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Dr. Who

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  1. The offseason so far - Are the Sabres better?

    in The Aud Club

    Posted

    4 minutes ago, Thorny said:

    Was more referring to the fact we traded Eichel and Reinhart, two proven functional building blocks of championship teams but more less brain farted as you mentioned that already.

    although I do think the fact we converted eveything we had to assets one way or another and are left with none of those F save Quinn IS also an example of poor roster construction and just a poorly conceived plan in general. 

    Through all the draft picks we’ve made and traded for and prospects we’ve acquired through the trading of the highly drafted forwards we did have over the course of 5 years to be so thin in that sense remains odd to me 

    I do think the Cozens asset was severely mishandled 

    The level of ineptitude is mind-numbing. 

    • Agree 2

  2. Bo Byram ultimate final prediction

    in The Aud Club

    Posted

    12 minutes ago, Crusader1969 said:

    You trade him and create a hole you can't fill on D. Sign him for 2 years, play him with Dahlin.  See what happens

    As for the forwards.  The Sabres are a draft and develop team it's time for one of their high draft picks to grab the bull by the horns and take a spot in the top 6

    Quinn - we know he can do it. Hopefully becomes the player we thought he would be prior to injuries 

    or Rosen -  This is it for him.  Hopefully not a tweener (AHL / NHL) but he has to show it this year

    Helenius - has a shot, they said he was close coming into last year... probably starts in AHL but hopefully takes a big step forward 

     

     

     

     

     

     

    I think Rosen is a tweener. It's a year early for Helenius. They're betting on Quinn. 

  5. Sabres announce qualifying offers

    in The Aud Club

    Posted

    2 minutes ago, Taro T said:

    Kisakov not getting a QO makes a ton of sense.  On the surface of it, Bernard-Docker not getting one doesn't make nearly as much.  Seemed to be worth at least $900k IMHO.  Not sure why the Sabres would sweat the extra $60-100k unless they plan on using that in FA &/or trading for pieces that are significantly more expensive than what they currently have.

    And that's completely outside their MO.

    Meanwhile, the inexplicable and the dumb are completely in their wheelhouse.

  6. The offseason so far - Are the Sabres better?

    in The Aud Club

    Posted

    4 minutes ago, 7+6=13 said:

    You missed my point.  You don't think I know the history?

    I'm saying no one can add Byram being gone today to the reason we're not better, unless you're always trying to paint the worst picture, which is what some Buffalo fans have been doing my entire life.

    So if you're going to say we need a partner for Dahlin today because of the departure of Byram, then incorrectly say we don't need a top 6 winger or whatever you want to make up.

    "For some reason there's a love affair with doom and gloom" is your overall interpretive conclusion as to the motivation behind folks speculating: that's your own bias regarding the nature of the board, which you've expressed quite often.

    The question of whether the Sabres are better is in flux, so obviously some figured in what they thought likely (a trade of Byram), and others held off, and based judgment on what is true right now. I don't see that kind of variance as proof of an odd desire to "paint the worst picture," though it is true that a self-destructive madness can overcome a group when conditions turn in a certain direction. 

    I hardly think that is what is happening on this board. In my judgment, the current roster is not a playoff team, so the offseason is a failure if it remains more-or-less what it is now. You can make an argument that the team is marginally improved overall. I'm not certain that is correct, but it is not ridiculous. What happens in the next week or so will be much more telling, so pausing on making pronouncements until there is greater clarity is actually the most prudent course.

    • Like (+1) 6

  7. Turbo's 2025 Offseason Plan

    in The Aud Club

    Posted · Edited by Dr. Who

    18 minutes ago, Turbo44 said:

    I don't think DAL can take on Byram's salary.  It was also reported that they'd want futures for him.

    You'd have to turn Byram into futures and picks, and use that as part of the package to get Robertson.

  8. The offseason so far - Are the Sabres better?

    in The Aud Club

    Posted

    2 minutes ago, 7+6=13 said:

    This is why our fans frustrate me sometimes.  For some reason there's a love affair with doom and gloom and it's real. 

    Why do we have to find a partner for Dahlin when we have Byram?

    Do you believe it strengthens your gloom?

     

     

     

    It's not for "some reason" as if it were unfathomable and irrational. There is a long history of ineptitude, which quite naturally produces skepticism. There is also inconsistency. Don't block the young players. Then when they hit on one who doesn't want to be here, you end up trading the unblocked. Handedness didn't matter on D, and now it does. They were all finesse, and now we have discovered the need for grit.

    I like the current shift, but the GM does not inspire confidence. The change is not coming from principle, unless it is someone else behind the altered criteria, which is quite possible. 

    If Byram is not traded, the D is fine. I think he's probably going to be traded, but it's not as certain as it seemed a few days ago. They should bring in veteran competition for UPL, and let Levi season another year. I rather doubt that is their plan, though. They need to bring in a top 6 winger. There's cap room to do it, but most folks are rightly concerned that we won't spend, because TP has been cheap. You can conjecture various reasons, but the cheap part is undeniable, or should be. 

    • Like (+1) 2
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  9. Turbo's 2025 Offseason Plan

    in The Aud Club

    Posted

    1 hour ago, Turbo44 said:

    Mods, merge this with another thread if you wish:

    This is what my offseason would look like:

    -Re-sign Byram for 5 years $35million.  Trading him would create a huge hole next to Dahlin, he wants to stay, and I give him PP minutes. This allows him to got to UFA at a young age (29)

    -Trade with Dallas for Jason Robertson, one of the top 2 way wingers in the league at a position, LW, of desperate need.  Dallas wants futures, as they're up against the cap, and we have futures. It's a lot but this is what I send; 2026 top 3 lottery protected, Östlund, Rosen, Strbak.  It's a lot, but our prospect pool is deep, we avoid giving them top prospects like Quinn, Kulich and Helenius and get a top 10 NHL player who is tenacious defensively (what we desperately need) who hasn't missed a game since 2021 while averaging 37 goals and 53 assists.  Put him on the top line with Norris and Tage and the 3 players will threaten 300 points next year.  This move could save Adam's job. Robertson is young (25) with one year left at $7.75m.  We extend him 7 years (to his still relatively young age 32 year) for $75million - Slightly under Dahlin's annual salary.

    -Sign Jake Allen, 1 years $4million (slightly less than UPL's $4.75million per).  At worst, he backs up UPL, at best, he outperforms UPL and gets at least equal playing time. At 34, he's getting up there but has a lifetime 2.76 GAA, .908 save percentage and 28 shutouts in 460 regular-season games while last year posting 13-16-1 with a 2.66 goals-against average, .908 save percentage and four shutouts in 31 games. This dwarfs anything and everything UPL has ever posted. With the chance to start at a nice contract (he's coming off one of 2 years at 3.85million per year), Allen jumps at our offer. I'm willing to match his 2 year at 3.85 per if he wants the security.  Levi seasons another year in Rochester.

    -Trade Malenstyn and Lafferty for small futures and eliminate $3.35million from the cap

    -Trade Samuellson for a marginal prospect.  Don't have room for him salary cap wise or team morale wise. The moment he didn't defend Tage was the moment he was no longer a Sabres in my eyes. His cap savings is significant.

    -Extentions: Tuch 5 years $38million ; McLeod 3 years $10million; Timmins 2 years $2.8million (savings of $1.93million from what you would have paid Clifton and you get a better defenseman). It's the same salary as Kesselring; Levi 2 years 2.5million, Kozak 2 years $2milliion. Bernard-Docker and Ryan Johnson both 2 years $2.25million, 

    DEPTH CHARTS

    FORWARDS

    Robertson-Norris-Thompson (wow just wow - PLEASE STAY HEALTHY NORRIS)

    Benson-Kulich-Tuch (Zucker for Benson and McLeod for Kulich are interchangeable here)

    Zucker-McLeod-Quinn - a great 3rd line which has a little of everything

    Greenway -Krebs - Doan - a very solid 4th line and a b1tch to play against - we're going to love Doan

    Extra: Kozak 

    DEFENSE

    Byram - Dahlin - Dahlin prefers the off-wing

    Power-Kesselring - Power gets the steady partner he should have had the last 2 years. Kesselring is nasty and surprisingly solid analytics-wise

    Timmins - Bernard-Docker - okay bottom pair that will get limited minutes - 13-15 per game

    Extra: Bryson

    GOALIE

    UPL-Allen - Levi gets one more year in Rochester while we see how UPL plays behind a much better defensive team. Make it or break it year for UPL.

    PP1

    Thompson-Zucker-Robertson-Dahlin-Norris

    PP2

    Kulich-Quinn-Tuch-Power-Byram 

    PK1

    McLeod-Greenway-Kesselring-Power

    PK2

    Norris-Tuch-Dahlin-Timmins

     

    CAP CALCULATION

    $95.5MILLION CAP CEILING

     image.thumb.png.95ed6b5292dc90056139454d49397306.png

     image.png.16153c9bc688659646eb14772a2160d4.png

      image.png.d9930c39f967d42435d85ea86f3ea246.png

    image.png.6f4e4e1724aa1f64d978754658d70001.png BUYOUTS 

     

    BASICALLY SPENDING TO THE CAP. $1.6M under the cap and this, I believe, is a much improved, playoff team. Going forward, we'd have some new extensions hit (Tuch, Robertson, etc.) but with the projected Cap at $104,000,000 we'd be fine.  Is Pegula willing to spend, Is KA capable of this?  This is the biggest offseason in a long time and I'd argue that if the team performs (and I'm confident this roster would), the extra spend be dwarfed by the extra revenues generated from playoffs and higher ticker sales.  This is the best fans in the world - give them a product and they will come and spend!!!

    Thoughts?

    I would agree with the view that you probably need to add to get Robertson, but this is a solid plan. 

  10. Summer 2025: NHL Offseason

    in The Aud Club

    Posted

    22 minutes ago, Archie Lee said:

    Until we see otherwise, I think the safe money is that the Sabres will spend to an internal cap that comes in under $90 million.  I could be wrong and this is the year they go big. 

    It sounds like the Canucks are keeping Pettersson (unless there is news I’ve missed), but if he is available the Sabres could take a run. If the Sabres moved Byram and Norris in a Pettersson trade, they would still have room to add Robertson for futures. A top line of Pettersson centring Robertson and Thompson, would certainly change how the Sabres are viewed. 

    I really can't imagine KA pulling off those kind of deals, especially in a compressed timeframe. 

    1 minute ago, Turbo44 said:

    I'd be worried about his knee. He was one of the fastest players in the league 2 years ago and correspondingly was 100+ year player. Since the injury, hi tope end recorded speed has been pedestrian as has his scoring.  Plus his attitude was questioned several times by teammates. Feels like a Taylor Hall signing and at a cap hit of $11.6m for 5 more years, i pass.

    -

     

    I agree. I'd love to find a way to get Robertson, though.

  16. Trade : Conor Timmins and Isaac Belliveau from the Pittsburgh Penguins in exchange for Connor Clifton and the 39th overall pick in the 2025 NHL Draft.

    in The Aud Club

    Posted

    19 minutes ago, oddoublee said:

    I'm not so sure. I don't believe they had any intention to trade bryam for picks - this simply solidifies for other GMS to stop wasting time offering them...and offer up a, at minimum, top 9 forward that can slide up and down. I believe he gets traded before FA starts

    Maybe. Perhaps the post was performative. You've got to admit "while Scrabble tiles marinates in juniors" is pretty damn good. (And what is it about Byram that his name just begs to be misspelled?)

  18. Sabres Trade JJ Peterka to Utah for Defenseman Michael Kesselring and Forward Josh Doan

    in The Aud Club

    Posted

    2 minutes ago, Archie Lee said:

    It was never going to be the case that the Sabres were going to trade Peterka and get the better player in the deal. Teams interested in Peterka were going to be teams trying to get better who were offering pieces that, to them, were expendable and redundant. I'm not saying Kesserling and Doan are bad players, but they aren't what we need to take the step towards being a playoff team this year.  Kesserling, who I assume is seen as the long sought after partner for Owen Power, is 25 years old and has played 156 NHL regular season games and no playoff games.  Bernard-Docker is the only d-man on our current NHL roster, who has played fewer NHL games.

    I expect a similar trade with Byram in the next 48 hours. And when that is done, the Sabres will, in the blink of an eye, have gone from being a team that looked like it might be up against the cap after signing their RFAs, to being a team that can easily come in around $88 million, give or take a million. 

     

    Yacht insurance is expensive.

  20. Time to trade Peterka

    in The Aud Club

    Posted

    1 hour ago, pi2000 said:

    If I'm GM I tell JJ he's not being moved, end of story.    You don't like it?   Too bad.

     

    KA as GM is defined by do you want to be here. I don't think he's capable of playing that card.

  21. Are there major changes coming this summer and who will make them?

    in The Aud Club

    Posted

    7 minutes ago, Flashsabre said:

    It seems he wasn’t allowed. That was the point of Pegula flying into Montreal to give his “The answer is in the room” speech.  That was the “you guys figure it out I’m not signing off on any deal right now” speech.

    Of course, Adams should not be in charge, but the arrogance and obtuseness begins at the top. It's difficult to sustain hope when that is an obvious brake on future success. If TP is unable to learn a modicum of humility after 14 years, no amount of rational calculation regarding talent and roster construction is going to mean much. One is reduced to random luck, miracle, or change in ownership as what could conceivably pull the franchise out of its lamentable ways. 

    • Like (+1) 1

  23. Stanley Cup! 2025

    in The Aud Club

    Posted

    2 minutes ago, thewookie1 said:

    Again ill never judge the difference based on playoff games. Players go a full 100% in the playoffs versus 75% to 85% in the regular season most nights

     

    I suppose the sense of it is that if we are too young/emotionally fragile to handle the pressure of the race to get into the playoffs, we're unlikely to step up in the post-season. No doubt, there could be some surprises, but in general, I surmise we have been too young to expect the team to raise its level of compete sufficiently to not be embarrassed. 

    After such a prolonged wait, you'd like to be able to accomplish something once the team crosses the mythical border into playoff land. Anyway, the hope that players that are edgy, uncomfortable to play against, etc. will be part of the profile for who is drafted and brought in is a reflection of that judgment. 

    • Agree 2
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