Amerks8796

Yep. Management totally caught sleeping this week and failed to bring in PTO players from the ECHL, let alone maybe a decent enough AHL player. Pleasantly surprised they won a game with that gruesome lineup.

Might have a small influence, but it’s not like they changed the system at the last minute. Just a lack of high end talent. Very boring team with really no identity.

I don’t think they’re overly talented at all. At least not any more so than most AHL teams. I’d say they’re about league average talent wise, and their goalies have been pretty bad overall. I mean, they have 2 regulation wins in 10 games and 2 other wins came from last second goals with the goalie pulled. It hasn’t been pretty. Asplund has been a major disappointment offensively. They are counting on him to be a top 6 center (mistake) and he’s really not producing. Tage started off great and has tailed off. Dea, aside from the game in Syracuse, has been mostly quiet. Lazar is ok, but doesn’t provide enough offense. And Hammond has been a dumpster fire. I think Sexton really made a mistake with the roster. They really lack a true 1C, and a top scoring winger.

This Amerks team has been a real disappointment overall. Probably the worst special teams in the league. Lost 4-3 tonight. Gave up 3 PP goals and 1 SH goal.

That’s definitely not what will happen. UPL is just getting some conditioning games in Cincinnati. He’ll be in Rochester splitting time with Hammond. Or more likely, taking over as starter with Hammond as the backup. Johansson will go to Cincinnati.

Why not Wilson? I think they viewed Lazar as someone to be a top line player and leader in Rochester. He’s either going to play in Buffalo or get waived.

4 pro seasons in NA, only one was any good. He’s a career backup at best.

He’s so far down the depth chart, if he’s playing in Buffalo, the cap situation won’t matter. Also, it’s more likely than not that he was simply arguing for more money at the AHL level, not the NHL level.

So you’re worried about the books in Buffalo to the point that you want to suppress player salaries in Rochester that are irrelevant to the cap? That’s.. odd.

That didn’t really answer the question. Why would a 1 way deal matter? It simply means he makes more money in Rochester.

Unfavorable how? And it doesn’t matter whether you want them to win or not, that’s irrelevant. Botterill does care, by most indications, so qualifying him made sense organizationally.

That would have been silly not to qualify him. He’s a solid depth player that doesn’t take up a veteran spot in Rochester. Those types of players, for AHL teams, are quite valuable.

Right, because the Amerks should ice a team with the 5 or 6 good prospects that are AHL eligible and then just play a bunch scrubs to fill out their lineup. Incredibly disrespectful post towards Rochester and their fans, not to mention not even close to rooted in any sort of reality in how the AHL works.

This isn’t really true. You need both, that’s the reality. Charlotte’s best player was Poturalski, who’s likely a career minor leaguer. They had a veteran goalie in Tokarski who played in 5 playoff games. Tomas Jurco was one of their top players in the playoffs. Trevor Carrick on defense. The year before in Toronto, they had Mueller, Ben Smith, Colin Greening, LoVerde. You cant win in the AHL absent AHL veterans, nor can you without top prospects. The Amerks 100% need multiple top AHL veterans this offseason. They’re likely losing Olofsson, Smith and O’Regan at forward. Re-sign Leier, qualify Elie and bring in 2-3 top 6 vets and the team would look pretty good again.

I’m not sure what the issue with Friedman is. I’ve always known him to be quite reliable. Maybe not McKenzie or Lebrun level, but one of the best in hockey.

And probably another dozen jobs or more will open up over the next couple years of Babcock sticks around, most of whom would probably be interested in him. He has no reason to be desperate and jump at the first job available. He’s not going to Buffalo. I’m shocked people are still mentioning him.

That’s unlikely. I’m guessing some bad info out of Finland.

Going to be a busy offseason for the Amerks. Last year very little was needed. Criscuolo/Porter/Tennyson were all on year 2 of their deals. You knew Olofsson and Asplund were coming over. Smith and O’Regan were sure bets to start in Rochester. Defense is mostly set up for next season: Redmond/Borgen/Bryson/Fitzgerald/Gosselin/Hickey. I think Borgen starts in Rochester, but gets a few call ups. They’re going to need a veteran defenseman to replace Tennyson who can fill in Buffalo, though hopefully this one is better. I think they’ll also sign 1 or 2 more depth defensemen to AHL deals like MacWilliam. Forward is barren. I don’t think all of Olofsson/Thompson/Nylander/Smith are going to make Buffalo. At least 1 or 2 get sent down. Other than that, I see Asplund and Malone as the only other guarantees. Maybe they bring Davidsson over. Maybe Pekar plays in Rochester. They’re going to need to sign a ton of FAs. Definitely a top center and couple top veteran wingers. I’m thinking a trade or two will bring in a couple more prospect forwards, but they have a lot of work to do. They need a veteran goalie with UPL. Could be a really good team if they bring in a lot of good veteran forwards.

Johansson is depth. He’s not a realistic option to to play in the AHL as anything more than an injury replacement. The Sabres, two years in a row, had him below terrible Adam Wilcox. Johansson has pedestrian numbers in the ECHL and he’s been a mixed bag in the AHL. Not someone you pair with a rookie unless you intend to have goaltending problems force you to make a midseason move. Not to mention neither are realistic 3rd goalie options for Buffalo. UPL isn’t sitting on the bench in Buffalo as a back up if someone gets hurt, nor is Johansson. You need a guy who can fill in.

He was top 15 and even top 10 in the league in save percentage and was close to the lead in wins and shout outs at one point. Then he got hurt, and was never the same. Seemed to wear down. Anyway, I’d say you’re dead wrong. They absolutely will want a vet to work with UPL. Kris Baker said it was “mandatory” on twitter for them to do so.

Wedgewood was one of the best goalies in the league until the last month or so. Has a history of injuries and I’m betting he played hurt and wore down. But regardless, the organization is going to want to pair a veteran with UPL. That’s the bottom line.

Because there is zero chance the Sabres let the Amerks go into the season with two unproven prospect goalies coming off major injuries.

Johansson won’t be in Rochester. UPL and a veteran to be signed this summer.

A goalie who couldn’t make any big stops. A coach who couldn’t make any adjustments. They should have won this series, but the Amerks had way more flaws than people probably realized, despite the 99 points. A team who got by on talent alone all year. Didn’t play complete games.. ever. Took periods and shifts off regularly. Came up small in every big game - Losses in Charlotte, losses to Syracuse fighting for the division, being swept.

2004 lockout season. It’s been a miserable run for the Amerks, the likes of which few teams have seen. It’s depressing.