GASabresIUFAN

I'm all for a Zegras deal. We lost our best playmaker in Mitts and need to replace that production. Zegras would be a great fit in that way. The other issues with him Adams and his team need to figure out, but the price is now substantially less than it would have been a year ago. I like the idea of Zegras on the Cozens line. TNT has Tuch as his playmaker. Don't forget that Tuch had the same number of assists as Mitts over the last 2 years. I think I need to clear the air. I really don't care if Adams specifically acquires Necas, Ehlers, or Zegras. My point is we have to change this team even if we have to overpay to get it done. Until we have a winning team, attracting top talent as UFAs or with NTCs is next to impossible. To make the necessary changes Adams (or his successor) is going to have a take a risk or two. We are fortunate that we have assets to get a deal done.

You are simply wrong. We have to begin to take risks to get this team better even if we have to overpay like we did for Zucker. We can no longer shop only at Bargain Mart for our outside players. We have to change the culture of this team. Wanting to be here is not a culture. Winning and accountability are. We have to create a winning team to change the perception in the league. Getting an Ehlers in here would significantly help this team. He'd also be playing for a big UFA contract. Both sides get what they want. I do agree that you can't empty the pipeline for one year of Ehlers, but we may have to overpay some to get an upgrade. It's Adams job to figure out the balance. I thought he did fine with McLeod. Again we are basically making deadline moves now because we have to be in playoff mode for opening night.

It was a joke, dude. Relax. That said, you have to build a shopping list from somewhere. He wanted to build team speed. Here is a list of fast players. You then do you do diligence from there, but you have to start somewhere and it's pretty clear that speed was central to that shopping list. Maybe he just went to ChatGPT and asked "show me a list of NHL players who are fast, have high hit totals and good defensive metrics."

@Archie Lee Considering that I started the thread, I kind of know the intent of the thread and the question. The intent was a guy who can play center in our top 9. I was hoping for a guy who could compete with Cozens for the 2C, like Ericksson-Ek or Karlsson, but also realized that I'm dealing with Kevyn Adams and we must lower our expectations. McLeod is a perfect Adams acquisition. Cheap $, is a legit 3C and can play up if needed. He isn't ideal, but he ticks most of the boxes.

What a bunch of BS. The Sabres have a huge credibility problem. No one “wants to be here”. Mitts must feel like he got paroled from prison. Winning and money cure the problem. Do you really think Buffalo was Zucker’s first choice? He came for the money. If you bring in a rental and the team starts winning, you’ll be amazed how quickly he starts saying how great it’s been to be part of the turnaround. Even if the player “doesn’t want to be here” but he’s playing for a big FA deal, you’ll be amazed at how hard he still works. The more success he has with the Sabres the bigger the next contract. By the way it’s KA’s job to overcome that objection. Using it as an excuse for failure is getting old.

So were many players on that list. My first reaction to that list was the same, but blazing speed does not necessarily equate with offensive success. For every McDavid or McKinnon you have the McLeod brothers or Aube-Kubel. Dahlin, Reinhart and Mitts aren’t blazing fast, but they seem to be effective. The more I look at the list, it makes you wonder, given we just acquired 3 guys from the top 20, if Adams printed it a few weeks ago and used it as his shopping list.

At some point a Sabres GM, be it Adams or his replacement, is going to have to take a risk to improve the talent on his roster. I agree you can’t break the bank on a rental, but for talent like Ehlers or Necas bringing them in for a year gives you a year to prove Buffalo is a good destination and winning cures most “destination” issues. Teams throw big time assets at 17 game rentals every year at the deadline. Is this really so different? Doesn’t the playoff chase start game 1 for the Sabres this season? The upside of a rental is that you also aren’t locked in if it doesn’t work. If the player isn’t a longterm fit and doesn’t elevate the guy can be traded at the deadline to recover similar assets spent in the off-season.

Guys like him are a dime a dozen and can be had for free. We signed two in free agency. Our friend Robinson, has size, excellent speed, hits people and has multiple 20+ point seasons was acquired basically for free. Why spend a premium pick on a 26 year rookie with a one year track record? Had he given Wash a 4th or 5th rd pick then who cares, but it’s just another example of Adams poor asset management.

Well the “No’s” were wrong about the 3C. Is it to far fetched to think the “No’s” could be wrong about a top 6 forward? I voted No by the way.

That's fine with me. I don't mind spending assets for an upgrade, but we also don't Adams to be completely viewed as an easy mark. The Malenstyn deal was bad enough.

It's probably always come easy for him. Maybe this last dreadful season showed him that you have to work to make it in the NHL where even the "worst" players are among the best in the world. Ruff would certainly be a good mentor for someone like Zegras. Ruff has always worked for everything and he'll hold players who aren't working accountable. KA likely won't acquire him without a consult with Lindy.

A Tkachuk brother may not be available, but Necas, Zegras and Ehlers still are.

Q, the Continuum called. Tkachuk is not available.

Given our need for playmakers I’d be interested in Zegras. The deal would be half of what it would have been a year ago. His playmaking skills would elevate Quinn and Cozens. I guess the questions are cost and how improved is his 2-way game. Greenway and/or Krebs would have to be part of the deal. A lottery protected 1st plus Kulich and Greenway for Zegras and a 3rd? JJP TNT Tuch Zegras Cozens Quinn Benson McLeod Zucker That’s a pretty good top 9

My guess is the conversations were recent. Once Edm signed Henrique and went over the cap, Kevyn called Edm and asked for McLeod. He probably offered Rosen. Edm said no and asked for Savoie. Kevyn said ok, but I need something else. If he had slated Savoie to start in Rochester, getting a young player with decent AHL results but young enough to potentially have upside makes sense. I don’t think this is an overpay. We saw how few centers changed teams this off-season by trade. There is value in youth, with experience, and cost control, especially when the player has some very marketable skills like speed and PK ability.

Why would Colorado trade Colton and why would Colton, with a full NTC, waive it to come to Buffalo?

@Doohickie Malachi Brothers - Happy Days TV Show

Depends on the player and their contract. It also depends on what you consider a top 6 forward. What would it cost to get Ehlers from Wpg vs Iafallo from them.

Could you live with a smaller deal like trading for Eden’s Alex Iafallo from the Jets? He is a hard nosed dirty work player who can move up and down the lineup. He has one year left on his deal at $4 mill and no trade protection. Seems like a perfect Adams type acquisition; someone on a short deal, who is an upgrade on some current players, has ties to Buffalo, can be acquired cheaply, and who can’t say no. I’d slide him to the 3rd line with Zucker and McLeod and put Greenway on the 4th line with Lafferty. I can even see Adams trading Greenway to save $ and get more assets like he did Lyubushkin.

My guess is Adams is now done unless a major injury occurs. 5/6 of his top 6 is probably written in ink. (TNT, Cozens, Tuch, Quinn and JJP) Camp battles for a 2nd line winger and both 3rd line wingers (Greenway, Benson, Zucker) Camp battle for the 3C job with McLeod the heavy favorite (Krebs and Lafferty also competing) Aube-Kubel, Malenstyn, Lafferty, and Krebs fighting for the last 3 starting forward jobs. If Kubel, Malenstyn and Lafferty comprise the 4th line, I'd be tempted to call them the Malachi Brothers. On defense the only pairing certainty is Dahlin anchoring the top pair. After that we are going to Lindy play mix and match with Power, Byram, Mule, Clifton and Joki. Gilbert and Bryson likely make the team as 7 & 8, but I could see Clague beating out Bryson for the 8th slot. In goal UPL will be in the NHL. Will Levi need to be sent down opening the door for Reimer to win the backup job? Right now Adams was 11 forward under contract with 2 pending RFAs, 10 D (Johnson and Clague to the other 2 ) and 3 goalies.

That is a very generous description of Byram

except I don't think KA is going to cut him for getting a $1 mill decision.

is there an NHLe that is both league and age based?

Hits, EV pts, XGF @ EV, Faceoff %, Blocks, PK skills, speed, size takeaways, etc are just a small sample of the differentiating stats that factor into who plays where and when. McLeod is definitely the favorite to win the 3C job, but I was just showing how close the counting stats were between the 2 players.

Even with Savoie gone, our top forward prospects are Helenius, Kulich, Östlund, Wahlberg, Rosen, Neuchev, Ziemer and Poltapov. How many guys do we actually need? Don't forget that Benson is younger than half those guys and JJP is only 6 months older than Rosen and Poltapov.