Speculation: Sabres Roster Speculation - Pre-season 2023 Edition

[joshjull]

Granto must be doing something because Samuelsson and Dahlin are ~54% starts on the fly. Boosh and Jokiharju were ~62%. That's almost a 20% difference.

I appreciate the fun spin on the stats. Granato wasn’t doing anything because coaches don’t worry about on the fly starts. I don’t get why you think this is a thing.

I misread the stat line and attributed Dahlin's to Power. Overall Power was 13.5%/10.9% OZ/DZ Samuelsson 11.9%/13.4%.

I’m not sure why this matters. Joker has similar numbers to Sammy. Dahlin is similar to Power.

Dahlin —-> 56%
Power —-> 55.6%
Joker ——> 47.7
Sammy —-> 46.8%

But the top 2 pairs were deployed in roughly the same balanced deployments (OZS% of 48%+49% respectively). Individual usage can be different than pairing usage.

But the stats also say Buffalo's two best pairings were Power-Samuelsson and Dahlin-Jokiharju.

They were successful in their minutes together. But total minutes played together, how they were deployed, etc have to be factored in. They played far fewer and easier minutes than the top 2 pairs. You’re not comparing apples to apples When you put their stats against each other.

I'm just unconvinced at this point in his career Power is actually a good two-way defensemen; but he will be.

I agree but I don't think Granato cares based on how much he used him last season at 5v5. The Sabres averaged 48:46mins a game at 5v5. Power played about 40% of it (19:45mins 5v5).

There is no hiding a player from tough matchups or top opposition getting that many 5v5 minutes.

 

[DapperCam]

I don’t have a good reason why, but I think Mitts is going to blow up this year. He put up 60 points last year carrying around the corpse of VO. Only 16 were on the PP.

I think he could go P/GP. He really kicked it up a gear at the end of the year when the games were most important. 17 points in the last 11 games! Only one game in that span with no points is incredible.

 

[Chainshot]

I always assumed acquiring Luke Tuch would be a feel-good move for Rochester. Nice to have him and all the vibes with his brother, but he'd be a AHL guy most likely...which is fine.

I think of him a bit like Murray is - has some tools, needs to work on things to get to another level but could be a good fit for a mid-line guy for the Amerks since they have seen they could use some more beef there. And if he builds up into something, excellent.


Getting back to Petry, it would be an interesting off-season if they completely overhaul their right side of the defense. But my, someone would have to go.

 

[MOGlLNY]

I don’t have a good reason why, but I think Mitts is going to blow up this year. He put up 60 points last year carrying around the corpse of VO. Only 16 were on the PP.

I think he could go P/GP. He really kicked it up a gear at the end of the year when the games were most important. 17 points in the last 11 games! Only one game in that span with no points is incredible.

I will change my avatar to Ralph Krueger's introductory press conference for a year if Mitts puts up 80+ points.

 

[HaNotsri]

I don’t have a good reason why, but I think Mitts is going to blow up this year. He put up 60 points last year carrying around the corpse of VO. Only 16 were on the PP.

I think he could go P/GP. He really kicked it up a gear at the end of the year when the games were most important. 17 points in the last 11 games! Only one game in that span with no points is incredible.

I think he has a chance to finally breakout but not if he has to play another season with VO on his line.

 

[Chainshot]

I will change my avatar to Ralph Krueger's introductory press conference for a year if Mitts puts up 80+ points.

*Adds bookmark*

 

[MOGlLNY]

*Adds bookmark*

It will be worth it

 

[DapperCam]

I will change my avatar to Ralph Krueger's introductory press conference for a year if Mitts puts up 80+ points.

I’ll let you photoshop a dunce cap on him.

 

[Gras]

I’ll let you photoshop a dunce cap on him.

Then it wouldnt really be a punishment for him

 

[Djp]

I don’t have a good reason why, but I think Mitts is going to blow up this year. He put up 60 points last year carrying around the corpse of VO. Only 16 were on the PP.

I think he could go P/GP. He really kicked it up a gear at the end of the year when the games were most important. 17 points in the last 11 games! Only one game in that span with no points is incredible.

It depend on lines. I want multiple scoring lines

 

[Push Dr Tracksuit]

I don’t have a good reason why, but I think Mitts is going to blow up this year. He put up 60 points last year carrying around the corpse of VO. Only 16 were on the PP.

I think he could go P/GP. He really kicked it up a gear at the end of the year when the games were most important. 17 points in the last 11 games! Only one game in that span with no points is incredible.

The corpse of vo… checks notes… 28 goals.

 

[Mattilaus]

The corpse of vo… checks notes… 28 goals.

Doesn't matter much if, because of you, the other team score 56 when you are on the ice.

 

[HaNotsri]

I will change my avatar to Ralph Krueger's introductory press conference for a year if Mitts puts up 80+ points.

Fun fact: Kruegers' wife can't tell the difference between his head and areolas.

 

[K8fool]

let's find out if he was injured like the rest of the team or he blows .( Alberto vo 5)

 

[Aladyyn]

Doesn't matter much if, because of you, the other team score 56 when you are on the ice.

Good thing that no player has that kind of effect

 

[Chainshot]

Good thing that no player has that kind of effect

True, his 5-on-5 GF/GA was 34 to 52. Nearly as bad but not double.

 

[Aladyyn]

True, his 5-on-5 GF/GA was 34 to 52. Nearly as bad but not double.

And I would certainly say he was not at fault for all 52

 

[Chainshot]

And I would certainly say he was not at fault for all 52

Not, though he is also one of the worst players at contested puck retrievals in the league. As a specialist, he has some unique skills and I will always have a soft spot in my heart watching Vic... but he's not even remotely a complete player.

 

[Matt Ress]

It depend on lines. I want multiple scoring lines

If Mitts can be consistent between Tuch and Skinner, then have Tage and Cozens behind him. Not everyone likes that idea but if it works it would be scary

 

[Irie]

If Mitts can be consistent between Tuch and Skinner, then have Tage and Cozens behind him. Not everyone likes that idea but if it works it would be scary

My issue with this is that Tage is half as effective at wing, so he has to play center, and does anyone really think not developing Cozens as a big, fast, two-way second line center is not the best idea moving forward?

Cozens at wing may give you a little more versatility this season, but is it in the best interest of the team's long term competitive plan? I do not believe it is.

I was Mitts biggest defender on this board last season, and I really like the kid, but I think this team's future is brighter having Cozens as a top six pivot and Casey as the depth option for injuries. For that reason alone I want Cozens getting full time center reps and learning center defensive responsibilities the next couple of seasons.

 

[Sabresfansince1980]

My issue with this is that Tage is half as effective at wing, so he has to play center, and does anyone really think not developing Cozens as a big, fast, two-way second line center is not the best idea moving forward?

Cozens at wing may give you a little more versatility this season, but is it in the best interest of the team's long term competitive plan? I do not believe it is.

I was Mitts biggest defender on this board last season, and I really like the kid, but I think this team's future is brighter having Cozens as a top six pivot and Casey as the depth option for injuries. For that reason alone I want Cozens getting full time center reps and learning center defensive responsibilities the next couple of seasons.

The best near-future development of the FWs and lines has TT and Cozens as the 1-2 punch. Mitts comes in as a 3rd scoring C that creates the match-up problems Buffalo caused in the mid 2000s. Eventually he could be replaced by Savoie/Ostlund but not anytime soon. Mitts said he was feeling a lot better at C ending last season so I expect/hope he stays there to start off October. Someone else can fill in for Quinn if the result is a decent-to-good 3rd line of Greenway-Mitts-Olofsson playing for a contract like he means it. Even Olofsson playing more typical, Greenway is a big upgrade over what Asplund was doing the first 30-40 games. Better balanced scoring and having TT and Cozens developing more into their expected roles is the best equation.

 

[Djp]

If Mitts can be consistent between Tuch and Skinner, then have Tage and Cozens behind him. Not everyone likes that idea but if it works it would be scary

My preference would be to have Skinner, mitts, Tuch, Cozens, tage, and Krebs be spread out of 2 per line for 3 lines. Mitts snd Krebs cant be on the same line.

 

[Irie]

My preference would be to have Skinner, mitts, Tuch, Cozens, tage, and Krebs be spread out of 2 per line for 3 lines. Mitts snd Krebs cant be on the same line.

While I agree that keeping Mitts and Krebs on separate lines is ideal, having the teams top 4 centers playing on the top 3 lines all but guarantees Jost is in the lineup fulltime as the fourth line center - for better or worse.

 

[Sabresfansince1980]

While I agree that keeping Mitts and Krebs on separate lines is ideal, having the teams top 4 centers playing on the top 3 lines all but guarantees Jost is in the lineup fulltime as the fourth line center - for better or worse.

It's worse.

 

[Old Navy Goat]

Not necessarily, you could break Savoie in between Girgs and KO. It did wonders for developing Krebs game and Savoie is already more advanced defensively