GASabresIUFAN

I agree. I don’t see KA rushing Kulich or Östlund. Whether he goes to the Q so that the Sabres can monitor his progress easily or he goes home for a season, one of those solutions is more likely outcome. That said it’s not impossible to believe he’ll have a great camp and force the Sabres hand. He was my favorite draft pick and I think he’s going to be an excellent pro. His international track record is excellent and he was solid in a mens league in Germany. The one guy I can see being a little rushed is Savoie. Because of his age if he doesn’t make the Sabres, he’ll have to spend the next 2 years in the WHL. I suspect he’ll dominate this next season in Winnipeg and then make the Sabres the following year.

https://www.quanthockey.com/ahl/en/player-age/19-year-old-ahl-players.html

https://www.cbssports.com/mlb/news/legendary-mlb-broadcaster-vin-scully-dies-at-age-94/ I have been a Braves fan most of my life, but I think the best MLB announcer I ever heard was Vin Scully. I'm very sad to read that he has passed away.

I never said Peterka was 18. Actually it was his (JJP) 19 year old season according to the AHL stats, and that season put him in the top 10 in AHL history for 19 year olds. What JJP accomplish is very rare and most 19 year olds also don't fare well in the A. History says it's even harder on 18 year olds to prosper in the A. I honestly don't think right now that the A is the best place for Kulich. Management will certainly have the opportunity in camp to make an informed evaluation on where Kulich needs to go during camp. Certainly Kulich can be sent back to Europe for another year. It worked for Peterka and that may be the best. However if they want him in NA to monitor his progress than it's between the Q and the A.

Yes and no. Many of the developmental players in the A are 25+ and have over 3 years of pro experience. In addition 1/3 of the skaters in the league are in the late 20’s or 30’s. This is a mens league which is why what JJP accomplished is so rare. Historically 18 year olds don’t prosper in the AHL. The Sabres have no reason to rush this kid and it won’t hurt him to learn to play NA hockey is a league where he’d be in the middle of the leagues’ age group, be a kid that gets to play in all situations and hopefully dominate the league. They can also call him up.

Until we actually have goaltending as good as Ullmark, failing to re-sign Ullmark will remain KA’s biggest error and goaltending will remain this team’s Achilles’ Heel. I have hope for Comrie, but hope and a prayer isn’t enough.

Ullmark’s last year in Buffalo was a 2.63 with a .917. Anderson last season was a 3.12 with a .897. That’s making the goaltending worse, and unless Comrie comes through the goaltending is still worse. I agree with @PerreaultForever, without good goaltending, there is no way to become a contending squad and I don’t understand a rebuild philosophy that downgrades the goaltending in a vain hope that a prospect will save the day. Secure good goaltending and if the prospect wrestles away the starting job all the better.

Ouch

I wasn’t talking about this season. When you lose Ullmark and replace with Anderson you have made your goaltending worse and that isn’t even debatable.

When he made a lousy situation worse.

Who do you think KA would jettison to bring in this alleged upgrade? Bryson who he just re-signed for two years? Asplund our best defensive who can chip in offensively? Girgensons one of the leaders of the new culture and one of our few physical forwards? Vinnie? Jokiharju? Who? I think he’s pretty much done except maybe a 7/8 D and even that is unlikely. He isn’t going to block JJP or Quinn and he seems content to allow DG to choose his centers from the 6 already on the roster. I think if he can upgrade Fitz or Pilut/Clague with a proven vet and get another asset he would consider it.

Except getting goaltending.

Is Isiah McKenzie going to have a bigger role this season?

With a year in the Q and one in the A, I believe it will slide two years like Quinn’s did. If in the Q his contract also doesn’t count toward the 50 limit

The kid is 18 and won’t be 19 until very end of next season. He is also 20 lbs lighter and a year younger than Peterka was when he entered the A last season. JJP went back to Europe following the 2020 draft. KA has zero reason to rush Kulich. In fact, KA has every incentive to let Kulich’s contract slide once or twice to help stagger his prospects a little. I think he sends him to the Q and sees how it goes.

I don’t think Skinner’s contract as an issue for the next 2 years at a minimum. I see us at 63-66 mill in 2023-4 with KO being retained (2 x 3.5), and re-signing Cozens (3 x 4.25), Thompson (5 x 7.5), Asplund (3 x 2.25), , Samuelsson (3 x 2.25), , Fitz and UPL (both 2 x 850K). Rousek and Savoie make the team as Z and Vinnie exit. At the stated contracts we are at 63. In 2024-5 Olofsson and Byson leave but Kulich and Johnson join. Cap hit 74 to 78. KA re-signs (Mitts 4 x 5), Krebs (3 x 4.25), Dahlin (5 x 9), Power (3 x 6), , Joki and Lyubushkin (3 x 3.5 each) and Comrie (3 x 3.5). In 2025-6 I see a cap hit of 78 to 83. KO leaves and is replaced by Östlund or Rosen. Levi also replaces UPL. Re-signed Quinn and Peterka (3 x 4.25) and Johnson (3 x 2.25). I see 3 year bridge deals for Cozens, Krebs, Quinn and JJP because they won’t have arbitration rights and I’m not sure how much PP time any of them get to really boost their scoring starts. Quinn and JJP seem more likely to eventually get 1st PP time and if they do then my estimate on their bridge deals is probably low. One note, these are status quo rosters. If Savoie, Rosen, Kulich and Östlund develop quickly, they could easily force a trade of a Krebs or Mitts, allowing KA to save cap and maybe move on from Jokiharju and Lyubushkin.

https://theathletic.com/3452185/2022/07/29/one-of-the-sabres-best-teams-ever-has-become-a-feeder-to-nhl-front-offices/ I didn’t know where else to put this, but it’s a great article about the culture the Sabres built in 05/06 and how strong the leadership group on the team was. They also talk about how how the team’s hockey IQ was and how many of those players have moved or are moving into the coaching and management ranks. I’ve said before how much this current team reminds me of that squad. The key for KA/DG is to do what DR failed to do and that is lockup the right players to maintain the group once they start winning. The article talks about losing veteran leaders like Dumont, Grier and McKee after 2005/06 and not re-upping Briere and Drury during the following season. On a semi-sad note, the article discusses how many of these leaders are involved in other organizations like Grier in SJ, Drury in NY, Campbell in Chi, and Briere in Philly, but only Mair is with the Sabres as the Director of player development. That’s a little disappointing. Hopefully if Vanek, Pommers, or Miller want to join an NHL organization, KA will find an opening for them. It is a little ironic that KA, Buffalo native, was on the Carolina team that Won the Cup after beating the 05/06 Sabres because of the rash of Sabres injuries.

Yes and no. What Quinn and JJP accomplished in the AHL at their ages is unusual and everyone who has ever accomplished it has gone on to have an excellent NHL career. Again here is the list I posted up thread. The top 10 in AHL scoring at 19 years: Spezza (1.25 pts/g), W Nylander (1.18), Rantanen (1.15), Tomasino (1.10), Reichel (1.01), Pavel Demitra (1), Alex Holtz (.98), Peterka (.97), Vrana (.94), Bergeron (.89). That's a pretty strong list. Here is the top 7 list in the AHL at 20: Martin Lapointe (1.64), Satan (1.6), QUINN (1.35), Briere (1.35), Ryan Strome (1.32), Marc Savard (1.27) and Logan Couture (1.26). Another pretty strong list.

Depends on their playoff position.

Jeff will be 34 at the start of the final year of his deal. He'll turn 35 in May of 2027. I do agree with you that Tavares should also be considered for the list. I think his model seems to punish players on no-playoff teams. It also doesn't take into account how helpful Skinner's deal is in keeping this young team cap compliant.

What is Calgary actually going to do with Weegar (age 28) and Huberdeau (age 29)? I'm sure both guys want big $ and at least 6 year term. At their age those contracts would age terribly just like the Athletic predicted for Skinner's deal. If I'm Calgary, I trading one or both at the deadline if they aren't in a playoff spot.

I read the article as well. While I agree generally that Skinner, who just turned 30, is unlikely to keep scoring 30 goals and 60 points for the remaining length of this contract, I can see Skinner, who has been incredibly durable during his career, still be very effective well into his early 30s. I do go look at Pominville as a reference point. After 29 he had seasons of 59 (adjust for the lockout), 60, 54, 36, 47, 34 and 31. He retired following his 36 year old season. I suspect Skinner, if used properly, will exceed those numbers. If he stay healthy, we can assume we'll get 3-4 more good to decent seasons from Skinner before the decline seriously kicks in. So while I agree Skinner is overpaid, he's not going to be overpaid by 35 million over the next 5 years as the article suggests. I think the number is more in the 18-20 mil range. That's said, now you know why I hate really long contracts. Off topic a little, how much is Calgary going to have to overpay to re-sign Huberdeau (age 29) and Weeger (age 28)?

I'm not sure how they arrived at that number. He put up 63 points last year including 30+ goals. At a minimum that $100k per point, that's 6.3 mill per season. So with 5 years left on his deal he is currently overpaid by at most 3 mill per season or 15 million total.

I so excited about that kid. Apparently at development camp Rousek and Pekar took the kid under their wing and helped him acclimate as he apparently doesn’t speak much English yet.

What do we actually know about DG’s style of line formation? Ruff was a forechecker, a sniper and a playmaker when possible, he also had a defined 4th line that was more physical even if talented. So what’s DG’s style? Honestly I’m not sure because his roster has been constantly evolving since he has been the HC. This season will actually be his first with a roster with no JAGs and not really in flux. His biggest challenge upfront is how to utilize the 2 talented rookies and which of the 6 guys who can play center will actually play there and which will be sent to the wing. The rest is pretty easy. On defense the only real camp battles are who becomes Power’s partner between Lyubushkin and Jokiharju and who wins the 7th and 8th D jobs between Fitz, Pilut and Clague. In goal Anderson and Comrie will battle for the starters job, but my guess the younger Comrie is penciled in.