GASabresIUFAN

Good. I honestly don’t expect and goaltenders or any high prices acquisitions at the deadline. Still I loved to consider moving UPL for Vejmelka. He’d bridge us very nicely to Levi.

I wrote up thread that this is exactly the excuse KA would say when he didn’t do anything. Except the status quo isn’t working on 2/3 of the team. When you allow 3.4 goals a game and haven’t improved year over year despite adding Power, a full season of Samuelsson, adding Lyubushkin , and adding Comrie something has to change. Despite KO’s comments to the contrary,the players understand when changes are made for injury or ineffective play and they welcome additions at the deadline to bolster their playoff chances. Remember they play to win. KA will be selective in who he brings in. A forward like Greenway who has played for Donnie in the USNTDP should work in the locker room just fine. Adding solid Cup winning veteran D like Schenn or Jensen would command instant respect in the locker room. Both moved would be welcome with open arms.

Sure it’s possible, but given how hard our schedule is for the next 15 games and how shaky our D and goaltending are, I’d say the odds would increase significantly with some D help.

Agreed. This team has some real issues, and if we can utilize some assets like cap space and a few picks to fix them and help solidify a playoff spot, why shouldn’t KA make a deal or two? As I’ve said before, our first line is in their prime, the window is now open. KA - all we are saying is give playoffs a chance. KA won’t make any major moves until the off-season.

??? What trade our we “fleshing out” with a second. I’m talking about using a 2nd to upgrade the defense with a Jensen or a Schenn. Admittedly both are UFA after the season, but I can see KA re-signing one very easily. Remember we have only 1 D close to NHL ready and he might now even sign with the Sabres. If he doesn’t KA gets a 4th 2nd rd pick. For a guy like Greenway, he has two years left and KA might be able to get him for a 4th or just a medium prospect like Rousek. We aren’t really talking about major changes, just subtle ones to fill out the roster properly.

We can afford to part with 1-2 2nd rd picks. Assuming the player drafted in the 2nd makes the NHL odds are he won’t make an impact with the Sabres for 4-5 years. In addition KA can restock the draft capital by using our cap space to help other deals get. This way you get assets you need to be more competitive now and still get more players in the pipeline. Also who says that spending a second on a player with term doesn’t achieve both goals?

Greenway. He’s under contract for 2 more years and Donnie knows him well. From my reading, Minn will let him go cheap. Getting a youngish player in the lineup with size, some skill and has playoff experience with Tuch out would be a good thing. I agree defense is a more pressing issue.

Here is a pretty extensive available player list. https://www.tsn.ca/nhl/with-timo-meier-gone-to-jersey-patrick-kane-moves-atop-tsn-nhl-trade-deadline-trade-bait-board-1.1924138

You don't think adding a youngish physical forward to the lineup would help with Tuch out? JJP seems to have hit a wall and looks like he could use a break now and again.

Assuming for argument's sake that KA makes at least one move at the deadline. How soon does it happen? We have 2 games left before the deadline. Tuesday the 28th vs CBJ at home and then Thursday at Boston. FYI: We opened Feb getting pummeled by 3 playoff teams (Car, Cgy, and LA - 17-5) and now have won 5 of 6. A win vs CBJ with give us a 6-4 month of February. The other loss was to the hated Leafs at home 6-3. We have 15 games in March. 9 at home, 6 on the road. My hope is KA makes a move for D help before the Bos game, not after. We are going to need all the D help we can get if we are going to make it to the playoffs. The March schedule feature Bos (2), Dal, TB, Edm, Tor, NJ, NYR (2), NSH, NYI (2), and Wash. The only "easy" games are Mon and Philly.

Welcome to the board. Just thinking about getting the Atlanta locals together somewhere for a playoff game.

I’d be pissed actually.

Given that Tuch could miss the remainder of the regular season, Dahlin is banged up, the defense still stinks and the goaltending is spotty at best what should KA do? We have 3 2nd this coming draft, but no 3rd. We have no extra picks in 2024 and 2025, but we haven’t traded any of them either. Capfriendly says we have 79 Mill in cap space as well. If I were KA, I doubt he’d trade for a goalie. However, I do think even he realizes we need D help. I think a Chychrun deal is unlikely, but a deal for Schenn or Jensen is likely. I’d also like to see him pick up an extra pick or 2 using the cap space. This would free him up to add someone like 26 year old Jordan Greenway who has 2 years left at 3 mill (cap hit). He is having a terrible year, but in the right situation he could easily be a 40 pt player. He’s also 6’6 225 and willing to be physical. He has USNTDP experience and played for DG. My guess is we could get him for a player like Rousek and a 4th if we take the entire cap hit.

Sounds like we should get someone else to play goal.

There was no way Mitts was getting traded this season even before the deadline. Playing mostly on the 3rd line, Mitt’s is 5th among our forwards in Assists and Points.

No, but he worked hard all game and played well. The fact that Mitts is now consistently winning puck battles is what we all had hoped for and we should acknowledge the positive development. Maybe, but how many goals has VO scored since he no longer is playing with Mitts?

That goal doesn't happen without Mitts skating the puck into the zone and working hard to be the first to get to the puck behind the net.

I'm good with that. I'm also good with getting just Schenn or Jensen or even both. I still want Greenway.

Wow - There is a GM going for it and getting a player who bolsters them for years to come.

FYI UPL 25 GP 3.57 GAA and a .893 Save % Comrie 15 GP 3.59 GAA and a .882 Save % Talbot 29 GP 2.90 GAA and a 905 Save % Hmmmmm

With Vinnie getting his 1st of the season, Clague is the only current Sabres skater without a goal this season. Come on Kale, even Bush has scored.

As I have been saying since Samuelsson got hurt early in the season, KA needs to get better depth on D for this team. The goaltending would look much better if we could simply reduce the shots on goal 10 a night through better defense.

So where are we in the crease right now? Still in the same place we were the day Ullmark left town; with a roster full of mediocre goaltenders.

Watch the 3rd Cozens goal. Mitts digs the puck out from behind the net, and passes to Vinnie who rifled a pass to a closing Cozens. https://www.nhl.com/video/cozens-scores-third-of-the-game/t-336269816/c-15538608 Correct. Again despite the bonehead play and it was a doozy, Mitts had a really good game feeding Vinnie and Dylan and finished +3 for the game.