GASabresIUFAN

I think it’s their defense. He won’t have that issue here next season.

I wonder what it would take to get Chris Driedger from Seattle? He has 2 years left at 3.5 and is only 27.

From the Athletic: https://theathletic.com/3273694/2022/04/27/down-goes-brown-finding-3-positive-thoughts-for-each-of-the-non-playoff-teams/ Buffalo Sabres Positive No. 3 "Positive thought #3: It sure feels like they won the Jack Eichel trade, doesn’t it?" Other Sabres positives - Rebound of Skinner and "Legit Young Guys" like Thompson, Tuch, Dahlin and Power. Also they like Don Granato.

No kidding. Speed, size, physical and very skilled. What’s not to like?

Ok who do the Bills pick? RB Hall? S Cine? WR? LB? CB? From all I’ve read I doubt they take a CB. Apparently McBeane don’t put a premium on the 2nd CB. My guess is they grab a S, RB, or LB. Key players at these 3 positions are all playing on expiring contracts and apparently McDermott doesn’t like to start rookies if he doesn’t have to.

Does TM work for Wpg?

Why would they care at this point? The league let LV keep 15 healthy players on the injured list.

Might as well bring up Quinn, JJP and UPL. Why not.

Lol, Coyotes win in OT. Dallas and Vegas just aren’t good.

Bye bye Vegas. Dallas headed to overrrrrtime.

If I remember correctly Appert talked about JJP's needing to do a better job of backchecking and that was going to be an area of focus going forward.

Karlsson?

Thanks to our friends at quanthockey.com here is a partial answer to my question. https://www.quanthockey.com/ahl/en/player-age/19-year-old-ahl-players.html JJP has produced more points as a 19 year old then any other 19 year old player in AHL history with 64 ytd. His pts per game of .928 is 9th. Bergeron is 10th. Spezza at 1.25 is first. Okposo was 21st at .8 pts/gp Using their top 10 in pts/gp list, many went back to the AHL for some additional time. Bergeron and Tomasino went to the NHL the following season. 3 guys, Holtz, JJP and Reichel are all still in their 19 year old seasons. Nylander, Spezza and Vrana all went back for another year (Spezza because of the lockout) and Rantanen only played in 4 AHL games the next season. Demita spent two more years mostly in the A.

I wonder how many 19 year olds have produced at JJPs level in the last 25 or so years? Of the one at his level, how many returned to the AHL the following year?

There is no question TNT is better. He deserves all the accolades coming his way. None of that changes the fact that we need to see him do it again to establish him among the elite on the NHL. I have never said he won’t do it or can’t, I’m just saying caution is warranted.

That’s great for this year, but it has to be repeatable for TNT to be established as a No. 1 center or viewed to be as good as ROR. ROR has had 6 20 goal plus seasons and 10 50+ point seasons. Thompson’s had one. Until he does it again, it’s just a career year. As we noted in other threads his 15% shooting % may be an aberration. I hope not, but I’ve seen other players like Hall and Eichel breakout the same way and they haven’t played to that level since.

1) 1st line center - Not yet but very close. Offensively this year certainly, but he needs to repeat for me to agree to that premise. 2) No on the contract as well but close. Michael Bunting for the hated Leafs. 950K 63 pts. He also another year left at that price. Anthony Deangelo as well. A 51 pt D for only $1 mill is a huge bargain. To bad for Car he is an UFA after this season. 3) No not yet, but he maybe at least his equal offensively at this point. ROR is still significantly better 2 way player.

This is what happens when every D who plays with you sees their metrics fall.

Interesting tidbit. On the Athletic’s “hockey player cards”. They now list Thompson’s market value at 7 million. https://theathletic.com/3062387/2022/04/19/nhl-player-cards-buffalo-sabres/ (From 4/19). They list Tuch with a market value of 8.2, Skins @ 5.7 and VO at only 2.7. Obviously some of that may reflect the 4/19’s date for evaluating VO, because no way a consistent 20+ goal, 40-50 pt scorer gets as little as 2.7 in today’s NHL. We’ll be lucky if we get him at 5.5. A couple of nice surprises were Asplund at 2.3 and Vinnie at 2.5. On defense @LGR4GM will be please they have the mkt value for Joki at -.4. Ouch!

I guess he isn’t joining the Amerks next year.

I agree that DeMelo has to be on KA’s radar. I also agree on Manson. His offense has evaporated the last few years and he is -10 in only 20 games on one of the best teams in the NHL in Colorado. While +/- isn’t a great stat, but it really stands out when one guy is so much worse than any other player on the roster.

Another sign we are moving in the right direction.

Maybe, but DG put Girgensons there instead.

I don’t want to trade Asplund. I’ve said I’d make him available in the right deal. I’ve stated many times that I like Asplund and his game. However I’m realistic in that you have to give to get. If including Asplund in a deal to get good goaltending or a partner for Power KA has to consider it. Also Asplund is a winger not a center. Replacing a center is the issue here.

As I written before, I’d move on from Girgensons, but I acknowledge that’s unlikely. I also think Asplund is expendable in the right deal. I would also re-sign Vinnie and waive Bjork. DG utilized Eakin continually in the lineup to win key draws in late game situations, PP and PK. His FO% was 56.1 this season, but he is unlikely to return next fall and there isn’t an adequate replacement for his faceoff skill on the roster. Here are the % of our other centers, Girgensons 50.9, Cozens 45.3, Mitts 43.8, Asplund 42.6, TNT 40.5 and Krebs 35.6. There is also a question of whether JJP’s two way game is NHL ready. The Sabres are likely to carry 14 forwards next season for a variety of reasons including help getting to the cap floor, injury insurance and matchups. This year the team used 22 different forwards to combat injuries. Only 7 guys played most of the season (69 to 78 games). Another 7 played 38 to 60 games. 4 more played 18-19 games. Of those 14 main forwards 3 are either gone or should be (Hayden, Bjork and Eakin). A 4th, Hinostroza, is a UFA and may not return. That’s 4 potential roster spots. Quinn is getting one and that is the only sure thing. I think this uncertainty, the need for a good faceoff guy and the need for a cap hit opens the door for the acquisition of 2 way center for KO’s line.