Sabres Training Camp 2025

[dudacek]

There are 18 forwards, and I'm wondering if Meyer is injured or has been because he's a weird keep and we haven't seen a sniff of him.

It look slike Östlund, Dunne, Kozak, Geertsen fighting for the final 1 or 2 spots with Greenway injured.

[shrader]

15 minutes ago, Taro T said:

Kind of surprisng that Komorov is getting brought back up.  There was no need to waive him the other day if they were considering keeping him up.

Is there another injury to the D that we don't know about?  Because with Samuelsson injured, that would give them 9 healthy D on the big roster.

He’s still waiver exempt, isn’t he? Teams play so many games at this time of the year with the timing of these moves. 

[Taro T]

3 minutes ago, shrader said:

He’s still waiver exempt, isn’t he? Teams play so many games at this time of the year with the timing of these moves. 

Yes, he's still waiver exempt.  So, they aren't "sneaking" him down or up.

[Brawndo]

No Byram at practice this AM. He Kulich and Samuelsson are not on the ice 

[Taro T]

22 minutes ago, Brawndo said:

No Byram at practice this AM. He Kulich and Samuelsson are not on the ice 

And that's 8 healthy/available D for practice with Novikov. Komorov.

🍺

Edited 10 hours ago by Taro T
Durn Russian names. D'oh!!!

[LGR4GM]

7 minutes ago, Taro T said:

And that's 8 healthy/available D for practice with Novikov.

🍺

Isn't Novikov in Rochester?

[Taro T]

11 minutes ago, LGR4GM said:

Isn't Novikov in Rochester?

He was recalled when Jones was sent down.

D'oh!  Meant to type Komorov.  

Edited 10 hours ago by Taro T

[dudacek]

Just now, Taro T said:

He was recalled when Jones was sent down.

The recall was Komarov, not Novikov

 

[rickshaw]

Mtrka will surely be sent to Seattle for another year in junior, no?

[That Aud Smell]

35 minutes ago, dudacek said:

The recall was Komarov, not Novikov

[ponokasabre]

9 minutes ago, rickshaw said:

Mtrka will surely be sent to Seattle for another year in junior, no?

Yes he has to be. I agree he has looked amazing and really looks exactly like the kind of player we have been clamoring for. But he has only played 40 games in junior cause he came over mid season last year. 

I would personally send him back to junior and let him dominate, I would hope that his team maybe has an ok and then doesnt make the play-offs, then he can go to the Amerks for an extended playoff run.

He then could be the big piece for the Amerks next year playing in all situations, maybe getting a call up here or there. And then in 2 years you could have a situation where he steps right into the top 4 of Buffalo. Maybe even as a Byram replacement with Dahlin

[Mustache of God]

1 hour ago, rickshaw said:

Mtrka will surely be sent to Seattle for another year in junior, no?

I'd imagine so, but I think he should be kept up with the team for the entirety of training camp so he can absorb all the NHL experience he can. 

Since he's on loan from Europe and not bound by the CHL rules, can he be "called up" to the AHL mid-way through the season if injuries happen or if they decide there's not much more development for him in Seattle?

[LGR4GM]

4 minutes ago, Mustache of God said:

I'd imagine so, but I think he should be kept up with the team for the entirety of training camp so he can absorb all the NHL experience he can. 

Since he's on loan from Europe and not bound by the CHL rules, can he be "called up" to the AHL mid-way through the season if injuries happen or if they decide there's not much more development for him in Seattle?

I don't think he can. 

[SABRES 0311]

Looks like the last two preseason games will be in ESPN+.
 

 

[Captain Caveman]

4 hours ago, rickshaw said:

Mtrka will surely be sent to Seattle for another year in junior, no?

Mrtka at this point seems more likely to go to the AHL.  And yes, apparently he can go to AHL - I saw in another thread that the reasoning had to do with him being on loan from his Czech league to the WHL, rather than a typical North American player, not sure if that's actually what's happening, but several articles have been written about the likelihood of him going directly to the AHL.

https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/buffalo-sabres/latest-news/mrtka-s-future-may-not-include-return-to-whl

Edited 5 hours ago by Captain Caveman

[Ctaeth]

They had a bit on after the whistle about what to do with mrtka today. Rivet said to send him to rochester because he is physically ready and peters said send him to junior bc he's just a kid.

Imo, the decision should be made based on what skills you want him to improve.  If you want to improve with the puck, send him to junior... he will have more time with it on his stick than in the ahl.  Plus he can run the pp, which he probably wouldn't be doing in his first year in rottenchester.  If you want him to begin learning how to properly defend against full grown men within a sabres like system then send him to the ahl.  

[dudacek]

Athletic hockey podcast had an interesting and largely worthwhile breakdown of our division.

Fairburn was good as usual with some of his usual stuff, but it was notable how non-invested the hosts were in the Sabres compared to the rest of the division.

I mean it’s pretty clear that underlying the professionalism there was a strong undercurrent of “this team doesn’t really matter.” 

I think it’s reflective of the general tone of the national media toward Buffalo this off-season: we’re the awkward cousin that they slide over because they have to while waiting to get to the more interesting people at the wedding.

As far as I’m concerned the team is reaping what it’s sown, but I’m not putting a lot of stock in what the national media is saying, rightly or wrongly because I don’t think they’re paying much attention.

Edited 3 hours ago by dudacek

[LGR4GM]

8 minutes ago, dudacek said:

Athletic hockey podcast had an interesting and largely worthwhile breakdown of our division.

Fairburn was good as usual with some of his usual stuff, but it was notable how non-invested the hosts were in the Sabres compared to the rest of the division.

I mean it’s pretty clear that underlying the professionalism there was a strong undercurrent of “this team doesn’t really matter.” 

I think it’s reflective of the general tone of the national media toward Buffalo this off-season: we’re the awkward cousin that they slide over because they have to while waiting to get to the more interesting people at the wedding.

As far as I’m concerned the team is reaping what it’s sown, but I’m not putting a lot of stock in what the national media is saying, rightly or wrongly because I don’t think they’re paying much attention.

Several analytics models like the Sabres to make the playoffs. 

[Taro T]

Just now, LGR4GM said:

Several analytics models like the Sabres to make the playoffs. 

True, but aren't even those still seeing them in only the low 90's?  If that's where they are they're still putting a huge portion of their destiny on others failing rather than them succeeding.  (And yes, in the East, it's been that way for at least 3 years, so it makes sense for it to happen again.  But it's just so frustrating to see them once again not step up in the off-season and put themselves in a position where it would take some serious bad luck for them to miss rather than needing some serious good luck to make it.)

[dudacek]

1 hour ago, LGR4GM said:

Several analytics models like the Sabres to make the playoffs. 

Yep, there’s been a notable difference between what the models are saying and what the traditional hockey media is saying.

I think that may be exactly at the heart of what I’m talking about.

For example above podcast posed the question: Dahlin/Thompson, Seider/Raymond or Sanderson/Tkachuk?

Nobody even considered the Sabres, despite the fact that by the Athletic’s own rankings Dahlin is a full tier above the rest.

Instead they talked about Sanderson breaking through. Even Dahlin is an afterthought. People acknowledge he's good, as in almost certainly  top 10 good. They don't realize that he's good as in surefire top 5 good, despite what all the counting and analytic measurables say. 

I still read people talking about how he needs to improve defensively, or hear broadcasters say things like "out-of-character for Dahlin" when he crosschecks somebody or sticks a glove in their face. They don't pay enough attention to know who and what he actually is because the Sabres aren't interesting enough to force them to pay attention.

The Sabres stink is a real thing.

Edited 2 hours ago by dudacek

[JohnC]

40 minutes ago, dudacek said:

Yep, there’s been a notable difference between what the models are saying and what the traditional hockey media is saying.

I think that may be exactly at the heart of what I’m talking about.

For example above podcast posed the question: Dahlin/Thompson, Seider/Raymond or Sanderson/Tkachuk?

Nobody even considered the Sabres, despite the fact that by the Athletic’s own rankings Dahlin is a full tier above the rest.

Instead they talked about Sanderson breaking through. Even Dahlin is an afterthought. People acknowledge he's good, as in almost certainly  top 10 good. They don't realize that he's good as in surefire top 5 good, despite what all the counting and analytic measurables say. 

I still read people talking about how he needs to improve defensively, or hear broadcasters say things like "out-of-character for Dahlin" when he crosschecks somebody or sticks a glove in their face. They don't pay enough attention to know who and what he actually is because the Sabres aren't interesting enough to force them to pay attention.

The Sabres stink is a real thing.

After reading your post (same sentiment expressed by many), what I find most aggravating is the lack of urgency to make additional moves to improve. It's not to say that the deal to bring in Kesserling and Doan wasn't a good deal that improves the roster. It's just that there weren't other consequential deals. It seems to me that if KA could have added another second line player (not necessarily a star caliber player), the response/perception would have been much more positive about the roster and season prospects. I needed to see more urgency in action rather than this casual pace to upgrade the roster. 

[shrader]

1 hour ago, dudacek said:

Yep, there’s been a notable difference between what the models are saying and what the traditional hockey media is saying.

I think that may be exactly at the heart of what I’m talking about.

For example above podcast posed the question: Dahlin/Thompson, Seider/Raymond or Sanderson/Tkachuk?

Nobody even considered the Sabres, despite the fact that by the Athletic’s own rankings Dahlin is a full tier above the rest.

Instead they talked about Sanderson breaking through. Even Dahlin is an afterthought. People acknowledge he's good, as in almost certainly  top 10 good. They don't realize that he's good as in surefire top 5 good, despite what all the counting and analytic measurables say. 

I still read people talking about how he needs to improve defensively, or hear broadcasters say things like "out-of-character for Dahlin" when he crosschecks somebody or sticks a glove in their face. They don't pay enough attention to know who and what he actually is because the Sabres aren't interesting enough to force them to pay attention.

The Sabres stink is a real thing.

I did hear some of the guys on the NHL station in XM last week, ones who I would say are particularly harsh on the Sabres, picking Thompson as one of 4-5 players who will hit 50 goals this year. It caught my attention because one was saying Matthews won’t get there because he’ll get hurt. I would expect the same to be said of Thompson. Let’s face it, he typically misses a decent stretch of games, or hits a slow patch because he’s fighting through something. 

[dudacek]

17 minutes ago, JohnC said:

After reading your post (same sentiment expressed by many), what I find most aggravating is the lack of urgency to make additional moves to improve. It's not to say that the deal to bring in Kesserling and Doan wasn't a good deal that improves the roster. It's just that there weren't other consequential deals. It seems to me that if KA could have added another second line player (not necessarily a star caliber player), the response/perception would have been much more positive about the roster and season prospects. I needed to see more urgency in action rather than this casual pace to upgrade the roster. 

I think a large portion of the hockey media spent exactly this amount of time on the Sabres.

1. Pretty bad last year.

2. Long history of being bad.

3. Didn't do much except trade one of their most exciting young players for two guys I don't know much about.

4 Next team please.

Doesn't mean they're wrong: many of us have come to a similar conclusion knowing the entire roster inside and out.

But they didn't do the work.

[Taro T]

1 hour ago, dudacek said:

Yep, there’s been a notable difference between what the models are saying and what the traditional hockey media is saying.

I think that may be exactly at the heart of what I’m talking about.

For example above podcast posed the question: Dahlin/Thompson, Seider/Raymond or Sanderson/Tkachuk?

Nobody even considered the Sabres, despite the fact that by the Athletic’s own rankings Dahlin is a full tier above the rest.

Instead they talked about Sanderson breaking through. Even Dahlin is an afterthought. People acknowledge he's good, as in almost certainly  top 10 good. They don't realize that he's good as in surefire top 5 good, despite what all the counting and analytic measurables say. 

I still read people talking about how he needs to improve defensively, or hear broadcasters say things like "out-of-character for Dahlin" when he crosschecks somebody or sticks a glove in their face. They don't pay enough attention to know who and what he actually is because the Sabres aren't interesting enough to force them to pay attention.

The Sabres stink is a real thing.

AND 

1. it is ENTIRELY self induced by ownership and management; and,

2. It won't go away until at a minimum they've either won a playoff series or made the playoffs 2 years in a row.

That'll be necessary to not be viewed as being an afterhought, though it won't necessarily be sufficient.