GRADING BUFFALO’S 2024 OFFSEASON ADDITIONS AND SUBTRACTIONS – Sabres Semantics

GRADING BUFFALO’S 2024 OFFSEASON ADDITIONS AND SUBTRACTIONS – Sabres Semantics

we’ll get into some of the other moves uh that you that you mentioned there free agency and some player moving for the Sabers some guys in some guys out as we T talked about at the open the bottom six has been pretty much revamped uh from top to bottom there I’ve got the updated uh forward line depth chart here uh just uh to for reference here and you look at it and right now they’ve got Jason zuker as a as a second line left Winger but I I assume he’s going to be probably the third line left wing uh that you had kind of brought up there Ryan McLoud in a trade with Edmonton that we’ll get into Jordan Greenway still on the roster right now and then a completely new fourth line in Beck binstein Sam laferty and Nicholas Abe kubel uh three guys that were all brought in Via free agency uh or sorry allenstein was was a trade with Washington but the other guys were brought in Via free agency you lost some uh pretty notable bottom six players zus garson’s the longtime saber that you mentioned there played his entire career with Buffalo signing a three-year deal uh with Tampa B good on him for being able to get a contract like that with them at this point in his career you lost Eric Robinson and Tyson Jost who both signed with Carolina oddly enough uh and a couple other subtractions as well um in Rochester but it was pretty interesting the way that Kevin Adams went a about free agency they definitely didn’t make the big splashes like the Nashville Predators did getting Steven Stam Co Jonathan maruso and Brady Sha but you didn’t really expect those kind of moves from Buffalo uh in the situation they were at with their top six players but uh what did you think especially zuker he was he was pretty much the big one and Sam lafy would probably be I guess the second biggest piece that they did get in fre re agency and then as well getting James Rhymer as a veteran goenda Comer which I think is an upgrade over what Comer gave you and you know that Levi is going to come up and make some spot starts from Rochester so overall with the additions and the subtractions the Sabers made with their free agent class where would you kind of rank them as far as giving them a grade here C C+ B minus C+ probably is where I would lean and the reason I say C+ is it’s been good uh not great the move that they haven’t made is why it’s not great they’re you know they’re one top six acquisition away from this being a relatively solid offseason when you look at you know Obe kubel Beck malinin Sam laferty the new you know fourth line there’s two things in common those guys like to hit those guys are responsible two-way players uh especially Obe kubel who’s one of the better defensive pure defensive forwards I think in the league but speed if you look at NHL Edge they track you know a lot of advanced stats with the NHL all those three guys are all in the high end when it terms of top skating speed and speed burst over 20 mes hour so that fourth line um and McLoud which we’ll get into later he’s going to be on the third line but the bottom six is going to have a lot of speed the fourth line is going to wear you down physically the fourth line is going to take a lot of the brunt when it comes to the defensive responsibility uh but they are equipped to do that in terms of you know their underlying numbers so a bit of a different switch uh you know gearson did have some speed don’t get me wrong he was fast but in terms of guys like you know ooso kind of lost a step as he got older which you know obviously he got older there but I like I I like the philosophy switch that’s why I went with C+ I really like the way they revamped their their bottom six I think their bottom six is going to be so much better this year the problem is you haven’t address your biggest need which is your top six scoring which there’s still time to do it I guess but I’m not very hopeful right now although we’ll get into that later because number game it does seem like another move has to be coming but the last time we thought another move was coming is when they traded for Henry Yoki Haru and had a surplused defense in Boll never did anything with that surplused defense so until the move is made I’m not going to expect it to come but that being said good offseason not great not terrible mention zuker real quick guy that’s kind of bounced around a little bit in the last few years uh played with Minnesota Pittsburgh uh most recently with Nashville after signing a one-year deal with Arizona and they moved him at the deadline uh for a pick what do you like from zuker he’s obviously a guy that kind of fits a scoring uh Winger in the middle six there and is a little bit better defense ly than than like you mentioned with the Jeff Skinner and he does bang a little bit when you need him to but a guy that’s production has kind of gone down a little bit but he did show spurts in Nashville when he got there that he could put up some goals and and be you know a solid depth scorer for this team and I think that somebody that you look at again it wasn’t a sexy signing what by any means but on day one of free agency to go out and get a guy with uh that is played some playoff games that has been in the league for a while and Jason zuker and has played with some pretty good players over his career career as a as a solid you know uh depth piece and and a and a complimentary guy that can put some Pucks in then that I really like what he brings to that that third line for Buffalo yeah I do too I think he’s a good third line scoring option and I do find it I do find it notable that Adam said he can play anywhere in the top nine and he mentioned top nine so to me that states they didn’t get zuker to be a top six scorer they might have to put him in a position to be a top six scorer but they don’t Envision that being his role this year and that’s fine I think if you look at potential third line of McLoud B and zuker that’s a really on paper effective third line you have McLoud who’s a good two-way Center Benson who’s a really good two-way Winger four Checker who’s tenacious on the pucks good passer good hockey sense same with McLoud okay hockey sense and then you have zuker a guy who can finish um you know two years removed from scoring 27 goals with Pittsburgh in 2223 so you know not you know he’s not going to score you 27 goals in Buffalo this year I don’t think but he has the ability to finish so I have no problem with that signing I do like that signing as third line scoring option and the one turn the one-year term makes it okay that you had to give him $5 million on a one-year contract I don’t I don’t you can call it an overpay I saw some people saying that but like I I don’t care it’s a one-year contract who cares yeah it’s a one-year deal and the Sabres had the cap space to move it it wasn’t like they have zero cap space they have the fifth most cap space in in the National Hockey League right now so to be able to sign a guy like zuker at a one-year deal kind of like they did with Taylor Hall when they sign him that one-year $8 million deal and obviously that didn’t work out but a one-year deal is a one-year deal and and I think zuker is a good addition and knock on wood if any injuries do happen for the Sabers in the top six he’s a guy that can move up there and be a utility player to move up in your lineup and put put in some goals and be productive there so really like that addition of of Jason zuker and Sam laferty as well as you mentioned for the fourth line um do you want to touch on the Beck morenstein dra uh trade with Washington for that draft pick I know that was kind of a move that the Sabers fans were kind of scratching their heads at because we’re all expecting these big moves to happen and they go and get uh a perennial basically a fourth line player in malinin even though he obviously with his underlying stats could be a very productive player for the Sabres with that fourth on that fourth line uh what did you think of Adams giving up what he did to get a player like that from Washington yeah I think obviously the second round pick is pretty high cost for a 26y old you know fourth liner I don’t think anyone would argue against that I do like the speed I do like the hitting I do like the the fourth line capabilities that he brings I understand why they acquir that style of player I don’t necessarily understand the cost which is fine whatever it’s you got a second round pick in the San Jose trade you basically used it to acquire M Steen cool whatever I think the the common theme is sometimes like you have to overpay to get a position in need I don’t necessarily I didn’t rank fourth line Winger as one of the biggest needs for the Sabers you know I think everyone kind of knew anyone with a brain realized their two biggest needs were third line Center second line scoring Winger um a new fourth line was obviously part of their philos phos ophy and they were willing to pay a high price to get it we’ll see what Mal’s contract looks like um but you gave up a second round pick for the guy so I I have to think in my brain you view him as an every game player much like Washington viewed him last year when he played 81 games so it’ll be interesting to see how they how they use him this year but very fast responsible penalty killer a lot of block shots a lot of hits and I know the timeline doesn’t necessarily line up there with the skinner bio and everything like that but would you have liked to see maybe a move at draft time if they were to move let’s say if they didn’t uh SCT uh helenus and they traded number 11 plus a second round pick or maybe they moved back to 14 picked up that second from San Jose and then used that second and player Andor Prospect like a Matt seavoy or that 14th overall pick to go and get like a top six player would that have been a move that you would have liked to see even if they were to move back there uh to pick up that second as more ammunition to go and get a player um you know we didn’t see Martin niches or Nikolai eers trade yet from Carolina or Winnipeg at the moment of recording this so you obviously see that uh that Carolina and Winnipeg didn’t get the right offers for either of those players so um if a move is still to be made like that did you think that they kind of miss that window with the trade that they could have made at the draft I mean obviously I would have liked to have seen it um you know that was to me is their biggest need it was their biggest need to pretty much anybody that was their biggest need so obviously yeah we I think everyone would have liked to have seen it um I don’t think they missed the window like you just said none of those rumored unless you view manang aane is a Surefire top six which I mean he probably is but he was moved for a second round pick uh but to the capitals so I guess unless you count him none of really the big name rumored guys have been moved yet so I can’t say it was a missed opportunity for Adams but obviously yeah I I I would have liked to have seen that move and I think until he makes that move it’s fair to question and doubt the off season and the improvements that they’ll make next year because unless they make that top six acquisition they’re back to again in terms of their scoring and their top six production they’re banking so on internal improvements which we saw what happened last year when they did that it did not go their way and another move that kind of you know Sab fans were wondering about was James Rymer obviously a longtime goalie with the Toronto Maple Leafs and was on the other side of that rivalry I view him as an upgrade over Eric Comer I don’t know about other people and I know some people were pretty upset um that the you know why would they bring in Rhymer when Levi’s you know in Rochester and you just need a veteran guy that brings stability and I think rymer’s one of those guys where yeah he’s not going to do anything flashy but he’s also not going to be a guy that’s uh you know when you put him in a in a spot start here he’s not just going to let in five or six goals I think he’s a reliable goalie he’s a good teammate you know he’ll he’ll be a solid Mentor there for for UPL and even when Levi is able to come up I’m sure Rymer will be a good teammate in that sense Eric Comer was a little bit weird being in that um that more of a mentor role when he was still in his mid 20s so um when you bring in a guy like ryr who’s played in the league for for a long time in his 30s and and has seen a lot been on a lot of different teams and been in a lot of different roles I think he adds value off the ice not just his on Ice production as a goenda start against the Leafs and is able to beat them that would be great to see for Buffalo’s perspective but uh I’m not going to hate on the James ryer move as much as some people would yeah I’m not and um I’m not even 100% sure he’s a lock to be a buffalo saber Fair like I think he was signed if Devon Levi struggles in trading camp and has to start the season in Rochester you have Rhymer like you said as an insurance solid backup if you’re you’re paying him $1 million you know on a on a two-way deal so his salary is 1 million no matter where he plays which is probably a reason why he came here I I have to think that ryer understands there’s a possibility that he is the starting goenda wants it to go he is steady he is reliable he’s not flashy he’s not great he’s not terrible he is an upgrade over comry absolutely I just if Devon Levi shows up in training camp and plays extremely well throughout the preseason I I can’t picture Buffalo being like yeah well we signed James Rymer so Levi you have to start Rochester this year because lucin’s our guy lucan’s our guy no matter what but I still firmly believe that James Rymer doesn’t block them from going with a Lucan in Levi tandem so not going to hate on it there’s nothing wrong with goalie depth I wouldn’t be surprised if he’s Rochester’s goalie I mean they probably will have to subject him to waivers obviously because of the amount of time he’s played in the league but he signed with Buffalo for a reason so maybe they did tell him there’s a real shot he’s the backup here or maybe it was the fact that they guaranteed him $1 million no matter where he plays I’m not really sure but I yeah I’m not going to hate on that side and then lastly before we move on here some depth signings for Rochester and more organizational depth Jacob Bryson is back uh which was a nice resign for Kevin Adams Riley Stillman was a guy that we thought would be brought back as he traded Josh Bloom to get him Josh Bloom ended up going and scoring uh the uh the game-winning goal in the Memorial Cup so Vancouver con Pro uh people are very high on Josh Bloom now as as a guy that we used to love in the Ontario hockey league so Riley Stillman ended up moving on but they bring back Bryson and they bring in a couple ad depth pieces for Rochester like sandstrom and others anybody you want to touch on there that is coming back uh for the Sabres or coming in uh to fill out the Rochester depth down there no I guess it depends on who you view as filling in for Rochester I think an interesting signing was Dennis Gilbert because I am pretty sure they signed Dennis Gilbert to be a buffalo saber not to be a Rochester American we’ll see how that shakes out but I am very interested to see what they do with the defense because Gilbert brings a skill set that they don’t have on the blue line not necessarily an everyday player but I wonder if they’re going to you know carry eight defenseman because Bryson again was reliable seventh Defender last year didn’t play a lot but when he did play played well so it’ll be interesting to see if there’s any moves to be made on the blue line because they obviously gave Yoki Hario his $3.1 million one-year deal walks him to UFA next year so doesn’t really seem like he’s in their long-term plans which we kind of thought so it’ll be interesting what if anything happens with the blue line because I wouldn’t be surprised if Dennis Gilbert plays a decent handful of games for the Buffalo Sabers and bringing Bryson back as the depth guy right now he he’s the extra defenseman because Samson you expect him to be back 100% after he missed uh the rest of the season last year and then they brought back Yoki Haru as you mentioned on that one-year deal maybe he’s a guy that gets moved at the deadline or what have you if a guy like Gilbert is able to step in to a bigger role and kind of move the dep chart there but uh what are you liking from the way that the Sabers defensive core uh is shaping out we knew the top three was pretty much a lock and then they made a couple additions there Ryan Johnson still a name that we mentioned uh on our on our season finale show if he’s going to kind of move the needle there for the Sabers still got Connor Clifton you still got samelson so and and bring back Bryson to be either a seventh defenseman or a guy that you can call up from Rochester so uh you know the defensive core is pretty much solidified I think at this point yeah it’s solidified and I am a little bit shocked again that they’re bringing back the exact same Decor they had last year maybe they’re not maybe a move is had to be had I’m not really sure but a little bit surprising um I know you know it is it is what it is like I said right now sure looks like your top four is some iteration of Yoki harup power Byrum and Dalene we’ll see what they do with that um Samuelson Clifton Gilbert Bryson some combination of those four will be your third pair but a little bit questionable in my opinion to bring back the exact same Decor from last year you know you revamped your bottom six you didn’t really touch your defensive Group which I don’t necessarily think is smart because I do think while Yoki har you flashed he clearly isn’t in your long-term plans you only gave him a one-year deal and let him become a UFA next year you know Gilbert Bryson depth signings one year I don’t know maybe there’s a mood to be had there but right now I am a little bit uh down on their their entire group of six obviously the Byrum DOI power those three are very good they’re going to be very good and you know Byron’s definitely going to push the pace offense Doan’s proven he can be a reliable two-way player I expect power to take a step but am a little shocked there was no major major tinkering to their dgroup pretty much that’s it for the player movement uh is there anybody in free agency that you saw sign that you would have liked Buffalo to get or would you are you expecting some sort of trade to to happen for that top six forward that hasn’t come yet after the Skinner buyout I mean realistic options that I might be would have liked to see Buffalo try to go after I don’t really know I mean they were never going to get any of the big fish no they were never really going to attract any depending on how you view zuker I guess they were never really going to attract any medium profile free agents because Buffalo has never really again for they haven’t made the playoffs in 13 years you’re not necessarily a huge free agent destination I would have liked to see them maybe be a little bit more aggressive in a top six trade but you know what we’re going to talk about next is Adams being pretty aggressive to go and fill one of their other major needs and acquiring a 24 25y old Center who has some team control so again I would have liked to see the top six move but Adams definitely was busy and definitely filled and revamp filled a big need with the third line Center and revamped you know a philosophy in that bottom six so I would call his offseason incomplete um necessarily is there any fre agents you would have liked them sign I’m trying to think off the top of my head there’s not really for the amount of money that those guys got I mean they weren’t going to sign Tyler to Foley for the money that he got in San Jose they weren’t going to sign a Jonathan Maro for the money that he got um they weren’t going to sign Chandler Stevenson for the money he got so like I’m not disappointed that they didn’t overpay for some of those guys zuker is a one-year deal so it really it doesn’t even matter what you give them you could give him 10 million it really doesn’t matter because the Sabers have so much cap flexibility right now until that Skinner by out comes in a couple years uh become 6 million but like I I I was okay with them not getting any of those overpaying for any of those top guys we usually see in fre agency no I think the only like and he hasn’t signed yet um maybe instead of zuker I could have maybe preferred them signing a guy like Daniel sprong but obviously that’s really nitpicky they got zuker zuker came here they tried to get zuker last year I think he took more money in Arizona and you know knew he was going to get moved at the deadline so I’m not really going to nitpick that much but they got their third line scoring option they were never going to fill the top six Ro in free agency put it like that that was if they ever fill the top six role it’s going to be through trade I’ve always thought that I think most people have always thought that so yeah I like the free agency signings that they made so I have no gripes with any free agents they did not sign put it like that

In this small clip from our offseason update show, Brandon Caputo and Austin Broad recap the player movement for the Buffalo Sabres roster so far this 2024 NHL offseason and if the roster is better than it was at the end of last season after revamping most of the Bottom-6 forward core.

FULL EPISODE: https://youtu.be/01C3-O64VDg?si=oQ68BECusuBA-slP

Intro Songs Credit:
Ivan from Guitar Logic: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bmy9KGCcfVA
Joe Bucci: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L5ZiMjXQDtY&t=1s

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