FanPost

GM For The Day - Growing Within & Moving On



RFA

TYSON JOST - 1 YEAR ($2,750,000)

UFA

ZEMGUS GIRGENSONS - 3 YEARS ($3,000,000)

MILES WOOD - 3 YEARS ($3,500,000)

JORDAN OESTERLE - 1 YEAR ($1,500,000)

SEAN MALONE - 1 YEAR ($750,000)

TRADES

1. TO BUF - MATT ROY, ANDRE LEE

TO LAK - VICTOR OLOFSSON, 2023 3RD ROUND PICK

2. TO BUF - LUKE PROKOP, 2023 3RD ROUND PICK

TO NASH - HENRI JOKIHARJU

3. TO BUF - 2025 6TH ROUND PICK

TO ANA - JACOB BRYSON

FORWARDS

JEFF SKINNER ($9,000,000) - TAGE THOMPSON ($7,142,857) - ALEX TUCH ($4,750,000)

J.J PETERKA ($855,833) - DYLAN COZENS ($7,100,000) - JACK QUINN ($863,333)

JORDAN GREENWAY ($3,000,000) - CASEY MITTELSTADT ($2,500,000) - JIRI KULICH ($950,000)

MILES WOOD ($3,500,000) - PEYTON KREBS ($863,333) - ZEMGUS GIRGENSONS ($3,000,000)

EXTRAS
TYSON JOST ($2,750,000) - SEAN MALONE ($750,000)

DEFENSEMAN
RASMUS DAHLIN ($6,000,000) - MATTIAS SAMUELSSON ($4,285,714)
OWEN POWER ($916,667) - MATT ROY ($3,150,000)
RILEY STILLMAN ($1,350,000) - ILYA LYUBUSHKIN ($2,750,000)

EXTRAS
JORDAN OESTERLE ($1,500,000) - RYAN JOHNSON ($925,000)

GOALTENDERS
UKKO-PEKKA LUUKKONEN ($837,500) - ERIC COMRIE ($1,800,000)
DEVON LEVI ($925,000)

DETAILS
SALARY CAP ($83,000,000)
CAP HIT ($70,540,237)
CAP SPACE ($12,459,763)

2023 - 2024 OUTLOOK
OFFENSE
  • Line 1 - Skinner, Thompson and Tuch have proved they are a bona fide top line in the National hockey league.
  • Line 2 - The whipper snappers. Peterka, Cozens and Quinn have highlighted and showed immense chemistry over the season. Don't fix what's not broken. I have high hopes for them next season.
  • Line 3 - First glaring change with the departure of Olofsson. It's time to move on from the Swedish PP sniper. Kulich has shown he is ready to take his game to the next level. Having Greenway working the forecheck and corners as well as being the net front presence will allow Mittelstadt to be more of the playmaker he has shown he can be. Slot in Kulich with his shot and goalscoring abilities should fit in and be successful right away. Kulich as well is an upgrade defensively over Oloffsson. I would not be surprised to see Kulich sniff the 20 goal mark.
  • Line 4 - This is assuming Okposo decides to hang them up. Krebs has accepted a defensive checking role and has done very well this season. Bring back the Z. He is a great 4th line role player, team and fan favorite and knows the system. No need to mess up the team comradery with a replacement. Miles Wood checks boxes this team lacks not to mention being a local kid. He brings toughness as well as offensive upside to the checking line. Not to mention he played with Tuch at BC. I think he will fit in to the team nicely.
DEFENSE
  • Top Pair - Dahlin and Sammy
  • 2nd Pair - Adding Roy solidifies Power a partner for years to come (hopefully). Big steady RHD who makes an excellent first pass out of the zone and is sound at both ends. He will bring some leadership and defensive steadiness to the 2nd unit allowing our young stallion Power to tap more into his rover offensive abilities. The Henri experiment has run its course as a top 4 on this team. We take a gamble with Roy with his UFA expiring contract but I could see him resigning in Buffalo being a Michigan kid and who wouldn't want to ride shotgun with the next upcoming superstar defenseman? Had a cup of coffee with Tage at some World Cups for USA. I do not think LA wants to get rid of Roy but they have some talent up and coming on the back end that may ultimately force him out.
  • 3rd Pair - Stillman and Boosh as a small sample have looked pretty dang good for what's expected of them. Signing Oesterle is an insurance move in case the untapped potential Adams sees of Stillman doesn't come to fruition. Oesterle is a veteran journeyman who could easily slot in for either, while Johnson can marinate and grow in Rochester and replace Bryson in the system.
GOALTENDERS
  • Ride UPL, Comrie is already on the books and when his team in front of him plays defense he is a capable 1B. Devon takes over the crease in Roch and slides up when need be.

With in house growth and some new faces will this push the Sabres into the Playoffs?

This is a FanPost written by a member of the community. It does not necessarily express the views or opinions of Die By The Blade.