😀

Does Tage have any chance of being an nhl player?
- Boss34

Absolutely. He is top 6 this year.

I don't think they would have kept him in the NHL if they saw it that way. If he fills out a bit and gets to the net, he could turn things around quickly. A full year off isn't going to help though.

Lazar probably plugs into a defensive role. Can't ask Tage to do that. It's the awkward thing about our team....the 4th line turns into the 3rd out of defensive necessity. Look forward to the day that changes.
- Lunaion

Of the mitts, borgen or tage-

I have Tage breaking thru and playing a real role on the 2021 team.

Tage 18 goals 23 assists in a full season.

Absolutely. He is top 6 this year.
- Slump Buster

This is new

Good post, although terri flew around and convinced Robyn regeir to waive to join the Sabres.

We made the playoffs the first year right?

We liked them, then they tanked.

I liked the tank, but didnt take into account the ramifications of purposely losing.

Its take its toll. Who wants to be hired to lose?
- Boss34

At that point, Darcy had been here forever. You hire the president to make the decision on Darcy out of the gate. Terry still flys around and woos players. And does all that stuff. Maybe a real president doesn’t advise in the super tank? Or let’s Darcy go and not ruff? Or isn’t the one giving terry bad info and stabbing him in the back, if you believe gerbe.

A real president, at the start, with terry wooing and not making hockey decisions and we are probably looking at a much better past 9 years. We may not have jack. But we may have a more complete, competitive team.

There are just too many miss steps over 9 years not to think that a real qualified hockey president at the start would have us in better position now.

Now we have the stigma and stank of 9 years of futility and meddling ownership

I don't think anyone here created a roster with
Tage on it ?

This is new
- GERBE!!!75PTS

It won't make it less true. He is going to put it all together. The kid has crazy natural ability.

Most teams don't even have a president of hockey ops. GL finding someone with that experience.
- Lunaion

Rick Dudley says hi.

I don't think anyone here created a roster with
Tage on it ?
- GERBE!!!75PTS

Well. He’s either at 2rw. Or 3rw. Which puts cozens at 2rw, 3rw or 3c.... I hate to throw cozens in at 2c.

Where do you put him? He isn’t waiver exempt any more. So it nhl roster or trade.

I don't think anyone here created a roster with
Tage on it ?
- GERBE!!!75PTS

Based on the Severalli article on TSN, the Sabres will likely have a cap in the low 70s. By default, that means low cost guys like Tage make the team. Pencil him in for RW2 or RW3.

Of the mitts, borgen or tage-

I have Tage breaking thru and playing a real role on the 2021 team.

Tage 18 goals 23 assists in a full season.
- Boss34

3 very different talent levels there....

If Mitts played with Jack and Sam this year, he'd out produce Olofsson. Even Strength.

Imagine you hate the sound of that. It's something I'd love to see in camp.

Well. He’s either at 2rw. Or 3rw. Which puts cozens at 2rw, 3rw or 3c.... I hate to throw cozens in at 2c.

Where do you put him? He isn’t waiver exempt any more. So it nhl roster or trade.
- Gr8daygo

Watch us rush and destroy our #1 prospect.

Rick Dudley says hi.
- Gr8daygo

Name 4 more.

Edit: Scratch that, Dudley was never a president.

Based on a $72 mill spend:

Olo - Jack - Tage
Skin - Mitts - Rhino
Mojo - Cozens - Kahun

Flip Mojo and Cozens as required. And hope to God that both Mitts and Tage are ready for the show.

Well. He’s either at 2rw. Or 3rw. Which puts cozens at 2rw, 3rw or 3c.... I hate to throw cozens in at 2c.

Where do you put him? He isn’t waiver exempt any more. So it nhl roster or trade.
- Gr8daygo

He has to show up and win a job. He's on the outside looking in.

Feel like I say this every year, but guys who get cut from our team in camp are most likely going to clear waivers. If it's a big concern, they can also structure his next contract to make the odds even less likely.

Based on a $72 mill spend:

Olo - Jack - Tage
Skin - Mitts - Rhino
Mojo - Cozens - Kahun

Flip Mojo and Cozens as required. And hope to God that both Mitts and Tage are ready for the show.
- SabreWest

Jesus Christ.

Rick Dudley says hi.
- Gr8daygo

Dudley said no already

Jesus Christ.
- SABRES 89

Hey we suck again!!

Jesus Christ.
- SABRES 89

Yup.

Hey we suck still!!
- Sabretooth9

FIFY

Unless Servelli's "sources" are Hockeybuzz.

The story confirms nothing. It's someone reporting what someone else is guessing.
- Powerslave

On top of that, it seems many missed the comment about the Coyotes AND Penguins also looking at much lower cap hits compared to the ceiling (see below).

I completely believe the Coyotes with them just having had issues paying the bonuses they owe, but I don't buy it for a second about the Penguins or the Sabres.

Terry would always rather pay the players than various middle management personnel, and he will always want be in the mix for big name players like Pietrangelo, Hall, etc.

Also, add the name Paul Stastny to the player target list as his cap hit is $6.5M but his actual salary is $5.5M for the final year of his contract next season.

I would not want to be an RFA or worse, a UFA this coming offseason.

It would not surprise me if the so called sources referenced below are from teams trying to get the message out that money will be tight, so expect reduced salaries in all upcoming deals. Basically, crying poverty for their own team's gains re: the cap.

Sources say the Sabres are considering an internal salary cap in the low $70 million range; the Arizona Coyotes, who recently failed to make on-time signing bonus payments to a number of players, may be operating just south of $70 million under their next GM; the Pittsburgh Penguins are reportedly planning to budget in the low-to-mid $70 million range on an $81.5 million limit.

This is new
- GERBE!!!75PTS

From Corey Pronman's Athletic piece about the Sabres' prospects (defined as all skaters 22 or younger):

5. Tage Thompson, RW, Rochester-AHL

Oct. 30, 1997 | 6-foot-6 | 205 pounds

Tier: Very good NHL player

Skating: 45
Puck Skills: 60
Physical Game: 70
Hockey Sense: 55
Shot: 70

Thompson was off to an excellent start to the 2019-20 season, looking like one of the best players in the AHL. In his first game in the NHL this year, he injured his shoulder, which ended his season. When healthy Thompson’s toolkit looks very interesting from an NHL perspective. He’s 6-foot-6, can power his way past opponents and to the net as well as having a high skill level to dangle around them. He combines his skill and good hockey IQ with an elite wrist shot that pro goalies have a very hard time picking up. His stride looks fine for a guy his size, with flashes of good power, but for the NHL he does lack the ability to separate and push defenders back. I liked Thompson’s progression a lot prior to the injury but he does need to get it done at the NHL level at some point.

He has the Sabres ranked 5th in the NHL. They were 18th last year. Top-5 prospects are Dahlin, Cozens, Joker, Mitts, Tage.

Dudley said no already
- Sabretooth9

IF true then what's that say about the owners, he'd be working in his own backyard and still turned it down. Could it be that the word is out that they are meddling owners and no one wants part of it. It's shocking that after all this time owning the team they continue to hire first time GM's which hasn't worked to this point and they are at the crossroads with their superstar center yet continue the same type of hirings.
They got lucky with the Bills bc they hired a coach who is strong willed who brought his choice for GM with him and they let them do their thing and it turned out ok. The ROR trade will forever define Botts stay here as GM but it's not that ROR was traded but the garbage he accepted in return that set the Sabres back three years.
To quote Martin Hall "If you keep doing what you've been doing, you'll keep getting what you've been getting. Make the effort, make the change, it's worth it"

Jesus Christ.
- SABRES 89

Is he a UFA? Is he a center, like Ott?

I’m assuming the low 70s “cap” is actual salary and not cap hit...right?

Good thing we don’t have $25m tied up in 3 players....oh wait....

From Corey Pronman's Athletic piece about the Sabres' prospects (defined as all skaters 22 or younger):

He has the Sabres ranked 5th in the NHL. They were 18th last year. Top-5 prospects are Dahlin, Cozens, Joker, Mitts, Tage.
- JetpackJesus

We're 5th because he changes the rating system from 'prospects' (I think less than a season of NHL experience) to 22 and under.

From Corey Pronman's Athletic piece about the Sabres' prospects (defined as all skaters 22 or younger):

He has the Sabres ranked 5th in the NHL. They were 18th last year. Top-5 prospects are Dahlin, Cozens, Joker, Mitts, Tage.
- JetpackJesus

Just a note of reference - he changed his formula from last year to this year and that was the big reason for the jump.

I still think Tage is a better prospect than Mitts.