This team doesn't sniff the playoffs

So we let olofsson leave as an RFA for nothing?

Noway is Buffalo sniffing the playoffs, They're definitely not better then Florida, Tampa bay, Toronto and Boston. Heck they're not better then Detroit.

Skinner is insane this team gonna win cup

Idk man ... if they had any goaltending they probably have 6-7 more wins this year. And that puts them right in the thick of the hunt.

Yeah I would say they dont have the talent to beat out florida Tampa Bay and Toronto. But boston is moving the wrong direction.

I'm not saying they are making the playoffs next year but if they get goaltending and clean up some of the plugs they have this year and replace them with the young talent + a Ufa or 2 I think they are right there.

okay we trade him at TDL for what a 3rd rounder oh boy...he's been a huge disappointment this season

That goalie tandem will just bring suffering. UPL will be the backup or 1B starter. Samuelsson will not be a scratch, he is our most reliable defenseman rn

The team had a great start 5-1-1 and the last 10 games 4-4-2, then there was that 16 game stretch where they gave up 73 goals.
They have one top line Skinner - Thompson - Tuch, 40 yo starting GK, and ONE above average defenseman (Dahlin) and ONE average defenseman (Jokiharju), the rest are 3rd pairing material (Hagg, Pysyk, Bryson, Butcher, Miller, Fitzgerald).
Samuelsson nearly single-handedly lost that game Sunday with two horrible giveaways so his stock has fallen dramatically.
Three injured players could make up a decent 2nd line Olofsson (we should have never played while he was injured) Mittelstadt (if he can produce as he did last year final 1/3 of the season) Hinostroza (my good ness is he fast) and Cozens is looking better while Krebs' stock continues to fall.
Bjork - Girgensons - Okposo when all healthy could be a decent fourth line
Maybe Quinn will step up next year to round out a third line with Asplund.
Presuming Buffalo could sign Holtby, Nichushkin, Pysyk, Greiss, and Manson they are good because with who they play.
Holtby plays behind a great Dallas defense, Nichushkin was washed before joining the AVS (9 goals total in two previous seasons), Greiss is looking ordinary playing for the wings, Manson is yesterday's news and Pysyk was a free agent signed to a league minimum contract.
Only six teams have given up more goals and only 6 teams have scored fewer goals.
Only five teams have fewer shots for and only one team has more shots against.
Power and Johnson will help the LHD, only Laaksonen is in the RHD pipe line and the team does not have a true top center (I love Thompson but he should be on the wing).
The GK pipe line is great, but two years away.
Any one drafted in 2022 is two to three years away.
Buffalo does not have a great track record with getting help from UFA's, so I doubt it will change next year.
if Jokiharju is the best RHD and we are counting on Holtby/Greiss between the pipes the team will not be a playoff team

BTW I am an eternal optimist.
Let's shoot for 2023-24 season, the playoffs next year is a bridge too far.
Well that is my rant of the month, I have been on vacation and have not checked CF in two weeks.

I will just recant the points I disagree with, so anything I do not mention I agree with. Dahlin is better than "above average" he is becoming the elite player we need him to be. Remember he is only 21. Samuelsson's stock has not fallen. Two giveaways do not make a player lose value. He's only played 22 NHL games. Same with Krebs. How on earth is his stock falling? Have you seen the plays he has made on his primary assists? He is a great playmaker. I admit he worries me when he makes a pass in our D-zone because he almost always goes up the middle but I am sure he will learn (again, he's only barely 21). Nichushkin was useless with Dallas, but his game has grown immensely. He is a very good two-way forward and would be a great addition to our team. Thompson should not be on the wing, he has been much better at centre.

First of all thank you very much for your comments with which I agree.
I was being hyperbolic about Dahlin, but then who else can play defense and GK.
You obviously saw the same bone head plays I saw Krebs and Samuelson commit so we completely agree on this matter.
Let's agree to disagree with how well Nichushkin will produce for Buffalo.
Even with everything you said, the team needs a GK, 3 defensemen and a center who can score and win face offs to get into the playoffs.
I finally put together a team that I like:
https://www.capfriendly.com/armchair-gm/team/3060412
I know everyone hates Subban (James Norris Trophy), Myers (Calder Memorial Trophy) and Barrie (led all defensemen with but they are solid second pairing defensemen which would give great depth to the team.
I moved Thompson to wing and paired him with Asplund and Mittelstadt as Granato had them last year, which I think will give the Sabres TWO scoring lines.
I added Kessel because he can still produce points giving the Sabres four RW who can score.
IMO the team I just posted has three good scoring lines, 7 NHL quality defensemen (yes I am including Samuelsson even though I am really down on him right now). Thanks for your comment, all good points with which I will not disagree.
Let's just agree that Dahlin is the only true NHL defenseman the Sabres currently have and Jokiharju is getting there.
I absolutely love Thompson and was the only one on this site who KNEW he would be good.
Unfortunately he wins only 40.7% of his face offs, let's put him on wing with a center wins faceoffs.
Let's agree to disagree about Nichushkin as playing with Colorado even made Johansson look good last year with a 5-1-1 and 2.06 GAA.
This is my idea for next year:
https://www.capfriendly.com/armchair-gm/team/3060412
Seven NHL caliber defensemen (yes I am including Samuelsson, I was just really upset with his play against MTL).
Remember Barrie led all NHL defensemen last year with 48 pt, in 2009-10 Myers Calder Memorial Trophy and in 2012-13 Subban James Norris Trophy
Of course GK would keep this team out of the playoffs.
But nice conversation, thanks for the feed back.
We agree on all except Thompson on wing and Nichushkin.
Not bad IMO.

I guess I repeated myself LOL.