Buffalo Sabres 23/24 Season Official Thread

[Alaska Darin]

 

[Alaska Darin]

 

[Alaska Darin]

 

[Alaska Darin]

 

[Taro T]

Sabres signed Brett Murray to a 1 year 2 way deal.  It'll pay him $250k to play in Ra-cha-cha this year.

 

They also signed their 2nd round pick from this year Anton Wahlberg to a 3 year ELC.  He'll likely stay in Sweden this season and be an Amerk next year.  After that, hopefully he becomes a Sabre.

[Alaska Darin]

This kid...already.

 

 

[Alaska Darin]

 

[Alaska Darin]

 

[Taro T]

8 hours ago, Alaska Darin said:

 

 

Umm, the Sabres D did, for the most part, improve over the course of the season on those items Girardi mentioned in the video.  But they were starting from so far below most baselines it really is a stretch to say they were actually GOOD at any of them by the end of the year.  

 

Yes, they had moments where they were good at those items.  And fully expect them to be better at them this year than last as they will likely have a focus to a degree on playing well in their own end (they didn't last year).  But they have a lot of room to be better and still not be "good."  

 

Really hoping the way they played the last 1/2 of the game against the Aisles in the Ryan Miller game is how they play in their own zone this year.  They were great in that stretch of that game.  Boxing out, keeping rushers wide, not chasing but pressuring.  It was textbook for that little bit.

[ComradeKayAdams]

Does anyone have a good understanding of the factors Coach Granato (and also Kevyn Adams) value most when putting together defensive pairings and forward line combinations?? Size, speed, handedness, playing style, age/experience, specific game situations, hockey analytics, etc.?

 

This question came to my mind as I was thinking about the 2023-24 roster and trying to figure out what roster holes remain…because the minimal standard for this season MUST be playoffs! Currently, I’m guessing they go with a 2 G + 8 D + 13 F plan like this:

 

G1: Levi

G2: Luukkonen

Call-Ups: Comrie

 

D1: Samuelsson – Dahlin

D2: Power – Clifton

D3: Erik Johnson – Jokiharju

Extras: Stillman, Lyubushkin

Call-Ups: Bryson, Clague, Ryan Johnson, Novikov

 

F1: Skinner – Thompson – Tuch

F2: Peterka – Cozens – Olofsson

F3: Greenway – Mittelstadt – Rousek

F4: Girgensons – Krebs – Okposo

Extra: Jost

IR: Quinn

Call-Ups: Kulich, Savoie, Rosen, Benson

Hopeful Free Agent Addition: Patrick Kane (hey, it would be a feel-good story and he can play the Erik Johnson role for the forwards!)

[snafu]

13 hours ago, ComradeKayAdams said:

Does anyone have a good understanding of the factors Coach Granato (and also Kevyn Adams) value most when putting together defensive pairings and forward line combinations?? Size, speed, handedness, playing style, age/experience, specific game situations, hockey analytics, etc.?

 

This question came to my mind as I was thinking about the 2023-24 roster and trying to figure out what roster holes remain…because the minimal standard for this season MUST be playoffs! Currently, I’m guessing they go with a 2 G + 8 D + 13 F plan like this:

 

G1: Levi

G2: Luukkonen

Call-Ups: Comrie

 

D1: Samuelsson – Dahlin

D2: Power – Clifton

D3: Erik Johnson – Jokiharju

Extras: Stillman, Lyubushkin

Call-Ups: Bryson, Clague, Ryan Johnson, Novikov

 

F1: Skinner – Thompson – Tuch

F2: Peterka – Cozens – Olofsson

F3: Greenway – Mittelstadt – Rousek

F4: Girgensons – Krebs – Okposo

Extra: Jost

IR: Quinn

Call-Ups: Kulich, Savoie, Rosen, Benson

Hopeful Free Agent Addition: Patrick Kane (hey, it would be a feel-good story and he can play the Erik Johnson role for the forwards!)

This team never seems to have any urgency in finding a goaltender.  Even though they’ve got Levi, you’ve got to wonder if he can carry the load in his first full season.

 

For D, it appears that the coach and GM favor playing style.  They probably consider handedness a bonus.  I think your third D pairing will struggle because of Jokiharju. To me, he should be trade bait.  He’s still only 24 and a RFA after this season. I can’t stand watching him play, so maybe my anti-Jokiharju bias is showing. 

Quinn’s injury has a big impact.  He played well with Cozens and Peterka. In your lineup, his absence forces Olofsson (the other piece of trade bait) onto the second line.  The third line looks anemic on paper.  And who knows what Okposo can bring this season.

 

You say that expectations are playoffs, however the way this team is laid out today doesn’t inspire a lot of hope in the team reaching that goal. Maybe Kane would help but I have my doubts. I think I’d rather have Tarasenko if the Sabres are shopping.  In any event, they’d better focus on Goaltending first.  It’s been the same refrain for years.

 

 

[Alaska Darin]

On 7/23/2023 at 8:18 AM, snafu said:

Tarasenko

Puhllllllleeeeeeeeeeeeease.  Which future young players in the pipeline are you going to sacrifice to pay a Russian over 30 the bag he's going to want? 

 

He's a cancer.

 

 

[snafu]

21 minutes ago, Alaska Darin said:

Puhllllllleeeeeeeeeeeeease.  Which future young players in the pipeline are you going to sacrifice to pay a Russian over 30 the bag he's going to want? 

 

He's a cancer.

 

 

 

Way better'n Kane (who's actually out for at least half the upcoming season).

 

I'd certainly prefer to keep the young talent that they're developing.  But the theme of the post that I was replying to is "playoffs now".  Which kid is ready "now"?   If none of the kids are ready this year then they could use a second line wing to take Quinn's place. Tarasenko has shown the ability to play a two-way game and he produces, which makes him a better option than Olofsson.  And he wouldn't cost much more than Olofsson.

 

 

[Alaska Darin]

21 minutes ago, snafu said:

 

Way better'n Kane (who's actually out for at least half the upcoming season).

 

I'd certainly prefer to keep the young talent that they're developing.  But the theme of the post that I was replying to is "playoffs now".  Which kid is ready "now"?   If none of the kids are ready this year then they could use a second line wing to take Quinn's place. Tarasenko has shown the ability to play a two-way game and he produces, which makes him a better option than Olofsson.  And he wouldn't cost much more than Olofsson.

 

 

Dude...Tarasenko has never in his life been a two-way player.  He's been a shell of himself for almost 4 years now but he's still going to want over $6M AAV for probably a minimum of 4 years.  That's a lot for a guy who has missed 2 of the last 4 seasons almost in their entirety and was a complete asshat to the Blues until they showed him the door.

 

We are not a "Tarasenko" away from the playoffs.  No team in the NHL is.  He's not 27 anymore.  He's not been a Top 6 guy for far too long but he's still gonna wanna be paid like one.  18 goal scorers grow on trees now.

[snafu]

6 minutes ago, Alaska Darin said:

Dude...Tarasenko has never in his life been a two-way player.  He's been a shell of himself for almost 4 years now but he's still going to want over $6M AAV for probably a minimum of 4 years.  That's a lot for a guy who has missed 2 of the last 4 seasons almost in their entirety and was a complete asshat to the Blues until they showed him the door.

 

We are not a "Tarasenko" away from the playoffs.  No team in the NHL is.  He's not 27 anymore.  He's not been a Top 6 guy for far too long but he's still gonna wanna be paid like one.  18 goal scorers grow on trees now.

 

Tarasenko > Kane = my original point.

Tarasenko > Olofsson = why I was talking about anything.  I'm not married to the idea -- I just think the Sabres need some better option to replace Quinn this year.  VO makes $4.7mm and was consistently benched during the most important games of last season.

 

Some other FA > Tarasenko?  Probably, but FA's who are still available all have warts.

 

[Alaska Darin]

19 minutes ago, snafu said:

 

Tarasenko > Kane = my original point.

Tarasenko > Olofsson = why I was talking about anything.  I'm not married to the idea -- I just think the Sabres need some better option to replace Quinn this year.  VO makes $4.7mm and was consistently benched during the most important games of last season.

 

Some other FA > Tarasenko?  Probably, but FA's who are still available all have warts.

 

Saying Tarasenko is better than Kane is like saying this pile of crap stinks less than that pile of crap.  At the end of the day you're still talking about crap that's going to force you to move at least one younger "high upside" player because we won't be able to pay him for an expensive luxury on the wrong side of 30.

 

The replacement for Quinn will come from the pipeline.  I can see a "near the deadline" deal being possible but we're not sacrificing someone to sign a declining Russian player on the wrong side of 30.

[snafu]

19 minutes ago, Alaska Darin said:

Saying Tarasenko is better than Kane is like saying this pile of crap stinks less than that pile of crap.

 

But it might stink better than the pile of crap we got.

And like I said, I'm not married to the idea that it has to be Tarasenko.  I think we're going to need a better line 2 option.

 

19 minutes ago, Alaska Darin said:

At the end of the day you're still talking about crap that's going to force you to move at least one younger "high upside" player because we won't be able to pay him for an expensive luxury on the wrong side of 30.

 

The Sabres have future depth.  Not present depth.  I'm saying we need someone if one of our kids isn't ready this year -- which is likely.  We wouldn't have to move anyone this year.  And I'm saying that he's not much more expensive than what we've already got.  The entire 4th line is on one year deals.  There'll be plenty of room for kids to step in next year if they're not ready this year.

 

21 minutes ago, Alaska Darin said:

The replacement for Quinn will come from the pipeline.

 

The replacement for Quinn will be Olofsson.  And if none of the kids can unseat Olofsson, then this team's got issues this season.  And waiting until the trade deadline might be too late.

 

This horse is beaten.  You get the last word if you want it.

 

 

[Alaska Darin]

7 minutes ago, snafu said:

 

But it might stink better than the pile of crap we got.

And like I said, I'm not married to the idea that it has to be Tarasenko.  I think we're going to need a better line 2 option.

 

 

The Sabres have future depth.  Not present depth.  I'm saying we need someone if one of our kids isn't ready this year -- which is likely.  We wouldn't have to move anyone this year.  And I'm saying that he's not much more expensive than what we've already got.  The entire 4th line is on one year deals.  There'll be plenty of room for kids to step in next year if they're not ready this year.

 

 

The replacement for Quinn will be Olofsson.  And if none of the kids can unseat Olofsson, then this team's got issues this season.  And waiting until the trade deadline might be too late.

 

This horse is beaten.  You get the last word if you want it.

 

 

To start the season I expect Mittlestadt to go back into the Top 6, just like he did when TNT went down.  The musical chairs in the bottom 6 isn't that hard to make work with what we have going on.  Jost, Greenway, Weissbach, Kosak, etc are all more than capable of locking down 3rd/4th line NHL roles for extended periods.

 

That disregards the possibility that one of the Savoie, Ostlund, Kulich, Rosen or Benson takes a step and make the team outta camp - which is entirely possible.  It happens fairly regularly in the NHL now - it's not really an old man's game anymore (except as the playoffs get closer to conclusion).

 

There's pretty much zero chance we pay a guy like Tarasenko what he's going to get on the market (the rumor is Carolina had  a 3 year, $20M on the table and then found religion).  He's wrong in pretty much every way for the culture this organization has so carefully crafted.

[Taro T]

48 minutes ago, Alaska Darin said:

To start the season I expect Mittlestadt to go back into the Top 6, just like he did when TNT went down.  The musical chairs in the bottom 6 isn't that hard to make work with what we have going on.  Jost, Greenway, Weissbach, Kosak, etc are all more than capable of locking down 3rd/4th line NHL roles for extended periods.

 

That disregards the possibility that one of the Savoie, Ostlund, Kulich, Rosen or Benson takes a step and make the team outta camp - which is entirely possible.  It happens fairly regularly in the NHL now - it's not really an old man's game anymore (except as the playoffs get closer to conclusion).

 

There's pretty much zero chance we pay a guy like Tarasenko what he's going to get on the market (the rumor is Carolina had  a 3 year, $20M on the table and then found religion).  He's wrong in pretty much every way for the culture this organization has so carefully crafted.

 

Personally would be quite surprised if Mittelstadt and Cozens aren't a thing at least as long as Quinn is out.  Was expecting that either Greenway or Quinn would be the 3rd part of that line.  But with Quinn out, running a 3rd line of Peterka - Krebs - Olofsson is REALLY scary.  (Krebs is ok in his own end; Peterka could be good in his own end in time; VO is not good in his own end unless he is really concentrating on it and even then ...)  So, am expecting Greenway to play with Krebs and VO and Peterka to be the 3rd part of that 2nd line.

 

Will be interesting to see if Rousek or Jost ends up the 12th man.  If it's Jost, then Girgensons can play his natural position at this level (LW).  If it's Rousek, then at least Jost isn't in the line up; but Z is not as good at C as he is on W.  They also could go completely off the board and break up the Thompson line or slide Okposo up to the 2nd line but just don't realistically see either of those things happening.

[Alaska Darin]

1 hour ago, Taro T said:

 

Personally would be quite surprised if Mittelstadt and Cozens aren't a thing at least as long as Quinn is out.  Was expecting that either Greenway or Quinn would be the 3rd part of that line.  But with Quinn out, running a 3rd line of Peterka - Krebs - Olofsson is REALLY scary.  (Krebs is ok in his own end; Peterka could be good in his own end in time; VO is not good in his own end unless he is really concentrating on it and even then ...)  So, am expecting Greenway to play with Krebs and VO and Peterka to be the 3rd part of that 2nd line.

 

Will be interesting to see if Rousek or Jost ends up the 12th man.  If it's Jost, then Girgensons can play his natural position at this level (LW).  If it's Rousek, then at least Jost isn't in the line up; but Z is not as good at C as he is on W.  They also could go completely off the board and break up the Thompson line or slide Okposo up to the 2nd line but just don't realistically see either of those things happening.

I think we're on the same page here.  The x-factor to me has always been Krebs, who has a lot more game than he gets credit for - the issue (to me) has always been who he's playing with/the role he's been asked to play.  It's definitely outside of how he's been raised in the game but he's an honest player who will apparently do whatever the team asks him to do.