What can the Sabres realistically do between now and October to avoid a bottom 8 finish?

[Team Cozens]

2 - wait for it.....







C

 

[MrMaster]

Compete - Grind - Repeat

But the first point is the most relevant, they really need 2C - 2(two) C(ompete)

 

[Jim Bob]

2 - wait for it.....







C

I would put their top three needs at this point at:

1- 2C
2-2LD
3-2RW

 

[Aladyyn]

I would put their top three needs at this point at:

1- 2C
2-2LD
3-2RW

Did Lawrence Pilut die?

 

[Team Cozens]

I would put their top three needs at this point at:

1- 2C
2-2LD
3-2RW

1 - Bonino for a 3rd
2 - Gardiner at 2/3 x 5.5
3 - Mantha for Risto +

Playoffs

 

[Jim Bob]

Did Lawrence Pilut die?

Given his injury and how he was handled last season, I will be surprised if the Sabres view him as a 2D.

Plus, if they get a solid 2 LD to pair with Miller, then Pilut can be tasked with carrying Risto or Bogo on the 3rd pair.

 

[Jim Bob]

1 - Bonino for a 3rd
2 - Gardiner at 2/3 x 5.5
3 - Mantha for Risto +

Playoffs

Risto has more cost certainty and has produced all most as many points over the past three seasons (132 pts to 129 pts) compared to Mantha. I would be surprised if Botterill was willing to add to Risto to get Mantha.

And Bonino adds another bottom 6 center to the mix.

 

[Team Cozens]

Risto has more cost certainty and has produced all most as many points over the past three seasons (132 pts to 129 pts) compared to Mantha. I would be surprised if Botterill was willing to add to Risto to get Mantha.

And Bonino adds another bottom 6 center to the mix.

Bonino is definitely in that 2/3 category but he could certainly shelter Mitts and bring veteran leadership that I also think is sorely missing.

 

[Jim Bob]

Bonino is definitely in that 2/3 category but he could certainly shelter Mitts and bring veteran leadership that I also think is sorely missing.

Bonino would be able to take a lot of D Zone Starts. But, he is a below average 2C from an offensive POV.

Adding Bonino would be betting big that Mitts can have a lot of growth next season when it comes to offensive production.

 

[Aladyyn]

Given his injury and how he was handled last season, I will be surprised if the Sabres view him as a 2D.

Plus, if they get a solid 2 LD to pair with Miller, then Pilut can be tasked with carrying Risto or Bogo on the 3rd pair.

If they don't view him as such then the team is doomed next season anyways.

 

[itwasaforwardpass]

Risto has more cost certainty and has produced all most as many points over the past three seasons (132 pts to 129 pts) compared to Mantha. I would be surprised if Botterill was willing to add to Risto to get Mantha.

And Bonino adds another bottom 6 center to the mix.

This is another good example why using total points is an awful way to try to compare players.

It probably helps that Ristolainen plays almost 10 more minutes a game in all situations.

5v5, per 60 minutes numbers the past three seasons:

edit: original picture was only this past season.

 

[Sabresfansince1980]

Pilut still has to prove himself as a top-4 D-man, but he's shown enough promise to not spend assets to acquire a new LHD.

A top-six RW is almost as much of a need as 2C, and generally speaking having only four RH shot FWs (including Okposo) is a problem.

Bonino is so...so far from being an answer for 2C. He's a decent checking C, but not a top-line match-up guy, and obviously not a dynamic scoring C that can overload the match-up game onto the opponent.

The options I see out there for a 2C are so thin that I would rather find a trade partner for a legit scoring RW in a Ristolainen trade (Boeser, Tuch, Rakell...maybe even Laine). Assuming none of those options are available or feasible, bank on Rodrigues becoming a passable top-six option, and hope Cozens becomes an impact C or RW. Ristolainen will require significant adds to get that top-six C/RW, and it might not be worth it.

 

[Jim Bob]

If they don't view him as such then the team is doomed next season anyways.

Well, nothing has changed with regards to the LHD depth chart this off season and Pilut ended last season in Rochester and he's recovering from off season surgery.

I'm not convinced that he will be 2LD coming out of camp.

 

[Jim Bob]

This is another good example why using total points is an awful way to try to compare players.

It probably helps that Ristolainen plays almost 10 more minutes a game in all situations.

5v5, per 60 minutes numbers the past three seasons:

edit: original picture was only this past season.

Still, it is a forward vs a defenseman conversation and how the market looks at them.

Some GMs will dive into the deeper stats. And others will also rely on counting stats.

I won't be upset if they add a non-premium trade asset to Risto to get Mantha. I just am not sure Botts goes there, is all.

 

[SackTastic]

Start with a trade to remove some salary, then another to add a better player. Repeat once, and you should be a bubble team, if the acquisitions were correct.

If there's one problem this team does not have, it's cap space.

 

[Gabrielor]

If there's one problem this team does not have, it's cap space.

Ahhh what? We’re over the cap right now with Bogosian healthy...

 

[Aladyyn]

Well, nothing has changed with regards to the LHD depth chart this off season and Pilut ended last season in Rochester and he's recovering from off season surgery.

I'm not convinced that he will be 2LD coming out of camp.

If they can't get that basic decision right, there's no way they can do enough to get out of the basement.

 

[Jim Bob]

If they can't get that basic decision right, there's no way they can do enough to get out of the basement.

We shall see.

 

[CatsforReinhart]

I am not sure why people push the fake Mantha rumor. It was never a real rumor. TSN commentator said a player like Mantha and then Buffalo fans started pushing it. People really should listen to the sound bite. He said a player LIKE Mantha.

 

[brian_griffin]

Well, nothing has changed with regards to the LHD depth chart this off season and Pilut ended last season in Rochester and he's recovering from off season surgery.

I'm not convinced that he will be 2LD coming out of camp.

I don't even think he'll be healthy for camp, right? making any presumptions moot?

Ahhh what? We’re over the cap right now with Bogosian healthy...

Don't know what you mean by that. Not arguing, educating:

Sabres are not over the cap now. Bogosian is not on LTIR, and is counting against the cap today.

Looking forward: Even with RFAs Ullmark, ERod, McCabe, Elie signed the Sabres will exceed the cap by ~$2-2.5M, which is allowed (up to 10% of cap) in the offseason.
But note also the Sabres will also need to drop 2 contracts off their current roster by season's start.
If they drop contracts via waivers, only the portion of 1-way contracts >$1.025M assigned to the AHL count towards the cap which means the Sabres can:
Waive Wilson for assignment and only count $25k against the cap.
Waive Hunwick and only count $1.225M against the cap.
Waive Nelson with no cap hit.

They will also have a second window for buyouts in about 2 weeks in August, sometime between the 6th and 10th or so (although I don't believe it makes sense to buy anyone out now, the time for that was before 7/1/19, IMO).

And the scenarios above don't assume any trades (Risto rumors, etc.) because I assume they either won't happen, or (conservatively) would be net-neutral for salary.

So, strictly speaking, the Sabres aren't over the cap now, won't be with the RFAs signed, and have several straightforward means to be cap compliant come season's start, and Bogo's health doesn't need to be factored in (although I assume the Sabres will put both Bogo and Pilut on LTIR for roster reasons, not cap reasons).

But I truly agree they could have used their cap space better since Botts has been GM. Let's hope he gets religion in that regard.

 

[Gabrielor]

I don't even think he'll be healthy for camp, right? making any presumptions moot?

Don't know what you mean by that. Not arguing, educating:

Sabres are not over the cap now. Bogosian is not on LTIR, and is counting against the cap today.

Looking forward: Even with RFAs Ullmark, ERod, McCabe, Elie signed the Sabres will exceed the cap by ~$2-2.5M, which is allowed (up to 10% of cap) in the offseason.
But note also the Sabres will also need to drop 2 contracts off their current roster by season's start.
If they drop contracts via waivers, only the portion of 1-way contracts >$1.025M assigned to the AHL count towards the cap which means the Sabres can:
Waive Wilson for assignment and only count $25k against the cap.
Waive Hunwick and only count $1.225M against the cap.
Waive Nelson with no cap hit.

They will also have a second window for buyouts in about 2 weeks in August, sometime between the 6th and 10th or so (although I don't believe it makes sense to buy anyone out now, the time for that was before 7/1/19, IMO).

And the scenarios above don't assume any trades (Risto rumors, etc.) because I assume they either won't happen, or (conservatively) would be net-neutral for salary.

So, strictly speaking, the Sabres aren't over the cap now, won't be with the RFAs signed, and have several straightforward means to be cap compliant come season's start, and Bogo's health doesn't need to be factored in (although I assume the Sabres will put both Bogo and Pilut on LTIR for roster reasons, not cap reasons).

But I truly agree they could have used their cap space better since Botts has been GM. Let's hope he gets religion in that regard.

So, the remaining rfa’s are all coming in under 5 mil total? I disagree.

Also, per your solutions: yes, I expect bogo on ltir eventually, which does relieve this. No, I don’t expect any buyouts, and yes, a trade would impact this, although, specifically in a risto trade, I see us taking more salary back, than giving away, in basically any scenario.

I definitely challenge the notion of cap space not being an issue in the short term, given that I still expect team improvement.

 

[Dingo44]

I am not sure why people push the fake Mantha rumor. It was never a real rumor. TSN commentator said a player like Mantha and then Buffalo fans started pushing it. People really should listen to the sound bite. He said a player LIKE Mantha.

Yeah, again, I doubt Mantha would move. He's turning into the player the Wings wanted but were afraid he wasn't going to turn into early in his career.

 

[Fezzy126]

I am not sure if this dude is one of you guys, but aside from the coaching change, this is the biggest reason I have hope:

 

[Chainshot]

So, beyond getting guys to buy in to playing better individually -- and there is a lot room there for people to put in basic effort, detailed earlier, there remains the clearing of chaff from the roster in the form of a couple of skaters. Sending Sobotka away and then moving some of the older defensemen (Bogo, Risto, Marco... the "o-no's" on the blueline) for various levels of return.

The idea of a mid-tier NHL center is certainly still appealing. High-end #2's are probably off the table with the shrinking cap pool the team has, but some sort of capable mid-6 pivot should be on the horizon.

And if they don't do that, we are left with the returnees in the middle under a new coach and potentially unknown results. I am feeling sort of like the first summer under Botterill - slightly hopeful but still with a lingering idea that they need just...a...smidge...more.

 

[Djp]

Bonino is definitely in that 2/3 category but he could certainly shelter Mitts and bring veteran leadership that I also think is sorely missing.

No he isn’t a 2/3

He’s is more of a 4C right now. He will not solve anything other than burden us in 2030 off season

The 2RW is Risto snd 2LD can be done by McCsbe or even by Miller