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

[rickshaw]

The Canucks may be a good trading partner. They need to keep Quinn Hughes happy and he’s buds with Norris.

If Petersson is still available is that something Buffalo considers? Norris and another piece could make that happen? Just pure speculation of course.

[thewookie1]

3 hours ago, rickshaw said:

The Canucks may be a good trading partner. They need to keep Quinn Hughes happy and he’s buds with Norris.

If Petersson is still available is that something Buffalo considers? Norris and another piece could make that happen? Just pure speculation of course.

No interest in Petersson with his contract and potential head space issues.

[rickshaw]

5 minutes ago, thewookie1 said:

No interest in Petersson with his contract and potential head space issues.

I’m with ya, but I’m not in charge. I actually believe EP, if he comes out flat again, could very well become one of the biggest busts of all time. I really think he is the type that is happy to play and the results don’t concern him. 

Edited June 16 by rickshaw

[steveoath]

Part of me wants to see petterson and Dahlin on the PP though. Could be awesome. 
 

but a huge risk 

[LGR4GM]

Will Petterson skate through a wall to win a playoff game? Will he at least skate into the wall to try?

[DarthEbriate]

Pettersson is a damaged 1C (being shopped???) before the NMC kicks in on a ton of money and term. He is very much like Eichel pre-surgery in Buffalo. The difference is that Vegas was a bona fide Cup contender and was missing a 1C. The Sabres are a draft lottery that was a strong-run-down-the-stretch away from picking #4 overall instead of #9. Pettersson doesn't solve all their problems and his repaired knee means he'll likely never have the burst he once did. This guy is not "Taylor Hall makes us contenders!" level.

For $11.6M and 7 more years, I need the player to be the best player on the team and set the tone night-in and night-out. I don't think EP is that guy.

I'd rather use pick #9 on McQueen, Martin, Bear than use it + Norris to acquire Pettersson.

[Taro T]

29 minutes ago, DarthEbriate said:

Pettersson is a damaged 1C (being shopped???) before the NMC kicks in on a ton of money and term. He is very much like Eichel pre-surgery in Buffalo. The difference is that Vegas was a bona fide Cup contender and was missing a 1C. The Sabres are a draft lottery that was a strong-run-down-the-stretch away from picking #4 overall instead of #9. Pettersson doesn't solve all their problems and his repaired knee means he'll likely never have the burst he once did. This guy is not "Taylor Hall makes us contenders!" level.

For $11.6M and 7 more years, I need the player to be the best player on the team and set the tone night-in and night-out. I don't think EP is that guy.

I'd rather use pick #9 on McQueen, Martin, Bear than use it + Norris to acquire Pettersson.

ALL OVER the possibility of adding Robertson.  Want nothing to do with Petterson.  He MIGHT turn it around.  But does anybody believe that if Adams is the guy that is expecting it and not, for examples's sake, a Zito that the bet will pan out?

[Thorny]

2 hours ago, steveoath said:

Part of me wants to see petterson and Dahlin on the PP though. Could be awesome. 
 

but a huge risk 

True but far less risky than no serious move at all 

1 hour ago, DarthEbriate said:

Pettersson is a damaged 1C (being shopped???) before the NMC kicks in on a ton of money and term. He is very much like Eichel pre-surgery in Buffalo. The difference is that Vegas was a bona fide Cup contender and was missing a 1C. The Sabres are a draft lottery that was a strong-run-down-the-stretch away from picking #4 overall instead of #9. Pettersson doesn't solve all their problems and his repaired knee means he'll likely never have the burst he once did. This guy is not "Taylor Hall makes us contenders!" level.

For $11.6M and 7 more years, I need the player to be the best player on the team and set the tone night-in and night-out. I don't think EP is that guy.

I'd rather use pick #9 on McQueen, Martin, Bear than use it + Norris to acquire Pettersson.

Ya Vegas was only missing a 1C but they still traded for their best player. And more importantly - they were missing a 1C re: being the cup favourite. You aren’t making an analogous comp here cause we are only looking for pieces to scratch 16/32. Add the best players you can 

[sabremike]

Adams has ***** up as hard as any GM has ever ***** up, he is as complete and total a failure as any executive in the history of pro sports and somehow STILL KEPT HIS JOB.

 

This is not a serious organization. 

[DarthEbriate]

7 hours ago, Thorny said:

True but far less risky than no serious move at all 

Ya Vegas was only missing a 1C but they still traded for their best player. And more importantly - they were missing a 1C re: being the cup favourite. You aren’t making an analogous comp here cause we are only looking for pieces to scratch 16/32. Add the best players you can 

I just don't think Pettersson is the best player they could add, by trade or by free agency.

I think he'll have good seasons but his career best is already past and his solid value production days are another contract into the future. In between he'll be a Matt Duchene or a Ryan Johanson. Good players... but overpaid, and if you really overpaid them, then you'll be sorely disappointed.

[Flashsabre]

It’s so laughable that Adams put his focus on rebuilding the 4th line last offseason. You can find these guys for league minimum but Adams acted like it was a major project.

Edited June 18 by Flashsabre

[Weave]

11 minutes ago, Flashsabre said:

It’s so laughable that Adams put his focus on rebuilding the 4th line last offseason. You can find these guys for league minimum but Adams acted like it was a major project.

I’m not surprised at all.  No way any of those guys come here if they are offered market rate.

[Thorny]

On 6/18/2025 at 11:02 AM, Flashsabre said:

It’s so laughable that Adams put his focus on rebuilding the 4th line last offseason. You can find these guys for league minimum but Adams acted like it was a major project.

It’s funny how much support the strategy had in theory before the season started, too 

[Thorny]

 

[LGR4GM]

 

 

[DarthEbriate]

16 hours ago, Thorny said:

It’s funny how much support the strategy had in theory before the season started, too 

It was something they needed to do. Their defensive-minded 3rd line (by 5-on-5 ice time) of Girgs-Krebs-Okposo was disbanded and they absolutely needed to replace that with a 4th line (whether Krebs was going to be on 3rd or 4th). So... they did it. That was good. And then Kozak basically won the spot by season's end on an ELC anyway.

 

What Adams also needed to do - and more importantly - was to get that veteran steady RHD for Power (knowing it was not going to Joker or Clifton), address a terrible PP, and to have a stable goaltending situation while the team adapted to a new system/style. Sounds familiar. And then they waived Reimer and forced the rookie to try to save their defensively lapsed bacon.

Toss in a regression from UPL, Quinn and Cozens being defensive black holes and... here we go again.

[PerreaultForever]

On 6/18/2025 at 9:14 AM, Weave said:

I’m not surprised at all.  No way any of those guys come here if they are offered market rate.

Greer was picked up on waivers. So was Boquist who wasn't part of the final 3 but did play bottom line much of the year. 

[Thorny]

 

[Thorny]

^thats a cup finalist btw 

[Thorny]

Adams response:

 

[PASabreFan]

11 hours ago, Thorny said:

 

A spool of transactions? A thread?

[MISabresFan]

9 hours ago, PASabreFan said:

A spool of transactions? A thread?

I used to search the internet in the mornings with a cup of joe and look for Sabre's rumors.  Listen to Sabre's podcasts saying this might happen, this player will be traded, etc. After 5 years of KA-NADA, it doesn't happen anymore.

So, when I am here, and see a spool of transactions, this trade that trade, I just shake my head.  Nothing happens.  After 5 years of KA, we should be skeptical (skeptical - hell, outright bull poop) of any "big" trade or acquisition.  It is fun for hype and chin wagging.  In reality, unless a grade A player publicly announces that he wants out of Buffalo or begs to play in Buffalo, then KA pulls the trigger.  5 years of pipe dreams. 

We will see if the additions of Stall and Jarmo make a difference and can change the stripes of the Zebra.  I hope so.  I need something to do when having a cup of early Joe.

 

[JohnC]

38 minutes ago, MISabresFan said:

I used to search the internet in the mornings with a cup of joe and look for Sabre's rumors.  Listen to Sabre's podcasts saying this might happen, this player will be traded, etc. After 5 years of KA-NADA, it doesn't happen anymore.

So, when I am here, and see a spool of transactions, this trade that trade, I just shake my head.  Nothing happens.  After 5 years of KA, we should be skeptical (skeptical - hell, outright bull poop) of any "big" trade or acquisition.  It is fun for hype and chin wagging.  In reality, unless a grade A player publicly announces that he wants out of Buffalo or begs to play in Buffalo, then KA pulls the trigger.  5 years of pipe dreams. 

We will see if the additions of Stall and Jarmo make a difference and can change the stripes of the Zebra.  I hope so.  I need something to do when having a cup of early Joe.

 

I don't say this with an abundance of confidence but I do see the addition of Jarmo, and to a lesser extent Stall, to the staff as positive indicators that there will be some transactions that at the minimum change the dynamic in this roster. They are outside eyes brought into a provincially run franchise. Jarmo is not known for his timidity.  He has had a history of making deals and not looking back. He, more than the cautious GM, is not afraid to rework a roster that is coasting along. 

The draft is approaching where many deals are transacted. There are many reports that the GM has been communicating with a lot of "interested" trading parties. So the signs are that there will be some deals. How beneficial will they turn out to be? I can't say. We shall see. 

[MISabresFan]

14 minutes ago, JohnC said:

I don't say this with an abundance of confidence but I do see the addition of Jarmo, and to a lesser extent Stall, to the staff as positive indicators that there will be some transactions that at the minimum change the dynamic in this roster. They are outside eyes brought into a provincially run franchise. Jarmo is not known for his timidity.  He has had a history of making deals and not looking back. He, more than the cautious GM, is not afraid to rework a roster that is coasting along. 

The draft is approaching where many deals are transacted. There are many reports that the GM has been communicating with a lot of "interested" trading parties. So the signs are that there will be some deals. How beneficial will they turn out to be? I can't say. We shall see. 

Let's hope so.  History is not on our side.

[sabremike]

A friend of mine was told by someone in the know who made the call not to lock up Sam long-term even though Sam wanted one. I think you can all figure out who made that call (Hint:There is a reason Botts got another GM gig and nobody in the league holds his tenure here against him).