Michael Pachla: A light, semi-productive opening to free agency for the Sabres Panarin and Duchene were well out of reach and a lot of money was thrown around leaving the Sabres to add Jimmy Vesey and depth on the first day of NHL free agency

SVECHNIKOV>DAHLIN

(2-2) X 1 +1

SVECHNIKOV>DAHLIN

(2-2) X 1 +1
- TheSabresTaco

millennial math?

Meh it filled slots in Rochester.

Nothing more, nothing less.

It's a long summer with plenty of time to improve the roster. After the dust settles teams will see where they're at and where they're going and something might surface. After all, the Jeff Skinner trade didn't go down until August 2 last year.

Just sayin'.

The time has come to admit that i am now a Sabres bridge jumper, at this stage of the off season. I didn't want to be one, but i am now. I have updated my location to reflect that. I need to be honest with myself. This roster sucks hard.

I am extremely disappointed with the quality and quantity of transactions made up until this point. It simply isn't good enough in my opinion. Even with a skinner-level transaction this summer, this roster isn't good enough.

It's year 3 of Botterill. He should have assembled more talent. We have qualified Elie and Sobotka is still on the roster. Sheary is now a LW/RW because Botterill can see that the roster depth at RW sucks.

Losing Pominville and gaining Lazar was a net loss on July 1. Pominville would be one of the better forwards on this team - which is incredibly depressing on several fronts.

I have found this wonderful resource, for anyone else who thinks this team sucks:

https://historicbridges.org/index.php

Really hope Johansson or Ferland sign with Buffalo. They could really fill a whole in the top 6. I'm sure Botts has something up his sleeve though.

millennial math?
- Michael Pachla

I like the common core because sticking pencils in my ear canal is fun

Really hope Johansson or Ferland sign with Buffalo. They could really fill a whole in the top 6. I'm sure Botts has something up his sleeve though.
- doppelthat

Yeah I'm with you. I really like what Ferland brings. And he's a WHL boy, so he's not on the blacklist

The time has come to admit that i am now a Sabres bridge jumper, at this stage of the off season. I didn't want to be one, but i am now. I need to be honest with myself. This roster sucks hard.

I am extremely disappointed with the quality and quantity of transactions made up until this point. It simply isn't good enough in my opinion. Even with a skinner-level transaction, this roster isn't good enough.

It's year 3 of Botterill. He should have assembled more talent. We have qualified Elie and Sobotka is still on the roster. Sheary is now a LW/RW because Botterill can see that the roster depth at RW sucks.

Losing Pominville and gaining Lazar was a net loss on July 1. Pominville would be one of the better forwards on this team - which is incredibly depressing on several fronts.

I have found this wonderful resource, for anyone else who thinks this team sucks:

https://historicbridges.org/index.php
- jcragcrumple

meh...I didn't expect much to happen yesterday...

botts isn't gonna rush something and pay too much either salary/term or in a trade...

and besides, in all the dream free agent scenarios, it's best to keep in mind that the player must want to sign with the Sabres

Yeah I'm with you. I really like what Ferland brings. And he's a WHL boy, so he's not on the blacklist
- TheSabresTaco

I present Exhibit A-1 to the record.

I like the common core because sticking pencils in my ear canal is fun
- TheSabresTaco

potd

Really hope Johansson or Ferland sign with Buffalo. They could really fill a whole in the top 6. I'm sure Botts has something up his sleeve though.
- doppelthat

I’d take both.

Really hope Johansson or Ferland sign with Buffalo. They could really fill a whole in the top 6. I'm sure Botts has something up his sleeve though.
- doppelthat

I’ll take ferland for 2.5 or 3 for 2 years

meh...I didn't expect much to happen yesterday...

botts isn't gonna rush something and pay too much either salary/term or in a trade...

and besides, in all the dream free agent scenarios, it's best to keep in mind that the player must want to sign with the Sabres
- Michael Pachla

He’s going to make a trade mid to late July, guys get bought out later in the summer, and it wouldn’t surprise me to see more than the usual PTO on vets.

meh...I didn't expect much to happen yesterday...

botts isn't gonna rush something and pay too much either salary/term or in a trade...

and besides, in all the dream free agent scenarios, it's best to keep in mind that the player must want to sign with the Sabres
- Michael Pachla

That’s kind of why I have such issues.

The Sabres have sucked so bad, players are avoiding this team Like the plague.

Botts said they were aggressive, but those players chose teams other than Buffalo.

I fear this team is going to be stuck in a rut for a bit until some of the young players progress, which could be 2-3 years.

That’s kind of why I have such issues.

The Sabres have sucked so bad, players are avoiding this team Like the plague.

Botts said they were aggressive, but those players chose teams other than Buffalo.

I fear this team is going to be stuck in a rut for a bit until some of the young players progress, which could be 2-3 years.
- ImThatGuy

Devil's Advocate, if being aggressive and failing meant not signing players more than they were worth then I am okay with it.

meh...I didn't expect much to happen yesterday...

botts isn't gonna rush something and pay too much either salary/term or in a trade...

and besides, in all the dream free agent scenarios, it's best to keep in mind that the player must want to sign with the Sabres
- Michael Pachla

I didn't think so either. It's more how this roster has shaped up. Botterill pulling the "Sheary can play RW" broke me. It seems like he's priming the fan base to accept this roster largely as is.

I think he's shell shocked by the ROR trade to some extent, and now he's just nibbling around the edges

2015 4th-7th round picks to play 15+ games in the NHL

Anthony Cirelli, CHL
Austin Wagner, CHL
Denis Malgin, Swiss-A
Mikhail Vorobyov, MHL
Christian Wolanin, USHL
Caleb Jones, USHL
Mathieu Joseph, CHL
Conor Garland, CHL
Ethan Bear, CHL
Dominik Simon, Czech
Christian Jaros, Sweden
Rudolfs Balcers, Norway
Troy Terry, USHL
Adam Gaudette, USHL
Brett Seney, NCAA
Andrew Mangiapane, CHL
Mason Appleton, USHL
Markus Nutivaara, Finland
Matt Roy, NCAA
Sami Niku, Finland

6 CHL, 14 Non CHL

This is the trend facing the NHL. The draft class still has time, as both of those numbers will rise. Detroit took this approach back in the 90s with all their 'garbage non-CHL late rounders'.. seemed to work out ok.

McKenzie: Brodie for Kadri almost happened

Carolina hurricanes matched


Next point

Devil's Advocate, if being aggressive and failing meant not signing players more than they were worth then I am okay with it.
- thatsapickle

There were only two contracts I had issue with yesterday.

Bob and Zucc.

any other contract I would have been okay with Buffalo signing.

NyQuist and Jordie Benn were two guys I wanted bad and they both got very team friendly deals.

Mikael Granlund from the Preds (formerly of the Wild). One year remaining on his contract, several seasons around the 60 points plateau recently. He struggled in a lower line role with Nashville after the trade. Trade them Sobotka and maybe a pick (if necessary). They would save $2mil in cap space or lower cost to buy out Sobotka. They have Duchene, Johansen and Turris down the middle already. Should be a no brainer for both teams.

I present Exhibit A-1 to the record.
- Hatboro_Swords

Oh no, this is exhibit B. Let me go find exhibit A.

Ah, here it is.

Really sucks that even though the best centres in the history of the NHL came from the OHL and Q, the prospects coming out of there are blacklisted by our GM.

STEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEERIKE ONE
- Hatboro_Swords

2015 4th-7th round picks to play 15+ games in the NHL

Anthony Cirelli, CHL
Austin Wagner, CHL
Denis Malgin, Swiss-A
Mikhail Vorobyov, MHL
Christian Wolanin, USHL
Caleb Jones, USHL
Mathieu Joseph, CHL
Conor Garland, CHL
Ethan Bear, CHL
Dominik Simon, Czech
Christian Jaros, Sweden
Rudolfs Balcers, Norway
Troy Terry, USHL
Adam Gaudette, USHL
Brett Seney, NCAA
Andrew Mangiapane, CHL
Mason Appleton, USHL
Markus Nutivaara, Finland
Matt Roy, NCAA
Sami Niku, Finland

6 CHL, 14 Non CHL

This is the trend facing the NHL. The draft class still has time, as both of those numbers will rise. Detroit took this approach back in the 90s with all their 'garbage non-CHL late rounders'.. seemed to work out ok.
- TheSabresTaco

I assume Botterill planted this seed to every team years ago because of how much he hates CHL players.

It is finally coming to fruition, his plan to kill the CHL. It’s pure genius.

millennial math?
- Michael Pachla

I take offense to that. Not millennial, just gerbe math.