GASabresIUFAN

There is no question that KA over played his hand here. We wouldn’t be having this discussion if KA had extended him when he first arrived. Longer contracts can be both a blessing or curse and often some of both. However a consistent goaltender like Ullmark has value regardless of how much term is on his deal. Had UPL developed like KA hoped, the worst that could of happened is one gets traded to bring assets back to the franchise. Had Ullmark been retained, we’d have probably won an additional 5+ games this year. Oh well! Time for KA to really come up with plan B. Unless he trades for someone, he is going to have to commit to someone for 3 or 4 years at a minimum. As to trade value, what in KA’s career so far has shown you that he’d throw that kind of assets for a goaltender fix? It’s not happening. KA believes in his pipeline of UPL, Portillo and Levi. He is not going to waste assets on a top of the league starter. What he will go is to the Macy’s sales rack approach and try to find a Polo shirt at a bargain price. I’m even wondering if he might actually go for a 3 headed monster in net by promoting UPL, re-signing Anderson and then signing DeSmith or someone like him.

Yes, absolutely, except in the faceoff circle.

Boy this got snarky fast. Anyway, I’d love to hear what Marty said if anyone has a link. The market for goaltending should be interesting. I would not assume we are or are not on anyone’s lost any longer. I think this team has garnered some respect with their recent play and because of our cap space, there will UFA inquiries. There aren’t many teams in the starter goalie market. 3 playoff teams have starters who are UFAs - Campbell (Tor), Koskinen (Edm) and Kuemper (Col) and my guess is Campbell and Kuemper will re-sign. Koskinen (age 33), could be allowed to walk. Chi, Buff and NJ really have nothing in net. Of the teams without a real goalie, I’d rather come to Buffalo then a declining Chi team or the void that is NJ. There are a couple of teams with big decisions to make. For example Stl. Do they re-sign Husso and move on from Binnington (and his NTC). Is Mon content with Allen as the starter? How does SJ resolve Hill, Reimer and Kahkonen(RFA). It’s funny to ask this, but will Boston trade Ullmark back to us? Would KA be interested? Also any interest in Casey DeSmith? Would you take Binnington and his long-term deal if Stl eats 1/3 of it? Despite negative comments elsewhere, I wouldn’t mind taking a RFA run at Georgiev or Samsonov. Both are better goalies then they have shown this year and we might get a real long-term bargain.

As of this writing, the Sabres have zero goaltenders under contract for next season. Zero!, Nada! College prospects Levi and Portillo are returning to school. Anderson, Tokarski, Houser, Subban and Dell are UFAs and UPL is an RFA. Talk about a clean slate. Our fearless leader, has stated that UPL’s play is better then his AHL numbers indicate. He has also indicated that UPL is slated for a role in Buffalo net season. There are also reports that he has discussed with Anderson returning next season. While a nice story, I don’t want Anderson or any of the UFA goalies back next season unless they are willing to play in minors. Step 1 - UPL’s status - AHL or NHL? I personally don’t think UPL is ready and he should start in Rochester hopefully behind a better group of D. That said, If KA think’s he’s NHL ready so be it, but he better get a legit NHL starter and get someone who can step up for the Amerks. Step 2 - NHL starter - UFA, RFA or Trade? From an availability point of view, there seem to be more UFA’s available then quality trade targets. Husso, MAF, Holtby, Kuemper, Koskinen, Jones, and Korpisalo lead the UFAs with Georgiev and Samaonov the RFAs. The veteran trade market is thin. Most that I am interested in have trade protection like Varlomov and Quick. Talbot is probably off the market. How KA solves this issue may be the key to the off-season. Step 3 - Young organizational depth. To put it bluntly, we need to sign two kids, one each for Rochester and Cinn. Hobey winner Dryden McKay and US Olympic starter Strauss Mann would two I’d certainly call. Step 4 - AAAA veteran. We need an AHL/NHL veteran willing to tutor in the AHL and who can give us reasonable NHL play if called upon. We got that from Tokarski. Would he be willing to reprise that role or will be have better options elsewhere? So how does KA get this done. We have cap space to take on any UFA and the trade assets (and cap space) to make a deal if KA can find another GM to dance with. Of course, after missing the playoffs an NHL record 11 years, can KA entice a UFA or A player with trade protection to come here? Hopefully the availability of an NHL starting job on an up and coming team should entice someone, but who? (Getting a proven top 4 RHD to shore up the defense would probably help in the goaltender sweepstakes).

We are connecting, but apparently our definition of a 13th forward is different. I look at the 13th forward as a utility guy who fills in for injuries or steps in when a starter needs or rest or there is a matchup a coach wants to exploit or protect against. However, if the team remains healthy, the 13th forward generally sits. This isn’t a role for a top prospect. If JJP makes this team, he is going to be playing on a scoring line and playing every night. If he isn’t ready, send him down to play every night and in every role.

If JJP makes the team, do you really see him riding the pine most nights as the 13th forward? If he makes the team it’s as a starter. I fully agree on upgrading Eakin. If KA upgrades Eakin and JJP makes the team, it seems to me Asplund is the 13th forward. Obviously injuries would change the calculus.

No just no. We now need to move forward. Anderson was great for what KA wanted to accomplish this year, but if KA is serious about UPL making the roster next season, then out with Anderson and Tokarski and in with an experienced goaltender under 35. Winning games now needs to be the standard for next season, not just putting on a decent show.

Best thing about this game is it provided proof that this team needs to find real goaltending a legit top 4 RHD and probably a good depth center. We need to move on from Eakin, Anderson, Tokarski, Pysyk, Fitz , Bjork, Hayden, and Caggiula. No more JAGs, No more Jags……..

What’s Power thinking right now?

Oh well. Back to golf. Anderson needed to save the first one.

No Eakin in the lineup ..... However Bjork draws in

Insight as to why he is no longer a GM in the NHL. It's insight as to why he failed at developing players, why he brought in bad personalities into the locker room and ran the franchise into the ground.

I think it's insight on how KA and his team are communicating with the prospects and actually trying to help them make a good decision. I suspect that the Portillo meeting was very similar to the Levi meeting described in the article.

I've done my first consensus rankings so far. This year I 'm doing it a little different and trying to focus on rankings that list at least 40 players, but more often 64 players. To date I have found 6 "reliable" lists from March and April. I've used Dobber, THN, Sportsnet, TSN- Button, FC, and one guy from THW. 29 player made all 6 lists and another 7 made 5. One guy I expect to climb the lists is Gleb Trikozov. Gleb is only on 4 lists, but is ranked in the middle of the 1st rd on 3 or the 4. I'm grouping the guys together with very similar average rankings. There is a clear top 4 - Wright, Cooley, Slafkovsky and Nemec 5-7 - Savoie, Kemell, Jiricek. My hope is Jiricek slips to us at 8 8-12 - Yurov, Lekkerimaki, Nazar, Gauthier and Mintyukov 13-18 - Mateychuk, Lambert, Geekie, Korchinski, Kasper, McGroarty 19-20 - Ohgren and Mesar 21- 25 - Snuggerud, Pickering, Miroschniichenko (Cancer diagnosis puts this is just speculation at this point), Luneau and Howard 26 - 32 -Firkus, Casey, Nelson, Trikozov, Ostlund, DeBelBelluz, and Gaucher. This last group could easily see all these guys in the second although the support for the first 5 names seems to be growing.

I also posted this in the Portillo thread, but I suggest ready the News’ article about Levi. https://buffalonews.com/sports/sabres/sabres-prospect-devon-levi-reflects-on-tough-decision-to-return-to-northeastern/article_09d9b4b2-b756-11ec-ac70-8fee378152d3.html “They’re all really good people and good humans, which is kind of what they’re trying to build,” Levi said of the Sabres. “They’re trying to build an organization with good people and good culture. It’s good to hear, because I would like to take part in a team where the culture is unreal. … It sounds like a great place. Everyone is pretty close. All the guys are good teammates and they’re also good players, too. I’m looking forward to hopefully joining their organization.” These are Levi’s thoughts on the organization. KA and the coaches were there with him as he made his decision. It’s now clearer then ever that this management team is very open and honest with these prospects. I think for once we have respect that management is actually doing the right thing for the development of our prospects.

From Devon Levi into todays Buffalo News. “They’re trying to build an organization with good people and good culture. It’s good to hear, because I would like to take part in a team where the culture is unreal. … It sounds like a great place. Everyone is pretty close. All the guys are good teammates and they’re also good players, too. I’m looking forward to hopefully joining their organization.” Feel better? https://buffalonews.com/sports/sabres/sabres-prospect-devon-levi-reflects-on-tough-decision-to-return-to-northeastern/article_09d9b4b2-b756-11ec-ac70-8fee378152d3.html

I have said in other threads that I think they’ll sign Johnson. That hasn’t changed. We need players in Rochester and he already has some experience on his off-side. The question is what happens if he walks and I’m saying it isn’t the end of the world and we are in a good position to absorb the loss. Losing the goaltenders would be a bigger issue given the state of our goaltending. However no way KA lets his prized prospect Levi walk.

As Teddy Kennedy said, we’ll cross that bridge when we come to it. Unlike the Johnson situation, there is a clear road for goaltenders. KA wanted Levi and I sincerely doubt he lets him slip through his fingers. Portillo is another matter. I am a little surprised that he returned to school, but KA is going a good job communicating with these kids. The Sabres may sincerely think he isn’t ready for the pros and if that is true then his return makes sense. If we get Jiricek in the draft then he’ll be knocking on the door in another year.

Ok play it out. Let’s say Johnson walks. The left side of the D is basically set for the next decade in Dahlin, Power and Samuelsson. He would have had to move to his off-side to even make the roster. In this coming draft we have 3 firsts. Two are probably going to used on D and given our slots in the draft probably RHD. Now add 3 seconds the following year. Basically our pipeline is in position to absorb even a highly rated prospect like Johnson leaving. Other teams have gone through this as well. Colorado butchered their relationship with the highly touted Butcher and he walked. I don’t think they miss him. Nashville also isn’t losing sleep about losing Vesey.

Most of those expiring slots have already been filled. Their names are Krebs, Tuch, Quinn and JJP. You aren’t going to carry 15 forwards. That leaves a roster with only 6 D and 2 G. I sincerely doubt we open with no spare D. I do agree that Rochester needs warm bodies, especially on defense. If KA signs Caggiula as a vet for Rochester. Great. However he is no longer good enough to play on the Sabres full-time. He and Bjork should have fun back in the A.

I sincerely doubt it. We have 14 forwards already under contract or control. If we add an upgrade of Eakin, that would be 15 forwards. I think we retain Vinnie long before Caggiula returns. I also think Bjork gets waived or traded. Here is how it breaks down: 1) Vets under contract (4) - Skinner, Okposo, Girgensons & Tuch 2) Young core under contract (4) - Cozens, Thompson, Mitts, and Krebs 3) Rookies under contract (2) - Quinn & JJP 4) Depth forwards under contract (2) - Asplund & Bjork 5) RFA’s (2) - Olofsson & Murray That’s the 14. Even if Murray and Bjork are sent down, that leaves 12 forwards. Who would you rather re-sign Caggiula or Hinostroza? I also believe KA is going to invest in an upgrade for Eakin. If I had to put odds on Caggiula returning it would be less then 20%.

Nice win tonight 6-2. JJP 2g 2a and Quinn 2g 1a.

NIL contracts could make the financial difference even less.

I'm hearing a lot of "because Buffalo" in these posts about the kids staying in school. The most important kid signed and will be on the ice on Tuesday. We are past the point where we have to the kids yesterday. We can now let the kids develop at their own pace. Remember only one drafted college kid we wanted rejected the team and that was because of bad communication by TM and a crowded group of netminders. That's it. The Sabres have a full roster (14) of forwards under contract or control in Tuch, Skinner, KO, VO, Mitts, TNT, Big Z, Cozens, Krebs, Quinn, JJP, Asplund, Bjork and Murray. The team has 6 D under contract or control in Dahlin, Joki, Power, Samuelsson, Bryson, and Fitz plus a goaltender with some NHL experience under control in UPL. It was unlikely that Levi, Portillo or even Johnson was going to see action in Buffalo next season. Relax it will be alright.

We laughed at wanting to sign Strauss Mann or Dryden McKay, but there may be openings to fill in Rochester and Cincinnati.