Before I start just wanted to say there will be some important and tough decisions to be made. Mainly cap decisions. Big one is letting Alex Tuch go. It’s for the best. With our emerging young forwards it just doesn’t make any real sense to tie up around $10-$11 mill in one forward who is good for what 60-66 points? Even during the season if he didn’t get hot late he would’ve ended with 20 some goals and 50 some points. That much cap in a guy who will be 30 before the season starts and is already trending in the wrong direction isn’t what this franchise needs. This is literally a setup for another Jeff Skinner type contract debacle, to which we are still suffering with.
Also Bowen Byram and his agent are at it again so yup he’s gone. In my perfect off-season I would love to re-sign Byram to a $9 mill contract but that’s not what he wants. He wants to be the de facto #1D. He won’t get that here. He’s a must trade this offseason. Waiting and waiting is just going to be him waving goodbye without anything in return.
Some. young players are ready to take the next step while some need a new type of guidance IMHO so some of the overpriced guys will be traded in my perfect offseason.
The moves I’m making are mainly for both now and the future. My main philosophy is to be more defensive, get more and more and more physical and bring in a #1 centre. This will be a team made for the playoffs. Oh yes Helenius is well and ready to take over our #2 centre duties.
My main goals for the offseason is get rid of the players that don’t want to be here, keep an eye out on our future, add high energy go go players, add a #1 centre, add leadership, add very physical players.
Coaching & Management
Fire Marty Wilford
Need a full Lindy coaching staff. Someone who he’s trusted before.
Replacement – James Patrick
James comes into take over for Lindy after his 2 seasons but until then he will be the second in command. This guy is huge for young player development and he knows the ropes already. This is more of a 2 years down the road hiring so nobody else nabs him like the Isles did with McKee.
Fire Seth Appert
If Appert even remotely put together a good PP our team’s offense would be top 2-3 in the NHL.
Replacement (one of) – Jessica Campbell or Vinny Prospal.
Kraken did not utilize Jessica Campbell at all. Her specialty was the PP but the Kraken mainly just used her in a skating coach and skills development way. I think she’d be a great coach for our PP.
I had Vinny Prospal as our next PP coach but he was sniped by the Blues.
Fire Mark Jakubowski
Mark has been here since the Tim Murray days. He’s started here as AGM then to VP of Hockey Ops then back to AGM. Being part of that drought means he was part of some awful teams that weren’t ran all that well and high majority of the picks turned out to be nothing.
Replacement – Shane Doan
Let’s make this a family affair. Outside of the obvious he does bring a lot to the table. Is looking for a bigger role inside an organization and I think this would be the right fit for him. It’d be nice to see someone like Shane Doan join the organization in the front office.
Re-Signings
Zach Benson 7 years @ $6.95 mill per
Notes
Exact same deal as Doaner. They’re worth pretty much the same. Obviously getting back a huge player for the long haul.
Beck Malenstyn 5 years @ $3.3 mill per
Notes
This is a no brainer. He is our 4th line. This is the only UFA I’m re-signing. Yes that means bye to Tuch. Trust me you’ll thank me later.
Trades
1st Trade
To St. Louis Blues
Alex Tuch’s Rights
Josh Norris
Bo Byram
Brodie Ziemer
20th Overall
To Buffalo Sabres
Robert Thomas
Jordan Kyrou
Torey Krug
11th Overall
Notes
We finally land our #1 centre. He adds a lot. Great on the PP. Great on the face-off dot. Most importantly the guy can play more than 40 games a season. Norris is just too injury prone to be an effective player for this team. He was also very underwhelming in the playoffs.
We get a good offensive winger in Kyrou and we move up to the 11th overall pick. Kyrou can also play every forward position and is good defensively, is fast in transition and fits great with the current team. Kyrou can switch to centre if Helenius does indeed struggle as 2C (but I don’t see that happening.)
We also take on Krug’s last season as a cash (notice I said cash not cap) help for the Blues. He’s LTIR so we are just paying him.
2nd Trade
To Winnipeg Jets
Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen
Devon Levi
Jack Quinn
Peyton Krebs
Jordan Greenway
2027 1st Round Pick
To Buffalo Sabres
Connor Hellebuyck
Notes
Here we acquire one of the best goalies in the league. Jets have no future or present in goaltending if they trade Hellebuyck so in this deal they go with a UPL/Levi tandem. UPL being their short term answer and Levi being their long term answer. This is the right time to trade UPL. There’s a good chance his numbers stumble yet again after a solid yet short campaign.
3rd Trade
To Edmonton Oilers
Alex Lyon
To Buffalo Sabres
2026 2nd Round Draft Pick
Notes
We honestly have to get rid of this 3 goalie thing. Edmonton is desperate. Strike while the iron is hot with Lyon.
4th Trade
To San Jose Sharks
Jason Zucker
Vsevolod Komarov
2026 2nd Round Draft Pick (Edmonton)
To Buffalo Sabres
Joshua Ravensbergen
Notes
Hated doing this one as Jason is a great guy to have in the locker room but he just doesn’t fit anymore and I don’t want him playing what’s left of his career in the press box. So I thought of the best possible place for him that’s decently close to his home. San Jose add a vet that adds around 45+ points.
In this trade we add our future number 1 goalie in Joshua Ravensbergen. This kid’s the real deal folks. San Jose has Askarov thus that makes Ravensbergen expendable. Once Hellebuyck’s contract is through he and Ellis should be ready to go and compete as a tandem.
Draft
I’m only doing the first pick for us in this GMFAD. So without further ado the hometown Buffalo Sabres are proud to select from the United States Development Program LW/RW Wyatt Cullen, son of former NHLer Matt Cullen.
Scouting Report
- Tremendous skater and has incredible speed
- Very elusive player
- His vision is one of the tops in the class
- High hockeyIQ
- Great at both playmaking and scoring
- He lives to drive offensive play
- Great hands
- Would be a great PP guy at the NHL level if developed the right way
- That’s all about his offensive game, his defensive game well let’s just say it’s mainly a work in progress.
Free Agency
Sign Jacob Trouba to 4 years @ $6.5 mill per season.
Notes
We replace Byram with Trouba. Here we add a very good two way defenseman. Great on the PK, great defensive game, great shot blocking abilities, can contribute offensively when needed and he is a beast that just loves to kick ass. We lose bit on the offensive side of things with Byram out and Trouba being his replacement but the gain in physicality, defensiveness and leadership makes it all worth it.
Sign AJ Greer to 5 years @ $3.5 mill per season.
Notes
We add another unreal bottom 6 player who hits, has a high intensity forecheck, kills penalties, and a motor that just won’t stop. Think Malenstyn but for our LW. He can fill in on the 3rd line if an injury occurs.
Sign Jake Bean to 1 year @ $1.1 mill per season
Notes
Just a depth signing. Mobile defenseman that can play the PP if injuries occur.
Lineup
Forwards
Benson – Thomas – Thompson
Kyrou – Helenius – Doan
Kulich – McLeod – Ostlund
Greer – Carrick – Malenstyn
Danforth/Kozak
Defense
Samuelsson – Dahlin
Power – Trouba
Metsa – Timmins
Johnson/Bean
Goalies
Hellebuyck
Ellis
Note
I’m very sorry if this is somewhat messed up with spacing and word size and everything. I do not have a computer right now but hopefully you guys enjoyed the read. I know unrealistic but a man can wish.