SabreFinn

We definitely should be better than we are. I can't imagine Canucks trading Pettersson. And if we want to change the culture we should be in on Rantanen if he doesn't resign with Avs. But I think we have to hope third time's a charm if we get a top five pick again.

I might be wrong on this, I should take time to do some research first, but I think there has not been a Stanley cup champion since Boston, without a top five drafted forward on the roster. That is how valuable the top 5 pick is.

https://thehockeywriters.com/why-sabres-latest-rebuild-failed/ Pretty much what has been discussed here over and over, but I posted the link anyway.

Or Sabres fans in discussion with Pegula.

So then we might just keep him and see how he can stand the competition?

I believe you. He could be used as a sweetener in a trade imo. There are so many players fighting for a few spots.

He has no problems to complete a trade 😀

Haven't seen Rochester play, but the players they have there, like Östlund and Helenius, have a better defensive awareness in their hockey mind than Sabres highest paid stars. How high their overall ceiling might take them is however yet to be seen. To me it seems like there has been better focus on defense in the draft the last years, with exeption for Power.

Second half of the game was embarrassing. And the way Kraken scored goals was beyond embarrassing. Byram, Byram, Bryson and the Cozens-Thompson line, Cozens -Thompson line, Gilbert, there are players that screwed up and they should be forced to watch the goals against on repeat for a couple of hours. Absolutely amazing how bad defense that was.

And Boston ends six game loosing streak. It was a good hockey game. I was entertained.

https://www.dailyfaceoff.com/news/kings-trevor-lewis-may-be-the-last-of-his-kind-to-hit-1000-nhl-games Just liked this story of an unusual player.

I would love to keep Zucker and Greenway, but I doubt they want to stay. Zucker maybe, but not Greenway. In that case a possible trade could be with Winnipeg for Iafallo, to free up some capspace for them, I think it is now or never for the Jets and that they will try to improve their roster. Jokiharju, Bryson and Gilbert are players I hope is not on the team next season, and I would take a shot if there are defensive defensmen available to trade for. With picks as sweeteners if needed. RFAs like Byram I would not trade at deadline or before, if not anything really good comes up, which I doubt. I believe there are better players on the board during the summer. And by then, most of our players could be traded, depending on what we might get in return.

I watched the two games against Finland and he looked great, he is going to be a star. But in a short tournament I think the USA first line favoured from playing with familiar players.

As I see it a team needs two puck moving D. Then they need four steady D to play boxplay and defend a lead, that can also play a decent overall game. If one or two of the puckmovers can play good boxplay, then there might be possible to have more than two of them. Following that system we could keep Byram, Dahlin is good enough on defending the own goal, and get rid of Jokiharju, Bryson and Gilbert. But if we want to get decent replacements for the three I mentioned, we probably has to find a deal with Byram included. It do feel like waste of a good player, but I can't figure out how to do it in any other ways, the team should be built from defense.

Helenius assisted on Finlands all four goals in their 4-3 semifinal win over Sweden.

https://www.dailyfaceoff.com/news/the-no-1-reason-why-the-buffalo-sabres-are-again-a-massive-failure

I took some time to watch several random Devils -game highlights from last season. There was a lot of bad goaltending on goals against and some giveaways, but there was also the same passive defensive playing in their own zone as we can see in Sabres games now. I also read comments about a defense structure that was too complicated to play, which I believe is the exactly same as he is trying and failing on in Buffalo this season. This is not only on Ruff, he was hired by someone that didn't do their homework. And if the front office don't do their homework, that is just making the losing culture worse.

Again, there are not many players that we need that are without trade protection, and no one will come to a Buffalo Sabres in current condition by their free will. But if we find a player that will improve the team and we can trade for we should. Byram, Joker, Bryson, Gilbert, Krebs, Lafferty, McLoad, Greenway, the whole Cozens line and any player in Rochester are all players we can trade. But I rather change coach first.

Think we are in a better position than most expansion teams with all the young players and prospects. Pegula just needs to sell the team, GM and the rest of the front office fired, and the coaching stuff replaced. Then trade away the players and other assetts and remake the roster to change the culture. Easy 😀.

I haven't seen him stand out in making nice moves with the puck, nor does he make mistakes one should expect for someone his age. The way he stands out is he is positioning himself so well both on offensive and defense that he never seem to be in trouble, and get noticed in a way you notice other in his age.

The "do not look out of place but did not stand out either" is Helenius in a nutshell. It is pretty much how he has played every time I have seen him on junior or mens national team or Liiga.

I have been thinking the exact same thing. Extend him.

He traded away Määttä also, he plays on Utahs' first pair with Sergachev. That and getting rid of Walman, while having signed Justin Holl to a three year contract is not looking good. It is only Yzerman that keeps his job after that.

Waiting for Florida - Montreal game on tv and got some facts: only four teams has scored more PP goals than Patrik Laine in December.

Rumour about Byram as the player Detroit is interested in. But what do they have that we need and is on a contract that can be traded?