GASabresIUFAN

I think the Bills lost some of their edge from some stupid play calling before the 2 minute warning and then injuries to Bernard, Spector, and Taron Johnson. Hard to play stellar defense when you are down so many weapons on defense especially with Rapp, Benford, Douglas and Dodson already out. Thank G-d Klein stepped up and had an amazing game. Great play by Elam as well. You have to wonder if the frozen turf lead to many of the injuries on both sides. It would have been also nice if the officials called that fumble correctly.

Why, because he wasted money on crap D instead of investing like Van did in a top 4 player which we desperately need. Adding Clifton and EJ just upgraded replacement players to barely 3rd line players, neither of which has been very good, while completely ignoring the team's actual need of 2 top 4 D. Let's face it, KA has zero idea how to evaluate and acquire NHL level talent.

Because the GM knew that neither player was good enough to even bring to camp. Both should gave been gone this off-season. Stillnan should have never been acquired in the first place. It’s telling that the Vancouver GM traded us Stillman and then turned around and acquired Hronek from Det. One GM knew how to dump deadwood from his roster and upgrade it, and another acquired the deadwood.

The Sabres need 54 points in their remaining 38 games to chance. That’s 25-9-4. There is no way on G-d’s green Earth that this team performs even close to that level. They haven’t even had a 3 game win streak. I’m glad you hold out hope, but it’s just not realistic. My solutions gives max reps to both Levi and UPL, who are presumably the goalies for next season, while enhancing both the Amerks and Sabres chances to win this season.

According to today’s broadcast the team has confidence in UPL. If that is the case, then make him the starter and play him 3 of 4 to try to do the best you can.

The issue is what is best for the Sabres long-term since this season is done. Make UPL the starter to see what you have. Make Levi the starter in Rochester to maximize his reps and try to showcase Comrie some to see if someone will trade for him at the deadline.

This season is done. Ride UPL. Let him play 3 of 4. The key is what is best for Levi’s development. I’d say that’s being the No. 1 in Rochester and then playing in the AHL playoffs. The side benefit is you can showcase Comrie and if he plays well then maybe you can get something for him at the deadline.

UPL has started 3 games in a row. He is looking more and more like the No. 1 goalie for this season. Marty is even being nice about his game. Time to send Levi down to get game reps? Comrie has played well in his two starts in Rochester. Might as well let him backup UPL. You can still bring up Levi for periodic starts.

Yeah.

Yes. I think the adversity he went through early in his career made him want to work to get continually better. You can see his continual growth even during this season. Early in the year he was pass first and wasn't shooting much. The scorers got hurt and he started shooting more. Even with DC, Tuch, and TNT back, Casey continues to shoot at the elevated pace. Right now he is the Sabres most consistent, versatile, and best forward.

There are about 7 other forwards I’d move before Casey. Every line Casey is on scores. It doesn’t matter if he is playing center or wing. He is also our best 2-way forward. I love that he is shooting and scoring more. Casey now has 12g 26a 38pts in 44gms. He leads the Sabres in +/-, points, assists and is 4th in goals.

I was just about to post the same thing.

What does that say about Bryson and Stillman. G-d does KA stink.

Bodger is one of the most underrated D in Sabres history. He played 7 plus years for the Sabres and averaged over 40 pts a year and was good in our end. We also gave up on Shannon to soon. He went on to have some very good years with the Jets.

The Sabres have acquired many "stars" in trade. Hasek, Satan, Briere, Drury, ROR, and Skinner to name 6. The worst trade the Sabres made in recent history was trading McNabb and 2 2nd rd picks for Fasching and Deslauriers. Fasching never made the Sabres, Deslauriers was a briefly useful 4th line player and all McNabb has done is be a steady stay-at-home D for the last decade who is having a breakout offensive year this season. Also one of the 2 2nd rd picks became Eric Cernak. All Cernak has done is become a steady physical stay-at-home D for TB getting top 4 minutes. Well done TM.

Those videos remind me of why I moved South. I still have PTSD from the Blizzard of 77 when we had a snow drift over our two-story house.

No, No one is paying the equivalent of a 1st, a 2nd, and an NHL player for 35-year-old (next season) Couture with 24 million cap hit (20 mill still owed to him) over the next 3 years. He also has been on IR all this season. I might give a 2nd in 2025 and a 4th in 2026 if he is proven healthy and SJ eats 50% of his contract. Tanev is also 34 and has been injured on and off. I don't think UFAs are the way to go to fix our roster holes. KA is going to have to make a couple of hockey type trades. Maybe even someone like Cozens for a top 4 D with term plus.

Maybe, but the Sabres have much better talent depth after their top 3 forwards. The Sabres are also younger overall.

Vancouver had a season last year like the one the Sabres are having this year. Their GM started to fix the roster last year after the New Year. This is what he did to help repair his roster with a solid young core but needed defensive and goaltending help. Last season's moves 1/30/23 Traded Bo Horvat to the NYI for Anthony Beauvilier, prospect Aatu Raty, and a 1st in 2023. Deadline: moves out D Stillman (to us) and Schenn (for a 3rd) and Lazar (for a 4th). Traded D replaced with Hronek (from Det) plus a 4th for the NYI 1st and a 2nd. Hronek had another year on his contract. Offseason moves Traded Tanner Pearson and a 3rd to Mon for veteran backup G Casey DeSmith (saving 1.5 mill in cap in the process). Signed D Ian Cole (1 year 3 mill), D Carson Soucy (3yrs 9.75), C Theodor Blueger (1yr 1.9 mil), C Pius Suter (2yr 3.2 mill) In-Season moves 10/8/2023 - acquired Sam Lafferty (from Tor) for a 5th 11/30/2023 - Acquired Zadorov for and 3rd (2026) and a 5th When all was said and done, Van's GM turned over 2/3 of his D group, added an excellent backup goalie to pair with his stud young goalie, and added depth to his forward group, especially down the middle. There is no reason that KA can't be a buyer and a seller during this trade deadline. There are players with term we can bring in (like Greenway last year) that can make us better this season and in the future and we can start unloading some of the deadwood on the roster. Trading Joki and VO are at the top of my list. I might even trade Krebs. I'm also taking offers on KO, EJ and Z. Comrie, Jost, Bryson and Stillman are also available but I doubt we'll get any takers. I'm also entertaining offers for Savoie, Kulich, Östlund, and Rosen if a top 4 D with term is coming back. (I'm only trading a max of 2 of those 4 prospects). I'm looking for 1 top 9 center and 2 top 4 D. DG recently moved Greenway to center and I'm intrigued by the idea of him anchoring the 4th line next season.

@Sabres Super Fan is right about the Sabres needing stability at the top, but that stability needs to be competent people. KA and DG both have shown moments of competence. There is no denying that DG has made a huge difference in players like Dahlin, Thompson, Skinner and others. He also got the team to play hard after the horror that was RK. However, he has failed to get the guys to play with any defensive structure and we continue to be in the bottom 25 of the league in giving up High Danger Chances and he has yet to fix the PP. There is also no denying that KA improved the talent in the organization, specifically the prospect pipeline. Where he has failed is finding and bringing in the right players to fill the holes in his NHL roster and getting even decent goaltending. So the question isn't whether or not the Sabres need stability. The question is are these the right two guys to give the organization the stability it needs. After last season I was leaning toward them being part of the long-term solution, but KA's failure to properly fix the holes in the roster and his failure to bring in proven help in goal, has left me believing that he is the wrong man for the job. The funny thing is I believe that both guys are salvageable. DG needs experienced assistants and KA needs an experienced team president to help him better understand when and how to use his assets to get the team to the next level.

Would you have made this post last year?

Yes an off handed comment, but he was buried on the prospect depth chart playing in only 19 of the Amerks 31 games. He was never making the Sabres. He needed a fresh start elsewhere.

Because we demoted Jost

Sad

Everything we are seeing comes down to goaltending. When are goalies make some big stops early the team feeds off the energy and usually plays well. When the goalies get beat early, their fault or not, the team collapses. Inconsistent goaltending, inconsistent team. KA is going to leave Levi and UPL in place for the season as part of his “growing pains” development season strategy. Here is the worse news. Both guys will be back next year as well. Expect a younger status quo roster for next season with more kids replacing the vets at forward. Yeah.