How would you retool this team this summer?

[LGR4GM]

1 hour ago, SABRES 0311 said:

Why? He’s a soft second pair dman. 

There's some evidence he can be more. 

[JohnC]

21 hours ago, LGR4GM said:

Isn't 7.7mil being thrown around for Byram?

I like Bryan a lot . But from a cap distribution and roster construction standpoint I don’t see how the Sabres can pay him at a $7 plus per year on an extended contract. If dealt, what can we get for him or use his salary spot for another player? If it can result in getting Power a more suitable partner or another Zucker like player, then I would deal him. 

[sabremike]

6 minutes ago, JohnC said:

I like Bryan a lot . But from a cap distribution and roster construction standpoint I don’t see how the Sabres can pay him at a $7 plus per year on an extended contract. If dealt, what can we get for him or use his salary spot for another player? If it can result in getting Power a more suitable partner or another Zucker like player, then I would deal him. 

When Dahlin was hurt he was used as the top guy and sucked so bad he made Risto look like Denis Potvin. 

[JohnC]

8 minutes ago, sabremike said:

When Dahlin was hurt he was used as the top guy and sucked so bad he made Risto look like Denis Potvin. 

We can have differing views on his talent level. Regardless which one of us is right in our assessment in him , from a cap standpoint it will be extremely challenging to fit his upgraded contract within the cap, especially when near future contracts will need to be addressed soon.

[dudacek]

45 minutes ago, sabremike said:

When Dahlin was hurt he was used as the top guy and sucked so bad he made Risto look like Denis Potvin. 

Yes, we should judge every player solely by their most difficult 7-game stretch.

And the Buffalo Sabres need to get rid of every player who is incapable of replacing Rasmus Dahlin and add a bunch who are. It’s really that simple.

Edited Thursday at 10:00 PM by dudacek

[Dr. Who]

22 minutes ago, dudacek said:

Yes, we should judge every player solely by their most difficult 7-game stretch.

And the Buffalo Sabres need to get rid of every player who is incapable of replacing Rasmus Dahlin and add a bunch who are. It’s really that simple.

I generally agree with you, and I suppose if there was a way to keep Byram and still add a top 4 RD defensive stalwart to balance out the puck movers, that would be fine. Seems to me it's going to be tough to keep both Byram and Power, and make that happen. 

[dudacek]

48 minutes ago, Dr. Who said:

I generally agree with you, and I suppose if there was a way to keep Byram and still add a top 4 RD defensive stalwart to balance out the puck movers, that would be fine. Seems to me it's going to be tough to keep both Byram and Power, and make that happen. 

Yep, especially when you’re paying $7M to Samuelsson and Clifton.

That’s where the roster construction flaw is, not with Byram.

That’s what I hope they can target.

[sabremike]

1 hour ago, dudacek said:

Yes, we should judge every player solely by their most difficult 7-game stretch.

And the Buffalo Sabres need to get rid of every player who is incapable of replacing Rasmus Dahlin and add a bunch who are. It’s really that simple.

He wants to get paid like a top line guy but is not a top line guy and will never be a top line guy (the fact that his numbers are awful when not paired with Dahlin pretty much prove this). Trading him to fix a roster hole before everyone else in the league catches onto this fact is such an obvious move.

[dudacek]

41 minutes ago, sabremike said:

He wants to get paid like a top line guy but is not a top line guy and will never be a top line guy (the fact that his numbers are awful when not paired with Dahlin pretty much prove this). Trading him to fix a roster hole before everyone else in the league catches onto this fact is such an obvious move.

How do you know what he wants to get paid and why do you think someone will pay him that?

His numbers away from Dahlin are similar to awful young players like Jake Sanderson and Moritz Seider.

And if you really believe defencemen never get better after 246 NHL games, or after they turn 23 — or that NHL professionals don't thoroughly scout the players they acquire before pulling the trigger — I don't know what to tell you.

Edited Friday at 12:08 AM by dudacek

[CallawaySabres]

Retooling is not the proper term. They need two top 6 forwards, 2 top 4 defensemen, a starting goalie, a coach, and a GM to figure out how to do it all. With Florida, Tampa and Toronto in their division, playoffs are still YEARS away without getting a ton more talent. 

[dudacek]

UPL was the NHL’s 5th worst goalie in terms of goals above expected this year.

Jeremy Swayman was the 2nd worst.

Swayman certainly has a far more onerous contract, and almost certainly has far more talent.

Would either team make that trade?

[Taro T]

1 minute ago, dudacek said:

UPL was the NHL’s 5th worst goalie in terms of goals above expected this year.

Jeremy Swayman was the 2nd worst.

Swayman certainly has a far more onerous contract, and almost certainly has far more talent.

Would either team make that trade?

Would hope both would.

Expecting Swayman will bounce back.

[dudacek]

2 minutes ago, Taro T said:

Would hope both would.

Expecting Swayman will bounce back.

Oh me too.

Some risk in that one from Buffalo's perspective, but so much reward.

I have no idea if the Bruin/Swayman relationship is beyond repair, but it certainly is in rough shape.

[dudacek]

I’m not afraid to say this team gets 10 more points playing exactly the same way with good (not great, good) goaltending.

It’s the problem from the season that just past that hasn’t got enough attention.

[Thorny]

On 5/3/2025 at 12:04 PM, dudacek said:

I’m not afraid to say this team gets 10 more points playing exactly the same way with good (not great, good) goaltending.

It’s the problem from the season that just past that hasn’t got enough attention.

We gave up. We talked about his failure to address goalie for 3 years 

This is unprecedented levels of status quo

It’s still the Levi timeline, nothing has changed 

[Pimlach]

On 5/1/2025 at 4:57 PM, dudacek said:

Yes, we should judge every player solely by their most difficult 7-game stretch.

And the Buffalo Sabres need to get rid of every player who is incapable of replacing Rasmus Dahlin and add a bunch who are. It’s really that simple.