GASabresIUFAN

Honestly, do the Sabres need Z or KO any longer? Besides leadership what does either player objectively offer? Our PK is terrible. Z's pts/g are down year over year. KO's are down significantly. Greenway was just brought in to bring a physical presence and improve the PK at half the price we are paying KO. The team's leadership is now falling on the shoulder of Dahlin, TNT, Cozens, and Tuch. Krebs has also proven to be pretty feisty and with Savoie and Kulich (who have both been on fire of late) coming soon, we may need the roster spots as early as next season. KA's decisions on both players may come down the stretch and how they perform in the playoffs (if we make it). Admittedly I can see both returning, but rationally it's probably time to move on from both.

Where is Kulich playing for the Amerks W or C?

Or you trade down to get more assets or your use your extra picks to move up and get the player you want. https://theathletic.com/4178376/2023/03/01/nhl-draft-top-prospects-2023-march/ Wheeler has Gulyayev (MHL) at 16, Reinbacher (AUS) at 17 and Pellikka (SWE) 21. He then has 4 NA D 34-37 (Morin, Dragicevic, Brzustewicz and Price) Having watched KA in his 3 drafts, he'll most likely let the draft come to him. He'll grab the highest guy on his list at 15-19 (depending on where we finish) and then take the best D. Our picks currently stand 15, 40 & 47. Wheeler has 12 D with 2nd rd grades. Surely one or two will fall right for KA to take one

I agree with much of your statement, especially if you're talking about a partner for Power. However, the drafting of D beyond the second round has rarely produced an impact player for the Sabres. Here is a list of the list of D drafted outside the 2nd rd to play 100 plus games in the NHL in the last 30 years Bryson - 159 games so far - 4th rd (99th overall in 2017) Borgen - 112 games (4 for the Sabres) - 4th rd (92nd overall in 2015) McNabb - 638 games (37 for the Sabres - 3rd rd (66th overall in 2009) Biega - 243 games (0 w Buffalo) - 5th rd (142nd overall in 2006) Butler - 407 games (155 w Buffalo) - 4th rd (96th overall in 2005) Sekera - 842 games (339 w Buffalo) - 3rd rd (71st overall in 2004) Hejda - 627 games (0 w the Sabres) - 4th rd (106th overall in 2003) Paetsch - 167 games (157 w Buffalo) - 7th rd (202nd overall in 2003) Wideman - 815 games (0 w the Sabres) - 8th rd (241st overall in 2002) Campbell - 1082 games (391 w Buffalo) - 6th rd (156th overall in 1997) Hnidy - 550 games (0 w Buffalo) - 7th rd (173rd overall in 1994) Not exactly a long list and really only 2 impact players for the Sabres.

Instead we got Riley Stillman. I’m surprised it hasn’t happened already.

Your welcome 🙂 Please see my post above. I don't think 28 games is a small sample size.

I forgot to mention that in my recap. The tripping call against Samuelsson was one of the worst I've seen in a while. The failure to call the hit on Krebs when the guy was without a helmet was inexcusable.

FYI: We have received .9 or better goaltending 28 times this season. Our record is 21-6-1. .899 or less our record is 11-19-3, although in games we received .860 to .899 goaltending our offense is so good we still went 8-4-1. However, 33 games of below-average goaltending is simply not good enough.

Where does Greenway slot once he gets here? The line of Cozens, Mitts and Vinnie looks terrific together (admittedly small sample size) Jost Z and KO seem fine together and Quinn is excelling playing with Thompson and Skinner. That leaves JJP, Krebs, and VO. Who are you sitting for Greenway? JJP?

Kulich is doing his 2nd half JJP impersonation.

The Islanders won against Det 4-1. Still trail them by 4 points, but have 4 games in hand. Pitt plays Fla tonight. A win by Pitt gives them a 5-point lead on us with one more game played. A Fla win ties them with us with 68 points, but with 3 more games played.

Don't make them permanent, just wear them for big games at home.

Just finished watching the game. That's the best our forwards have played in a while. The Cozens line and Jost really played well. To his credit, I thought Stillman played simply and well. Loved the big hip check, but not really the best time for a fight. Tanner just laid him out and who knows how long Stillman will now be out for. I thought Comrie played his best in a while. Not sure he was at fault for any of the goals. Goat Heads mean victory for the Sabres. Weird stat. The Sabres and Lightning finished their series 2-1-1 each. TB won the first two and the Sabres the next two. Each team won once in regulation 5-3 and each team won once in OT 6-5. I guess the teams are pretty evenly matched.

They added one of the best forecheckers in the NHL with 5 plus seasons of NHL experience who is only 26 and until this season was a consistent 30 point player. He is also willing to stand up for his teammates and loved playing for Granato. He adds elements we simply don’t have on our roster. Getting him for a LV’s second is a steal. I’d suggest watching the Sabres video when KA told Jordon he was coming to Buffalo. KA’s excitement is palpable. This is a player DG was pounding the table for. If you liked Marcus Foligno, you’ll like Jordan Greenway. Ask yourself what is the likelihood that a late 2nd rd pick becomes a full time NHL player and in how many years? If you get lucky maybe 1 in 3 become NHLers.

How about a Gordie Howe hat trick for his debut?

Goaltending. We have lousy goaltending and that equals a lousy PK. Out of goalies 74 goalies with 10 games or more this season, Anderson is a respectable 21st with a .882 save %, but UPL and Comrie have been worse than awful. UPL is 60th (of 74) at .835 and Comrie is horrific at 71st at .778.

Well said, although I doubt he even looked at the goaltending during the deadline. That seems more like a summer fix if at all.

The final regular season contest between Buffalo and TB happens at 12:30 pm today in KeyBank Center. The game will be broadcast on MSG & ESPN+. The new and hopefully improved Sabres need to get back on track following the beatdown at the hands of the Bruins in Boston Thursday night 7-1. This is a huge game for the Sabres as they now sit 4 pts out in the Wild Card race. TB seems locked into the 3rd spot in the Atlantic, has lost 3 straight, and trails Toronto by 5 points. Buffalo is 1-1-1 against TB this season. TB won the only game decided in regulation 5-3 on Nov 5th and also beat the Sabres 6-5 in OT also back in November. The Sabres overcame a late rally by the Bolts in Tampa on 2/23 to win in OT on Lyubushkin’s improbable unassisted SH goal; his first of the season and the first regular season SH OT winner in Sabres history. Sabres added two physical players to their lineup at the deadline in D Riley Stillman and LW Jordan Greenway. It should be very interesting to see how DG utilizes his former USNTDP player in his first game as a Sabre. Will he reunite Tage and Jordan or give Jordan a more depth type assignment? Tuch remains out. Rasmus Dahlin is skating, but is still listed on IR. Tampa added two forwards at the deadline. They paid a huge price (5 draft picks) for physical force Tanner Jeannot (200+ hits ytd) and also added depth C Michael Eyssimont.

KA said in his presser that will let a prospect compete for a job if they think he is ready.

I just watched the Adams presser on youtube. I came away with a fair number of thoughts and impressions. 1) He and DG were as happy to get Greenway as I was and they think the Jordan has another level and Donnie knows the road map on how to get him there. I read elsewhere that Jordan is a good playmaker. I wonder if they are going to utilize him some down the stretch in Tuch’s position until Alex returns. We don’t want people taking liberties on Tage any longer. 2) He really battled to try to get Chychrun but they simply asked for one of the 3 1sts from last year and that was a non-starter. I do get the impression that he offered our 1st this year as part of the deal. I feel much better about his willingness to fix the defense this summer than I did before watching the video. 3) They grabbed Riley because they think he also has more to give, but he was really the plan B if Chychrun fell through. I also get the impression that they like his physical game, but even they don’t think he’ll be more than a 3rd pairing player. Someone asked if these next 20 games were a tryout of sorts for Stillman. KA deflected some, but I think the journalist hit the nail on the head. Stillman, Bryson and Clague are all playing for their futures here (and possibly in the NHL). 4) No one asked about getting veteran leadership for the D, but given the discussion of the their priority of getting experienced young vets like Stillman and Greenway, I don’t think he views getting a Teppo or Lydman as a top priority. 5) He will let Kulich, Johnson and Savoie (and maybe Levi) compete for an NHL job as soon as next year. He said he won’t rush anyone, but if show they are ready he has zero issue with tossing them into the fire. JJP, Quinn, Krebs, Mule and Power are ready examples. I do wonder if that changes some once he has a playoff team. 6) I wish someone would have asked about his expectations for the team next year, as in (as @Thorny asked) “did your becoming a buyer at the deadline signal that playoffs are now the expectation for your team?” 7) He did mention that planted some seeds for the summer 8.) He mentioned that GM’s around the league want our prospects and not just the 3 1sts from last year. I wonder who else? Nadeau, Neuchev? 9) He traded Portillo because he didn’t want to be here. Johnson wasn’t traded. This seems like further circumstantial evidence that KA will sign him once Minn season’s ends.

Don’t count on it. Forcing Levi into this lineup would be the worst thing we could co.

Now if KA can just get us a Ryan Miller and Teppo/Lydman for the defense.

Draft picks are about potential. Asplund’s potential is that of a replacement level player and Portillo has starting goalie potential, although unlikely. Since replacement level players can be had on the waiver wire for free, they don’t have much trade value.

It has been reported by some credible sources that he intends to sign with the Sabres when Minn's season ends.

I don't think you have to worry, I doubt Tuch will be back during the regular season.