GASabresIUFAN

It was a definitely a swing for the fences draft, especially for guys like Bloom and Sardarian. I also think they also grabbed some great value guys late in Novikov and Marjala. Poltapov and Kisakov were known quantities but with high skill. The biggest questions is when (or if) they come over. If they do come over and just one of the two reaches their potential, this draft has the potential to be very special. I also really like Nadeau if we are serious about being hard to play against.

If Power, Johnson and Beniers return to Michigan with the class they have coming in, Portillo may get very lonely in goal.

https://buffalonews.com/sports/sabres/makeover-of-sabres-defense-headlined-by-additions-of-will-butcher-mark-pysyk/article_96db7b68-f139-11eb-9740-a7b003c2094c.html Calling Butcher and Pysyk a "Makeover" of the Sabres D is a very large stretch. Hagg will likely log more ice time then Pysyk. ... and this is a positive makeover? Ain't that a huge understatement. IMHO if Bryson and Samuelsson don't outplay Butcher, Miller, Hagg and Pysyk, I'll be surprised.

Agreed.

Right. Why pay max value for an injured player? Only TM did that (Kane, Bogo, Lehner for example). We have to show he's healthy and I believe Jack, his agent and doctors believe that the only way that happens is with this surgery. Jack's agent is trying to put pressure on KA to allow Jack to get the surgery asap so that Jack can prove he's healthy and get out of Buffalo. KA should counter that if Jack has the surgery we need two things, an insurance policy on his contract and him to waive the NMC.

That ship may have sailed if KA wants Max value.

Simple to say and I have said it but we both know it doesn’t work that way in reality. See ROR and PLD for examples. KA wants him gone and he wants to go. Why not leverage the situation to give yourself maximum flexibility as to when and where?

He has a full NMC after this coming season. That gives him great leverage in a year. He can pull a Hall if he wants at that time. He has something we want and we have something he wants. Make a deal

Let him have the surgery but he has to get rid of his NMC

What great role models TM have Jack and Sam.

I'm sure he will. That is why I'm advocating to just sign him now and get the full benefit of his 1st year ELC.

When I look at the acquisitions and the players returning there is only going to be one or two position battles at the most. Obviously Jokiharju and Dahlin are cemented in the lineup. They are paying Miller good money. He'll be playing. KA acquired Hagg and Butcher. They also will be playing at least early in the season. That 5 of 6 starting jobs already claimed. I can see the argument that Hagg also will have to compete for his job, but that still means 4 of 6 job have been claimed already. Right now the lineup looks like LD - RD Dahlin Jokiharju Butcher ????? Hagg Miller I don't think Pysyk is good enough to crack the lineup, but maybe. I also don't want Butcher with Miller. Talk about D zone issues. Honestly, we need another D first RHD (Borgen - yes I know). If Samuelsson is read and can play his off side. Problem solved. I'm not sure right now where Bryson fits into the rotation. I thought he was pretty good last year and deserves a legit shot at the roster, but a Bryson Miller pairing scares me almost as bad as a Butcher/Miller pairing.

If he signs after Michigan’s season and plays a few game it will likely burn a year of his ELC. Either sign him and develop him here (or in Rochester) or let him play the season and Michigan and sign him once the NHL season ends. If Michigan plays for the National Championship the argument is probably moot. Also I think a college kid can play at season’s end on a PTO without burning a year of the ELC.

8 x 7 or 3 x 5

Asplund and Davidson were re-signed.

AHL age limit is 18. He can play there.

Arttu Routsalainen

Here are the guys as it currently stands Miller, Jokiharku (when re-signed), and Dahlin (when re-signed) will be our returning NHL players. Hagg, Pysyk and Butcher have been acquired so far this off-season. LD - Butcher, Hagg, Dahlin and Bryson. RD Miller, Jokiharju and Pysyk. Bryson and Samuelsson (both LDs) both got NHL experience last season and could fight for a roster spot. Many have Bryson already penned in for an NHL job. Another wild card is whether 1st overall pick signs his ELC and joins the team. I see Butcher as Miller 2.0. I see Hagg as the poor mans version of Jokiharju. I'm really worried that without Risto and McCabe, our D zone coverage by this group will be even worse then last season.

and what does this have to do with Ryan MacInnis? I assume you are talking about what the Bruins paid Ullmark. Desperation! That said Ullmark's performance on such an awful team makes his stats eye poppingly good over the last 2 years.

These aren't lines but how I view the hierarchy of the position in the organization based on RFAs and signed players NHL - Forwards (updated) Skinner Eichel Olofsson R2 Mittelstadt Okposo Hinostroza Cozens Thompson Girgensons Asplund Bjork Eakin Caggiula AHL JJP MacInnis Quinn Murray Hayden Weissbach Biro Oglevie Rousek Pekar Malone NHL - D Dahlin Jokiharju Bryson Power? Hagg Miller Butcher Pysyk AHL - D Samuelsson Laaksonen Davidson Fitzgerald Schuldt Prow Goalies NHL - Anderson, Dell AHL - UPL, Tokarski, Anyone I'm missing?

Even a blind squirrel.... I don't think anyone ever said he was an idiot, just unqualified and incompetent.

I think he is an upgrade on Dea or Smith. He actually has a chance of playing in the NHL.

The Sabres goaltending tandem

It looks like a small pay cut. Last season his cap hit was 845K.

I guess he learned his lesson on the Thompson contract.