Without Okposo your forward lineup looks like

Skin-Tage-Tuch
JJP-Coze- Quinn
Green-Mitt-???
????-Krebs-???

Hes taking away a 4th line defensive role with PK. He does this job well. None of the rookies are going to serve that role better this year.

Rousek is a LW could fill that 4LW slot.
The rest of them I wouldn't want on the 4th line. I certainly wouldn't want a 4th line consisting of 3 young players either. 2 of them being rooks.

Move greenway to 4L and you could have a 3rd line of Kulich-Mitts-Savoie.

Okposo isn't blocking any 1
- DirtyDan

Than the prospect pool which is deemed overloaded doesn’t serve the needs of the organization.

Its over a 50% haircut from his previous contract, that's not ideal.

Also see what Adams gave Girgs and Hino last season. Guy would rather overpay these useless players than make a move and build his own team.
- washedup20

Over 50% haircut for under 50% production with a larger cap would signify bad negotiation. I mean math

Than the prospect pool which is deemed overloaded doesn’t serve the needs of the organization.
- washedup20

We could easily see Greenway-Krebs-Okposo as the 4th line and you guys get your wish and see 2 of those prospects join after camp.

Donn and Kevo aren't handing those spots out in June.

Let's pretend all 4 of those guys are ready. How many times has Kevo come out and stated he wouldn't block them? What's to stop him from moving other players off the roster? Why would kevo sign him if those 4 were ready to take 4RW from him?
- TheSabresTaco

IMO, Savoie isn't ready to play high up in the lineup. He will need to start slow. Probably as 3RW and will likely get the Quinn, Krebs, treatment of rotating in for 1/2 the season. We all know he can't play anywhere else except Jrs or Sabres. Playing him in Jrs does zippo for his development...so the best for his development is the treatment I described above. It is a bad situation, thank you NHL.

Rousek looked good in a tiny sample size...he is ready. This too is IMO. He should be your 4th line RW with Greenway and Kampf (ufa).
If Kulich shows in Camp he is ready, boy that extra spot could be very valuable to have and get this development poop underway for 3 very promising rookies...very much like they enjoyed with Krebs, JJ and Quinn last season.

What KA did is bix himself into a corner already, rather than slowplaying Kyle by signing him if one of the three failed their Camp.

It has zero to do with the money.
KA once again maybe underestimating the quality of the young guys and Granto's development skills.

It is time to turn the corner, get serious about winning, pushing your players to excel and play under pressure of intense competition.

This was a geewizz BS move that wasn't needed for a team intent on winning

Over 50% haircut for under 50% production with a larger cap would signify bad negotiation. I mean math
- SDSabre

Whatta terrible thing for other players to see that the org. takes care of their expiring leaders.

We could easily see Greenway-Krebs-Okposo as the 4th line and you guys get your wish and see 2 of those prospects join after camp.

Donn and Kevo aren't handing those spots out in June.
- DirtyDan

Giving Okposo a spot is handing out a spot.

The Sabres have high end talent but lack tough to play against depth. Okposo fills no role and enhances the softness of the roster.

If he's not playing all the games he won't wear the C
- TheSabresTaco

Lol, just imagine a pregame presentation of stripping the C from Kyle at Center ice.
That would be just wonderful. They wont take the C from him, no friggin way.

Whatta terrible thing for other players to see that the org. takes care of their expiring leaders.
- DirtyDan

What a terrible precedent set by management that you can be absolutely horrible, the team lives at the bottom of the league during the entirety of his tenure - who only became a leader because he was the only player legally allowed to rent a car last season, gets taken care of.

We could easily see Greenway-Krebs-Okposo as the 4th line and you guys get your wish and see 2 of those prospects join after camp.

Donn and Kevo aren't handing those spots out in June.
- DirtyDan

And they shouldn't be, but they shouldn't be handing a spot to Okposo on May 23rd when you still have a whole offseason to look at the landscape.

A lot of people here simply need to find another team.
- RichardRoma

Go Bolts!!!

What a terrible precedent set by management that you can be absolutely horrible, the team lives at the bottom of the league during the entirety of his tenure - who only became a leader because he was the only player legally allowed to rent a car last season gets taken care of.
- washedup20

We were absolutely horrible last year? Damn I had no idea... 91 pts missed by 1... terrible horrible no good year.

And they shouldn't be, but they shouldn't be handing a spot to Okposo on May 23rd when you still have a whole offseason to look at the landscape.
- Buff36

He wanted to be back, the players wanted him back. He plays a specific role that we dont need to fill now and can focus on other areas.

Your not even handing a spot to him. It was his already and was his to decide if he was going to come back or not. Kevo and Co. clearly told him the depth aint there.

Like whos coming up from Roch to play a defensive role with a lot of PK time? And would they do it nearly good enough to replace Okposo? I don't think so.

The Panthers did great with that guy….

https://www.capfriendly.c...m/players/derek-mackenzie
- washedup20

Your kind of missing the point, maybe? His leadership was valued enough to keep him around. Replacing Dmack with someone else wouldn’t have made a hell of a lot of a difference. Wasn’t like they were gonna replace him with a Mario or something.
If the Sabres moving towards a playoff spot, and KO is half the leader the Sabres seem to believe he is, he will understand when coach comes in and tells him, “The kid is playing too well to take him out when x returns from injury tomorrow. I’m gonna sit you down and let the kid run with it.”
“OK, coach, I understand.” Then the leader continues to support his team mates, while setting an example that the team does indeed come first.
If Buffalo was anywhere near the cap, I could see the objections. Right now, it just seems like much ado about not too much. Just my opinion from 1000 miles away.

A lot of people here simply need to find another team.
- RichardRoma

https://shop.nhl.com/new-...38000384+z-974-2483363656

Your kind of missing the point, maybe? His leadership was valued enough to keep him around. Replacing Dmack with someone else wouldn’t have made a hell of a lot of a difference. Wasn’t like they were gonna replace him with a Mario or something.
If the Sabres moving towards a playoff spot, and KO is half the leader the Sabres seem to believe he is, he will understand when coach comes in and tells him, “The kid is playing too well to take him out when x returns from injury tomorrow. I’m gonna sit you down and let the kid run with it.”
“OK, coach, I understand.” Then the leader continues to support his team mates, while setting an example that the team does indeed come first.
If Buffalo was anywhere near the cap, I could see the objections. Right now, it just seems like much ado about not too much. Just my opinion from 1000 miles away.
- Ratsreign

This is reaching

We were absolutely horrible last year? Damn I had no idea... 91 pts missed by 1... terrible horrible no good year.
- DirtyDan

Missing the playoffs is good enough for you people, Terry loves your money.

Missing the playoffs is good enough for you people, Terry loves your money.
- washedup20

James Dolan loves yours too

He wanted to be back, the players wanted him back. He plays a specific role that we dont need to fill now and can focus on other areas.
- DirtyDan

Everyone says that, he fills a specific roll. Yes he does and he was good, but he also failed at it as did Girgensons. They missed opportunities like they were a waterfall during the year. Well if they cash some of those multiple Opportunities maybe we break that drought last year, that seems to be bringing him back this year. Hope he helps this year.

Missing the playoffs is good enough for you people, Terry loves your money.
- washedup20

Youngest team in the league. One of the best Offensive teams in the league. Uber-talented. Exciting to watch.

It was a successful year no matter how you cut it.

Without Okposo your forward lineup looks like

Skin-Tage-Tuch
JJP-Coze- Quinn
Green-Mitt-???
????-Krebs-???

Hes taking away a 4th line defensive role with PK. He does this job well. None of the rookies are going to serve that role better this year.

Rousek is a LW could fill that 4LW slot.
The rest of them I wouldn't want on the 4th line. I certainly wouldn't want a 4th line consisting of 3 young players either. 2 of them being rooks.

Move greenway to 4L and you could have a 3rd line of Kulich-Mitts-Savoie.

Okposo isn't blocking any 1
- DirtyDan

Skinner Tage Tuch
Mitts Cozens Quinn
JJP Krebs Savoie
Rousek Campf Greenway

Breaking in 2 Rookies in lesser roles than Quinn and JJP last season.

I'd be happier with Slopokso and Savoie rotating for 1/2 a season...that is it IMO for him.

Everyone says that, he fills a specific roll. Yes he does and he was good, but he also failed at it as did Girgensons. They missed opportunities like they were a waterfall during the year. Well if they cash some of those multiple Opportunities maybe we break that drought last year, that seems to be bringing him back this year. Hope he helps this year.
- Buff36

If Olofsson doesn't disappear maybe we kick the drought, If Comrie doesn't get hurt, IF ,if, if , if and more if's.

If Olofsson doesn't disappear maybe we kick the drought, If Comrie doesn't get hurt, IF ,if, if , if and more if's.
- DirtyDan

You are right, they all had a hand in it, so why bring them back.

https://shop.nhl.com/new-york-rangers/jerseys/t-25262960+d-38000384+z-974-2483363656
- ImThatGuy

Are you and Stutzle going to Dolphins training camp this year?

Skinner Tage Tuch
Mitts Cozens Quinn
JJP Krebs Savoie
Rousek Campf Greenway

Breaking in 2 Rookies in lesser roles than Quinn and JJP last season.

I'd be happier with Slopokso and Savoie rotating for 1/2 a season...that is it IMO for him.
- IonSabres

Both Quinn and JJ started in lesser roles... they legit rotated for the first quarter of the year or does everyone forget about that fiasco ?

The press box actually helped them.

You are right, they all had a hand in it, so why bring them back.
- Buff36

Cut em all right?

Trade Tage and Cozens cause they couldnt score another goal that may or may not have gotten us the playoffs