Buffalo Sabres 23/24 Season Official Thread

[Taro T]

53 minutes ago, Alaska Darin said:

It's happened.  Kevyn Adams is a really impressive dude.

 

 

 

Will be interesting to learn why Johnson waited until now to sign.  Guessing either he was nursing an injury that he was playing through in the tourney or he wanted to take in the moment of his last semester in college before his life changes significantly.

 

Either way, Adams always says he wants the prospects to enjoy where they're at and actually be in that place while they're there.  This would be an example of it not just being lip service with him.

[Alaska Darin]

 

[Taro T]

10 hours ago, Alaska Darin said:

 

 

That Fanatics logo on the side of the hat is the proof that it is a quality item.

 

No f'n' idea why the NHL thought it was a good idea to run with Fanatics as the official apparel manufacturer for the next x years.

[4merper4mer]

Am I crazy thinking that signing ROR back now that Eichole is gone might actually work?

[Alaska Darin]

5 hours ago, 4merper4mer said:

Am I crazy thinking that signing ROR back now that Eichole is gone might actually work?

ROR is way too slow to play with this group.  I'm not sure he has a lot left in the tank at this point.

[B-Man]

 

 

I don't know what to think.

 

NOTHING on any of the Sabres sites about this ????

 

 

[Taro T]

59 minutes ago, B-Man said:

 

 

I don't know what to think.

 

NOTHING on any of the Sabres sites about this ????

 

 

 

Umm, NH I Flyers.  Not NH L Flyers?

 

Pretty sure there's a reason nobody else is talking about this.

[Alaska Darin]

And so it begins...

 

 

[Alaska Darin]

I will miss him.  He may only be good at one thing...but 28 goals is 28 goals.

 

 

[Taro T]

16 minutes ago, Alaska Darin said:

I will miss him.  He may only be good at one thing...but 28 goals is 28 goals.

 

 

 

Didn't read the article, but yeah, it's common knowledge that Olofsson has likely played his last game as a Sabre.  He couldn't make the top 12 after Greenway arrived, he becomes a UFA in 1 year, and coming off a 28 goal season playing primarily as a 3rd liner and on the 2PP there should be some teams interested in trading for him.  

 

MOST teams in the league have a hard time scoring goals.  The Sabres aren't one of them whether Victor is a Sabre or not.

 

It'll be kind of sad when he does get traded.  He's been a good teammate and likes being a part of the team.  And the timing is really bad for him; the Sabres are finally good enough that they can actually afford the luxury of having a rather 1 dimensional player but they have a lot of other wingers that can score goals and actually really need ones that know what to do on their own side of their blue line.

 

The rumors are that the team wants to add a PK specialist (4C?) and already have 10 F slots locked down while still having the possibility of bringing 1 or both of Girgensons and Jost back while also having Rousek looking like he's ready to make the leap to the big club out of the gate.  Something has to give.  And that's with not giving Savoie a look straight out of camp (he's ineligible to play for the Amerks this year by 1 day; so he's either a Sabre or back in the WHL for Winnipeg) nor having a spot to bring up Kulich sometime later this winter.

[Taro T]

And the Athletic said the Sabres #1 priority is a top 4 D-man to partner with Power.  Over on the Sabres board this kid frequents, the thought is LHD Graves from the Devils would be nearly the ideal target (if he was a RH shot, he'd be ideal).  Hoping they also land a 1A goalie (and there are a few available via trade or FA) as it would be a lot less risky to head into '23-'24 with a legit veteran and Levi than Levi and 1 of Comrie or UPL.

 

They also should be looking for 1 more 5/6 D-man, though they may feel with Stillman available to be the 7 and Clague, Bryson, and Johnson very possibly starting the year in Ra-cha-cha that they have enough 6/7 D to cover a rash of injuries on the blue line should they land the #4 they're looking for.

 

Add a 4C to that list and this team really doesn't have any glaring holes.  Long time since the wishlist was this short and really only those 1st 2 items should be pricy.  If they both come in via FA, the Sabres will not only be NHL deep but they'll also have a very deep prospect pool.  D finally has a bit of a pipeline with Johnson and a couple of Russians signing.  G doesn't really have a pipeline but if they can get Comrie &/or UPL to Ra-cha-cha they'll have decent depth should one of the 2 top guys go down (presuming they land a guy to pair with Levi).

 

Hopefully getting GT fixed along with the other adds also fixes the PK.  (Your goalie is your best PKer.)  Then figure out how to enter the zone on the PP and also how to distribute the puck to players that aren't 6'6" or taller and it could be a very fun season this year.

[Alaska Darin]

Rumor is Dahlin has signed an 8 year, $80M deal but it can't be announced until July.

[Taro T]

50 minutes ago, Alaska Darin said:

Rumor is Dahlin has signed an 8 year, $80M deal but it can't be announced until July.

 

Technically it can't be signed until July 1.  (Multiyear deals can't be extended until within the final year of the deal; and the NHL is back to having July 1 be the official start of the new league year this coming season.  1 year deals can't be extended until January 1.  And the new deals are completely separate from the existing deal.  There is no shifting of monies from 1 contract into the other one.)

 

It's been rumored that Adams and Dahlin's agent have worked out a deal for 8 years for about $10MM/year.  If the rumor is true (and believe Chad Dominicis broke the story; if not him it was Lance Lysowski; both are usually reliable) then Dahlin left a pretty fair amount of money on the table.  

 

If it is an $80MM deal, personally expect we'll see Mittelstadt signed to a 4 or 5 year deal for ~$5MM/yr.  He'll be entering the last year of his current bridge deal as well.

[Jabba The Hutt]

2 hours ago, Alaska Darin said:

Rumor is Dahlin has signed an 8 year, $80M deal but it can't be announced until July.

Extend Power for 8 years as well when time

Edited June 13, 2023 by Jabba The Hutt

[Taro T]

12 hours ago, Jabba The Hutt said:

Extend Power for 8 years as well when time

 

Pretty sure that's Adams' plan.  But it takes 2 to tango.  The cap is supposed to go up a LOT in the next couple of years.  Power and his agent may want a bridge deal to be able to capitalize on that windfall.  Hoping they can ink him to a 7 or 8 year deal, but don't be shocked if it's only 3 years.  Would still keep him an RFA at the end of that next deal.

[Alaska Darin]

There have been some rumors about the Sabres being interested in Pesce (to pair with Power) and the Hurricanes wanting Olafsson. 

 

 

[Jabba The Hutt]

55 minutes ago, Alaska Darin said:

There have been some rumors about the Sabres being interested in Pesce (to pair with Power) and the Hurricanes wanting Olafsson. 

 

 

I say take Chara out of retirement

[Alaska Darin]

I don't see this being a thing.

 

 

[Taro T]

2 hours ago, Alaska Darin said:

I don't see this being a thing.

 

 

 

Kinda get why the Loafs might want that trade - Olofsson is much cheaper than Nylander and scores goals rather than sets them up (and the Loafs have plenty of other playmakers).

 

But wtf would the Sabres want Nylander?  He doesn't have a 2 way game; he isn't a team 1st sort of player (he "held out" (as an RFA) into the season to get his current deal; and he flat out doesn't go to the hard areas of the ice.  Again, wtf would they want him?

 

Loaf fans are delusional.

[Taro T]

 

Looks like the Z Train will be rolling in Buffalo again this coming year.  Good for him.  He deserves to be a part of the team when it finally makes the playoffs.  Okposo does too; but still expect they're going to regret re-signing him.  Hope he proves me wrong.  Just don't believe that Kyle has more than a month & a half's worth of solid play still in him.

 

Girgensons being a little younger can still bring it night in and night out.