GASabresIUFAN

If we are going to draft 7th or 8th, I'd like a solid ball of hate that is Bear. The Caps have Wilson. Ottawa and Florida have a Thakcuk. We need big ball of hate as well.

I think he is an all around forward who can do what his team needs him to do. https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/3578116/2022/09/22/sabres-prospect-noah-Östlund-the-gifted/ This is a long article, but really well done. This kid is a driver of offense and responsible on defense.

Ok, but how big are these guys and over how many seasons were those NHL games accumulated. There is a huge difference between someone playing 200 games in 2.5 years vs someone playing 200 games over 4 years.

Ok, he's not just another shoot first center.

Interesting. What were their points per game in the 1st 62 games vs the last 20?

The forwards can't be blamed for D who don't clear the crease, who turn the puck over constantly at the blueline on offense and pass aimlessly on defense. Of our young forwards, Kulich and Benson, make a considerable effort on both ends. JJP is improving. It's a convenient theory that the forwards aren't really helping the D, but the D have been terrible for years. Most of the forwards who made zero two way effort, like Skinner and VO, are gone, but the D continue to make the same errors. Our HDCA have remained in the bottom 3rd of the NHL for the last 4 years. Get better D who clear the crease, block shots and make a good first pass, the complaints about forward support will go by the wayside.

Dahlin and Power were just recognized in the Athletic for being to of the best NHLers under 25. https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6204329/2025/03/18/nhl-under-25-team-bedard-celebrini/ Don't forget that the Sabres are in one of the smaller markets in a relatively niche sport.

Exactly. We are basically the same team we were two years ago. Good offense, bad defense and goaltending. Until we fix the defense, nothing is going to get better.

I have been asking for upgrades in net and on defense for 3+ years. That said, Power has made zero progress as a player in the NHL in 3 years. His O game is about the same and his decision making and positioning have regressed. His lack of any sort of physical game limits his usefulness to a team trying to be harder to play against and his terrible in zone defensive play is a huge liability.

I’m glad you’re optimistic, but for a team that needs to win now, waiting another 5 years for him to get a clue isn’t acceptable.

Sadly I agree.

If you are asking me if I think our top 9 forwards are good enough to be a playoff team. I do. Do I think they could be better. I do. Do I think they are good at the two way hockey. I think some are adequate, some like McLeod are good and some aren't. Some have improved dramatically (like TNT) and some of the kids (Benson and Kulich) work hard at it and are getting better. As I've said. The primary issues with this team is bad defense and goaltending and poor special teams. The special teams is solvable with better coaching and the acquisition of better defensemen. It's really that simple. We fix the defense, this team should contend for the playoffs next season. I fully understand that you want to blow it all up. However that's not realistic and I don't think it's necessary.

Please show me the error in my math! Please show me what situations are considered EV besides 5 on 5, 4 on 4 and 3 on 3.

I've never said that. In fact I've said quite the opposite. However, I'm also a realist. Adams is the GM and I've been posting (and I've said this as well) that Adams game plan is to keep the forwards pretty much as is. Adams made that clear when he re-signed Zucker and Greenway and stated JJP is part of the core. As I pointed out in @dudacek thread about next season, the Sabres could run back the entire current roster except Reimer (with Levi replacing him), as all 23 possible players are either under contract or RFAs and would cost about 96 million. I posted in that thread that our best hope for positive change was to trade either Byram or Power, trade Clifton and buyout Samuelsson so that we'd have about 15-16 million to spend on real D men. I also wished for a top 6 playmaker, but said that acquiring one wasn't realistic given our current cap and Adams' obvious plan for next season. None of that changes your utilization of incorrect stats 🙂

My second biggest problem with Power is that we need to be better being hard to play against and here is our biggest D, but he's also our softest. My biggest issue, is that the Sabres can no longer afford to wait for the the lightbulb to go on and for him to become the promised two way blueliner. He is being paid to be a NO. 1 quality blueliner and right now he's barely 2 pair quality. IMHO we need move on and re-allocate his 8.3 cap to players who can help prevent goals.

I actually think he was making better defensive decisions in year one then he makes now. I thought he was positionally better and was playing smarter.

EV is defined as situations in which both team have the same number of skaters (not players) on the ice. Therefore the only EV situations are 5 on 5, 4 on 4 and 3 on 3. That's it. According to the NHL these are the Sabres stats in those situations The Sabres are +3 (166/163) 5 on 5, + 1 (4/3) 4 on 4, and -3 in OT (1/4) 3 on 3 ). Thus 171/170 at EV. I have no idea in what situations that Naturalstattrick is adding 19 goals to the Sabres totals to get to 190 or 29 goals against to get to their 199. However, you are basing your argument on incorrect data. The only way I can see getting close to their numbers is adding in empty net situations, but those are not EV situations by it's traditional definition. The Sabres have allowed a league worst 24 goals when a team pulls their goalie. The NHL describes those situations as 6 on 5 however. Naturalstattrick is a great site, but you have to check your data.

except he is terrible defensively.

Your argument is simply wrong. The Sabres, updated for today, have the 3rd most GF on 5 on 5 at 166 and 5th most at 171 (5 on 5, 4 on 4 & 3 on 3). They have allowed 163 GA 5 on 5, and 170 at EV (5 on 5, 4 on 4 & 3 on 3). That a +1 differential at EV strength. I have no idea where you got your stats from, but they are wrong. My numbers are from NHL.com https://www.nhl.com/stats/teams?report=goalsagainstbystrength&reportType=season&seasonFrom=20242025&seasonTo=20242025&gameType=2&page=0&pageSize=50 https://www.nhl.com/stats/teams?report=goalsforbystrength&reportType=season&seasonFrom=20242025&seasonTo=20242025&gameType=2&sort=goalsFor&page=0&pageSize=50

The Sabres had 161 GF 5 on 5 heading into today’s game. That’s 6th in the NHL. The Sabres goaltending has a .908 save % 5 on 5. The league average is .918. The defense is terrible. The negative differential is from bad goaltending and defense.

Smart smart empty net goal. Great elevated pass from Quinn.

Differential is a reflection of our terrible defense and goaltending. The Sabres are currently in the top 12 in GF which improving kids like Benson, Kulich and JJP. Quinn finds his game that another potential lethal scorer. Norris is also a potential 30 goal scorer if healthy. Adams is going to run the offense back. The Sabres are 6th in the NHL in EV goals.

Alex Tip?

Tuch strikes again.

The Sabres are unlikely to make moves on offense this summer. The changes really to come on defense. We have 10 players for the top 9 positions - TNT, Tuch, JJP, Norris, Kulich, McLeod, Quinn, Zucker, Benson and Greenway. … and Ovie shoots and someone scores. Sabres choking in progress.