GASabresIUFAN

I disagree with your disagreement.

Other than Power’s lax play, good game by the Sabres so far.

Power literally did nothing on that Det goal. He didn’t take the man. Didn’t try to block the shot. He just waved at the player and puck as they went by.

This thread is very funny. Talk about a little premature JJP, age 23, 245 gp 69g, 85a, 145 pts Doan, age 23, 68gp, 14g, 19a, 33 pts.

Generally I agree. We desperately need goaltending and a top 6 playmaking center to turn this team around now, not 3-5 years from now. Adams has done the hockey trade - Byram for Mitts, Norris for Cozens. He has also done the top tier NHLer for a package of assets such as Eichel and JJP. He has done the NHLer for futures deals - such as dumping Montour, Reinhart and Risto, and made the futures for NHLer deals like the McLeod, Malenstyn and Greenway trades. All these moves haven’t brought the Sabres closer to the playoffs, because there is no plan at the managerial level. These trades illustrate a team spinning it’s wheels. Adams can’t be allowed to try to fix the mess he created. Before anymore mores can be done, Adams needs to be fired.

This is a very reasonable thought. The team does lack “winning” leadership on the ice and throughput the organization. As to no one is off limits, I understand the sentiment, but it’s hard to completely dismantle a team. No GM is moving on from Dahlin for example and it would take a huge huge offer to get Thompson given his relative bargain contract. Benson would likely be off limits as well. I can see a scenario for pretty much everyone else, even the guys I’d want to keep, depending on the offer.

Maybe

This is not a burn down the entire house thread. This is asking what you think might be a workable core of this team that could be supplemented through trades or FA signings to create a good roster. I’ll try to illustrate what I mean. When I look at the Sabres I see the following players I like or think can be part of the solution: Tage, Dahlin, Kulich, Benson, Byram, Kozak, Lyon (as a backup only), McLeod (only as a 3C), and possibly Doan, Timmins and Kesselring , but I haven’t seen enough of them to make an informed decision. Tuch and Zucker are players I like but are aging out. I’d also like to see Östlund and Helenius get NHL time in a proper role. Same goes for the two Russian D. Mrtka is making this team next season. This is basically what I see when I look at the team Benson ????? Thompson ???? Kulich Tuch Zucker McLeod Doan ???? Kozak ???? Dahlin ???? Byram ???? (Kesselring?) ???? (Mrtka in 2026) ???? (Timmins?) ????? Lyons

Not at all. We were discussing a possible trade of Power and I went to look at Adams trade history to try to formulate a trade that made sense. As I reviewed the trades it became apparent what Adams moves have done to destroy the roster. Adams traded away Eichel, Reinhart, Cozens and Mitts leaving the Sabres without a proven and heathy top 6 center. Instead the Sabres have oft injured shoot first Norris, a developing middle 6 in Kulich, 3rd liner McLeod and two 4th liners in Krebs and Kozak. None of these guys are playmakers.

G-d forbid Östlund gets a shot. No much better to play Dunne and Geertsen.

Everyone was under contract and Pegula didn’t want to pay two people.

Notice the complete lack of Goaltending on this list.

These are mostly listed in order by date but not importance or whether they are good or bad. Just thought we should have a list of major (ish) moves. I have left off moves like Joki for a 4th or Asplund for a 7th. 1) Peterka for Kesselring and Doan - top 6 scorer out, two middle roster players in 2) Cozens Gilbert and a 2026 2nd for Norris and JBD - Norris hurt 3 games after trade and hurt again in 1st game of the season. JBD looked solid last season but Adams let him walk anyway. G-d forbid someone takes Bryson's roster spot. 3) Savoie for McLeod and AHLer Tullio - former top 10 pick out - 3rd line center in 4) a 2nd for Beck Malenstyn - draft pick wasted on 4th line trash. 2nd was used on Cole Hutson 5) Mitts for Byram - middle six forward out - raw top 4 D in 6) Robinson for a 7th - 4th liner in for a 7th. Wasn't retained after the season 7) a 2nd and 5th for Greenway - Greenway has a needed skill set, but can't stay healthy. 2nd used on Riley Heidy, a smallish center but prolific scorer in the WHL 😎 Bloom for Stillman - Stillman was gone as soo as his contract was up. 9) Eichel plus a 3rd (Mathieu Cataford) for Tuch, Krebs a 1st (Östlund) and a 2nd (used to get Greenway) - Eichel won a Cup with LV, Östlund earned a call up this week 10) Nothing for Butcher and a 5th. He was worth what we paid for him 11) Reinhart for Levi and a 1st (Kulich) - Levi hasn't earned the NHL job yet?, Kulich has developed nicely, but Reinhart scored 50 and won two Cups 12) Risto for Hagg, 1st (Rosen) and a 2nd (Wahlberg) - Risto learned to play defense and the prospects still in the system 13) Montour for a 3rd (Sardarian) - Montour blossomed in Fla and won a Cup and we got a nothing prospect in return 14) Hall and Lazar for Bjork and a 2nd (Kisakov) - Basically a former MVP and a 4th line center for nothing because Adams gave Hall a NMC - Genius at work 15) Johansson for Staal - nothing to see here. Lets be honest, the Sabres maybe worse now after all these deals. Adams has traded away for the 5 most productive drafted and developed Sabres forwards in Eichel, Reinhart, Mitts, Cozens and JJP. Krebs hasn't panned out, Norris is injured, Levi is in the AHL, and Greenway also injured. On the positive Doan looks like solid middle roster played, Kulich has a bright future (until Adams trades him as well), Byram has outplayed Power, Tuch has been good but his contract is up and McLeod was good last season (but invisible so far this season except on the PK). IMHO the result of the these trades made the Sabres younger and less skilled. I don't trust Adams to make any trades going forward.

a top 6 center? What about Quinn and Power for a top 6 center and a D?

Hopefully we'd get a decent stay at home D in the trade to partner with Dahlin or Byram. Dahlin (new guy or Byram) Byram (or new guy) Kesselring Samuelsson Timmins

I don’t think moving him now, if we get a decent D back, hurts the defense at all since Power is inept in the D zone. Byram made Power expendable and Mtrka will likely made Byram expendable. This whole plan of 6 fast puck moving D was a joke the day it was formulated. We need guys who can actually play defense. Maybe Kesselring is one of the those guys. I hope he is.

Should have been done this summer. Byram is the better player and should be anchoring the 2nd pair. We could probably get 3 pieces for him, maybe a stay at home D to pair with Byram or Dahlin, a Doan type young player and a 1st. (Basically the JJP trade with a 1st except a more proven D than Kesselring).

Good question. I’d take Metsa over Bryson, but hard to evaluate one game. I’d prefer to try one of the Russians over both.

I completely disagree. Östlund’s upside and skill level would have enhanced the lineup and given us a better chance to win than 6 minutes of Geertsen and Dunne.

I responded to this earlier, but after last night we have proof this happens. Ruff had Geertsen and Dunne in the lineup over Östlund. Östlund is clearly the better player and should have played as the Sabres needed his speed and playmaking to compete with the Habs. Ruff should have the inserted Östlund as the 3rd line center and dropped Krebs to the 4th line with Kozak and Dunne.

Exactly! Why wasn’t Östlund in the lineup? It’s not like Dunne or Geertsen help the team win.

Yes, Virginia, the Sabres defense still stinks.

Good thing we didn’t play Östlund. We didn’t need any playmaking or speed tonight. Glad Dunne and Geertsen played 6 minutes each. They really intimidated the Habs.

Fail.

Why being up Östlund and not play him over Geertsen?