Archie Lee

I would be ok with this and think it is probably about a best case scenario type of offseason. Note that, using AFP contract projections, if we make these 3 acquisitions and re-sign our 4 NHL RFA's, and promote Levi, Johnson and Rousek to back-up roles, we come in right around $500k under the cap. So even an offseason like this, which is ok, but a bit underwhelming, requires us to commit to becoming a cap team.

I half-agree with your post. It is true that nobody here is arguing for the team to do nothing. It is perplexing to me that a question could come up about a trade involving our 1st rd pick and a few of us not agreeing that the value is enough is then interpreted to mean we are prioritizing winning a trade over winning hockey games. As though any of us can actually do anything to influence the Sabres making or not making a trade or winning or not winning hockey games. Also, I agree that it is too soon for hand-wringing (for me anyway). If we get to July 3rd and we have not made substantive moves, then conclusions can fairly be drawn. Where we perhaps differ is in our faith or optimism that moves are coming. When asked in the recent Seravelli interview if he regretted not doing more last off-season, Adams confidently said “no” and pointed out he did bring in Clifton and Johnson and then doubled-down on his position that bringing in a forward or two only would have taken ice-time away from Peterka, Quinn and Benson. I have not heard him say anything about a change in roster construction, other than wanting a different style of 4th line player, that gives me any sense we will make the sort of changes that in themselves give fans a higher degree of confidence. It could be that they are planning these sort of moves, but until they happen my assumption is that the plan is to come in $5-7 million under the cap and to bring in some lower-cost 4th liners that will mostly have us scratching our head a bit. Hope I am wrong.

Go Oilers. They have very few players I dislike (maybe none). I can’t stand Bennett and Tkachuk and Lomberg (would take them on the Sabres, but can’t stand them on a div rival). My complete indifference to the success or failure of Okposo, Reinhart, Mitts in these playoffs has just confirmed that, while I rooted hard for them as Sabres and have no ill will for them, my allegiance is entirely to the uniform.

The thing that we seem to generally want the most is, I think, the most unlikely to happen. That is, Joker is moved out in a trade and a more gritty veteran R shot defender (experience, size, truculence) is brought in to pair with one of the big 3 offensive lefties. I see little chance this will happen. I do think it is possible Joker is traded for a pick and/or a 4C type, but if he is moved I think it is likely with the intent for Samuelsson to play in that 4th top-four spot (so, four lefties) and we will see Johnson/Bryson/Clifton on the 3rd pair. Though not my first choice, I would not shudder at Joker being re-signed. I do think there is a chance we see Dahlin/Power on pair one this year. A not oft mentioned combo for the 2nd and 3rd pair could be Sammy/Joker and Byram/Clifton. Label them pair 2 or 3 as you see fit. I think with another year experience, better structure, average to good goaltending and improved offence, this D would be more than good enough.

Go Oilers. Absolutely can’t stand the Panthers.

In what way? The dead cap hit from 25-26 through 28-29 is virtually the same whether you buy him out this year or next.

I agree that it is time for aggression. I don’t think this is the right trade though (except for maybe in the “no other option” vacuum). I think we should buy out Skinner and use the $7.55 million in cap savings to completely remake the bottom 6 of our roster. As is, we are committed to a top 6 that is made up entirely of current players who either need to bounce back or emerge. If you buyout Skinner you can add a top 6 winger (pushing a winger down to the 3rd line) and a 3rd line centre and still remake the 4th line. Being opposed to trading #11 in a deal where you don’t think the value is correct does not mean that you are against being aggressive this off-season.

My apologies. I must have misunderstood which conversation I was contributing to.

I do think it is a decent template for part of what the Sabres could try to do this off-season. I’m not sure I would say it wouldn’t get us in the playoffs. It could. But in an earlier post you had said (I’m paraphrasing) that you couldn’t see this team missing with these additions. I don’t think these players added to last year’s roster in place of Mitts, Okposo, Joker, would have made us a playoff team. Could they this coming year? Sure. But a lot would have to go right that didn’t. A person doesn’t have to imagine a bunch of worst case scenario outcomes. All that needs to happen for the playoffs to be a tough achievement is for Thompson, Tuch, Skinner, Cozens and Dahlin to produce at the same level as they just did. I would be happy if we made 3 similar upgrades this off-season I just think: 1.) We can do it without giving up #11; and 2.) It leaves a lot to chance. Specifically, we are relying on a group of forwards to either bounce back or emerge. Gourde, Tanev and Larson aren’t fixing our offence.

Yes, if Thompson and Cozens combine for 70 goals and Byram is the player that we hope and Quinn and Samuelsson both play 75 plus games and Benson jumps to 45-50 points and the PP isn’t terrible and UPL is still good, then we will be in the playoffs. But, if these things happen we make the playoffs with Krebs and Joker and pick a UFA 4th line winger (Carrier, Lafferty). It was the conversation until some people changed it to a fantasy world where this was the one and only option.

The initial proposal wasn’t laid out as a scenario where this was the one and only option for the Sabres to upgrade their roster this off-season. As I said, in a mythical world where there is no other option, then sure I would do the trade. Im not sure who our 4th line centre is in this mythical world, or who is going to play up if Cozens or Thompson are injured, but sure, if this is the one and only deal that could be made, let’s do it. In the real world where there are other and better options which are, frankly, far more realistic, I would pass.

If this is a scenario where no other deal is possible and there is no negotiation on the price, then sure. I don’t agree that it makes us a playoff team though. These 3 players are replacing Mitts, Okposo and Joker from last year. I don’t think these three players out perform Mitts, Okposo and Joker to the degree that it puts us in the playoffs.

I fully agree with the bolded. No question that Gourde, Tanev and Larsson would be good acquisitions. Of the 3, in my view Gourde is the only needle mover. I think we can sign a bottom 6 winger in free-agency who is as good as Tanev and who is also a bit younger and cheaper and get an extra year or two of term. I just don't think we need to give up a valuable trade asset to obtain that piece of the puzzle (though, I understand that the current trade value of Krebs and Joker is debatable). If we are including #11 in a deal with other assets, then we should get a player who is better and/or younger and/or has more term, than any of these 3.

In 2021, McKenzie had Rosen at #18 in final rankings and we took him at 13. In 2022, McKenzie had Savoie at #9 in final rankings and we took him exactly there. In 2023, McKenzie had Benson at #9 in final rankings and he fell to us at 13. Will somebody fall to us, like last year? Or will we stretch a little like in 2021? I'm a bit guilty of looking at the top 10 and wondering who will fall and not paying enough attention to the players ranked 5-6 slots lower than where we will pick.

I think it works as a stand-in for a conceptual roster that includes newly acquired veterans in the following roles: match-up 3C, gritty/banger 4th line winger, and 2nd pair R-shot D (in place of Joker). I don't think Seattle is looking to make such a trade at this point though (as someone else said, more likely at the deadline), and all 3 have trade protection. I think you could acquire a combination of similar players through trade and free agency, without sacrificing #11.

It could be. I do think Dallas is more banged up. They miss Hakanpaa on D and now Tanev has a bad wheel. Hintz hasn't been himself. They aren't getting nearly enough from Marchment, Duchene and Pavelski, who have 5 goals combined in the playoffs. The Oilers reported weaknesses (D, team D, forward depth, grit) are overrated though. They are better in those areas than they are largely credited for. Janmark, Henrique, Holloway have combined for more goals (7 ) than the 3 Dallas players I reference. I don't think they will be intimidated physically. Skinner is a wildcard from game to game, so there is always that risk. That said, Dallas could easily bounce back with something as simple as a great performance by Oettinger in game 6.

Looking at players picked in the 10-21 range in 2021, Rosen’s performance and development is either better than, equal to or in the neighborhood of all of them. He suffers when compared to Wyatt Johnston, but then so does almost everyone in the draft. Everyone missed on Wyatt.

I’ve become a bit more cynical in the last year, but I’m not nearly this cynical (yet). Also, I didn’t say we were the Stars in making, but rather that they should be our model and that we have many pieces that align or potentially align with that type of team. The Stars missed the playoffs just 4 seasons ago when Hintz, Robertson, Heiskanen and Oettinger were babies. Whether our owner and GM have the commitment and courage to make the necessary moves to become a team like the Stars (starting with a Skinner buyout this June, which some fans oppose out of concern over $2.44 million in dead cap 5-6 years from now), is another thing. I’m skeptical that there is anyone in the organization with the vision to get it done, but it is most definitely attainable.

Dallas is the model we should follow. They have an elite young goalie and a couple of elite young defenders. Up front they have great depth, without having an elite #1C. There are some obvious roster parallels (UPL, Dahlin, Power, Cozens, Benson and Quinn or Peterka could be our Oettinger, Heiskanen, Harley, Hintz, Stankoven and Robertson). Tuch is “nice” Benn. There is development to occur and there are depth pieces missing, but I don’t need to squint too hard to see how we could be a team like the Stars with the right approach to player acquisition and usage.

Not saying the article is accurate, and maybe you just have Chatfield as a stand-in for 4th pairing right shot D, but the Athletic big board UFA rankings has Chatfield projected at 5 x $4.1 million.

Tampa thought they were getting another Hagel. That’s not what Jeannot turned out to be. $2.65 million for a 4th line pugilist who can play a bit is steep but it is a bit of what we need, isn’t it? And there is always a chance he gets back some of the scoring touch he showed with the Preds. I don’t think it matters though. Until it happens, I don’t think we will outbid other teams for an asset. There will be Western Conference teams who will pay as much or more. If traded, Tampa will send him west.

This does leave about 3 - 3.5 million in space, but spots 21-23 aren't accounted for. If filled with entry level-type deals, it leaves $1 million or less in space. The thing I don't get about these roster projections is, if we are living in a the find of fantasy world where the Sabres make these kind of major acquisitions in trade and are spending to the cap, then why not go full-fantasy-mode and buyout Skinner? Then you can add a more line appropriate winger for Roy and a veteran right-shot D to pair with Power.

I suspect Pegula will see a difference between missing by a point or two and missing by 15. If we are in it until the end but miss, then I don’t see a scenario where the Adams/Ruff combo doesn’t get a 2nd year. If they are out of it by the deadline then I think changes might occur. Personally, with the exception of hypothetical extreme outcomes, I will need to see how the year plays out before I opine on whether Adams should be fired

I think he will get that and would be thrilled if it was from us.

In 2016-17 when Stephenson was the age that Krebs was last season, he was putting up 38 points in 72 games as a Hershey Bear. It wasn’t until 2021-22, when he was age 27, that he had a breakout 64 point offensive season in the NHL. I get moving on from Krebs if the time for patience is over. But Stephenson wasn’t the Stephenson who you want, until he was a few years older than Krebs is now.