The offseason so far - Are the Sabres better?

[GASabresIUFAN]

The "reshaping" of this team started with the Cozens trade.

1) Cozens (C/RW) out - Norris (C) and JBD (RHD) in

2) Jokiharju (LHD) out - 4th rd pick (2026) in

3) JJP (R/LW) out - Kesselring (RHD) and Doan (RW) in

4) Clifton (RHD) out - Timmins (RHD) in

5) Signed Quinn to a 2 year extension.

The big offseason questions were how do the Sabres improve special teams, improve team defense, find partners for Dahlin and Power, and hopefully improve the defense. I also think that the offense would benefit from a legit playmaker as the current forward group is loaded with shoot first guys.  

So far - we can probably says Adams found one partner for either Power or Dahlin (likely Power) in Kesselring.  JBD played well after he was acquired and looks like an upgrade over Clifton as a 3rd pairing RHD.  I'm not sure where Timmins fits honestly.  Byram and Samuelsson have yet to be traded and after the recent moves, I suspect Samuelsson isn't on the market, but is penciled in as JBD's 3rd pairing partner.  Overall, if Kesselring helps Power play smarter, then maybe the overall D is slightly improved and is certainly more balanced.

On offense we have taken a serious step back.  Norris is an upgrade on Cozens when healthy, but Doan won't even replace 50% of JJP's production even if he has some upside offensively.

So far, this 79 point team looks like it's heading to another bottom of the Atlantic season.  After KA's comments on Levi and UPL, I'm not counting on any legit help in goal.  Admittedly there is likely more to come.  Byram is getting traded and there is plenty of cap space for a FA or two. 

PS  The Sabres actually have a complete roster.  The team has 12 forwards under contract plus McLeod and Kozak as RFAs.  On defense the team has 5 players under contract plus 3 RFAs (JBD, Timmins and Byram). In goal UPL is under contract and Levi is an RFA.  The current cap hit is 74.66 mill with 5 key RFAs to re-sign, but only McLeod commanding a huge raise. Doan, Kulich, Benson, and Levi are waiver exempt. 

Edited 1 hour ago by GASabresIUFAN

[Thorny]

If this is a question, at all, when year 15 is on the line, we’ve failed 

[mjd1001]

31 minutes ago, GASabresIUFAN said:

The "reshaping" of this team started with the Cozens trade.

1) Cozens (C/RW) out - Norris (C) and JBD (RHD) in

2) Jokiharju (LHD) out - 4th rd pick (2026) in

3) JJP (R/LW) out - Kesselring (RHD) and Doan (RW) in

4) Clifton (RHD) out - Timmins (RHD) in

5) Signed Quinn to a 2 year extension.

 

Short answer, they are about the same, I think if there are no major injuries, slightly better....but that is only if there are no major injuries...and slightly is not good enough to make a major jump in the standings.

1.)  Cozens/Norris.  If Norris is healthy, this make the team better. The advanced stats, the simple stats, watching the games....all of those things pointed to Cozens hurting the team more than (or at least as much as) he helped.

2.) I liked Jokiharju, I think he was better than most people thought, but at BEST he was a serviceable mid-pair guy.  Losing him not a huge factor.

3.) No clue.  I think Peterka caused almost as many problems as he solved with his goals, but the key word there is 'almost'.  While I think Cozens was a net negative player, Peterka was still an overall positive.  He will be a loss, but hopefully the return will negate that loss.

4.) Clifton for Timmins?  Not a big deal either way.

5.) Quinn.  If he played like he did the last 1.5 years, I don't want him on the team. I guess the hope is he turns his bad play around (his own end and unwillingness to go to the net).

More needs to be done. It'll be easier to have an answer to this question when we know if Byrum re-signs or what the return for him is...and we know more about the quality of goaltending they will get.

This team had problem last year, but in my opinion the problems were in this order. 1.)  How bad the goaltending was  2.) How bad Cozens and Quinn were without the puck  3.)  D-partners/pairings that didn't look in sync with each other.

#1 is still a wide open question.  #2 has partially been solved, but not totall.  #3, well, they are making an attempt, but we have no idea until October (or later) how successful their attempt is.

 

 

Edited 6 hours ago by mjd1001

[Gatorman0519]

Can't give a grade yet until we see if he can lure a top 6 forward in free agency. With an improved defense and overall tougher team, we should see some actual steps forward next year. Unfortunately, we are nowhere near a playoff team. If we can get to 90 points that would be progress and probably the ceiling for this roster. This is a long-term project to fix. On the flip side, we could be flirting with total disaster if no progress is made. 

[Mr Peabody]

Marginally better but don’t see the playoffs as it stands. 

[Turbo44]

1 hour ago, Thorny said:

If this is a question, at all, when year 15 is on the line, we’ve failed 

no grade possible before we see the byram outcome, any other trades and UFA.

[Night Train]

i expect more moves,  so grade incomplete. 

[GASabresIUFAN]

2 hours ago, Night Train said:

i expect more moves,  so grade incomplete. 

I agree that there is still time to salvage this offseason.  Byram and a variety of prospects are available to trade.  There should be some cap space to sign a UFA or 2, but I’m not optimistic.  

This is still a huge list of needs to fix this mess.  This team needs to upgrade UPL and that seems unlikely.  We need a playmaker for the offense and a partner for Dahlin.  

We also need to rid this team of marginal players like Krebs, Lafferty, Bryson, Samuelsson and UPL.  

 

[jahnyc]

Considering the draft capital we have had over the years it is unfortunate that we still have a number of holes to fill or positions that need improving.  I think the defense is better right now than last season, but that can change if they trade Byram.  I would take the improvement in our defense (which was one of the areas that the Sabres had deficiencies), sign Byram to a bridge deal and try to sign a scoring forward and goalie in free agency, or trade some of our prospects for the same.

I would note that after listening to KA's press conference after round one of the draft late yesterday, i have very little hope that the Sabres will keep Byram.  He said a number of times during the press conference that he would be open to a trade, which seemed to me to be unhelpful however this turns out.

[Pimlach]

4 hours ago, GASabresIUFAN said:

The "reshaping" of this team started with the Cozens trade.

1) Cozens (C/RW) out - Norris (C) and JBD (RHD) in

2) Jokiharju (LHD) out - 4th rd pick (2026) in

3) JJP (R/LW) out - Kesselring (RHD) and Doan (RW) in

4) Clifton (RHD) out - Timmins (RHD) in

5) Signed Quinn to a 2 year extension.

The big offseason questions were how do the Sabres improve special teams, improve team defense, find partners for Dahlin and Power, and hopefully improve the defense. I also think that the offense would benefit from a legit playmaker as the current forward group is loaded is shoot first guys.  

So far - we can probably says Adams found one partner for either Power or Dahlin (likely Power) in Kesselring.  JBD played well after he was acquired and looks like an upgrade over Clifton as a 3rd pairing RHD.  I'm not sure where Timmins fits honestly.  Byram and Samuelsson have yet to be traded and after the recent moves, I suspect Samuelsson isn't on the market, but is penciled in as JBD's 3rd pairing partner.  Overall, if Kesselring helps Power play smarter, then maybe the overall D is slightly improved and is certainly more balanced.

On offense we have taken a serious step back.  Norris is an upgrade on Cozens when healthy, but Doan won't even replace 50% of JJP's production even if he has some upside offensively.

So far, this 79 point team looks like it's heading to another bottom of the Atlantic season.  After KA's comments on Levi and UPL, I'm not counting on any legit help in goal.  Admittedly there is likely more to come.  Byram is getting traded and there is plenty of cap space for a FA or two. 

PS  The Sabres actually have a complete roster.  The team has 12 forwards under contract plus McLeod and Kozak as RFAs.  On defense the team has 5 players under contract plus 3 RFAs (JBD, Timmins and Byram). In goal UPL is under contract and Levi is an RFA.  The current cap hit is 74.66 mill with 5 key RFAs to re-sign, but only McLeod commanding a huge raise. Doan, Kulich, Benson, and Levi are waiver exempt. 

There is more moves to be made for sure, this is not close to enough.  Add a high skill forward (Robertson) and add a wrecking ball forward that is middle 6 skilled.  
 

And as usual, get an NHL goalie. Stop praying for UPL and Levi to bloom.  

[LGR4GM]

Just now, Pimlach said:

There is more moves to be made for sure, this is not close to enough.  Add a high skill forward (Robertson) and add a wrecking ball forward that is middle 6 skilled.  
 

And as usual, get an NHL goalie. Stop praying for UPL and Levi to bloom.  

They did this one. Josh Doan.

[Pimlach]

7 minutes ago, LGR4GM said:

They did this one. Josh Doan.

I hope so.  Loved the way Shane played.  

[Second Line Center]

Too soon to ask this question honestly.  
 

Have to give it to August.  

[LGR4GM]

Just now, Second Line Center said:

Too soon to ask this question honestly.  
 

Have to give it to August.  

They really need a goalie to fix things. The Def changes help. 

[Scottysabres]

Yes

[GASabresIUFAN]

9 minutes ago, Scottysabres said:

Yes

Thank you for that deep insight 🙂

[7+6=13]

I'm pretty sure I saw some data from analytics that just having Cozens not on the roster, we improved.  So to me Norris plus Cozens gone is a plus plus.  Meaning, Norris, IMO, isn't about Cozens, it's about him absorbing production and is a better 2 way player than JJ.

We're better on defense today.

Less UPL, even if it's Levi, is slightly better, IMO, than 55 UPL games.

Benson a year older is a good thing.

Doan is a good addition.

We're tougher.  

 

[Turbo44]

53 minutes ago, 7+6=13 said:

I'm pretty sure I saw some data from analytics that just having Cozens not on the roster, we improved.  So to me Norris plus Cozens gone is a plus plus.  Meaning, Norris, IMO, isn't about Cozens, it's about him absorbing production and is a better 2 way player than JJ.

We're better on defense today.

Less UPL, even if it's Levi, is slightly better, IMO, than 55 UPL games.

Benson a year older is a good thing.

Doan is a good addition.

We're tougher.  

 

 But if we trade Byram our D would be worse unless a D to play with Dahlin was brought in.

if a trade for Byram is made, I believe we’re 2 big pieces and one small piece away from a playoff spot:

top line LW

top line D

veteran goalie to backup UPL

[COSabreFan]

[7+6=13]

21 minutes ago, Turbo44 said:

 But if we trade Byram our D would be worse unless a D to play with Dahlin was brought in.

if a trade for Byram is made, I believe we’re 2 big pieces and one small piece away from a playoff spot:

top line LW

top line D

veteran goalie to backup UPL

The question is, are we better today.  I think the answer is yes.  

If we trade Byram, projections are it would be for a scoring winger.  Unless we do something crazy, either we keep him or his trade will bring something nice back.

That's why the trade for him and Mitts was so lopsided in our favor.