As a WPG Jets fan, I feel your pain. Buffalo was looking like they could be very good this year and then... argh.

two sides of the same coin, the jets and sabres. Quite Sad.

They have 14m in cap space, is there an internal cap?

Also, Okoposo and Girgensons are signed on 1-year deals. Plus, it's not an outlandish price to pay the 3 of them. They are likely to try trading for a top 4 D sometime in the season or off-season, so I wouldn't worry about it too much.

the fa class is terrible this year so unless you're fine with overpaying for a top 4d than what buffalo is doing isn't completely egregious

Yes, and theyve already spent near it. This is how it goes. They bring back everyone who is okay signing 1 year deals. Then sign some low level ufa's to pretend like they tried to do something. This team couldve made the playoffs last year if they did anything other than sign Comrie and ilya lybushkin. What is the point in having an analytics department if they arent going to try for meaningful moves?

the FA class is awful, no arguments. But theyre nearly tapped out of cash on hand and they wont be able to deal for a top 4 D or goalie. If they do anything at all, it will be another lyubushkin. And as we all know, thats the kind of player that puts you over the top.

This seems like a significant overreaction to them bringing back the same forward group that was at the top of the league in goals last season?

Also, there is plenty of money to add a Dman, but people don't seem to understand that we aren't looking for a top pair guy so there is no reason to pay major major assets to acquire a top pairing guy like Hanifin or others of the same ilk.

In terms of a goalie, I personally am not keen on paying premium premium assets for a short term (1 year maybe 2) solution. I'd rather acquire somebody who can tandem with Levi for 2-3 years

Just gonna ignore all the chatter about KA calling on every single RHD huh?

I got to give it to you, you're one of the worst Sabres fans I've seen on this site. Just constant doomposting, negativity, and complaining. Maybe go for a walk, touch some grass, and ignore hockey for a bit eh?

They have an internal cap, its about 70-72 mil. THey wont come out and say it, but thats why they are so keen on bringing back loser 4th liners on one year deals. because ownership wont let them committ to players beyond what theyve already drafted.

The team being 3rd in goals for is totally unsustainable too. They actually didnt produce a ton of scoring chances at 5v5, they just had insanely good shooting luck. At least a few will regress and when that happens, the bottom will drop out on them again.

Well thank you for giving it to me, as you know, I hold your opinion in such high regard, NPC #49921.

They could deal Oloffson in a trade for a top RHD, one just has to be available. They clearly just weren't fans of the FA options. So, again I wouldn't worry too much about it. The off-season is barely started and they have until TDL. If this group can't stay in the playoff picture until then, then adding a top 4 D probably wouldn't have made much of a difference.

As for goaltending, they probably address that last since you never know when a guy will have a breakout season or a down year.

The only issue with that is waiting until the deadline means you are likely paying more for a worse option. The crop of d-men available in the summer via trade is /usually/ better than whats available at the TDL. I say usually cause obviously there are some exceptions. But its unfortunate that they are willing to let themselves be caught in that position again. It would be one thing if the team drafted well, had a steady pipeline of d-men they could bet on, but they dont have that either.

Oh well, hope their obsession with jokiharju works out.

tyler myers is gonna come to buffalo after his 5 millions bonus is paid and they are gonna seem to be paying closer to the cap while still being cheap!

Oh shoot i totally forgot about the structure of that contract, good pull! It does hinge on myers waiving to go back though, he kinda left on weird terms.

Where are you getting the internal cap number from just curious?

Maybe unsustainable and I agree that not everybody will have career years again this season, but is it not reasonable to expect at the very least a more consistent presence an output from nearly every player: Cozens, Quinn, Peterka, Mitts, Krebs, Dahlin, Power, Sammy + including Levi in the goaltending conversation already improves the roster. Building through the draft means that you need to let players develop and play. No reason to try to open a window for 4~5 years right at this second when you could have a ~10 year window starting after next year based on the pipeline + assets on hand

I could say "you ask around, you hear things" but thats not a good answer since you dont know me cant take my word for it so Ill put it this way. If you closely follow the spending habits over the last few years, you can see a major shift in how the team operates.

it's not just the lack of activity in the trade market or FA, i mean as pointed out, FA is a cesspool anyways. They are nickel and diming players at the lowest level. Dustin Tokarski left because the pegula's didnt want to give him a 1 way deal, which is typical for goalies in the AHL. The structure of contracts for fringe forwards? also includes a massive drop in minor league salary. Its a difference of like 200k, which they never used to care about, now its the biggest deal in the world.

But maybe the biggest give away is that if you look at these extensions, save for the first year of the deal, none of it is structured with bonuses. Almost all high end players get them throughout their deals, but the Sabres absolutely refuse to give them. Ever wonder why the worlds worst penalty kill never gets upgraded? That would require paying assistant coaches who know what they are doing more money than the goofballs who are currently here. The scouting department is still bare bones. Kevin Devine and Jerry Forton still have jobs here!! Part of it is the hit they took from the pandemic, sure, but really theyre just far more committed to the NFL side of thing because frankly, its better for them.

About the compete window, I have a genuine question. What team has ever had a 10 year window? not a window as in like playoff team, 10 years of genuine stanley cup competitive rosters? Most of the best usually get a 4-5 year target zone because they double down to improve their chances of winning. ITs the natural trade off. Your window gets "shorter" but your odds at winning in theory get better

Sounds like you are pretty despondent. Which is weird considering the massive improvement our team and organization has made in the past 2 years. If there is any time to be hyped to be a Sabres fan its now. Adams' is smart, he won't overpay a UFA when he knows that could hurt our future. Okposo and Girgensons are proven NHL players, giving them 2.5 mil for one more year is a great thing. Especially with how important both are to the young players in the locker room. Greenway was a flyer, one I personally didn't like and still don't. However, if he turns in a 25-30 point season and chips in physically than that trade may show some value.

Our organization really just needs one more really solid defenseman and a goalie to tandem with Levi. Those can be acquired via trade or FA and there are plenty of options for both. We have a plethora of prospects and picks in which we can spend some to acquire an impact player.

I cant get behind the notion that Adams is smart when his AHL record breaking forward ends up stuck behind the worlds most expensive 4th line. Tom Fitzgerald is smart, Kevyn Adams is reserved. Somtimes that is misinterpreted for smart because 10 GMs still operate their team like its 1992.

Vegas is in year 6 and only missed the playoffs once due to injury (4 WCF, 2 SCF, 1 chip is phenomenal over a 6 year span!) and I don't think their window is closed yet by any means. TB has been good for darn near a decade now, I'd say PIT, WSH, BOS are at or near the end, but its been a long time of consistent chances to win a cup.

I was more alluding to seeking somebody like Hellebyuck and extending him 7x9.5 and then having the door to a championship slammed shut in our face when he inevitably hits a wall 4-5 years into that when hes 35-36 years old. Even with a long window its not like they are gonna be ECF every year, some years they will be first round exits and some years theyll miss the playoffs by a point or 2, but i think with the current contracts and pipeline we are set up well to be a consistent threat in the eastern conference.

To be clear I'm not at all saying that they shouldn't make a move, but I think its okay to not try to cycle out effective bottom 6 role players to try and find an equivalent replacement for ~1 mill cheaper

Lol what. Kulich has a spot on in the top 9 if he shows he's ready. Olofsson will not be on the team come the beginning of the season. Its incredibly stupid to play Kulich on the 4th line when he could be developing much better in the AHL on the top line.

No he doesn’t, not with jost also coming back. And I agree he shouldn’t be on the 4th line

What meaningful moves are you referencing? trading 7th overall for debrincat only for him to demand out the next year? There is 14 mil in cap space now with it to jump like 9 million next year. the analytics staff has done incredible identifying prospects. reino for levi and kulich, jack for tuch krebs ostlund greenway, risto for rosen hagg and 38th overall this year. I like what they got in return for each of those. There is no point in them going out and spending to the cap and then having dahlin, power, mitts, quinn, peterkas contracts come up and not have space.

They gave 8 mil to hall, 9 to skinner. they will pay when they deem it necessary but you sure you are wanting them to hand out these contracts?

There is a huge chunk of moves between, spending to the cap/7th overall for cat and lyubushkin/comrie. You cant possibly convince me that an even slightly better rhd/goalie doesnt help this team make the playoffs for the first time in over a decade, or that the value of that wouldnt have been very, very good.

Hall got a one year deal and shipped out part way through it. Skinner predated the pandemic, thats when the penny pinching started.