GASabresIUFAN

Your right. Kelce is just a phase.

I'm thinking a top 9 and a bottom 3. There will also be situational line changes such at Tuch moving back to the top line when we are trailing in the 3rd and DG shortens his bench.

Best way to attract young women viewers.

Did you really just go there?

@That Aud Smell Fanatics announced that Kelce jersey sales are up 400% and that they are getting huge orders for KC 87 jerseys with "Swift" on the back. I'm not sure what the big deal is, Philly already has Kelce and Swift on the same team.

My biggest concern is that if Swift and Kelce become a real thing (instead of a media PR stunt), my daughter may become a Chief's fan. She assured me yesterday that wouldn't happen, but I'm still worried.

I agree. It's why I wrote he'll start the season in Rochester because "He needs to be playing and gaining experience." My point was he may be the 7th best D in the organization and management may feel comfortable with only keeping 7 D (Stillman as the 7th) in Buffalo, because of how well Johnson looks.

I think people are being a little unfair about VO. Yes, the guy is allergic to two-way play, but so are Skinner, Thompson amongst other forwards in our lineup. VO has also posted 20 or more goals in 3 of the last 4 seasons and we have also seen him play excellent overall hockey at points, especially when he got healthy in the second half of 21/22. Yes, he was benched late last year, but he is playing for a new contract. Don't be surprised if he has his best season ever. His speed, great release, and decent passing make him a solid offensive fit with JJP and Cozens. I suspect they'll be getting a lot of ozone starts. Remember this is a line with two guys who can score 30+ and a young stud who is easily capable of scoring 20. How many teams can boast a potential 3rd scoring line that can pot 80 goals?

FYI: My youngest daughter is a huge Swiftie and just as big a football fan (UGA and the Bills).

Controlled Josh is a good Josh. I love the occasional Superman play like the one to Cook for a 40 yard run after the catch, but he is so much better when he takes what the defense gives him instead of trying to force it. If you look at the drive chart for the season, including the 1st half against the Jets, the Bills are routinely going 10-11 plays 75 years for their scores. They are mixing the run and the pass and as long as Josh keeps his head, the Bills Offense can score, keep the defense rested, and win. The Bills have actually lead the TofP in all 4 games. Josh in the last 3 games is 72 of 94 for 8 tds and 1 int. He has only rushed 10 times for 70 years in those 3 games. 11 players have caught a pass ytd, with 6 having 12 or more targets.

I think DG believes that Benson could be our version of Brayden Point. This thought hit home after watching Benson play the bumper spot on the PP where Point plays for TB. The Sabres PP got a little stale last season and having someone who can distribute and shoot in the bumper spot can really make the PP even more dynamic.

Don't like the Joki Power matchup either. Doesn't anyone on the Sabres actually look at our analytics? Also not sold on the Cozens line, but am intrigued by the All-American beef line of Tuch, Mitts, and Greenway. That line should be able to out physical anyone they play now that Mitts is also playing that game. This line is clearly DG modeling a line after the Foligno Erickson-Ekk Greenway line but with higher-skilled players. Benson remains with TNT.

While I agree Johnson starts in Rochester, as I wrote in my post, his play might dictate whether or not KA keeps 7 or 8 D in Buffalo. I believe Johnson may actually be the 7th best D in the organization. If management agrees that he is the 7th or 8th best D in the organization, then there is no reason to keep more than 7 D in Buffalo. The reason you don't start him in Buffalo is because there is no benefit from sitting him in the pressbox waiting for an injury. He needs to be playing and gaining experience.

Bad asset management is trading a prospect for a player the quality of what you can get on the waiver wire for nothing. Truthfully, we should be happy to lose any of these guys. None make our team better, none have any trade value except maybe the goalies, and all are easily replaced by others in the system, many of which actually have upside.

Apples to Oranges. I was pissed that KA didn't bring in a real D to help this team for a playoff run. Instead, he wasted a prospect on a bad hockey player who is still a bad hockey player. I'd be just fine if we added Stillman to our waiver wire and wouldn't miss him at all if he were gone.

Quinn is the 20th. I didn’t include him in my 12 NHLers because while on the camp roster he isn’t really competing for job right now. I fixed the post for clarity. Thx.

Are we really worried about losing any of Biro, Bryson, Clague, Comrie or UPL to waivers? These are all AAAA players at best. If Bryson is waived, he is unlikely to get claimed because of his cap hit. If claimed, Johnson or Davies become the 9th D. I can live with that. Johnson is probably the 7th best D in the organization right now anyway. If UPL or Comrie are waived and claimed, Tokarski becomes the 3rd goalie and his NHL and AHL numbers are better than UPLs anyway and I like what I’ve seen from Cooley as well. Cooley’s AHL number are better than UPL’s also. (Also if KA plans to dump either UPL or Comrie, he’ll find a trade partner. He’ll gets at least a late round pick). As to Biro, if claimed, we won’t notice he’s gone. Rousek, Kulich and Rosen are waiver exempt. Murray is also still around and we have two new AHLers who earned callups last year in Richards and Giroux.

@Brawndo , having Benson in lower in the lineup and using Krebs or Mitts on the wing would be my preference as well, but that doesn’t seem like the road DG is traveling. He has been very clear that Mitts will be at center and I think Krebs has been at center each preseason game he has played as well.

It looks like we are down to 33 players remaining in camp 20 forwards, 10 defense, and 3 goalies The 20 forwards breakdown as follows - 12 NHL vets, 3 AHL vets (Biro, Rousek, and Murray), 2 AHL kids (Kulich and Rosen), 2 CHL prospects (Benson & Savoie), and 1 on IR (Quinn). The D breakdown as follows - 8 NHL vets, 1 NHL/AHL vet (Clague), and rookie Ryan Johnson. The 3 goalies are the returnees from last season (Levi, UPL, and Comrie). The Roster questions remain" 1) Who gets Quinn's slot - Rousek (waiver exempt), Biro (must clear), Murray (must clear), Kulich (waiver exempt), Rosen (waiver exempt), Savoie (injured and goes back to the CHL) or Benson (CHL bound if he doesn't win the job). Right now Benson or Biro seem like the front runners. 2) How many D will we carry and can Ryan Johnson earn an NHL job in camp? The top 6 are set leaving Stillman, Bryson, Clague and Johnson (waiver exempt) to fight for 1 maybe 2 slots. I think Johnson starts in Rochester, but he has looked very poised with the puck. 3) Will we carry 2 or 3 goalies and who is the primary backup to Levi? Comrie has looked better in camp so far.

Actually, he would be replacing Quinn. I posted this up-thread as well. Rousek, Biro, and Benson are competing for Quinn's top 9 slot. DG is committed to Mitts at center, which knocks Krebs to the 4C and Jost to the press box. The 4th line of Z, Krebs, and Ko returns from last season. If you then allocate Skinner to TNT, Tuch to Cozens, and put the Minn boys Mitts and Greenway together, that leaves only JJP and VO to allocate from the returning forwards. This leaves a nice opening in the top 9 for Benson if KA chooses to go this route. Given that Benson has mostly skated with Skinner and TNT, the opening lineup might look like this: Skinner TNT Benson JJP Cozens Tuch VO Mitts Greenway Z Krebs Okposo (Jost)

I didn’t notice that. That’s great news.

Team played great and had a great game plan. Sadly an expensive win. Hopefully White and Benford get better soon.

Another issue with Benson is his contract. Sending him back slides his contract another year.

Truth. Jost, Z, KO and VO are all UFAs after this season. Somebody is going to replace at least 3 of those players. Sounds like a golden opportunity for Kulich, Rosen and Savoie. Hows this for a talented lineup Skinner, ThompsonBenson JJP Cozens Tuch Kulich Mitts Quinn Rosen Krebs Greenway I’m not even sure where you slot Savoie.

That’s the real question isn’t. Can they afford to play an 18 year old kid when contending for the playoffs? My answer is yes they can afford to take the risk. I would have argued like you did a few weeks ago, but seeing as Rousek, Kulich and Biro haven’t set the world on fire (although Biro has been solid) nor do they give us Quinn kind of upside at this point, I am willing to be more opened minded about it. After all, we are looking for a replacement for Quinn. Rousek and Kulich are waiver exempt. Biro would have to clear to be sent down, but I don’t think there is a huge risk of him being claimed. Looking at the forward group, I see Jost as the 13th forward with Z, Krebs and KO as the 4th line. If we allocate Skinner with Thompson, JJP with Mitts, and Tuch with Cozens, we only have two wingers (Greenway and VO) to allocate, leaving a nice juicy top 9 spot for Benson. I’m not saying it will play out this way, but it is a growing possibility.