agency and the final pick of the 2nd round in 2024. (And if he's still "making a decision", then he's already made his decision for UFA and just doesn't have the forthrightness to state it in public.)

This is the way.

Don't look now, but he's turning into a quality AHLer.

MITTS! Never gave them a chance to change.

Good PK. Sabres... maybe got away with a Too Many Men there. Would need to see a replay, but it certainly looked like there was a 6th skater.

Bryson dodged a serious charge.

I would to see Greenway continue to lean on Tkachuk after the whistle. You know... just lose your balance a bit and fall forward on him. Take him down over the back of the net and let his leg tendons handle it as they may. Just say "I was clearing the crease and Tkachuk grabbed and pulled me down on him... what was I supposed to do?"