GASabresIUFAN

It will be nice to see Rosen and Kisakov in Rochester next season. We’ll get a much better feel for their progress as prospects with the Amerks.

Does the combine really matter? Two names come to mind - Casey Mittelstadt and Brendan Guhle. Guhle was a combine darling and is a AAAA D. Maybe he’ll get to 100 games in his career, maybe. Mitts was the butt end of many jokes, yet he looks like he is on the verge of becoming a star player, assuming he can stay healthy. The only take away I can see if that Mitts’ level of fitness should have forced the Sabres to get him on a fitness program asap, but that’s about it. Since size is becoming less of an issue in the modern NHL, are even the measurements all that important? The message to me is focus on the on ice performance and the interviews and worry less about the physical measurables.

I guess KA is working hard to try to make up for not signing any of the college kids but Power. 😁 What is his contract status in Sweden? Can he play in Rochester next year.

Yeah!

There are no guarantees, especially with a young team. However we have seen Mitts play at a high level. Mitts and Cozens are the key to the season. They stay healthy and breakout, then this team will be a playoff caliber offense. There is also a backup for them if they don't blossom this season. The backups are Krebs, Quinn and JJP. Between these 5 players 2-3 should blossom this coming season and help move the team forward. By the way, I expect Thompson to step back some this coming season. His shooting % from last season is probably not sustainable.

How? Cozens, Mitts, Krebs, Girgensons, Thompson and Asplund all have experience at center. R2 also has experience at center. This is a very flexible roster. Nearly all the wingers play both sides and most of the centers have experience on the wing and vice versa. Centers, or lack there off, are certainly an issue in Rochester and the prospect pipeline, but not in Buffalo.

I’ve added two poll questions.

I agree. I do understand why people are interested in adding a PLD. They are looking for a more currently dynamic center then say Mitts. When you look at the remaining teams in the playoffs you see superstar forwards on every team. Edm has McDavid and Draisaitl, Colorado has MacKinnon and Rantanen, TB Stamkos and Kucherov and even the Rags have Panarin and Kreider with his 52 goals. Who do we have at that level? The answer right now is no one, yet. However, we are building more toward the Stl model and it can also succeed, by rolling 4 effective lines. The year Stl won the Cup, they had 10 forwards and 3 D who scored 10 or more goals. I maybe in the minority, but I think we actually could have 11 forwards with 10 or more goals next season. We had 8 this year (including Vinnie), and Mitts and Krebs will certainly cross that threshold playing a full season. JJP and Quinn should also cross that threshold. By quick comparison, Edm, TB, and Colorado all have 9 double digit scoring forwards. The Rags have only 6. FYI: the 4 Conference finalists also have at least one dynamic defender and really good goaltending, except Edm, but Mike Smith is playing well for them.

I don’t understand your post. He improved last year’s roster by bringing in Tuch and Krebs during the season and then again adding Samuelsson once he got healthy. The goal now is to further remove JAGs from this roster by getting real goaltending and a few veteran D this off-season and continue to elevate the team. This is his opportunity to improve the roster for opening day. Whether these offseason moves payoff by the end of next season is anyone’s guess. Some offseason moves work (Hinotstroza, Anderson, Pysyk) and others don’t (Hall, Dell, Staal, Eakin). How he also tinkers with the roster over the course of next season is another completely different issue.

But he traded a core piece, Eichel, to get 2 core pieces in Tuch and Krebs. This time he'd have to give up VO and other assets to acquire PLD or Fiala or someone similar. I'm disinclined to think that he'd ready to give us his 1st rd picks or other young assets to get PLD.

Given what we have seen from KA, do you really believe he'd make a run a PLD or anyone similar. If you said he'll make a run at Dumba or Subban or whomever on defense, I'd be more inclined to agree that he'd might do it, but not at forward.

Ultimately the goaltending needs to be fixed for this team to truly compete, but I think even the status quo forward group will be markedly improved over last year even if Thompson takes a small step back. For the first time since 2005/6 and 6/7, we'll be able to roll 4 lines consistently that can score. Even if your "4th line" is a bunch of kids, they'll be a match up problem for the vast majority of teams, much like the Vanek Roy Max line back in 2005/6. That line scored 65 goal and added 102 assists. Our forwards last year scored 201 goals. Only 15 of those 201 goals aren't returning. If Vinnie leaves that means 28 goals are departing. Those are easily replaced. Tuch, Mitts and Krebs all played only 1/2 to 5/8 of last season for the Sabres scoring 25 goals. That number will at least double if they play the full season. Now add full seasons of JJP and Quinn to the mix. Quinn has a cannon and JJP is no slouch shooting the puck. Seth Jarvis potted 17 for Carolina this season as a rookie and Lundell 18 for the Panthers. Both were drafted after Quinn. I think Jarvis is a very comparable player to Quinn. Can we pencil in Quinn for 15 and JJP for 12? What if Cozens takes a big step forward and his goal jump from 13 to 20+. Ultimately this forward group IMHO has the potential to score 235 to 240 goals next season, keyed by a healthy Mitts, an improved Cozens and the addition of Quinn. Just think, losing Hayden, Caggiula, Bjork, Jankowski and Eakin only costs us 15 goals.

@jsb While this is a forward thread, I don't think we have to worry about the "rookies." Last season we added kids Bryson, Samuelsson, Fitzgerald, and Krebs who pushed out JAG veterans and we got better. This season we'll add Power, JJP, Quinn and UPL pushing out more JAG vets like Miller, Tokarski, Eakin and Bjork and we'll get better again. Sure the team will be young. That's the point. They continue to grow together and improve as a team. We have done this before with success. If you go back to the 2005/6 team they added Vanek, Miller, Pominville and Gaustad and got substantially better.

Yes

The Sabres, because of injury and trades, played 14 forwards 40 games or more. Another 4 player 18/19 games and another 4 played 1/2. The top 15 are already under contract or control NHL (10) Tuch, Thompson, KO, Mitts, Cozens, Girgensons, Skinner, Krebs, Asplund and Bjork. ELC (2) Quinn and JJP RFAs: (3) VO, R2 and Murray. Add Vinnie to the mix and your at 16. (Although Vinnie would be above Bjork, R2, and Murray on the NHL depth chart) I’m also pretty sure that management believes Biro can contribute if necessary. From a depth standpoint, he sits 16 or 17 depending on signing Vinnie. How much depth do you anticipate? Could KA sign a few guys with NHL experience for Rochester. Of course he will. Guys like McGinnis, Jankowski etc are always added. However, this thread is about the Sabres forward group next season; no JAGs allowed anymore. No more guys like Hayden who scored 4 pts in 55 games or Bjork’s 8 in 58 or Eakin’s 12 in 69 games. We’ve moved past that point in the teams development. If KA wants to do more with the forward group then re-sign his RFAs, the one type of player I’d look to acquire is an experienced center who can put up 35-45 points and kill penalties. Someone who could play up in a pinch. Someone who Eakin was supposed to be but wasn’t. I’ve given Lars Eller as an example before, but Copp is an upgrade over that as well. However, given KA’s statements and the contracted players, I think even this kind of move is unlikely. I’ll give you a scenario where KA will be “forced” to acquire a forward(s). Vinnie signs elsewhere, R2 goes back to Europe and Bjork gets sent to Rochester. That would possibly open 2 NHL roster spots if we carry 14 forwards.

Actually you posted the following in the offseason gameplan thread My response remains there is no room on this roster anymore for guys like Eakin, Caggiula, Hayden or Bjork. The slots they occupied are thankfully occupied by Krebs, Tuch, JJP and Quinn. If they want to re-sign Vinnie, I'm all for it because he is a real NHL player. The others aren't. If Vinnie goes elsewhere, then R2 should get the 13th slot. I wouldn't even sign any of them with an eye toward Rochester. All of them have proven that they really can't help the team even in an emergency situation. I'd much rather see R2, Murray, or Biro in the callup role.

I remember him repeated wanting to re-sign Caggiula in the off-season gameplan 2022 thread. and this is from the 40.3 mil cap space thread. None of these JAGs should return to the organization period, not even if they are willing to go to Rochester. They are awful.

Because he’s mentioned before bringing back some of the JAGs as additional depth.

Why on earth would we bring back either Hayden or Eakin, much less both. We can find better players at the 7-11 on Millersport Hwy.

Tuch, Krebs, Mitts, Cozens, KO, Asplund, Girgensons, Skinner, and Thompson are all guaranteed, baring injury, to be on the opening day roster. That's 9. I guess in theory that leaves four slots, but not really. VO will be re-signed and gets the 10th slot. JJP and Quinn are almost certainly going to be on the roster. That leaves the 13th forward job with RFA R2 and Bjork competing for it. I doubt they carry 14 forwards. As I asked Weave, who are you sending packing? Asplund, our best defensive forward, and Cozens had or are still having great World Championships. R2 and JPP had excellent playoff runs and were both lethal during the AHL regular season. We know Mitts has another gear when he scored 17 pts in 22 games to close 2020/21 and scored 13 in his last 20 while injured last season. Thompson re-launched his career with 38 goals. Skinner found his scoring touch with 33 goals while having a career high in assists with 30 and tying his career high in points with 63. Tuch and KO are the team's leaders and among our scoring leaders. Krebs put up 22 pts in 48 games as a rookie. Quinn was the AHL rookie of the year and Z has had back to back double digit goal season and is a team leader. Last but not least, lets no forget VO who came back from injury tied a career high in goals, set career highs in assists and points and was arguably one of our top 3 forwards down the stretch. This is what we are building on at forward for next season. Why not just run with it and see where the kids take us?

FYI: Cozens is now up to 6g 6a for 12 pts in 9 games into today’s 3rd period, including 2g 1a so far today.

Probably not, but money talks.

Capfriendly has Goergiev listed as a RFA. Getting an Anderson level goalie is not an acceptable outcome. I also would doubt any goalie with some demand will accept only a 1 year deal to come here. DeSmith, Holtby are going to want at minimum a 2 year deals, maybe three. Truthfully we need a bridge goalie for at least 2-3 years even if UPL plays lights out and grabs the starters job. Levi is the future and it will be a minimum of 2 years before he is knocking on the door for the Sabres. Hellebuyck played 1.5 seasons in the AHL before making the Jets. Miller played 3 seasons with the Amerks before becoming a full time Sabre.

VO moves back to LW and Girgensons moves to center. That leaves R2 as the floater who fills in on any line in case of injury or if a kid like Quinn or JJP goes through a rough patch and needs a few games in the press box.

I guess Husso is available now.