GASabresIUFAN

I think you are forgetting that most of the "better" players on the 2013 team were traded at the deadline (Ott, Miller, McCormick, Moulson). They went 3-16-2 after the trade deadline in 2014. At 58 games that team was 16-34-8 compared to this year's 18-32-8. I suspect that this team with do better down the stretch then that team. Honestly at this point, the jury is still completely out on DG. He has been given a bunch of kids, bad goaltending and a D group of mostly terrible D. Hard to win that way. I'd like to see what he can do if KA finally gets him some real goaltending. That said, DB is the best coach since Ruff until somebody gets this darn team back to the playoffs. Right now we are debating which crappy coach smells the least. Seriously, not one coach since Ruff has coached a Sabres team to above NHL 500, much less playoff contention.

Looking back on rosters is sometimes difficult. Jack and Sam were rookies. So in 5 years that roster will almost look star studded, but in reality it was still a bunch of kids finding their way. Erod now looks like a late blooming star, but then looked like an extra piece. I wonder when we look back someday at the current team, what will be think? Will we ask how could DG lose with the roster of Dahlin, Samuelsson, Jokiharju, Cozens, Mitts, Thompson, and Tuch?

I've added the % of games actually won.

I think the Amherst Rec Center is big enough on most nights.

The only bad thing about Hayden scoring is that it will convince DG to play him more.

or to show what any quality goaltender can do for a team.

Doesn't make the statement any less true.

It was a terrible call. Two guys just collided.

DG should use the tape of this game to teach these guys what a real hockey team looks and plays like. Quick decisions, going to the net, taking the man, moving the puck out of the D zone quickly. How badly did we miss use Montour and Reinhart? Cozens, Mitts, Krebs and others need to go on a weight training program this summer and get stronger for next season.

Reinhart went from a team where he was the best player to a team where he is arguably the 5th best player. Of course they are better then we are. LOL, this game of awful.

No we don't need defense and goaltending. Thanks KA It's pretty clear between the last two games how very far this team has to go.

What are the odds now on whether any of Poltapov, Kisakov or Novikov every play for the Sabres?

This should have been done day 1 of the invasion.

I thought Krebs played the best period I've seen him play this season. I thought he was particularly good in the defensive zone.

Coaching records since Ruff. 1) Nolan 144 games 40 - 87 - 17 .67 pts/g 2) Bylsma 164 games 68 - 73 - 23 .97 pts/g 3) Housley 164 games 58 - 84 - 22 .84 pts/g 4) Krueger 97 games 36 - 49 - 12 . 87 pts/g 5) Granato 85 games 27 - 47 - 11 .77 pts/g 6) Rolston 51 games 19 - 26 - 6 .86 pts/g

https://www.capfriendly.com/armchair-gm/team/3086394 I put together a team for next season. ! traded Asplund to get Compher. Colorado needs some cap relief and we need to get to the cap. Compher is a little more proven and is a perfect fit for this team. I traded LV 2nd in 2023 to the NYI for Varlomov adding experience and 5 mill to the cap. I traded a 4th in 2022 and 6th in 2023 to Wash for RHD Nick Jensen I also re-signed Pysyk ($1 mill), Hinostroza (1.25) VO (3 years at 4.5) UPL (2 years at 900K) and Bryson (2 years at 1.1). I also signed Power to his ELC. I'm leaving JJP in Rochester to start the season and am carrying 8 D. Skinner, TT, Tuch VO, Mitts, Quinn Krebs, Cozens, KO Compher, Girgensons, Hinostroza Bjork Dahlin Jokiharju Samuelsson Jensen Power Fitzgerald Bryson Pysyk Varlomov, UPL I'm not sure how the D lines would shake out. I like having four lines to play. I think the list "4th" would be a very difficult matchup. I'm also thinking about going after Lazar again instead of Hinostroza and creating a Z, Lazar and Compher 4th line.

Kaleta? Peters?

Ruuttu Roy?

Curtis Brown?

Perreault played pk late in his career. what about Seiling?

Stafford?

I'm going to amend by previous post and add the following. If a team (such as the NYR or Wash today), have two kids/younger goaltenders, one will be traded to acquire depth elsewhere. That's how Hasek ended up in Buffalo once Belfour was established as the starter. Now Wash will choose between Vanacek (winning the battel) and Samsonov and the Rags between Georgiev and Shesterkin (obviously the choice). Back in 2003-04 The Sabres had 3 young goalies in the system; Biron 26 (1st rd pick in 1995), Noronen 24 (1st rd pick in 1997) and Miller 23 (5 rd pick in 1999). Biron was the established starter. Within 2 years, Miller had taken the starting job, Biron became the backup and then was traded to Philly for a 2007 2nd. Noronen served as Biron backup in 2003/4 and then was traded in 2005/6 to Van for a 2nd in 2006 who became Jhonas Enroth. I see something happening similarly now. KA gets a vet for the next year or two. Signs Levi this off-season and Portillo next off-season. UPL becomes the Vets backup next season. Within a year or two, Levi and/or Portillo start pressuring UPL from behind.

A goaltender with even a 5 year deal wouldn’t block a single prospect. First there are two jobs. If the kid is better he plays. It’s why Varlomov, Quick, Talbot and others are available. Also we have seen over the last two years how important it is to have at least 2 good goalies at all times. Quality goaltending is very thin in todays expanded NHL. If by some miracle two prospects emerge and force KA to move on from the vet, there is a strong trade market for veteran goaltenders with term. Right now the Sabres don’t have any viable goaltenders. Anderson and Tokarski are UFAs (and aren’t worth retaining). UPL is still struggling at times in the AHL (he gave up 6 goals on 32 shots last night). He is also an RFA. Levi and Portillo remain unsigned and in college. KA needs to acquire two goaltenders from outside the organization at a minimum.

I’m going to respectfully somewhat disagree. I think in the cap era all top teams have a solid core of 4-5 guys that define an era of that team. Crosby, Malkin, Letang in Pit. Toews, Kane, Keith and Seabrook in Chicago. Doughty, Brown, Kopitar and Quick in LA.

Hecht? Seiling?