GASabresIUFAN

If KA is wishing and hoping that Levi is ready as early as next season, he is out of his friggin mind. To ask a 21 year old kid who has never played a minute of pro hockey to save your goaltending situation isn’t fair to Devon, unfair to the team, a stupid move for the organization, and another reason for the fans to be disappointed with the franchise. KA needs to get real help in Buffalo this off-season, let Levi get settled in Rochester to start next season and if he forces his way to Buffalo during the season so be it. KA can make adjustments if that miracle happens.

Not sure if this is a good or bad thing. Does Beane replace in the draft or through Free Agency or both? The D will certainly look different next season. Curious if they expect the newly signed C/G to start inside next season.

You don’t think Rosen will play in the NHL? Even Alex Nylander is up to 87 NHL games and Rosen is already better at his age in the A than Nylander was . Nadeau is also going to play. He plays a down low by the net game. He is exactly the type of scrappy crash the net type of player we are missing. It will be very interesting to watch his development in the A next season. I suspect he’ll be biggest surprise next season. I was leaning toward putting 16 & 17 in the non-nhl potential list, but you never know with goaltenders and Marjala looks much improved vack home in Finland.

The first questions we should have to answer for any incoming D is are they better than Joki and would they fit our system. Take Orlov for example. He is a better player and I know he can succeed in an up tempo system. What about Mayfield? I worry about a guy moving from the D first NYI system to ours, although I like the player. It was mentioned up thread about KA looking for value assets in his trades. Stillman, Greenway and even the attempt on Murray are all examples. However the attempt to acquire Chychrun was anything but a buy low scenario. To me it signals and more open approach to getting what the franchise needs.

What are you talking about? KA specifically brought in Stillman and Lyubushkin to bring a physical presence to our D group. Stillman and Lyubishkin are currently paired together. We aren’t talking about Mule or Dahlin, we are talking about what to do with Joki and the 3rd pair. If KA/DG likes the two physical D together, that leaves Joki as an extra once a partner for Power is acquired. Let’s not forget that Joki is a competent player, but does nothing great. He is a decent in zone defender, he skates fine, but doesn’t add much O, rarely hits anyone or blocks any shots. By comparison Mule has nearly twice the hits and twice the blocks while averaging only 1 minute more of PT per game. If Joki partners with either Stillman or Bush that’s fine as well. It all depends on KA’s vision for the group, but if the vision is a tough physical 3rd pair, Joki will likely traded. To valuable a player to sit. If the vision is to field the 6 most capable D than Joki remains and Stillman drops to the 7th slot. Ultimately, KA shouldn’t be afraid to move on from any of the D below the top 3. None are all that great and all are upgradable and replaceable. If one needs to be traded to get a legit partner for Power so be it.

With Bloom and Portillo traded away and UPL graduating, I thought I'd update my list. 1) Savoie (C/W) - 35g and 87 pts in 58 WHL games - Ahead of last year's pace. 2) Kulich (C/W) - 17g and 35pts in 48 AHL games - unprecedented production for a 18 year old 3) Levi (G) - Another Richter Award Nomination (won last year). His numbers not quite as good as last year, but he is the NE team. 2.24 w a .933. 4) Östlund (C) - 26 pts in 38 Allsvenskan games. (2nd tier Swedish hockey league). Best performance from the group of former 1st rd picks on his team. 5) Rosen (C/W) - 29 pts in 50 AHL games. Very solid first NA season. 6) Nadeau (W) - His scoring pace is nearly that of Savoie with 20g 41 pts in only 28 games 7) Johnson (LD) - His offense hasn't grown at all in 4 years of college, but Mn trusts him 8.) Neuchev (W) - 12 pts in 57 K games at 19 years old 9) Kisakov (W) - 7 pts in 41 AHL games 10) Poltapov (W) - 10 pts in 56 KHL games 11) Kozak (C/W) - 8 pts in 49 AHL games. Kisakov, Poltapov, and Kozak have all had similar production in their leagues this season at 20. 12) Lindgren (LD) - Turned it on lately. Has 11 goals (33 pts) in 59 games. Not bad goal production for a D. 13) Komarov (RD) - Similar pt production in the Q to Lindgren. 14) Rousek (W) - 46 pts in 56 A games. Deserves a call up at some point - Age 23. 15) Novikov (LD) - Hulking D has played 62 games this season in the KHL. 16) Leinoen (G) - Sorry but I'm not impressed with an .858 save % in the SM-liiga or a .860 save % in the lower Finnish league. Wasn't a fan of the pick when it was made and not a fan now. 17) Marjala (W) - 9 pts in 15 SM-liiga games. Will KA sign him? 18) Cedarqvist (W) - 13 pts in 39 games for the 22 year old's first season in the A and in NA. 19) Huglen (W) - 14 pts in 33 NCAA with MN 20) Richard (W) - 49 pts in 43 USHL games - off to college next season. 21) Sardarian (W)- 7 pts in 29 NCAA games with NH. There are another 8 or 9 prospects in the system but I doubt any have any chance of playing even a minute in the NHL. Prospects 1-7 will all play in the NHL. Kulich, Johnson and Savoie could play in the NHL as early as next year. Prospects 8-17 could play in the NHL depending on how they progress. Rousek may get a call up this season. Prospects 18-21 are highly unlikely to make the NHL. Richard is the one guy from this group that could surprise IMHO.

The guy I’d start with is Orlov. He’ll be 32 next season. He is a Cup winner, has succeeded on up tempo teams and on trapping teams. He is having another good season and since traded to Boston has 10 pts in 7 games. I’d give him 4 years at 5.25 and see what happens. He’d be this team’s Teppo.

If we win the lottery, will people here give KA credit for drafting Bedard, or because winning the lottery was luck and drafting Bedard a no-brainer they'll say KA doesn't get credit?

@Taro T Ideally, he'd add two real D, but I think he feels he has already added one of the 2 needed D in Stillman. With 7 guys now under contract for next season, I think the best we can hope for is adding a partner for Power. I think he'd be perfectly happy rolling into next season with the following if trading Joki is necessary to get the player he wants. Mule Dahlin Power ????? (New player) Stillman Lyubushkin Bryson Clague (or someone else) Johnson Remember, this isn't what I want or would do. I'd move on from Bryson, Clague, and even Bush. I'd prefer Mule Dahlin Power New player New Player Jokiharju Stillman New Player I wanted KA and DG to completely rethink how they play D next season, but I'm trying to be realistic about what KA will and won't do. He certainly won't do the tinking I'd recommend. He is going to be slow and cautious.

And you’re forgetting that KA added Stillman for depth and more physical play. Also when he signs Johnson we are adding a similar style player to Joki. If KA envisions a bruising tandem as the 3rd pair, Joki may not be in his longterm plans.

It’s 10 putting us in a remote possible Bedard territory

I think you are forgetting the first adage of a trade. ‘You have to give to get.” If KA needs to trade Joki to get Power a better partner, would you really be against it?

The Sabres recent spat of lousy play has the team in the 11th draft slot, just ahead of Det. We have been passed by Ott, Wash and Fla. At 11 who are our best choices? Does KA go with another forward? That is where the depth in this draft is, but D like Pellikka and Reinbacher should also be available. Pellikka is a puck mover who needs help with his in zone coverage, while Reinbacher is already a solid 2 way D.

Ideally we’d keep the top 3, demote Joki to the 3rd pair and bring in 2 new pieces. However, I’m in the camp that KA is not willing to make that big a change. He brought Stillman in because they think he fits their style of play (he does - he is historically poor at in zone coverage) and has another year left on his deal. I also don’t see them walking away from the 2nd year on Bush’s deal. However, the attempted trade for Chychrun and the acquisition of Stillman is at least a clear indication that KA realizes what he has isn’t good enough. To me this make Jokiharju the biggest question mark on the D. Does KA denote him to the 3rd creating a RHD/RHD pair with Bush, moving Stillman to 7 and Bryson to 8? This opens the 2nd pair job with Power. or Given the demand for RHD, does he trade Joki to open a roster spot for a new partner for Power? The trade could be to acquire assets to help acquire the partner or if the new guy is a UFA, assets for the draft or a new prospect. The other question is how does KA acquire the partner for Power? Does he make a trade or does he sign a UFA? I doubt he’d commit to more than 3 years on a UFA. So that likely leaves the trade market as the likely source of the new player. Who is even available? Jensen was re-signed and is no longer available. While I said a UFA is unlikely, I do wonder if KA could get Orlov to sign here for 3 or 5 years? He’d answer our veteran need, is a Cup winner and still plays solid two way hockey.

How do we actually fix the defense? Dahlin, Power, and Samuelsson are the core and not going anywhere. Jokiharju, 23, RHD, has one more year at 2.5 and then is an RFA. Lyubushkin, 28, RHD, has one more year at 2.75 and then is a UFA Stillman, 25, LHD, has one more year at 1.35 and then is an RFA Bryson, 25, LHD (but can also play RD), has one more year at 1.85 and then in as RFA Clague, 25, LHD (but can also play RD), is an RFA That's 8 D under contract or control. Assuming for argument's sake that KA brings in two D this summer, who is retained, who is traded, and who will be waived because they value? How do they structure the defense going forward? Does Bryson have any trade value? How likely is it that Clague is re-signed? Will KA be willing to move on from either Bush or Stillman? How much trade value does Joki have and how do you allocate the D if you don't trade him?

No question both need to be upgraded, but when I said no goalie can succeed with how we play I mean it. Put Saros under the barrage the guys play under, we’d still need to score 5 a night to win. That’s not acceptable and no FA or player with an NTC will come here until the defense is fixed.

It doesn’t have to be a 35 year old player. It can be a 29 year old guy with 500+ games of experience, hopefully with good teams. Entering this season, Dahlin, 22, was our most experienced D with 277 games played. Joki, 23, was next at 213. What I’m hoping for is the modern equivalent of adding Teppo and Lydman like DR did in 2005. NJ added Marino and Hamilton the last two seasons.

Fixing the defense is the top priority. All 3 goaltenders need to go, but no goalie can succeed here (except Ullmark), without fixing the D and the forwards commitment to back checking. KA has needed to add veteran leadership to the D for two years and the need is even greater now. If the vet doesn’t partner with Power, than getting a partner for Power is the top priority after that.

The 7th is 2025, not 2023 (or even 2024). Sorry.

You say that but the draft success says otherwise. When the vast majority of players in the NHL are 1st rd picks and the vast majority of star players are high first rd picks, the data suggests these professionals do their job very well. @LGR4GM recently posted a chart about draft hit rate and what % become star players. Size also does matter. Have you seen Bryson getting physically moved off the puck game after game? However since the rule changes 20 years ago, the game has opened up and more small players are succeeding so more smaller players are being drafted. Savoie, our top prospect is only 5’9”. Bedard is 5’10.” Saro’s success has also removed some of the bias against smaller goalies.

Is this a surprise? These number are very similar to Scott Cullen, formerly of TSN, was writing about a decade ago. Bottomline: Any pick outside of the second is a lottery ticket and a prayer. Even 2nd round picks have limited value. It’s why trading a 2nd for a Jordan Greenway makes sense. It’s also why drafting only one D with 10 1st and 2nd rd picks over 3 years is a mistake. You don’t have what you don’t draft in the 1st two rounds. 🙂 He is the D that stands out given the Sabres longterm needs.

The truth is this team hasn’t been good against the top teams in the league all season. It comes down to a lack of depth on D, and goaltending. Those areas are also hurt by the system we play. This off-season is going to be the biggest challenge of KA’s career. Expectations have now changed. He can’t go with the status quo in goal and on defense. He must make substantive changes. I would move on from all 3 goalies. I also think DG needs to take a close look at his system. He needs to help the defense. I’m not writing them off completely for the playoffs this season. These guys keep finding ways to surprise, but the changes are needed regardless of whether or not they sneak into the playoffs. KA needs to look at what NJ did this summer and try to duplicate what they did to fix their D and G.

Could Fletcher had done a worse job? His long until Miller is a GM somewhere? They makes 3 from the 05/06 team.

What have we learned in the last few games? 1) We are still in the running for the playoffs, but we really aren't there yet. The goaltending isn't good enough, the defense is young, not very deep, and not good enough and while the offense is good in general, we could still use more depth. 2) It's time for max PT for all the kids. UPL, JJP, Quinn, Krebs, and even Jost, Greenway, and Stillman. We know Bryson and Clague aren't the answer. We know Comrie and Anderson aren't the answer. We also know KO and Girgensons, as much as we like both players, aren't the answer. Sit the vets if needed and let the kids learn from the experience. 3) Hopefully the expanded PT will help KA determine who gets what role next year and whether the player should be here at all.

Wow, I'm sorry I missed this one. Did Dallas just score again? We have been arguing about the D, but how bad was Comrie? Well, I guess we can relax now and just see what happens. Maybe the kids can get it together for the home stretch. At this point might as well play UPL most nights and find out if we have anything there.