I see we are back to 1 year deals for today's iteration of piss poor rationale

Why is it so hard to admit this offseason has been a major let down?

Overpaying replacement level players is not a path to success short or long term
- ieetbred

Yes they don't hurt your Cap because there 1yr deals, even though if you didn't sign them for that year you would have more Cap Room.

Have we learned nothing
- Hank Balling

not a (frank)ing thing

not a (frank)ing thing
- TheSabresTaco

Based on this board, you would have thought the Sabres and Bills already played their seasons. Unbelievable that a bunch of posts would be in the definitive when nothing has actually happened.

Based on this board, you would have thought the Sabres and Bills already played their seasons. Unbelievable that a bunch of posts would be in the definitive when nothing has actually happened.
- TC4145

Care to elaborate.

The Bills have question marks at key positions and the starters looked awful in the last game. Should still be a great team though. Those ?s could be the difference between the 1 seed or 5th see WC away playoff game.

The Sabres off-season has been a complete stinker for a team that had “top 5” most cap space in the league to go into it.

We drafted a player we didn't need, shut your pie hole.
- SABRES 89

Kaiir Elam

Based on this board, you would have thought the Sabres and Bills already played their seasons. Unbelievable that a bunch of posts would be in the definitive when nothing has actually happened.
- TC4145

one has been a super bowl contender for years


the other pisses away cap space and has a fan base where 20 year olds have probably never seen their nhl team win a playoff series

Care to elaborate.

The Bills have question marks at key positions and the starters looked awful in the last game. Should still be a great team though. Those ?s could be the difference between the 1 seed or 5th see WC away playoff game.

The Sabres off-season has been a complete stinker for a team that had “top 5” most cap space in the league to go into it.
- ImThatGuy

I see this a lot but no one wants to admit it was a horrible FA, and there's been no real trade market this offseason.

I see this a lot but no one wants to admit it was a horrible FA, and there's been no real trade market this offseason.
- DirtyDan

The Sabres needed to invest in depth this offseason to support the young and promising core, from that perspective this offseason was a failure as there were plenty of players who fit the roles that were open going into free agency:

https://www.nhl.com/news/...signings-2023/c-344949384

Based off the Sabres needs and players taking low paying short term deals, this was a missed opportunity for Buffalo.

According to CapFriendly which lists the Sabres with 14 Forwards, 8 Dmen and 2 Goalies.
The Forward group includes:
UFA's: Jost, Okposo, Girgenson, and Olofsson
RFA's: Mitts and Krebs

If next season ('24-'25) is the year we now believe the Org is going to "go for it"
and
It is believed this year ('23-'24) it would be far too risky to break-in a couple/3 rookies ..
How is it justified that they may be faced with breaking-in 3, 4 or maybe 5 rookies next season with their Draft and Develop model?

Just brings me back to the thought that this offseason moves just are difficult at best to rationalize.

According to CapFriendly which lists the Sabres with 14 Forwards, 8 Dmen and 2 Goalies.
The Forward group includes:
UFA's: Jost, Okposo, Girgenson, and Olofsson
RFA's: Mitts and Krebs

If next season ('24-'25) is the year we now believe the Org is going to "go for it"
and
It is believed this year ('23-'24) it would be far too risky to break-in a couple/3 rookies ..
How is justified that they may be faced with breaking-in 3, 4 or maybe 5 rookies next season with their Draft and Develop model?

Just brings me back to the thought that this offseason moves just are difficult at best to rationalize.
- IonSabres

The Sabres needed to invest in depth this offseason to support the young and promising core, from that perspective this offseason was a failure as there were plenty of players who fit the roles that were open going into free agency:

https://www.nhl.com/news/...signings-2023/c-344949384

Based off the Sabres needs and players taking low paying short term deals, this was a missed opportunity for Buffalo.
- washedup20

They missed on a 4C for depth. They got their D depth shored up. Theres been absolutely 0 market for goalies.

Acari would of been a solid get. Maybe a few others for 4C. Tis a position that shouldn't effect a team ability to make the playoffs tho.

8 game losing streak, giving up 4+ goals in how many games. ZERO D structure.
Fixing these issues is more important than acquiring a depth player IMO.

- Hank Balling

Lol,
Deja vu all over again

According to CapFriendly which lists the Sabres with 14 Forwards, 8 Dmen and 2 Goalies.
The Forward group includes:
UFA's: Jost, Okposo, Girgenson, and Olofsson
RFA's: Mitts and Krebs

If next season ('24-'25) is the year we now believe the Org is going to "go for it"
and
It is believed this year ('23-'24) it would be far too risky to break-in a couple/3 rookies ..
How is it justified that they may be faced with breaking-in 3, 4 or maybe 5 rookies next season with their Draft and Develop model?

Just brings me back to the thought that this offseason moves just are difficult at best to rationalize.
- IonSabres

I dont get this thought process... no team "goes for it" when they haven't even made the playoffs with said current core.... Make the playoffs first then worry about "going for it".

Whatever "going for it" even means

I dont get this thought process... no team "goes for it" when they haven't even made the playoffs with said current core.... Make the playoffs first then worry about "going for it".

Whatever "going for it" even means
- DirtyDan

The cycle:

> miss playoffs
> too soon to make moves
> miss playoffs because limited moves were made
> too soon to make moves
>miss playoffs

I dont get this thought process... no team "goes for it" when they haven't even made the playoffs with said current core.... Make the playoffs first then worry about "going for it"
- DirtyDan

Man the amount of cop out answers keep piling up.

All some of us heard last season was “wait till next off-season” next off-season they will make the necessary moves.

Their moves to fix the putrid defense and awful goaltending.

35 year old oft injured, out of gas Erik Johnson
Connor Clifton, who is a massive question mark for the top 4.

No goalie moves to speak of.


{waits for who was moved argument}

The cycle:

> miss playoffs
> too soon to make moves
> miss playoffs because limited moves were made
> too soon to make moves
- Hank Balling

Had they acquired another forward the posts move to "Well they still have 2 rookie goalies"

They acquire a goalie its "well we need a top 6 forward"

It never ends.

D structure. An actual PK. 2 things that lead to better goaltending #'s. Which should lead to not having 8 game losing streaks. Which should lead to playoffs.

This team can score at will. We saw it last year. Just need to play even a little defense.

- Hank Balling

™

Had they acquired another forward the posts move to "Well they still have 2 rookie goalies"

They acquire a goalie its "well we need a top 6 forward"

It never ends.

D structure. An actual PK. 2 things that lead to better goaltending #'s. Which should lead to not having 8 game losing streaks. Which should lead to playoffs.

This team can score at will. We saw it last year. Just need to play even a little defense.
- DirtyDan

I agree with that. I just have no faith in UPL regardless of their d structure and their d group still has a fair amount of question marks

Man the amount of cop out answers keep piling up.

All some of us heard last season was “wait till next off-season” next off-season they will make the necessary moves.

They’re moves to fix the putrid defense and awful goaltending.

35 year old oft injured, out of gas Erik Johnson
Connor Clifton, who is a massive question mark for the top 4.

No goalie moves to speak of.


{waits for who was moved argument}
- ImThatGuy

Okay, then the real world happened and there's been little to no trade market and free agency sucked.

You said they need depth. They got the D depth. Do they need forward depth? a 4C would have helped. It it detrimental? If it is, your team is dawg anyways.

THERES BEEN ZERO GOALIE MARKET. If your wondering why they haven't gotten 1.

Had they acquired another forward the posts move to "Well they still have 2 rookie goalies"

They acquire a goalie its "well we need a top 6 forward"

It never ends.

D structure. An actual PK. 2 things that lead to better goaltending #'s. Which should lead to not having 8 game losing streaks. Which should lead to playoffs.

This team can score at will. We saw it last year. Just need to play even a little defense.
- DirtyDan

They tried coaching as well these past 13 seasons:

Lindy Ruff
Ron Rolston
Ted Nolan
Dan Byslma
Phil Housley
Ralph Krueger
Don Granato

If it never ends with players, when does it end with coaching?

I agree with that. I just have no faith in UPL regardless of their d structure and their d group still has a fair amount of question marks
- Hank Balling

Completely fair. But I just don't blame management for not getting 1 when other teams that need 1 also haven't gotten one. Because there's been no one worth pursuing. Cause there is no market.

Had they acquired another forward the posts move to "Well they still have 2 rookie goalies"

They acquire a goalie its "well we need a top 6 forward"

It never ends.

D structure. An actual PK. 2 things that lead to better goaltending #'s. Which should lead to not having 8 game losing streaks. Which should lead to playoffs.

This team can score at will. We saw it last year. Just need to play even a little defense.
- DirtyDan

well, you're correct here.

I agree with that. I just have no faith in UPL regardless of their d structure and their d group still has a fair amount of question marks
- Hank Balling

correct here too

Man the amount of cop out answers keep piling up.

All some of us heard last season was “wait till next off-season” next off-season they will make the necessary moves.

Their moves to fix the putrid defense and awful goaltending.

35 year old oft injured, out of gas Erik Johnson
Connor Clifton, who is a massive question mark for the top 4.

No goalie moves to speak of.


{waits for who was moved argument}
- ImThatGuy

But who WAS moved, that we missed out on? Karlsson didn't make a lot of sense and Debrincat was going to Detroit or nowhere...did I miss any? Serious question.

We've all agreed we WANTED more, but no one has shown me a deal worth making. The most we can agree on there is maybe swapping Okposo for another 4RW would've been beneficial...it's that slim of pickings.