What pieces on the Sabres do you like and would want to keep if you were the GM?

[GASabresIUFAN]

This is not a burn down the entire house thread.  This is asking what you think might be a workable core of this team that could be supplemented through trades or FA signings to create a good roster.

I’ll try to illustrate what I mean.  When I look at the Sabres I see the following players I like or think can be part of the solution:  Tage, Dahlin, Kulich, Benson, Byram, Kozak, Lyon (as a backup only), McLeod (only as a 3C), and possibly Doan, Timmins and Kesselring , but I haven’t seen enough of them to make an informed decision.  Tuch and Zucker are players I like but are aging out.  

I’d also like to see Östlund and Helenius get NHL time in a proper role. Same goes for the two Russian D.  Mrtka is making this team next season.  
 

This is basically what I see when I look at the team

Benson ?????  Thompson

????  Kulich Tuch

Zucker McLeod Doan

????  Kozak ????

Dahlin ???? 

Byram ???? (Kesselring?)

???? (Mrtka in 2026) ???? (Timmins?)

????? Lyons

[PASabreFan]

Offseason already?

[Gatorman0519]

We need a top center, another center that can play 2 or 3, another top 6 winger to take the place of Peterka, and a franchise goalie. We had several of those but we hemorrhage talent like no other team. Until that stops we are just spinning our wheels. 

[Weave]

If it were me, it would all be on the table.  Thats not suggesting that we need to burn it down.  It is suggesting that, for the right deal, noone is safe.

I don’t know that I particularly like how the team is set up, skillset-wise and personality-wise.  This collection of players doesn’t strike me as having the right overall makeup to expect success.  But I don’t know that I could expand further on that opinion if pressed to do so.  It’s a feeling, nothing objective.

Do I think there are some players that do have some of the personality and skillset I think matters? Yes, but just a few. If I count fingers on a hand , I’d have fingers left over. They would be way down on my list of priority in a retool of the roster, but noone is off limits on a team that struggles to reach 90pts season after season.

[SABRES 0311]

More Benson and less Quinn type players. Less injury prone players.

Benson TBD Thompson

TBD Norris Tuch

Zucker McLeod Kulich

TBD Krebs TBD

Dahlin Byram

Kesserling TBD

TBD Timmins

[Pimlach]

40 minutes ago, PASabreFan said:

Offseason already?

Really. 

Can we wait until April to play GM? 

I am excited about the season.  I want to see the Sabres that played Florida come back out tonight and beat the Wings.   

[inkman]

Benson & Doan.  The end. 

[mjd1001]

Not keep:  Quinn, Greenway, Bryson. I'd move them for very little return.

Everyone else, it "depends"

-UPL. I'm starting to lean toward getting rid of him. Need to see when he comes back is he closer to 2 years ago form, or last year's form.

-Norris. When he comes back from this injury if I can get the majority of the rest of the year from him..Keep. If he has another moderate or worse injury, I'd like to wave a magic wand and get rid of him.

-Samuelsson.  Same as Norris above.

-Tuch.  Extend him medium term for $8 per year, love to have him.  If its going to be 7-8 years at $10m or more...nope.

-Bryam.  I'd see what is out there for him. He's not hurting the team, but he's not worth what he's getting paid. I'd want to see what the return for him would be.

[GASabresIUFAN]

53 minutes ago, PASabreFan said:

Offseason already?

Maybe

[GASabresIUFAN]

57 minutes ago, Weave said:

If it were me, it would all be on the table.  Thats not suggesting that we need to burn it down.  It is suggesting that, for the right deal, noone is safe.

I don’t know that I particularly like how the team is set up, skillset-wise and personality-wise.  This collection of players doesn’t strike me as having the right overall makeup to expect success.  But I don’t know that I could expand further on that opinion if pressed to do so.  It’s a feeling, nothing objective.

Do I think there are some players that do have some of the personality and skillset I think matters? Yes, but just a few. If I count fingers on a hand , I’d have fingers left over. They would be way down on my list of priority in a retool of the roster, but noone is off limits on a team that struggles to reach 90pts season after season.

This is a very reasonable thought.  The team does lack “winning” leadership on the ice and throughput the organization.  

As to no one is off limits, I understand the sentiment, but it’s hard to completely dismantle a team.  No GM is moving on from Dahlin for example and it would take a huge huge offer to get Thompson given his relative bargain contract.  Benson would likely be off limits as well.  I can see a scenario for pretty much everyone else, even the guys I’d want to keep, depending on the offer.

[DarthEbriate]

My roster isn't cap compliant.

Son of Ben - Jackikin Eichwalker - Reino Samidala
Jef or Quinn Solo - Tagebacca - Tuch Icewalker
Dylando Cozressians - City in McLeods - TBDoan
Zemgus - Wedges (Krebs) - Dad Kposobi
(Shmeerod)

Muel-PO - R2-D6
Unlimited Uncle Owen - Kessel Run
BB-4 - Bryson

Goalless Levi

HC Grand Ruff

[thewookie1]

As of now:

Benson and Doan are key contributors. I'm not trading either.

Dahlin, our captain and 1D. I'm not moving him period.

Thompson, he's a 40 goal scorer with a 7mil contract, he's a key component as a winger or center; I can't exactly picture a good deal involving him

If I can find a way to keep Tuch, I will because he's a high level player

Norris, well I like him but he's always hurt so I have hard time deciding on him

Power, I'm keeping him barring some legit 1C trade. He's a good player, a weak defender but offensively very competent 

Zucker I'd let finish off his contract; solid vet

McLeod, great 3C that in a pinch can fill as a 2C for a short time (in particular a short time)

Byram, Kesselring and Muel; when healthy have their uses but not married to any of them

Kulich, good enough, open to an upgrade but not interested in just trading him for the sake of it.

Timmins, so far so good

UPL, let's see how he is when he returns but I have little faith in him barring a return to his 23-24 form

 

 

 

Quinn is just short of being a guy I'm good with just ridding ourselves of

 

[Weave]

1 hour ago, GASabresIUFAN said:

This is a very reasonable thought.  The team does lack “winning” leadership on the ice and throughput the organization.  

As to no one is off limits, I understand the sentiment, but it’s hard to completely dismantle a team.  No GM is moving on from Dahlin for example and it would take a huge huge offer to get Thompson given his relative bargain contract.  Benson would likely be off limits as well.  I can see a scenario for pretty much everyone else, even the guys I’d want to keep, depending on the offer.

I very specifically said I was not a proponent of a teardown.  Any small number of players can be moved without calling it a teardown, although moving your best player starts to move the needle.  Nonetheless, as unlikely it is to have a trade for Dahlin that improves the team, if it gets offered to me, Dahlin is as good as gone in my eyes.  Obviously, moving on from Dahlin is a lot lower on the priority list than moving on from 22 other players on the team, but it is a non 0 number.