I think they just play different styles but not much of an upgrade. Kulikov from what i understand is a turnover machine and had a shooting percentage of literally..literally 1 percent.
- Sabresfan-365

Hey, give him some credit, last year was just a bad year. His career number is 4.4%. It's a good thing we're not relying on him for offense.

Hey, give him some credit, last year was just a bad year. His career number is 4.4%. It's a good thing we're not relying on him for offense.
- Wetbandit1

That's true, the giveaways and being out of position a lot thing really leave me concerned though.

I had high hopes for this offseason. I though we would be trading for quality players from teams that were up against the cap like the Blues and Blackhawks. GMTM alluded to that possibility and that he laid some groundwork for deals at the deadline. I can't imagine he was referencing the lateral move that landed us Kulikov.

We still lack a puck-moving dman to QB the pp. We went from having one of the league's more dependable backup goalies to having arguably the league's worst backup.

Okposo was a good add at reasonable July 1 price. Vesey is a pipe dream that I feel has sidetracked Murray's offseason which will be of greater consequence in the short term than the 3rd rounder that was shipped to the Preds.
- Losman

I sorta agree on Murray being sidetracked. But nothing else is really happening, so it's not like he's missing out on much right now. I'm sure if vesey signs somewhere else, TM has a plan b already lined up.

I gotta figure several teams are waiting on Vesey to choose his team. Then I could see a small domino effect of other signings and trades.

Come on...
That's so not true

Risto is about to be a legit top pair guy
McCabe is 2nd pair quality, with the chance to be better
Kulikov & Bogosian are solid 2nd pair guys
Gorges is one of the better 3rd pair guys in the league
I could do without Franson, but as a #6 he's ok
Wouldn't mind bringing in Russell & Weber to round things out though
- jdfitz77

The stanley cup banners in the rafters are clouding your judgement

GMTM simply has not done enough to get this team to the playoffs.

Okposo was a good add, but the Sabres need much, much more.

Adding Kulikov to the blue line would have been fine if it didn't come at the expense of Pysyk, who might have been the 2nd best dman on the team.

There are still plenty of UFA options out there. Hurdler, Pirri and Vrbata would provide the team with forward depth they desperately need.

Instead, GMTM is content to hope that internal options can deliver.

And the goaltending depth is abysmal. Lehner cannot be counted on to stay healthy and Nilsson is a sieve.

Expect this team to take a step back this season and the seat that Murray sits upon to get very, very hot.
- Losman

Ughh.. it's august and despite you're declarations, you have no clue if gmtm is finished. And, if you think Pysyk was our 2nd best dman, I really don't know what to tell ya, except watch sabres games more often.

Girgensons, Fowler talk is starting up again.

Girgensons, Fowler talk is starting up again.
- SABRES 89

....Is it working?

As in are they closer this time around but I assume its about the same

Come on...
That's so not true

Risto is about to be a legit top pair guy
McCabe is 2nd pair quality, with the chance to be better
Kulikov & Bogosian are solid 2nd pair guys
Gorges is one of the better 3rd pair guys in the league
I could do without Franson, but as a #6 he's ok
Wouldn't mind bringing in Russell & Weber to round things out though
- jdfitz77

At his age, and the way the league is trending, he is the definition of a 6/7 guy.

I think he's right, we have a bunch of middling guys, we need an impact D back there

....Is it working?

As in are they closer this time around but I assume its about the same
- Sabresfan-365

It might start moving closer

It might start moving closer
- SABRES 89

I wonder what's changed? Anaheim getting desperate? or maybe we're adding. Also have to imagine they (sabres) move a d-man out if they land fowler. Just gives you one too many bodies, probably move Franson for cap space.

At his age, and the way the league is trending, he is the definition of a 6/7 guy.

I think he's right, we have a bunch of middling guys, we need another impact D back there
- sbroads24

Fixed.

The stanley cup banners in the rafters are clouding your judgement
- homiedclown

#grumpyoldman

At his age, and the way the league is trending, he is the definition of a 6/7 guy.

I think he's right, we have a bunch of middling guys, we need an impact D back there
- sbroads24

That's Risto
He doesn't need to be that guy this year
We wouldn't have been a Cup contender yet even if we got Stamkos
Gotta let the kids grow up

Gorges may have looked mediocre as a #2,
But he's gonna look great as a #5

And I'd say we have a "#2" and three "#3s"

Defense will be fine

What could stop a playoff run is goaltending
We have the worst backup in the league IMO
And Lehner is a ? Still

He's played as the #2. In some games #1.

He needs to literally be the 3rd or 4th option.
- sbroads24

He's on the 2nd pair
That means he's a 3 or 4
Idk what else to tell ya

He's on the 2nd pair
That means he's a 3 or 4
Idk what else to tell ya
- jdfitz77

Yet he was 2nd in minutes for the defense....

I wonder what's changed? Anaheim getting desperate? or maybe we're adding. Also have to imagine they (sabres) move a d-man out if they land fowler. Just gives you one too many bodies, probably move Franson for cap space.
- Sabresfan-365

Franson would have to be a separate deal bc the Ducks are trying to dump salary...
If they want Fasching too, like 89 said a few weeks ago, we better get more than just Fowler
I actually like Josh Manson quite a bit...
But I doubt they'd trade 2 defensemen
I'm not really interested in another non 1st round pick or middle of the road prospect

Girgs + a pick or prospect like Carrier is the most I'd do for Fowler

That's Risto
He doesn't need to be that guy this year
We wouldn't have been a Cup contender yet even if we got Stamkos
Gotta let the kids grow up

Gorges may have looked mediocre as a #2,
But he's gonna look great as a #5

And I'd say we have a "#2" and three "#3s"

Defense will be fine

What could stop a playoff run is goaltending
We have the worst backup in the league IMO
And Lehner is a ? Still
- jdfitz77

Risto was great for 30-40 games. He was very mediocre the rest of the year. I'm hesitant to call him great yet. I think he will be very good

Yet he was 2nd in minutes for the defense....
- sbroads24

McCabe will get more minutes this year than he had last
Kulikov is now here as well

Why are u so focused on LAST year,
As opposed to THIS year?

Also,
Bogosian did get a lot of PP time of memory serves that would bump up his minutes played

Do u really think he'll be on the top pair this year?

Risto was great for 30-40 games. He was very mediocre the rest of the year. I'm hesitant to call him great yet. I think he will be very good
- sbroads24

That's fair
I haven't called him "great" yet either
But he's on the way IMO

I think this year he'll look like a pretty solid #2 for us
That might be his ceiling though

I've said all along that I thought eventually our top pair would be
McCabe-Ristolainen

By next season,
I think they'll both be at least "#2" quality

That's enough for us to make some noise in the playoffs if the offense improves & Lehner is the real deal

Risto was great for 30-40 games. He was very mediocre the rest of the year. I'm hesitant to call him great yet. I think he will be very good
- sbroads24

Yeah, and imagine how good he would've been had he not played 25:00 a night. He clearly hit a wall halfway through the season, but they didn't really have the luxury of backing him off a bit like they did with Eichel, which helped him(Eichel) immeasurably.

If he only has to play 22ish minutes a night that will be a lot better. Also it takes time to adjust to playing heavy minutes like that. He should be better off this year in all respects. Same with Jack, maybe they learn how to eat better so they can stay on top of their game and recover properly.

Plus with the bye week this year it should help guys a bit more. Each team has a 5 day bye week where there is no practice allowed and obviously no games played. I think it's sometime later in the season, after the ASG if I remember correctly. They don't all have it at once, it's like football every week a couple of teams have off, and they'll probably even change the day of the week, so one team will start on Monday and the other will start on Wednesday so there will be no real lull in the schedule. Gotta make that money! It was part of the deal when they changed the ASG format.

McCabe will get more minutes this year than he had last
Kulikov is now here as well

Why are u so focused on LAST year,
As opposed to THIS year?

Also,
Bogosian did get a lot of PP time of memory serves that would bump up his minutes played

Do u really think he'll be on the top pair this year?
- jdfitz77

Sans another move for a defenseman. I think it's possible if Risto and Kulikov don't play well together. He did seem to play relatively well on the left side when pressed into service last year.

Sans another move for a defenseman. I think it's possible if Risto and Kulikov don't play well together. He did seem to play relatively well on the left side when pressed into service last year.
- Wetbandit1

I think pairing Risto & Bogo together would be a last resort
That would not only pair 2 RH guys together,
But Kulikov & McCabe are both LH

McCabe will get his shot with Risto if Kulikov can't hack it
And if neither of them are good,
Then we aren't making the playoffs anyways

Yeah, and imagine how good he would've been had he not played 25:00 a night. He clearly hit a wall halfway through the season, but they didn't really have the luxury of backing him off a bit like they did with Eichel, which helped him(Eichel) immeasurably.

If he only has to play 22ish minutes a night that will be a lot better. Also it takes time to adjust to playing heavy minutes like that. He should be better off this year in all respects. Same with Jack, maybe they learn how to eat better so they can stay on top of their game and recover properly.

Plus with the bye week this year it should help guys a bit more. Each team has a 5 day bye week where there is no practice allowed and obviously no games played. I think it's sometime later in the season, after the ASG if I remember correctly. They don't all have it at once, it's like football every week a couple of teams have off, and they'll probably even change the day of the week, so one team will start on Monday and the other will start on Wednesday so there will be no real lull in the schedule. Gotta make that money! It was part of the deal when they changed the ASG format.
- Wetbandit1

Way I see it, for most of his career they put him in a position to fail and for the most part he succeeded. That's not nothing.

I think pairing Risto & Bogo together would be a last resort
That would not only pair 2 RH guys together,
But Kulikov & McCabe are both LH

McCabe will get his shot with Risto if Kulikov can't hack it
And if neither of them are good,
Then we aren't making the playoffs anyways
- jdfitz77

I have a good feeling about McCabe this year. Signed his qualifying offer like a good soldier. All things considered, might be the best defenseman on the team.

Any of you guys remember Cornelius Bennett getting in trouble for something similar to Kane? I swear I remember seeing him in court on the news when I was a kid.

I have a good feeling about McCabe this year. Signed his qualifying offer like a good soldier. All things considered, might be the best defenseman on the team.

Any of you guys remember Cornelius Bennett getting in trouble for something similar to Kane? I swear I remember seeing him in court on the news when I was a kid.
- Hatboro_Swords

Idk if you've seen me post about McCabe at all
But I've had him as Ristolainen's eventual partner for quite a while now
Always been a big fan of him

I had Zadorov-Myers as the 2nd pair
McNabb-Pysyk as the 3rd

That would've been a heck of a 3rd pair IMO