The offseason so far - Are the Sabres better?

[LGR4GM]

1 minute ago, Thorny said:

Team is maybe break even, never mind 4 extra wins 

Don't forget Dahlin getting injured really broke the defense. If we assume he plays 80 games, that might get you those 4 wins.

[Taro T]

15 minutes ago, LGR4GM said:

Don't forget Dahlin getting injured really broke the defense. If we assume he plays 80 games, that might get you those 4 wins.

Even on last year's team, at absolute minimum they have 2 more wins should Dahlin not go out for nearly 10 games.

Would say with no other moves, this is looking like 85 points.  

[dudacek]

There's injuries on every team every year.

And as unexpectly bad a some players were, there were also breakouts from McLeod, Peterka, and to a lesser extent Byram.

[Cityo'Rasmii]

We can always hope

go Sabres

[Thorny]

1 hour ago, LGR4GM said:

Don't forget Dahlin getting injured really broke the defense. If we assume he plays 80 games, that might get you those 4 wins.

Right but while Adams may bank on better luck on the injury front as a means to improvement i don’t personally find that to be a smart tact (and one should balance the injury playing field when comparing year over year, anyways)

1 hour ago, Taro T said:

Even on last year's team, at absolute minimum they have 2 more wins should Dahlin not go out for nearly 10 games.

Would say with no other moves, this is looking like 85 points.  

I get that’s not the mindset you’d have should you actually be responsible for building the club thankfully but tbh I don’t even feel comfortable projecting better overall health even as a thought exercise considering, as mentioned, injuries are a guaranteed part of every year. It’s been 3 seasons since neither of Dahlin or Tage missed at least 10 games, and Tuch nearly missed double digits that year 

team is break even at best on paper

Edited 6 hours ago by Thorny

[Taro T]

1 hour ago, Thorny said:

Right but while Adams may bank on better luck on the injury front as a means to improvement i don’t personally find that to be a smart tact (and one should balance the injury playing field when comparing year over year, anyways)

I get that’s not the mindset you’d have should you actually be responsible for building the club thankfully but tbh I don’t even feel comfortable projecting better overall health even as a thought exercise considering, as mentioned, injuries are a guaranteed part of every year. It’s been 3 seasons since neither of Dahlin or Tage missed at least 10 games, and Tuch nearly missed double digits that year 

team is break even at best on paper

Well, that's kind of the scary thing.  Was Dahlin's back injury just a fluke "muscle spasm" or the like?  Or is it something structural and are the days of him playing 80 games in the past?

When he tried to play through the 1st injury from the absolute beginning of TC he was at best 80% of his usual self.  But when he came back after the 9+ games he missed, he was looking like his normal self almost from the 1st shift back on the ice.  So, will hesitantly expect that the injury is more of a muscle spasm type thing that through proper stretching, exercise, prep, nutrition, and maintenance can not only be overcome but can leave him in even better shape than we've become accustomed to.  (To not expect it, as a fan, is just too depressing a path to go down.)

As long as the Sabres don't lose Dahlin for any extended period and they don't lose whichever goalie ends up the #1, they'll be able to ride out injuries like any other team will.  But, with as little margin as they have, THOSE would be catastrophic injuries.  And will necessarily presume that they won't suffer those particular injuries because if they do, they're in the McKenna derby.  If they avoid those, then yes, 85 should be the floor.  (And hopefully, Adams WE finally gets the luck he's Adams planned for 4 years in a row to date and they actually end up as good as he expects them to be.)

IF Dahlin is healthy and they get legit GTing that stays healthy, they can overcome the 5 games that both Thompson and Tuch are out together and the other 10 that one of them is out.  Same goes with the rest of the crew.

Edited 5 hours ago by Taro T
We might deserve that luck. Can't say he necessarily does.

[Berg]

On 6/29/2025 at 5:14 AM, 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.  

All the Sabres management does is sell good players for nothing