The Sabres need a goalie. And maybe to grab a good forward on the market?

[Buffalo Rick]

Number one on Adams list to save some face for losing Jack Eichel, is getting us a damn goalie. Something the Sabres have historically had no problem with until recent years.  I am not sure Luukenen is the answer?  He did play well and then he got injured and then promptly returned to Rochester.  I have not been watching the Amerks lately so I really do not know how he has done or how well the defense in front of him has been?  The AHL is tough to follow these days.  I would be looking at St Louis and the LA Kings to possibly be losing one of their goalies.  After all Peterson and Quick could start anywhere.  And so too Binnington and Hossa. I do not see the Blues letting Binnington get away.  The Kings?  Not sure how old Quick is now?  Id prefer Peterson.  There have to be other options out there also. Adams had best get one.  He lost Ullmark at the same time he lost Eichel, the bastard.  Why he still has a job?  I guess in other areas he has been ok, but I could have drafted Powers, who figures to be a big piece of the puzzle moving forward.  I am also hoping they get a good forward.  I do not put much hope in the draft with the 9th and 16th pick.  I mean, could you possibly get a first year starter with those two spots?  Unlikely but I guess anything is possible. The Sabres played pretty well the last two months.  Enough to give some hope of taking the next step this year.  If I had to pick a team that could take a big step back of the 8 that got in?  I would pick the Capitals.  

[TropicalFruitGirl26]

Sabres definitely need a goalie (and a few other things), but I will agree this past season is one where, legitimately, fans should have hope for better things to come, as many players on the team seemed to take big steps forward (hopefully they aren't 'fool's gold seasons), as well as the team playing many more competitive games than they have in recent years....even some of their losses were well played games that just saw them either against a much better opponent, or some mistake or two cost them big.

Luukko COULD be the answer...only way to find out is to play him.

The wacky public defender law firm of Subban, Dell, and Tokarski is simply not gonna win ANY court cases for ya...not even on technicalities! 
Fortunately all those guys are UFA's...I say let'em walk.

29 yr old Michael Houser did alright at the NHL level and did well in his minor league assignments as a playoff goalie there. He is no long term answer, but as a competent body to perhaps fill in some starts on Buffalo, he may be worth retaining at a low cost while Luukko continues to develop.

If Jack Campbell ISN'T retained by the Leaves®, he may be an interesting short term option for the team as well, provided he doesn't ask for the moon and something crazy like 6 years and a NMC.

Sabres really shouldn't want any part of a potentially expensive veteran stop gap.
Their goalie position should be manned by youngsters who will still stumble and bumble a bit...but that have potential.
Or a reasonably priced veteran or low cost journeyman goalie who is very clearly  just a short term placeholder to take the heat off the young guys.

To help the goalie development, reshaping of that defense needs to happen, IMO, as well. A number of UFA's there and they should ALL be let go, with the possible exception of retaining Will Butcher on a 'show me' team friendly contract for no more than two years or so, to see if he is still a viable NHL option.
If he is, he then can cash in (he is still only 27) either with Buffalo after two years, or elsewhere with someone will to give him substantially more money based on what he did well with Buffalo.

There will be a few solid veteran defensemen available as UFA's, some of which shouldn't cost the team a ton, that could fit in nicely for the Sabres (I am thinking maybe guys like Ben Chiarot, Erik Gudbranson, Ian Freakin Cole, Olli Maatta, or if the team is willing to spend a bit more, maybe even Josh Manson).

Sabres have a ton of picks in the upcoming draft...maybe use one or two with a decent player to try and tempt Montreal to trade Buffalo the young, hard hitting Russian defenseman, Alexander Romanov (he will be an RFA so the Sabres would be getting his rights), whom the Canadiens didn't seem to use a whole lot.

He is a bit of a project at 22 yrs old, but when he has his head on right, the guy he hits doesn't......and I do like his mean streaky attitude on the ice. Kinda reminds me of Mikhail Sergachev-lite.

Anyways, a smart, solid defense core for your boys, @Hockey Junkie , will go a LONG way to helping out the goalie situation no matter who ends up in net there (except that wacky law firm I mentioned earlier.... they need to adjourn  )

[TropicalFruitGirl26]

Oh, and BTW, Adams doesn't need to save face  for "losing Eichel".
He did well getting the picks he did, as well as Alex Tuch and Peyton Krebs.

Those are some good players and that package, while subtracting a 1C, helped fill needs in other areas for the team.

Edited May 25, 2022 by TropicalFruitGirl26

[Buffalo Rick]

20 hours ago, TropicalFruitGirl26 said:

Sabres definitely need a goalie (and a few other things), but I will agree this past season is one where, legitimately, fans should have hope for better things to come, as many players on the team seemed to take big steps forward (hopefully they aren't 'fool's gold seasons), as well as the team playing many more competitive games than they have in recent years....even some of their losses were well played games that just saw them either against a much better opponent, or some mistake or two cost them big.

Luukko COULD be the answer...only way to find out is to play him.

The wacky public defender law firm of Subban, Dell, and Tokarski is simply not gonna win ANY court cases for ya...not even on technicalities! 
Fortunately all those guys are UFA's...I say let'em walk.

29 yr old Michael Houser did alright at the NHL level and did well in his minor league assignments as a playoff goalie there. He is no long term answer, but as a competent body to perhaps fill in some starts on Buffalo, he may be worth retaining at a low cost while Luukko continues to develop.

If Jack Campbell ISN'T retained by the Leaves®, he may be an interesting short term option for the team as well, provided he doesn't ask for the moon and something crazy like 6 years and a NMC.

Sabres really shouldn't want any part of a potentially expensive veteran stop gap.
Their goalie position should be manned by youngsters who will still stumble and bumble a bit...but that have potential.
Or a reasonably priced veteran or low cost journeyman goalie who is very clearly  just a short term placeholder to take the heat off the young guys.

To help the goalie development, reshaping of that defense needs to happen, IMO, as well. A number of UFA's there and they should ALL be let go, with the possible exception of retaining Will Butcher on a 'show me' team friendly contract for no more than two years or so, to see if he is still a viable NHL option.
If he is, he then can cash in (he is still only 27) either with Buffalo after two years, or elsewhere with someone will to give him substantially more money based on what he did well with Buffalo.

There will be a few solid veteran defensemen available as UFA's, some of which shouldn't cost the team a ton, that could fit in nicely for the Sabres (I am thinking maybe guys like Ben Chiarot, Erik Gudbranson, Ian Freakin Cole, Olli Maatta, or if the team is willing to spend a bit more, maybe even Josh Manson).

Sabres have a ton of picks in the upcoming draft...maybe use one or two with a decent player to try and tempt Montreal to trade Buffalo the young, hard hitting Russian defenseman, Alexander Romanov (he will be an RFA so the Sabres would be getting his rights), whom the Canadiens didn't seem to use a whole lot.

He is a bit of a project at 22 yrs old, but when he has his head on right, the guy he hits doesn't......and I do like his mean streaky attitude on the ice. Kinda reminds me of Mikhail Sergachev-lite.

Anyways, a smart, solid defense core for your boys, @Hockey Junkie , will go a LONG way to helping out the goalie situation no matter who ends up in net there (except that wacky law firm I mentioned earlier.... they need to adjourn  )

Good take TFG.  I believe Powers is a big piece. He is going to be our Parayko.  So I think I want another scorer if given the choice only between a top notch D man or a forward.  Tage Thomson is the example of a guy taking off.  He is the Josh Allen of the Sabres.  No he is not quite Josh Allen, but who is.  But Olofsson is another guy that I think is steady.  Can score. Losing Reinhart pissed me off something awful.  For now, its go Blues.  And Flames

[Math]

Well, they have Bishop now. With a 7th rounder for "future considerations"

 

[Buffalo Rick]

On 6/11/2022 at 9:22 PM, Math said:

Well, they have Bishop now. With a 7th rounder for "future considerations"

 

They dont have Bishop from what all are saying he is finished.  Too bad.  And they have old man Anderson as a backup.  Now we see if they trade one of those 3 first round picks.  This guy on YouTube has a trade scenario where the Sabres send Middlestadt and Bryson (who I like) and their 16th pick in round 1 to Vegas for Theodore and another D man.  Forget his name but the guy is big. I am not sure I would want to give up Middlestadt.  Think that unwise because the kid has talent and can score. I think he is about to have his potential  breakout season.  I would think and hope Adams is looking at goalies first and foremost. He lost us Eichel.  God help him if he screws this up.  I will go on a limb and predict the Sabres deal one of these picks.