GASabresIUFAN

It's why I say they are two sides of the same coin. Either guy is excellent without the other, but together they take each other to another level. Dahlin trusts Samuelsson to cover his back if he freelances some to create offense. Samuelsson trust Dahlin to move the puck quickly out of the zone and also trust's Dahlin to cover him if he pinches. They really are in many ways the perfect pairing.

I agree Jack is more valuable to LV. However best bang for the buck? Tuch. Next year when Mule's contract kicks in we'll have Tuch and Samuelsson for $9 mill. Would you trade both straight up for Jack? I wouldn't.

Yes and no. No I don't think Samuelsson is a better overall player than Dahlin, but I do think his skill set is essential to the Sabres success, he is better defensively and he makes everyone, including Dahlin, better when they play with him. I also think he provides critical leadership and the ability to keep the locker room loose but focused. I'd almost argue that they are two side to the same coin. Our 3-10 record in his absence is very telling this season and how improved the Sabres were last season when he returned from injury. In some ways he is our MVP although not our "Best" player.

Tuch's best year with LV was 20g 32a for 52 pts in 74 games. In other words .27g/gp and .70p/gp Last season in Buffalo he scored 12g 26a for 38 pts in 50 games or .24g/gp and .76 p/gp. So basically in line with his best in LV This season he has 15g 16a for 31 pts in 30 games. .5 g/gp and 1.03 p/gp. (He's also +7). Kind of scary that Marty thinks he still has another level. My guess is he thinks he has the skills to use his size more like Tage. He also has 3 more years at just 4.75 per season. Talk about bargain deals. Now compare to our from Jack. Jack has 13g 16a for 29 pts in 27 games or .48g/gp & 1.07p/gp. He was probably having his best two way season (+17) before getting hurt (again). So basically we are getting Eichel like production from Tuch for half the price. Both guys are 26.

Samuelsson. When DG needed someone to carry the team with Power out he played Mule 31 minutes. Recent reports I seen have stated that he is a future Captain. Marty said last night that Tuch still has another level. Peca thinks JJP maybe the most talented forward in the organization.

One thing KA can do is make Clague the 7th D. Every time I’ve seen him play he makes much better decisions with the puck then either Pilut or Fitzgerald. I still don't think he is a long-term answer or even a medium term answer, but he looks like the best of a sorry lot.

Clearly KA cares more about the depth in Rochester then in Buffalo. I heard Cecconi asked for the trade because he wanted to be here.

Apparently he wanted to be here.

Their going to trade Chychrun, Ghost and others. They can finish the tank without trading the goalie. They literally just extended him this past offseason.

And there was some rejoicing Sadly Joki is out week to week.

They don’t need him to trade him to accomplish their 2022/23 tank. They are already that bad.

The Sabres have played only 5 games with all 6 starting D in the lineup. Their record is 4-1-0. (17% of games ytd). The Sabres have played 10 with 5 of the 6 starters. Their record 4-4-2 The Sabres have played 8 games with only 4 starters. Their record is 2-6 Interestingly, when down to 3 starters, they went 3-2 in those 5 games. Our record without Samuelsson was 3-10 and without Joki so far 5-8. We’ll be down to 5 starters for the foreseeable future as Jokiharju is week to week and on IR. Lyubushkin is skating and could return soon.

I take that back. There is another goalie with term, a decent track record, but has also been scuffling of late and that in Stl’s Binnington. He has an NTC, but Stl would almost certainly trade him if they could. He has 4 years left at 6 mill, but if Bales thinks he can fix them problem (like he thought with Murray), he’d be a much cheaper acquisition vs Demko.

Why would AZ trade Vejmelka? Trading him would put them in our situation. They have a decent guy in the A, but after that their next goalie has a 3.62 GAA in juniors. Their current NHL backup is a waivers claim with a 4.57 GAA. Other than Demko, I doubt there is a legit goalie who can helps us available in season. Defense on the other hand, I think KA will have a much easier time finding help now, or at the deadline or in the off-season.

Just received my Peach Bowl tickets. Nose bleed city, but happy to be going. Getting nervous about the game.

I think his argument is that you build a team out from the goal and having stability in goal would have enable this team to turn the corner faster than it has.

Of course their isn’t one. You have to draft a few higher in the draft than the 4th rd, other than Power. Johnson is the closest but there is no guarantee he signs here. In the last 3 drafts we have had 13 picks in the top 3 rounds and drafted only 1 D (and only 1 G). This is not a shot at KA, who has done a very good job drafting overall, but just a statistical fact. If you want a top 4 D, you typically have to draft one and most are top 3 rd picks. Therefore KA if he is serious about a top 4 D and news reports say he is, he is going to have sign one next offseason or trade significant assets to get one. Who else would you go after and at what cost?

I don’t think they’ll be hockey gods. 😉. Yes, I do think they have the potential and skill set to be all-star level players sooner than later.

Neither defense or goaltending or just neither player? Other ideas are certainly welcome.

Taking the timing of such a blockbuster out of the equation for a moment, if KA is going to spend important assets like our 1st in 2023 and or top prospects like Rosen or Östlund on a top player in his prime, where would you prefer he spend the assets on defense or goaltending and more specifically on Chychrun vs Demko? https://www.tsn.ca/nhl/arizona-coyotes-set-high-price-for-jakob-chychrun-in-nhl-trade-1.1882610#:~:text=Chychrun had a career season,annual value of %244.6 million. The alleged price for Chychrun according to LeBrun is at least 3 pieces. Lindholm trade in 2022 as the reference of a 1st, 2 2nds and two other pieces. Chychrun is signed for 2 additional season at 4.6 per year. He is a physical 2 way D who has a career high of 40+ points. https://www.yardbarker.com/nhl/articles/canucks_reportedly_open_to_considering_a_thatcher_demko_trade/s1_16454_38146079 Demko, currently injured, has struggled this season after two straight excellent years. The Athletic sites NHL executives as saying the price will probably be a 2023 1st and a good prospect.

FYI: https://www.quanthockey.com/ahl/en/player-age/20-year-old-ahl-players.html - Quinn is 3rd all time in the A for p/gp by a 20 year old. Satan is second, Briere is 4th https://www.quanthockey.com/ahl/en/player-age/19-year-old-ahl-players.html - JJP is 8th all time in the A for p/gp by a 19 year old. Ahead of Bergeron and Patrick Elias.

In the off-season I did some research on the historical seasons they had in the A given their age group. Everyone else who did what they did at their ages went on to have good to HOF NHL careers. That research gave me real hope that they would excel this season. I even projected Quinn to score at least 20 goals and JJP 15. So far so good. Just wait until they add 20 lbs of muscle in the next couple of years.

Ty Smith is back in the AHL. Bryson is in the NHL (although I grant they he may be better off in the AHL). Neither guy would be in the NHL on a good team.

so, better when not playing together?

Usually and at the deadline. You do occasionally get bid moves in season like the Vanek/Moulson deal or the Johanson/Seth Jones trade. I do think because of the high number of elite prospects in this draft, I think teams will be in sell mode earlier than usual. 4 teams are already done (CBJ, AZ, Chi, Ana) and another few (SJ, OTT and Philly) are also probably looking to start moving pieces. Van because of their high cap figure and mediocre results, may also throw in the towel at some point as well, which is why we are already hearing rumors on Boeser and Demko.