GASabresIUFAN

FC’s interactive draft is also Meh right now. They still have us drafting 5th with the LV pick at 29th and Florida 30th.

So here is the plan. The Bills trade down to later in the first and add a 2nd second. They still use the late first on S Lewis Cine, UGA. With the first 2nd rd pick they grab McDuffie, CB Wash (or whomever they deem as the best CB available at that slot). With the 2nd 2nd rd pick the grab Quay Walker, LB, UGA. In the 3rd they draft James Cook, RB, UGA and in the 4th OG Justin Shaffer, UGA. Now that is a draft I can live with.

I understand why people are trying to read into KA’s statements. The team is generating some hopium right now, but we are a wounded fanbase suffering from a sports version of PTSD. We have seen college kids reject us before (only one of our picks in Petersen - Vesey said he was always going to go UFA and TM traded for him anyway). We have seen stars like Sam, Jack, and ROR say they want out and we’ve missed the playoffs for over a decade. With that track record no wonder fans are worried that star college kids may want to find greener pastures. However, the truth is the only drafted college kid that the Sabres wanted to keep who bolted is Petersen. As others have pointed out, TM and his staff did a terrible job of communicating with the kid. Also goaltending wasn’t really an issue for us in 2017. Lehner was here and Ullmark was almost ready in Rochester. Behind him we had Jonas Johansson, a former 3rd rd pick, just made the jump from Europe to the AHL in April 2017. Crowded net for 2017/8 with starters Lehner (NHL), Ullmark (AHL) and JJ (ECHL). So the Iowa native bolted to a Western team. If I’m a prospect goalie I’m thrilled with the situation in goal. There is no real starter in Buffalo. The only prospect is UPL and he is headed for a backup role in Buffalo. That leaves clear openings in Roch and Cin. With Levi staying in school, that means Portillo has a clear shot for the AHL starting gig. For Johnson the situation is more murky. There is no road to the NHL on the left side and may never be with Power (19), Dahlin (22) and Samuelsson (22). However there is very beatable competition on the right side. I doubt any of Jokiharju, Bryson, Pysyk or Fitz are real roadblocks if Johnson can effectively transition to the right side. I’m really not worried that any of the big 3 college prospects will reject the team. The team is turning around and creating legit positive vibe. The developmental staff and GM are communicating with the kids well and there are clear avenues to playing time in Rochester and ultimately Buffalo for all three. When they sign is probably the biggest issue.

Kind of sad that our European UFA imports haven’t really worked out. Antipin 46 gm 1g 5a Pilut 47gm 0g 10a R2 NHL 35gm 7g 3a AHL 59gm 22g 35a

They are going to need over the next two drafts a starting CB, LB, Safety, RB, OG and possibly a WR. They need to grab a CB in the first rd this year. After that checking a couple of the list above would be great.

It was one of the finest plays I have ever seen in 50 years of watching pro hockey.

Vic and Asplund are serious pieces of the family atmosphere in the the locker-room. Vic and Mitts, now healthy and in game shape are dominating and preventing teams from concentrating on Skinner and TnT. This team definitely needs goal scorers, letting a home grown player leave while in his prime when we have the cap space to pay him would be a mistake. 4 years at 5 mill should get it done (hopefully).

I was thinking the same thing, but I would have added “so zip it.”

You don’t think Ahl is an elite player? That line with Teravainen and Svechnikov is one of the top lines in hockey. DeAngelo is an elite scoring D (45 pts in 52g)and Slavin is one of the best all around D in hockey. Those are 5 elite players. However I agree we need a couple of players to really become dominate to really be a Cup contender. Dahlin is one. To me it looks like Mitts and TNT are getting better every night. I am so looking forward to a line of Quinn, Mitts and VO next season. I agree because when I look at the best teams I see McKinnon and Rantanen in Colorado, Huberdeau and Barkov in Florida and wonder who we have that could reach that level. FYI Samson has 68 pts in 67 games YTD.

Vic has 9g 5a in his last 17 games. Anyone still want him traded?

What a great victory. Just finished watching. We were the better team after the first period. Honestly Freddy Andersen is still not my favorite goalie. Florida is the better team IMHO. Since March started we are 10-4-3 against 13 playoff team, 3 borderline playoff teams and only one sub 500 team (Chi). It helps when your best players are your best players. What balanced scoring. Thompson 9g 6a 15 pts Olofsson 9g 5a 14pts Skinner 9g 5a 14 pts Mitts 3g 9a 12 pts KO 5g 6a 11 pts Dahlin 1g 9a 10 pts Tuch 2g 7a 9 pts Cozens 1g 8a 9 pts Krebs 4g 4a 8 pts Samuelsson 0g 6a 6 pts Pretty impressive. DG and guys deserve so much credit for playing so well running this gauntlet. Watching these guys right now feels like watching the 2005/6 team as they gained momentum.

Dahlin's play and pass to VO was unbelievable. With Tuch, those maybe the best two primary assists this season.

Got home from a bowling tournament a little bit ago and just saw our two goals early in the second. Sick assist by TNT and what a shot by my boy Mitts. We look much better as usual in the early going of the second period then we did in the first.

If they use his goalie equipment bag, he’s probably used to the smell.

Hey Power is signing, do the rest really matter?

Especially if he uses a smelly equipment bag.

That would be a very large suitcase. Probably should use a rolling duffel bag instead.

And there was much rejoicing.

and void the Petersen Problem. Essential once we draft college kids we need to recruit them to the Sabres. PS Is it a surprise that the TM Sabres failed to reasonably communicate with their players and prospects?

I wouldn't give up on Laaksonen yet. Fitzgerald was a 3rd rd pick in 2016 and finally made the Sabres this year. Oskari is a 3rd rd pick for 2017 and is in only his 2nd year of NA pro hockey. Given our lack of depth on the right side, he could easily get a shot next season. He is still physically maturing and is now 6'2" 185. According the Amerks coaching staff he is making strides on defense. https://pickinsplinters.com/2022/01/12/laaksonen-assists-on-4-goals-in-amerks-win-but-his-defensive-gains-are-more-important/

I just checked the rules again. I thought a player was AHL eligible if he turns 20 the following season, but you are correct the cutoff is 12/31. Therefore Kozak is eligible to be signed by two days (12/29) while Nadeau, a Jan B-day, isn't. Stupid. If they have completed 3 years of Juniors, I'd say they gave all they should be required to give.

Samuelsson and Jokiharju kill penalties now. Bryson also chips in, but less so since Samuelsson returned and he got shifted to the right side. Fitz also kills as does Pysyk and Dahlin. DG uses a committee approach and doesn't seem afraid to throw any of the guys out there. (Cbssports.com does a good job of breaking down a players PT on their player game log.) https://www.cbssports.com/nhl/players/3115256/jacob-bryson/game-log/ The hopefully acquired RHD will likely be thrown into the mix as well. I don't see Bryson recent lack of PK time precluding him from playing a top 6 role next, especially when DG trusts him to play 19 to 20 minutes a night even without significant PK or PP time over the last few weeks.

The cupboard in Rochester with good prospects is getting a little bare. Samuelsson and Fitz made the jump in season. Quinn and JJP look ready to make the jump next fall. KA seems set on putting UPL in the NHL as well. R2's plan to go back to Europe empties the cupboard even more. So who is left? Weissback (24 in April), Murrray (24 in July), Biro (24), Rousek (23 in April) and Laaksonen (23 in July). Not exactly the list of top flight prospects. So, who's next? 2018 - the 3 late round D. Honestly I don't see any of them getting signed and if they do, all look stay at home players without any O upside. 2019 - Ryan Johnson, Erik Portillo, Aaron Huglen and Filip Cederqvist. Signing Johnson after the Frozen Four is a necessity. We literally have no prospect LHD depth at the AHL level. Huglen and Cederqvist (14g, 32p pts in 49 SHL games) made huge strides this season. Huglen will almost certainly return to Minn as one of their top forwards next season. I hope Cederqvist makes the jump. Portillo, with Levi returning to college is almost certainly going to be signed to man the Amerks net. 2020 - Matteo Costantini, Albert Lyckasen, Jakub Konecny. Like Huglen, Matteo made a huge jump this season at UND. I suspect he'll also return for another college season. I don't see either of the 7th rounders getting a contract. 2021 - Power is making the Jump to the NHL. I don't know Rosen's contract status but he looks like he needs at least another season in Sweden. Who knows about the status of the 3 Russians. Will KA try to get them out? Sardarian is off to college next year. Bloom is also likely to return to the OHL. That leaves two guys who I think could conceivably be signed this offseason. Olivier Nadeau is already 19 and has completed 3 CHL seasons. I think he is eligible to move to the AHL. He has blossom with 31g 40a for 71 points in only 56 games ytd. Like Nadeau, 7th rd pick, Tyson Kozak (19) has also blossomed in his 3rd CHL season with 31 g 36a for 67 pts in 62 WHL games. Neither guys needs to be signed, but given the lack of depth in Rochester I can see KA signing both. Bottom line: New Amerks 2019: Johnson, Portillo and hopefully Cederqvist. EDIT: Portillo also returning to college, Johnson’s decision still unknown. 2020: no one 2021: Nadeau and Kozak. EDIT: Kozak is eligible to sign because of his Dec 29th Bday. Nadeau is ineligible to be signed. (Dumb rule)! Looks like KA should sign a couple college UFAs.

I'm going to agree with @nfreeman here. Bryson has earned a job in the top 6 here next season. He has played well on the right side with Dahlin and Samuelsson and his ability to move back to the left side in case of injury is a great luxury. I'd also like to see him get a shot at QB'ing the 2nd power play.

No you read his post correctly. I think he misread that KO had two years left since when you look at capfriendly it shows this year's contract and next. I started this thread because I think KO deserves the C for next season, but I don't think the Sabres just want him to play out his contract. I think it would be a great show of faith in his leadership and continued skill if they give him an extension and the C at the same time. I did say I'm in the wait and see camp, but I also understand that KO and KA may want to make that statement this summer. I believe that KO is among the most popular Sabres with the fans and it would be great for the franchise both PR and in the lockerroom to get this done quickly.