GASabresIUFAN

Don't forget TNT, Skinner, Tuch, Dahlin and Mitts' career years.

That's fantasy land. Krebs and Rousek maybe, but probably not.

Saros, Helle, Hart to name 3 although only Helle is probably available. I'd rent him for a year for Rosen, UPL, and another medium asset. I think it's that important.

He didn't acquire UPL. I'm not sure he acquired Houser either. Anderson played well for us but couldn't play more than 25 games. Levi is the future, but the rest are hot garbage.

I think you need to read my earlier post about Gibson. Gibson doesn't move the needle and is what KA was talking about when he said acquiring a goalie just because he has played a lot of games but isn't really better than what you already have.

It will be the difference between just making the playoffs as a WC vs being in the top 3 in the Atlantic division. I'd argue it could easily make a 10 pt difference in the standings.

I think Gibson was who KA was talking about in the quote I posted. (Stats from last season) Gibson - 53 gp 3.99 GAA, .899 Save % .481 Quality save % Comrie - 19 gp 3.67 GAA, .886 save %, .421 Quality save % UPL - 33 gp 3.61 GAA, .891 save %, .406 Quality save % All 3 stink to high heaven. Gibson's excuse was ANA's terrible defense and that may be partially true, but that doesn't account for all of it. KA is looking at Gibson's numbers and asking himself why would I trade for him when it's the same crap I already have? In his mind at least UPL, who is only 23, might improve. I'd sign Halak before I traded for Gibson.

Levi is the starter.

To add fuel to this fire. Stats from NHL.com https://www.nhl.com/stats/skaters?report=goalsForAgainst&reportType=season&seasonFrom=20222023&seasonTo=20222023&gameType=2&playerPlayedFor=franchise.19&filter=gamesPlayed,gte,1&sort=evenStrengthGoalDifference&page=0&pageSize=50 VO: On-ice Even Differential -18 JJP: On-Ice Even Differential -14 Both were on the ice for 58 goals against, while VO was on the ice for 40 GF and JJP 44 GF at even strength. VO was 5th on the Sabres with 21 EV goals and had 28 EV points. JJP had 10 EV goals and 27 EV points. How DG allocates EV ice time and allocates line assignments will come down to camp battles. I think the only thing we know for sure is that Skinner TNT Tuch is the first line, DC is the 2nd line center and Z and KO anchor the 4th line. After that I think DG will decide on how things play out in camp.

Is Prow signed for this year?

I just checked the Amerks roster and that is also looking like it’s near completion. They have under contract 2G, 7D, 15F once Murray and Weissbach re-sign. I don’t know if Neuchev and Novikov will be here in the fall, but I assume so. Rousek may make the Sabres. Komarov is signed, but I don’t think he is AHL eligible.

Amerks so far G - Tokarski and Cooley D - Savoie, Johnson, Metsa, Cecconi, Davies, Jandric and Novikov (is he here?). Komarov is signed but I don’t think he is eligible for the A next year. F - Mersch, Jobst, Richards, Fiddler-Schultz, Kulich, Rosen, Kisakov, Neuchev (is he here?), Cedarqvist, Biro, Kozak, Nadeau, Murray (QO - rfa), Weissbach (QO-RFA) and Rousek (if he doesn’t make the Sabres). Did I miss anyone? PS: thanks @Flashsabre for the missing names.

I completely agree but KA is “confident in the guys we have.” Hard to fix a problem that you don’t believe exists. KA’s rationale: “You can go sign a veteran goalie that’s played a lot of games, but if you don’t think he’s better than the ones you have, why would you do that? So you can walk in here and say we got someone who played a lot of games?” Adams said. https://theathletic.com/4661807/2023/07/03/sabres-free-agency/

My hopium was that we wouldn’t take the risk of 3 inexperienced goalies. Could Comrie comeback health and be the goalie he was that one season? Sure, I guess.

What else is he going to say now that he painted himself into this corner with the Levi or bust approach to goaltending? I do have to say that Adams was completely honest when he said he was going to improve the defense.

I do as well. It will be interesting watch the D-camp to see if our impression is the correct one.

https://theathletic.com/4661807/2023/07/03/sabres-free-agency/ I still have an interest in Pius Suter for additional depth.

https://theathletic.com/4661807/2023/07/03/sabres-free-agency/ That should put a fork in everyone's hope of a goaltender acquisition unless UPL and Comrie are just awful in camp. So what is our best-case scenario for our goaltending? Levi dominates in camp, stays healthy all year and becomes a bonafide No. 1 despite only 7 games of NHL experience. UPL wins the backup job and develops into a consistently average NHL goalie for the 25 games he plays. (I imagine Comire and/or Tokarski play 8-10 games this season). Worst case is that Levi doesn't prove ready to carry the team and none of the other 3 are up to the task either. KA is taking a huge gamble here. If it pays off he'll look like a genius. If it doesn't, it could knock the Sabres out of playoff contention for a 13th straight year.

It looks like the NHL roster is very close to complete. We have 25 players under contract for about 77 million. As of today we have 3G, 9D and 12F plus Quinn on IR. I don’t see any major acquisition(s) coming at this point, even in goal. So what’s left to do? 1. The biggest priority has to be getting Dahlin and Power extended. How much and for how long? 2. Complete Rochester’s roster. Murray and Weissbach have Q-offers to sign. Anything else need to done? 3. Trim the NHL roster to 23. Which D get moved or waived? Bryson and Joki seem like the candidates on the block. Do we move VO? Do we move a goalie or a 2nd D to add a 13th forward? 4. Camp battles: Who starts as Power’s partner? Where do any of the D outside the top 3 play? Who joins the second line? Who centers the 3rd and 4th lines? Where does VO play if retained? Can any of the kids crack the lineup? Who wins the backup goalie job?

We already brought back Tokarski.

Who is left on the market that has a connection to DG, KO, KA or the Sabres in general? If they don’t the odds of them coming here are greatly diminished. Look at the list recently Stillman - Connected to KA Greenway - Connected to DG Clifton - Connected to DG Johnson - Connected to DG and KO Even when we draft there seems to be a connection. The drafting piece illustrates using all available resources for better knowledge about a player. Benson - Plays w Savoie and played with Krebs and plays for former Sabre James Patrick Strbak - going to MSU to play for Nightingales’ brother McCarthy - KA’s neighbor. So who is left with ties to our team?

Marty is not a fan. He kind of poisoned the well for me.

I guess the question comes down to what people feel is a reasonable number of games played for a rookie goaltender with 7 games of pro/NHL experience in his first NHL season. The comparable players are Helle and Oettinger. Helle played 2 college seasons and put up numbers very similar to Levi. In Helle's 1st two pro seasons, he played (and dominated) mostly in the AHL (58 games in year 1 and 30 games in year 2). Helle played 26 NHL games in year 2 and then 56 in year 3 at 23 years old. Oettinger played 3 college seasons. In year 1 as a pro at 21 years of age he played 38 AHL games and 2 NHL playoffs games. In year 2, he played 29 NHL games. In year 3 he played 10 AHL and 48 NHL. At 24 (year 4) he played 62 games for the Stars. I think we need to approach this season saying 50% of the season of Levi in goal would be a good result. That, therefore, means we need a 1B. We don't have a 1B. Instead, we have 3 marginal backups. Levi is 21 by the way.

Not sure what you are getting at. There are crickets because we watched our terrible bottom 3 and then watched the playoffs and saw that we needed to be better defensively, bigger and harder to play against. We also saw how terrible our PK was with the players we had. Here are two upgrades in all areas. I also don't remember any posts here that didn't like the Benson pick. He is small, but the draftniks, like me, never thought a player of his skill would fall to us. I'm thrilled to have Benson. I personally didn't like the Stillman trade because I don't think Stillman is a good player. I'm thrilled right now that he is down to 8th on the depth chart.

@LGR4GM What is the market for his services at this point? How many teams can take on a nearly $5 mill cap hit? (17 already have $5 or less in cap space). How many actually have a roster slot? Most of the few teams with a roster spot don't have cap space or have RFAs to re-sign. In addition, there are better and cheaper alternatives. Guys like Tarasenko are still available as UFAs and guys like Yamamoto are signing 1 years deals for $1.5.