GASabresIUFAN

I find it interesting that most of the discussion is about improving the forwards. We need to solve the D and Goaltending before “fixing” the deepest part of the team.

It's called political spin and it's a bunch or crap. They knew full well that Anderson/Dell was a crap plan B. While I don't give KA a pass for that blunder, he gets another bite at the apple this off-season and how he handles it might change the direction of the franchise.

I didn’t know Rasmus Sandin played for us last season.

And… so what. That list includes 2 players acquired mid season who pushed crap players out of the lineup. Only Mitts missed half the season with an injury. Z missed 1/3. Remember I’ve been an advocate for bringing back Vinnie. People keep saying send JJP back to start and make him and Quinn earn NHL jobs. That’s great to say, but they are making this team next fall unless they fall flat on their faces in camp. Considering JJP almost made the team last fall out of camp, I sincerely doubt he won’t make the team this camp. Guys as young as Quinn and JJP who dominate in the A almost never return to the A.

I agree. Anderson Dell was the plan B when Ullmark walked. It was a stupid plan. Anderson UPL would be just as stupid of a plan this coming season.

How much are you paying and where is he playing? Honest questions. What is your vision for him, who does he beat out for a job? Adding speed and goal scoring is always a positive. However, I’m having trouble fitting someone like him or a re-signed Vinnie into our top 12 when Quinn and JJP make the team. Right now our top 8 wingers are Skinner, Tuch, VO, KO, Krebs, Asplund, Quinn and JJP. Vinnie (if signed) and R2 and 9 & 10. Where does a UFA fit in? If this was last off-season, before the acquisitions of Krebs and Tuch, I’d be all over this idea like I was signing Vinnie. Admittedly we need a strong 13th forward given our injury history. If Vinnie walks, he’d be the perfect replacement, but would he come here as the 13th forward?

https://www.yahoo.com/sports/top-25-unrestricted-nhl-free-104611262.html FyI

While not perfect this chart is the best I’ve seen and is pretty accurate still when looking a recent trades. https://www.broadstreethockey.com/2013/4/25/4262594/nhl-draft-pick-value-trading-up So if some team wanted 16, 28 and 41, they’d have to give us at least 52 pts worth of draft assets. 7 and 45 is not quite enough but its close. Add a mid 3rd rd pick and that should do it if the Sabres are interested, thus 7, 45 and 76 for 16, 28 and 41.

Maybe they have a ton of scouting on him from when they scouted Levi. He is also part of USA hockey and therefore is well know to Nightengale

More draft tea leaves. Snuggerud, son of a former Sabres, interviewed with the Sabres and TP was there. Jack Hughes is rooming with Levi this summer. Bichsel is teammates and friends with Isak Rosen in Sweden. All notes are from Sabres.com

It depends on how they play this season. KO puts up 50 points again he is getting a multi year deal. Z may also be back. He puts up 25 pts with 10 goals and hits everything, he’ll be back as well. Who do we have in the organization who is a year away from the NHL and can fill their roles as well?

While this is technically true, we aren't spending anywhere near the cap ceiling. It also doesn't include Quinn, JJP, Samuelsson, Krebs and Fitz in the calculation. The real numbers is 17 contracts @ 43,607,997 plus bonuses in the ELC (12 Forwards and 5D). KA has about 19 mill to spend to get to the cap floor. KA wants to have room to keep and pay his core players. Asplund, Cozens, Samuelsson and Thompson are all RFAs after next seasons, and Mitts, Krebs, Dahlin, Power and Joki the season after. Cozens, Krebs, Samuelsson and Power are RFAs without arbitration rights. Also leaders Girgensons and KO are UFAs after next season. KA is going to have to keep some serious powder dry. I'd be really really surprised if KA spends more than 65 mill this coming season.

I tend to agree with you, but we have seen it work both ways. VO stayed in Europe and developed just fine. JJP came here and blew up (in a good way). The jury is still out on whether it made any difference for Pekar or UPL.

For all the hate Mitts gets on this board, I think the organization really likes the kid and believes he’s a core piece. He is my top breakout candidate for this coming season. I believe a 25g 45a season is possible next season, especially if Quinn and VO are his wingers.

260 games of pro experience or less is considered a developmental player. That includes NHL, AHL, and most top Euro leagues. I don’t think R2 qualifies as a developmental player any longer

Please don't forget that 13 skaters must be developmental players.

So who will be back or new next season? Forwards Returnees - Biro, Rousek, Weissbach, and Pekar are under contract. Murray and R2 are RFAs, although R2 might end up with the Sabres. In theory Quinn and JJP could return, but I doubt it. Mersch also has an AHL contract for next season. Forwards New - Kisakov and Rosen. There is a chance one or both return to Europe next year, but I suspect they’ll be force feed minutes in Rochester to get them acclaimed to NA hockey. Defense Returnees - Laaksonen is the only prospect under contract and there aren’t any in the pipeline to sign. Talk about a clean slate to work with. Upgrades really needed here. I can see some college RFAs added to the mix. Could Pilut return given the recent news story. There are no goalies under contract. UPL is an RFA and it remains unclear where he’ll play next year. I think returning to Rochester behind a better D group would help him. Subban is a UFA, but management and the players seem to like him and he seemed happy here. Some of our Amerks guys might know if anyone besides Mersch is under AHL contract for next season. Prospect signings to watch. Kozak is eligible to play in Rochester if signed. I would also think guys like Cederqvist and WVB could be on the radar depending on their contract status. I can also see WVB moving to the CHL for an overage year in NA.

Sadly Bloom and Nadeau can’t play with Rosen for the Amerks next season. I wonder when Kozak with be signed. He was as good last year as Bloom in the WHL, but is just old enough to play in Rochester next season.

We actually have more scoring depth. They only had 6 forward score 10 or more goals, lead by Kreider’s 52. Interestingly the kids line has really stepped up for them. Ultimately if the rebuild is to work, we need to get goaltending. KA can’t wait for Levi.

Fixed

So you want to leave Russia and the KHL. I’m shocked 😮

I think his forward decisions will boil down to if we carry 14 forwards and who those extras are. I keep vacillating between 13 or 14 and it may ultimately depend on how Bjork, Quinn and JJP do in camp and whether they re-sign Vinnie or some other quality depth forward. Right now I’m siding toward 13 with Vinnie going elsewhere and R2 as the 13th with Bjork waived and if he clears sent to Rochester.

The next tier after the top 6 are Savoie, Lekkermaki, Gauthier, Yurov, Nazar, and Lambert. After them are Korchinski, Mintyukov, Mateychuk, Geekie and Kasper, all of which have some ratings in the top 10. For me at 9, Savoie is the most talented I think, but I think he'll end up on the wing in the NHL instead of center. For me 9 comes down to Gauthier or Lekkerimaki. At 16 if Kasper is still there, I grab him. I don't mind any of the 3 LHDs. I'm even tempted to take Kasper at 9. I also like McGroarty's leadership. I'm very interested in Kulich at 28 if he slides there, but he could easily be a player someone loves and takes him at high as 16. His rankings continue to go up with each new addition. The last 4 rankings I added to my spreadsheet ranked him 14, 17, 15 and 22. RHD Seamus Casey is 36th on my current board, but his latest rankings are 23,25,28 and 27.

I'm going to slightly disagree. I think there are 6 top players and then after that, I think it's anyone's guess. They top 6 are Wright, Cooley, Slafkovsky, the 2 D Nemec and Jiricek and then Kemell. Most rankings have Savoie in the top 10, but the range is 4 to 17. The gap after the top 6 is why I hope could package the 9 and move up if some one of the top 6 fall to 7 or 8. I don't mind the idea of taking a chance on Miro @16, but not at 9.

The more I read, the more all over the map this draft might be after the top 5 picks (Wright, Cooley, Slafkovsky, Nemec, and Jiricek), and even the the 2 D could slip in the right circumstances, although I doubt it. In this draft, I can see guys who go at 9 also fall to 16. This is one time you just have to go with your gut and trust the scouts.