The Roster Thread, Summer 2024

[SabresFan26]

Our roster is so poorly constructed. Adams is really bad at his job. There’s so much work that needs to be done this summer.

I don’t understand why we acquired Byram for Mitts and created a massive hole up front. We already had Power and Dahlin as LHD top 5 draft picks.

We also have Mattias Samuelsson signed long term, Ryan Johnson, Nikita Novikov. There’s a massive log jam. They have to trade at least one of those guys. Our RHD and center core might be the worst in the NHL.

I know Dahlin likes to play on his off hand but we have to upgrade Joki and likely ship out a LHD for a center.

 

[Sabresfansince1980]

Our roster is so poorly constructed. Adams is really bad at his job. There’s so much work that needs to be done this summer.

I don’t understand why we acquired Byram for Mitts and created a massive hole up front. We already had Power and Dahlin as LHD top 5 draft picks.

We also have Mattias Samuelsson signed long term, Ryan Johnson, Nikita Novikov. There’s a massive log jam. They have to trade at least one of those guys. Our RHD and center core might be the worst in the NHL.

I know Dahlin likes to play on his off hand but we have to upgrade Joki and likely ship out a LHD for a center.

Imagine trading a guy and then two months later realizing you need to trade for a another guy exactly like him, and that you have too many of the guy you just traded for. Of course, KA probably doesn't actually realize that. One step up, two steps back.

They lost depth and flexibility among the FW group, and the only way to fix that is to overpay through another trade (to undo the first stupid one), or hope that one of your prospects pans out as a top 6/9 C (which will take another 2-3 years).

 

[DapperCam]

Imagine trading a guy and then two months later realizing you need to trade for a another guy exactly like him, and that you have too many of the guy you just traded for. Of course, KA probably doesn't actually realize that. One step up, two steps back.

They lost depth and flexibility among the FW group, and the only way to fix that is to overpay through another trade (to undo the first stupid one), or hope that one of your prospects pans out as a top 6/9 C (which will take another 2-3 years).

The only thing that makes sense to me is if Mitts said he isn’t re-signing long term under any circumstances. So Adams got what value he could, rather than giving Mitts a deal that walks him to UFA.

I’m trying to come up with excuses/reasons a trade like that might be made, because otherwise it is totally perplexing. Why would someone trade possibly their best performing young center for a completely redundant player?

 

[Sabresfansince1980]

The only thing that makes sense to me is if Mitts said he isn’t re-signing long term under any circumstances. So Adams got what value he could, rather than giving Mitts a deal that walks him to UFA.

I’m trying to come up with excuses/reasons a trade like that might be made, because otherwise it is totally perplexing. Why would someone trade possibly their best performing young center for a completely redundant player?

If only we knew the answer to life's greatest mysteries. I fear it's overly simplistic though...perpetual incompetence.

 

[Djp]

Any of these in NHL next season?

Kulich
Savoie
Rosen
Ostlund

I expect Kulich and Rosen or one gets traded

I'd like Savoie to be in in AHL. Especially if sabres sign/acquire short term bottm line players

Ostlund in Rochester for most of yr to adj to NA.

Unknown is Dkinnrr buy out

As it stands now

Benson-cozens-Quinn
JPP-Tage-tuch
Skinner-Krebs/xxx-Greenway
Girgs? -Krebs/xxx-Rousek

If skinner is bought out it opens io p s winger spot

 

[Djp]

Our roster is so poorly constructed. Adams is really bad at his job. There’s so much work that needs to be done this summer.

I don’t understand why we acquired Byram for Mitts and created a massive hole up front. We already had Power and Dahlin as LHD top 5 draft picks.

We also have Mattias Samuelsson signed long term, Ryan Johnson, Nikita Novikov. There’s a massive log jam. They have to trade at least one of those guys. Our RHD and center core might be the worst in the NHL.

I know Dahlin likes to play on his off hand but we have to upgrade Joki and likely ship out a LHD for a center.

Imagine trading a guy and then two months later realizing you need to trade for a another guy exactly like him, and that you have too many of the guy you just traded for. Of course, KA probably doesn't actually realize that. One step up, two steps back.

They lost depth and flexibility among the FW group, and the only way to fix that is to overpay through another trade (to undo the first stupid one), or hope that one of your prospects pans out as a top 6/9 C (which will take another 2-3 years).

I think byram us part 1 of a multipart plan. Colorado wasnt going yuuu o trade him th o a conf rival. Buffalo void trade him ot Power th o the rest fir missing pieces

You also gave Krebs and Jokiharju and other secondary prospects they can trade

 

[SabresFan26]

Hard to trade Power when he’s signed to such an overpaid long-term based on projection contract.

Not sure he would get us a ton for being a number 1 pick.

Going to be hard to get a good middle 6 center to sign here.

 

[TehDoak]

I think byram us part 1 of a multipart plan. Colorado wasnt going yuuu o trade him th o a conf rival. Buffalo void trade him ot Power th o the rest fir missing pieces

You also gave Krebs and Jokiharju and other secondary prospects they can trade

The Mittelstadt move still doesn't make sense. I like Byram, but we have 2 d-men locked up for 19M dollars for the next 7 years. Both are puck moving d-men with a high draft pedigree.

So, in the best case scenario where this works out, in 2 years, you are spending 25-27M on 3 d-men. Only one of which has, to this point, has had an elite level season.

I think you can make that salary structure work with the rising cap, I just don't know how you make 3 defensively challenged d-men in your top 4 work.

Adams has make two huge bets in the last year, 1 that Power is going to be a top tier d-man, and another that he two of Power/Dahlin/Byram can become an effective pair long term. And if Ruff can't make one of the combos work, we will be paying a bottom pair d-men big dollars for a long time. Or we will have to flip Byram at a loss within the next year.

 

[Beerz]

The Mittelstadt move still doesn't make sense. I like Byram, but we have 2 d-men locked up for 19M dollars for the next 7 years. Both are puck moving d-men with a high draft pedigree.

So, in the best case scenario where this works out, in 2 years, you are spending 25-27M on 3 d-men. Only one of which has, to this point, has had an elite level season.

I think you can make that salary structure work with the rising cap, I just don't know how you make 3 defensively challenged d-men in your top 4 work.

Adams has make two huge bets in the last year, 1 that Power is going to be a top tier d-man, and another that he two of Power/Dahlin/Byram can become an effective pair long term. And if Ruff can't make one of the combos work, we will be paying a bottom pair d-men big dollars for a long time. Or we will have to flip Byram at a loss within the next year.

I wouldn't call Dahlin defensively challenged. He is pretty competent defensively. Is he a Slavin? No but he is a good 2 way dman

 

[WhereAreTheCookies]

The Mittelstadt move still doesn't make sense. I like Byram, but we have 2 d-men locked up for 19M dollars for the next 7 years. Both are puck moving d-men with a high draft pedigree.

So, in the best case scenario where this works out, in 2 years, you are spending 25-27M on 3 d-men. Only one of which has, to this point, has had an elite level season.

I think you can make that salary structure work with the rising cap, I just don't know how you make 3 defensively challenged d-men in your top 4 work.

Adams has make two huge bets in the last year, 1 that Power is going to be a top tier d-man, and another that he two of Power/Dahlin/Byram can become an effective pair long term. And if Ruff can't make one of the combos work, we will be paying a bottom pair d-men big dollars for a long time. Or we will have to flip Byram at a loss within the next year.

I think with Byram we saw he has some chemistry with Dahlim, but he needs to be more consistent. We know the Sabres needed another top 4 dman, and getting one via UFA wasn't likely to happen. Byram is the right age and has the potential to be better than anything the Sabres could have gotten through the UFA route. Maybe there could have been a Pesche or someone of that ilk brought in via trade, but weren't there rumors Pesche nixed a potential trade to Buffalo?

Losing Mittelstadt absolutely hurts, but they are also committed to Tage and Cozens long term so signing Mitts to a long term deal to potentially end up being your 3C would have been a bit of a waste since he's shown himself to be able to perform at a 2C/borderline 1C level. They could have shifted him to wing also or had him center Tage, but then you're holding back JJP, Benson or Quinn. That or pushing Skinner down the line-up and we saw how that worked out under Ralph.

Personally, I'd like to see them get someone more suited for that 3C role like a Cirelli, Sissons, Colton etc. We'll see how this summer plays out, but Adams has some glaringly obvious holes he needs to fill, and they don't have the answers from within to address some of the roster needs.

All that said, they also NEED Tage and Cozens to be the players they were in 22-23. UPL gave them a chance to win every time he played, and if they were scoring even remotely close to the level they were in 22-23 we'd probably be watching playoff hockey. I just hope Lindy can fix the god awful powerplay, because they were actually still solid with their 5v5 scoring (13th in the league I believe) while being 3rd from last on the powerplay and allowing the 5th most shorties against.

 

[blackjackmulligan]

Travis Konecney and Scott Laughton package deal. flyers can retain 50% on TK.

 

[Beerz]

Travis Konecney and Scott Laughton package deal. flyers can retain 50% on TK.

No interest at all... not even a smidge in Laughton

 

[blackjackmulligan]

No interest at all... not even a smidge in Laughton

flyers wont move him anyway...."core" player

https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/buffalo-sabres/latest-news/sabres-have-clear-top-trade-target-this-offseason

 

[CowbellConray]

Our roster is so poorly constructed. Adams is really bad at his job. There’s so much work that needs to be done this summer.

I don’t understand why we acquired Byram for Mitts and created a massive hole up front. We already had Power and Dahlin as LHD top 5 draft picks.

We also have Mattias Samuelsson signed long term, Ryan Johnson, Nikita Novikov. There’s a massive log jam. They have to trade at least one of those guys. Our RHD and center core might be the worst in the NHL.

I know Dahlin likes to play on his off hand but we have to upgrade Joki and likely ship out a LHD for a center.

Presumptuous saying Ryan Johnson and Novikov create a log jam….

Adams thinks Byram can be better than Mitts. Byram has loads of potential. Adams is thinking Savoie/ostlund can take the mitts role in time, and maybe he signs a guy to handle that role for a season or two this FA

I’m not saying it’s the right line of thinking, but I understand why he made the deal

 

[Matt Ress]

Presumptuous saying Ryan Johnson and Novikov create a log jam….

Adams thinks Byram can be better than Mitts. Byram has loads of potential. Adams is thinking Savoie/ostlund can take the mitts role in time, and maybe he signs a guy to handle that role for a season or two this FA

I’m not saying it’s the right line of thinking, but I understand why he made the deal

Considering we had a recent thread about how bad our defense has been for the last decade, I'm happy we have a young talented group. I was sad to see Mitts go but the real logjam is going to be at forward very soon, especially if they decide to fill in with traditional bottom 6 role players.

 

[OkimLom]

Re: Byram

I think it’s just as simple that Adams just accepted a deal to add a talented player for a guy that he wasn’t moving forward with. There was no plan in place to target Byram, he just fit what sort of player Adams likes.

I am curious who called who to initiate the trade. That would be an interesting story and probably point towards more of the truth.

The worst scenario, is that Adams saw Mittelstadt as someone blocking the path of one of his many forward draft picks long term and didn’t want to handcuff Buffalo.

 

[Mattilaus]

Re: Byram

I think it’s just as simple that Adams just accepted a deal to add a talented player for a guy that he wasn’t moving forward with. There was no plan in place to target Byram, he just fit what sort of player Adams likes.

I am curious who called who to initiate the trade. That would be an interesting story and probably point towards more of the truth.

The worst scenario, is that Adams saw Mittelstadt as someone blocking the path of one of his many forward draft picks long term and didn’t want to handcuff Buffalo.

Guess would be Avalanche initiated. They needed a 2C. We didn't have a need for another PMD. It wouldn't make sense if we initiated IMO.

 

[OkimLom]

Guess would be Avalanche initiated. They needed a 2C. We didn't have a need for another PMD. It wouldn't make sense if we initiated IMO.

I would agree.

 

[CrazyWayne]

Does anyone think granato had a lot more of say in roster creation and the whole strictly development path and patience path we have seen?

I can't imagine a coach that was near retirement wants to come back and just wait for the young guys to develop

But at the same time it would be a complete 180 for Adams to change course and start dealing or signing legit vets/older players

So is it panic or was it Adams and granato disagreed more than it was believed

 

[Tatanka]

Re: Byram

I think it’s just as simple that Adams just accepted a deal to add a talented player for a guy that he wasn’t moving forward with. There was no plan in place to target Byram, he just fit what sort of player Adams likes.

I am curious who called who to initiate the trade. That would be an interesting story and probably point towards more of the truth.

The worst scenario, is that Adams saw Mittelstadt as someone blocking the path of one of his many forward draft picks long term and didn’t want to handcuff Buffalo.

Adams saw he screwed the pooch in signing Thompson and cozens and preempted having to move one or both bt trading cm. There is no defense of Adams. He blew up up the bs mantras he preaches by getting rid of a guy who wanted to be here, was accountable and played the right way. Now he he has to trade a d and a c to replace the shit he accumulated.

 

[Chainshot]

Does anyone think granato had a lot more of say in roster creation and the whole strictly development path and patience path we have seen?

I can't imagine a coach that was near retirement wants to come back and just wait for the young guys to develop

But at the same time it would be a complete 180 for Adams to change course and start dealing or signing legit vets/older players

So is it panic or was it Adams and granato disagreed more than it was believed

Well he seemed disappointed that he was getting the same group back when he spoke about the roster at the start of the season so I don’t think he was roster crafting to push for just development.

 

[OkimLom]

Does anyone think granato had a lot more of say in roster creation and the whole strictly development path and patience path we have seen?

I can't imagine a coach that was near retirement wants to come back and just wait for the young guys to develop

But at the same time it would be a complete 180 for Adams to change course and start dealing or signing legit vets/older players

So is it panic or was it Adams and granato disagreed more than it was believed

I think the Adams set the structure and path of prospects. He saw Granato as a solid choice for a development coach. He wanted to give his prospects valuable ice time to grow at times where winning took a back seat to the development of his guys.

Then Granato was at his the limit of his capabilities as a coach, as sooner or later, winning starts to matter. Because Granato was the development coach of their NHL team, something had to change at the coaching level to transition into winning.

Adams underestimated the actual little amount patience of waiting for their team to win.

He has to do a 180 now because he punted on making roster building decisions that should’ve been done at the NHL level while waiting for the development of the prospects.

 

[Old Navy Goat]

I think the roster sculpting by Adams this summer won't be especially difficult as the most important pieces are covered. He needs to bring in a veteran C and some beef for the bottom 6. None of this should cost too much in assets nor cap space. He knows that Johnson is a bona-fide 7/8 on the depth chart if he wants to season him a bit more. Kulich, Rosen and Savoie are legitimate injury replacements if none of them seize a roster spot. This off-season will be the first one where he actively builds a roster vice evaluating so color me intrigued

 

[Fjordy]

I’m not sure what the defense will look like next season with Byram and a healthy Samuelsson and who will play with whom.

 

[Jacob582]

I've been saying Samuelsson will be playing on the third pair. But if Byram can't be trusted in the top 4.......