GASabresIUFAN

Hopefully, the plan is for all 3 Sabres goalies to retire or play elsewhere next season.

and Josh Bloom. So are Adam Fox and the Hughes brothers. PS: Why does it matter? The 2020/21 U20 Canadian team - Cozens, Quinn, Krebs & Levi.

The Sabres are at 72 points with 13 games left. They finished with 75 points last year (32-39-11). DB's best team finished 2015/16 with 81 points (35-36-11). We have 33 wins YTD, but are going to need 5 more in the next 13 to top that 2015/2016 team.

There are plenty of personal milestones to reach. 30 goals is still possible for VO, Skinner and Cozens. 15 for Quinn. 10+ for Krebs and JJP. 50 is still possible for Tage, who also only needs 13 points from 100 for the season. Dahlin needs 1 goal for 15 and 12 points for 75. Power needs 2 points for 30. Mitts 8 for 50. The last Sabres with 50+ goals and/or 100 pts were Patty and Alex in 1992/93. Last Sabre with 90+ points was Briere in 2006/7. Only 4 Sabres have ever scored 50. Alex, Patty, Rico and Danny. Only 5 Sabres have ever reached 100 pts in a season; Gilbert (2), Alex, Patty, Robert and Turgeon. Only 9 players have had a 90+ point season; Gilbert (5) Patty (3), Hawerchuk (2), Briere, Turgeon, Andreychuk, Martin, Mogilny and Robert with 1 each. Last D with 70+ points was Housley in 1989/90. Last D to 15 goals was Zhitnik in 1997/98 and last D to 60 points was Housley as well. Only 3 D in Sabres history have had 60+ in a season. Dahlin (1), Van Boxmeer (2), Housley (8). From a team standing point, winning 7 games down the stretch will give them 40 wins; the most since 43 in 2010-2011. Scoring 8 more goals will give them their highest output since 2006-07’s 308. Scoring 34 more goals will match the output from 1993-94 with 282, besting 2005-06’s 281. They have allowed 256 goals against. Right now we are a minus 8 for the season. If they can keep it here, they’ll finish with their best differential since 2011-12 when they were -12 for the season.

So yes, I believe that a little introspection is necessary. I’ve called on DG for months to alter the system to protect the goalies and try to limit the odd man rushes. I actually think KA has a basic idea of what to do. Getting Greenway and Stillman at the deadline was about getting tougher. Getting Lyubushkin was as well. Trying to get Chychrun was about upgrading the top 4. All of these are good signs for the off-season. Whether or not he can execute the vision is another question. From an off-season standpoint, the weight room is key for our young group. We have 8 players, many of them core players, under 24. Power, Joki, Dahlin, Mule, Cozens, Quinn, JJP and Krebs all play an important roles for this team. but because of being physically immature, they tend to get knocked around, including Mule. Just wait until he fills out. They need to hit the weight room and get stronger. For the remaining games, DG needs to get them refocused. He needs to tell them not to worry about the playoffs, but just go out play hard each period and try to win each period. They aren’t making the playoffs, but they need to learn to fight through adversity and play hard.

I agree that would have been ideal. However you don’t know if TP put limits on KA’s usage of his money for this type of deal. Remember that retaining cap comes with a real $ cost. In addition, most of the transactions were West players heading East. KA rightly didn’t want to help our opponents get better on our nickel.

The Goal is to make the playoffs! That's the only relevant goal at this point. How do we get there? 1) Get better goaltending. 2) Get better defensemen. 3) Learn to play tougher. A legit 4th line center who can win draws and kill penalties is now crucial. 4)KA now needs to focus less on development and more on winning. That means that outside of Dahlin, Power, Mule, Tuch, Cozens, Quinn, and TNT, every asset in the organization is available for the right price. Levi, Savoie, and Kulich will also be very difficult but not impossible to acquire. However, everyone else and every draft pick is available for the right price. Östlund, Rosen, Johnson, UPL, Mitts, VO, JJP, Greenway, Jokiharju, Krebs, Jost, our 1st in 2023 and 24, and both 2nds this year are available, but we have to get the right pieces back. This is going to be KA's biggest challenge. He has no experience building a winning team. This is his first attempt. I said before the season that we need to not only score more goals but learn how to limit them as well. The Sabres are allowing a whopping 3.63 GA per game. Our team save % is .891. Our PK is now down to 71.88%. Incredibly these are all worse than last year. To make matter worse, this team has regressed just when they needed to gel and play their best hockey of the season. DG needs to look in the mirror and so do the players.

Does it seem that they have given up?

It was joke.

Starter, as in the opening night lineup barring injuries. Basic the top 12 F, 6D, and 2G I think you are in general agreement with me Skinner TNT Tuch JJP Cozens Quinn Mitts Krebs ????? Greenway ????? KO (or Z if KO walks) Jost Dahlin Mule Power ????? Jokiharju Lyubushkin Stillman ?????? UPL This means trading VO, Comrie, and Bryson (or waiving and then assigning them to Rochester if not claimed). Not re-sign Vinnie, Girgenson (or KO), and Clague. Anderson retires.

I think there will be a minimum of 3 starters being changed. I’m hopeful for a 4th line center upgrade as well. Depending on how the kids do in camp, they could force someone else out as well.

@Crusader1969 and @LGR4GM in the Sabres missing the playoffs spread discussed roster changes this off-season. They pondered up to 5-8 roster changes for 2023-24. Crusader thinking 3 max and LGR saying there was 0 chance we'd have 5-8. I answered with the following but thought my answer was more appropriate here. It's an interesting question. How many current players return? There are only 6 FAs, including 4 UFAs ( KO, Z, Anderson and Vinnie) and 2 RFAs (Clague and Jost). Only 1 player on the current roster is certainly not returning and that is Craig Anderson. The rest who knows. In theory, if none of the FAs return that is 6 open roster spots and there is reason to believe that 3-4 may not return (Vinnie, Anderson, KO/Z, and or Clague) F - Cozens, Tuch, Krebs, Tnt, Skinner, Greenway, and Quinn will be back. Mitts and JJP are also almost certain to return unless KA is willing to trade one to help another area. VO is out of favor in general and should be traded. Greenway is getting either KO or Z's job and they'll probably re-sign Jost. Vinnie is likely going to try his luck elsewhere. (2-3 changes?) D - Dahlin, Mule, Bush and Power will certainly be back. Stillman was acquired with term. He'll also return. Joki is well-liked and I assume he'll be back unless needed to upgrade Power's partner. I'd move on from both Clague and Bryson. (1-2 changes) G - UPL and Comrie both stink and both should go. (1-2 changes) Like it or not 4-5 rookies may vie for roster spots next year in Johnson, Levi, Savoie, Kulich, and Rousek. There easily is potential for 5-8 roster changes. Dump Bryson, Clague, Vinnie, Anderson, Comrie, and one of Z or KO and you're there. Trade VO and your at 7 current players sent packing. We actually have had 5 roster changes during the season. In - UPL, Clague, Stillman, Greenway, and Jost. Out - Bjork, Asplund, Fitzgerald, and Sheahan. Comrie is on IR.

..... so after we draft Bedard, who will be our second round picks?

Lol

Are we back in the Bedard sweepstakes?

Unlike last year, when the team progressed as the season went along, this team is worse now than they were 20 games ago. Yes there have been injuries and the goaltending has stunk, but the coaching staff has not successfully adjusted to the injuries or the defensive structure to help the goaltenders.

He’s used to it. Have you watched NE play?

Levi! Levi! We want Levi! Nowwwwwwwwwwwww!

I figured now that Levi is under contract the trade is now official. Before it was just the rights to Levi who still could have turned us down. Very excited to see how he does.

So we traded Reinhart for Kulich and Levi.

March 27th against his hometown Canadians.

Recently bought Cure and Depeche Mode tickets.

Have the Bills improved at all so far this off-season? The OLine looks better with the addition of the new interior lineman. However, the loss of Edmunds leaves a huge hole on the defense that will be hard to replace. Singletary looks unlikely to return so right now the backfield is Hynes and Cook. Poyer and Martin return as the Starting Safety and Punter respectively. Cam Lewis and other depth have re-signed. Big signing of Kyle Allen to compete with Barkley to be Josh’s backup.

The big wild cards for me are Kulich and Savoie. I thought at the beginning of the year that Savoie would be in Buffalo next season because he’d have outgrown the CHL. I vacillated on that opinion at times, but the way he is playing right now he may give the Sabres no choice. Kulich is also coming on strong. Both guys’ contracts will slide if they don’t play. Kulich is an easier answer in that he can be in Rochester and they’ll want him to get stronger. Savoie is a harder question. I’m not married to the Orlov idea, but he fits the criteria of our needs on D; proven top four D, can play either side, proficient in an uptempo system, plus he adds playoffs experience and a veteran mentor. There are plenty of other choices, but when KA acquired Stillman, he mentioned how well he fit on a Florida team that plays a similar style to the Sabres. I suspect that any vet they acquire will go through that same filter. The Haula idea grew out of our terrible PK. The Sabres are 32nd in the NHL at faceoffs won short handed at 36.8%. It seems to me that adding someone who can kill penalties, win critical in zone faceoffs especially on the PK, while adding some scoring and toughness 5 on 5 will make a huge difference in the team. I just don’t see Jost or Krebs playing that role, although both have come a long way this season as forecheckers and in the D zone play. The Washington game confirmed for the 50th time or so that we really need help on defense and in goal.