Rosen-Lowest potential. Trade if we can get a good return
Savoie-Mid potential. Still trade while his reputation is premium potential
Ostlund- High. Like this kids game. Keep
Kulich-Mid/High. Needs to learn 200ft game to be successful in NHL but keep
24’ 1st Trade if return is there. We don’t really need another 7-10 pick that will take 3 years plus. This draft is not nearly as deep as 23
25’ 1st unprotected
- lulags

Of the ones you’d keep, what roles do you see them playing and when?

Mittelstadt helps us win now? How? We have Mittelstadt now and we aren’t winning. We have Savoie, Ostlund, Kulich, Rosen who are close to ready now and can take over that #3 centre spot and save us $7 mill as you’re describing as a cap hit for Mittelstadt.

I’d rather go big in free agency and nab Stamkos rather than extend Mittelstadt at $7 mill per.

All these big money and big term contracts for a “core” that has achieved nothing and only claim to fame is being 1 point out of the playoffs ONE TIME is ridiculous.
- Jammerz04

Agree that the entirely insular approach with big money players won't work long term.

Fair enough on Benson, but he is 13th in rookie scoring as an 18 year old, and he won't turn 19 until the season is over.

I understand being sour on anything Sabres, and I know you loathe any smallish player, but Benson has looked really good as an 18 year old rookie on a poop sack team.

I'll likely be getting my Eichel jersey name plate switched to Benson, as long as he keeps that number.
- kingcong39

Girgs was our future captain after his 1st year with the team, let’s see how this plays out.

I like his tenacious play, his size is a concern, I know he’s young but he gets bodied off the puck easily too.

I hope he grows into a Gallagher clone, that’s would be ideal for me.

Of the ones you’d keep, what roles do you see them playing and when?
- washedup20

Which of the four are likely to make the NHL roster next season?

Has to be Rosen and Kulich, but what role will they play?

Will the Sabres attempt to run out 4 scoring lines? Has that ever worked?

Savoie is likely to get a season in the AHL first, which means he's NHL roster ready by the 25-26 season.

Ostlund might be the same, or it could even take part of another season beyond that.

Pending where they pick in the upcoming draft, there's a chance the player they get will leap frog most if not all of the prospects that are not in the NHL already.

Did you think the above re: Ostlund before a junior tournament where he's an older age player compared to others?
- kingcong39

His production is in line with the other players in the SHL in his age group.

Just because he is out of sight and out of mind doesn’t necessarily mean he las a lower floor.

I would have liked to see him developing in the AHL this year, but the SHL is just as good of a league

Girgs was our future captain after his 1st year with the team, let’s see how this plays out.

I like his tenacious play, his size is a concern, I know he’s young but he gets bodied off the puck easily too.

I hope he grows into a Gallagher clone, that’s would be ideal for me.
- washedup20

I get his size being a bit of a concern, but he's 18 and still a kid. He also wins way too many board battles already for his size to be a true big concern.

It's embarrassing how many battles he wins compared to a veteran like Olofsson.

I do hope Benson improves his skating speed. I think that's more of a concern long term.

Yupp, and adding Benson to the roster moves the Sabres….into 27th place. Benson is ok, I don’t see the elite play some talk about.

As for the bolded, it lowers their trade value which hurts the NHL rosters chances to improve.
- washedup20

The last player to do what Benson has done in a Sabres uniform at his age just got inducted into the Hall of Fame.

His production is in line with the other players in the SHL in his age group.

Just because he is out of sight and out of mind doesn’t necessarily mean he las a lower floor.

I would have liked to see him developing in the AHL this year, but the SHL is just as good of a league
- Swedish_Jesus

My point is many are going to be overly wowed with a performance in a Juniors tournament and adjust his prospect ranking off that, when the reality is he still has a long ways to go to even make the NHL roster.

I get his size being a bit of a concern, but he's 18 and still a kid. He also wins way too many board battles already for this size to be a true big concern.

It's embarrassing how many battles he wins compared to a veteran like Olofsson.

I do hope Benson improves his skating speed. I think that's more of a concern long term.
- kingcong39

Well said.

Mittelstadt helps us win now? How? We have Mittelstadt now and we aren’t winning. We have Savoie, Ostlund, Kulich, Rosen who are close to ready now and can take over that #3 centre spot and save us $7 mill as you’re describing as a cap hit for Mittelstadt.

I’d rather go big in free agency and nab Stamkos rather than extend Mittelstadt at $7 mill per.

All these big money and big term contracts for a “core” that has achieved nothing and only claim to fame is being 1 point out of the playoffs ONE TIME is ridiculous.
- Jammerz04

I understand the premise of your view point.

Mittelstadt is 11th in the entire league in even strength point production this year.

He’s legitimately playing like a 1C this year, and quite frankly has been the teams best player since he figured his crap out January, 2023.

Just casting a player like that aside and pretending it won’t effect your team is a little disingenuous

The last player to do what Benson has done in a Sabres uniform at his age just got inducted into the Hall of Fame.
- Swedish_Jesus

1 point in his last 5 games


on pace for 29 points a year


waive skinner and bump him up to line 1

I understand the premise of your view point.

Mittelstadt is 11th in the entire league in even strength point production this year.

He’s legitimately playing like a 1C this year, and quite frankly has been the teams best player since he figured his crap out January, 2023.

Just casting a player like that aside and pretending it won’t effect your team is a little disingenuous
- Swedish_Jesus

he is getting 8 mil per

I understand the premise of your view point.

Mittelstadt is 11th in the entire league in even strength point production this year.

He’s legitimately playing like a 1C this year, and quite frankly has been the teams best player since he figured his crap out January, 2023.

Just casting a player like that aside and pretending it won’t effect your team is a little disingenuous
- Swedish_Jesus

Casey is currently averaging nearly 19 minutes of ice time a night, which is more then any forward except Tuch, and 2 minutes more per night then Cozens.

When that flips, as soon as maybe next season, and he's 3rd in Center ice time behind Tage and Cozens, getting around 17 minutes of ice time a night, will he still be worth $7M per?

Or will you have overpaid him off inflated minutes, even on a short term deal, and you'll be paying $7M per for 50-55 point 20 goal seasons?

The answer would be to have him be part of the top 6 and move him or Cozens to the wing.

Doing that mitigates their worth at Center, no?

I understand the premise of your view point.

Mittelstadt is 11th in the entire league in even strength point production this year.

He’s legitimately playing like a 1C this year, and quite frankly has been the teams best player since he figured his crap out January, 2023.

Just casting a player like that aside and pretending it won’t effect your team is a little disingenuous
- Swedish_Jesus

What would you want back for Mitts at the trade deadline 5o make you feel they received commensurate trade value...not who, rather what type of assets?

What would you want back for Mitts at the trade deadline 5o make you feel they received commensurate trade value...not who, rather what type of assets?
- IonSabres

Something like this, but can they get that kind of return for Casey?

Having 2 more seasons of RFA eligibility instead of 1 would sure help.

https://www.capfriendly.com/forums/thread/604104

What would you want back for Mitts at the trade deadline 5o make you feel they received commensurate trade value...not who, rather what type of assets?
- IonSabres

Tom Wilson

Casey is currently averaging nearly 19 minutes of ice time a night, which is more then any forward except Tuch, and 2 minutes more per night then Cozens.

When that flips, as soon as maybe next season, and he's 3rd in Center ice time behind Tage and Cozens, getting around 17 minutes of ice time a night, will he still be worth $7M per?

Or will you have overpaid him off inflated minutes, even on a short term deal, and you'll be paying $7M per for 50-55 point 20 goal seasons?

The answer would be to have him be part of the top 6 and move him or Cozens to the wing.

Doing that mitigates their worth at Center, no?
- kingcong39

I’d ride the top 3 lines like stallions and throw my 4th line out there for a token shift once in a blue moon.

Seemed to work for Florida on their cup run last year

I’d ride the top 3 lines like stallions and throw my 4th line out there for a token shift once in a blue moon.

Seemed to work for Florida on their cup run last year
- Swedish_Jesus

Be that as it may,
after losing in the Final Zito put priority on having a solid 4th line for this season.

Of the ones you’d keep, what roles do you see them playing and when?
- washedup20

Kulich will need to be inserted on the 2nd
Or 3rd line next year. Ostlund same following year.
I’m still not confident in Cozens ability to be a center. He’d be better off moved to the wing. I’m not that versed in Kulich at center, but he may be a better option than Cozens moving forward.

Next year

Tuch/Tage/Skinner
Quinn/Kulich, new/Cozens
JJ/Mitts?, Kulich/ new player
Greenway/Krebs/New player

Dahlin/New
Power/New
R Johnson/ Clifton,new

New
UPL,Levi

Be that as it may,
after losing in the Final Zito put priority on having a solid 4th line for this season.
- Ratsreign

Which is more than ok.

But I am not worried about bridging Mitts just because the 4th line may collect splinters on their a$$ because they are playing 7-10 minutes a night with a majority on your PK (which I hope would be the case).

Florida is a wagon because their top 9 is absolutely stacked with Barkov, Reinhart, Tkachuk, Bennett, Erod, Lundell, Luostarinen and Cousins

Mittelstadt helps us win now? How? We have Mittelstadt now and we aren’t winning. We have Savoie, Ostlund, Kulich, Rosen who are close to ready now and can take over that #3 centre spot and save us $7 mill as you’re describing as a cap hit for Mittelstadt.

I’d rather go big in free agency and nab Stamkos rather than extend Mittelstadt at $7 mill per.

All these big money and big term contracts for a “core” that has achieved nothing and only claim to fame is being 1 point out of the playoffs ONE TIME is ridiculous.
- Jammerz04

Good Post

Which is more than ok.

But I am not worried about bridging Mitts just because the 4th line may collect splinters on their a$$ because they are playing 7-10 minutes a night with a majority on your PK (which I hope would be the case).

- Swedish_Jesus

if donnie stays, he will always lean on a 4th line in the 3rd period

Good Post
- Buff36

Trade template for a return on Mittelstadt if he is traded (they're going to extend him).

https://www.capfriendly.com/forums/thread/604104

Kulich will need to be inserted on the 2nd
Or 3rd line next year. Ostlund same following year.
I’m still not confident in Cozens ability to be a center. He’d be better off moved to the wing. I’m not that versed in Kulich at center, but he may be a better option than Cozens moving forward.

Next year

Tuch/Tage/Skinner
Quinn/Kulich, new/Cozens
JJ/Mitts?, Kulich/ new player
Greenway/Krebs/New player

Dahlin/New
Power/New
R Johnson/ Clifton,new

New
UPL,Levi
- lulags

Skinner-Tage-Tuch
Kulich-Cozens-Quinn
Benson-Mitts-Peterka
Greenway-______-____-

Dahlin-_______
Power- R Johnson
Samuelsson-Clifton

Levi
UPL.

Whalberg-Ostlund-Savoie is your top line on the farm next year and ready for call-up duty if one of the top 9 get injured.

The biggest question marks:

- Can UPL grow into being a consistent NHL starter ? If he can’t, you need to upgrade there as soon as possible.

- Can Matt Ellis and Wilford put together special teams units that don’t gag on a Godzilla sized nut sack.

- Can Adams finally acquire the top 4 RHD this team needs. If he can’t package Krebs/Rosen and take your pick of draft picks. I’ll drive to the cul de sac and pack his crap myself

Kulich on the 2nd line over Peterka?

Stop it. Please.