GASabresIUFAN

I don't think Cagguila or Bjork add anything to this roster but smallish cap hits.

He got 2 games last year. He is only 23. Same draft class as Asplund. It's time.

Any camp early positives and negatives? I have a couple so far. I didn't like Cozens with Skinner and Olofsson. I don't see a matching skill set. I'm glad that Mitts is going to center them going forward. I would like to see Skinner and Olofsson on different lines. I'm glad that R2 is getting a shot at earning the 3C job. If I had to guess right now, Murray is going to steal a job in the NHL out of camp ahead of guys like MacInnis and Hayden.

Honestly the goaltending is the thing (of two things) this off-season I really don't understand. I don't understand how a GM, who is working to instill a winning professional culture can bring in 2 goalies who played 11 games last season total and have been in decline for 3 years and think that's going to work. This team was going to struggle with decent goaltending because of all the youth on the roster, but to sabotage the season with Dell and Anderson is simply wrong.

About time.

Nooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo! Welcome to goalie hell. One can hope.

50 pts and challenge for team lead in points and will be the leader in assists. I expect 23 minutes a night, improved all around play and more of willingness to try to assert his will on the game. This is his team now. He doesn't have to defer to Jack or Sam or Risto any longer. He also has a coach who believes in him and has stated he has the green light to spark the offense. I think he'll be one of the biggest bright spots this season. With all this freedom comes responsibility. Jokiharju's growth as a player in a more defensive role will really help Dahlin gain more freedom.

Who are you and what have you done with Buffalonill.

No idea what he is.

There back…..

I think your missing an option in the poll of an early season call up that sticks with the team.

He is unlikely to make the team out of camp. KA’s acquisitions of Hagg, Butcher and Pysyk effectively block the prospects at least initially. However Samuelsson will be an early season callup and secure the job for the rest of the year.

Yep. Where he belongs. 😁 I wouldn’t read to much into the line numbers. DG is going to match up lines as best he can.

Unless a miracle occurs and Jack is traded before the season and we get a proven center in return, R2 will center our 3rd line, get PP time and surprise with a 35-40 pt season.

Not at all. Being professional and learning how to win are completely different things. This organization needs both. Sadly KA decided to ignore trying to win. Instead he went for effort only

You seem to have ignored the bolded part of my post. However, you can’t instill a winning culture if you create a roster that can’t because of poor goaltending. In fact this delivers the opposite message.

who said anything about changing the culture. I said KO was a real leader. KO is a hard worker and a pro's pro. His work ethic is a great example for the young kids about how to be a pro. The only way to change the culture is to build a winning team. The winning brings the positive culture not the other way around. That takes more talent then we currently have. You don't change the culture by putting a C on someone's chest and you also don't change it by putting crap like Anderson and Dell in net and tanking the team. However you can instill better work ethic in the team and hopefully as more talent arrives that eventually leads to winning.

Two recent events must be taken into account, plus I neglected to mention Asplund's contract Good. 1) Asplund's contract. 2 years at 825 each is a serious bargain. He'll easily outperform that contract. The question is how far can he take his game and will he become part of the core. 2) Dahlin's contract. 3 years @ 6 is a little short on term and more $ then I expected, although I thought we'd be in the 5.5 range. 7.2 in the final year insures at least a 7.2 qualifying offer for his RFA status. Hard for me to believe that he won't outperform this contract. This is his team now. Time for him to step up and lead by example and become a Norris contender. Ugly 3) Jack saga continues, now with a failed physical and the loss of the captaincy. Hard to see a resolution happening any time soon.

I appreciate your enthusiasm. Sadly his 2 prior seasons were 25 games (2018-19) with 3.17 gaa with a 886 save % followed by 33 games (2019-20) with a 3.01 and a 907. Not exactly a great trend of accomplishment. We should feel lucky if Dell comes close to the 2019-20 numbers. There is a reason we were his best offer.

Like Skinner? Interesting lines Skinner Cozens VO Bjork Mitts Thompson Asplund R2 Hinostroza Caggiula Girgensons KO (if healthy) I'm not sure I like Skinner and VO with Cozens. I see Cozens as more goal scorer then playmaker. The mighty mites line of Hinostroza, R2 and Asplund is interesting.

100k per point is usually a pretty good reference point for FA contracts. Mitts proved in Rochester and last season in Buffalo that he is no longer a train wreck as a two way player.

no one

at 100K per point, he needs 25 pts for the team to "breakeven". You don't think he'll score 25 pts? What is he goes 18g 27a for 45 pts? Won't a contract of 2.5 mill be a huge value?

All the articles have talked about Dahlin’s contract being 7.4% of the cap and the 3rd highest cap hit on the team. They seem to forget it’s not about the money, it’s the value for the money. Jack is injured, Skinner a waste and KO is now a bottom 6 player. We are getting little or no value out of any of these contracts. However, with Dahlin, it’s the only big contract on the team we actually have a chance of getting real value for the money. He is going to run the PP, lead the team in ice time, lead the team in points by a D (possibly even the whole team). This is his team now. Odds are the Sabres will get great value from this contract. What other contracts should give the Sabres legit value or put another way who will outplay their contract? The obvious ones are Mitts and Asplund. If Mitts reaches his potential and puts up 50 points and plays a decent top 6 center, his contract will be one of the best values in the NHL. I feel much the same way about Asplund. I’m unsure of his role this season, but something tells me he’ll play up and down this lineup and be effective in any role they give him. I’m hoping he continues as Mitts’ LW, but I suspect he’ll play either 3 LW or 3C and kill penalties. Either way we get great value for his 800K. Any others stand out?