Sabres- Playoffs? Thoughts on Roster

Forums/Armchair-GM

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Created by: mikeyscav

Team: 2016-17 Buffalo Sabres

Initial Creation Date: Aug. 2, 2016

Published: Aug. 2, 2016

Salary Cap Mode: Basic

Description

The team right now seems to be taking form. Forward depth is pretty strong (especially if they can get Moulson playing better with two studs in Eich and Okposo.) Just two signings to create depth and keep youngsters in the ROCH will be good. Vrbata is a big gamble after a awful season but is a good goalscorer that will allow this team to have 3 scoring lines. Gaustad gives really good center depth at a reasonable cost and will be a good veteran presence in the lockerroom.

The more I look at our defense the more I like it. The top pairing is very good and can shutdown top-lines and still score themselves. Bogosian has a guy who will be a anchor which will let him show off some of his offense more which will help. McCabe and Franson form a strong bottom-pairing that has size but also quite respectable possession numbers to go along with that. A good depth player like Zidlicky (also a Ehrhoff, Seidenberg, etc.) will give the defense strong depth and let youngsters guhle and Nelson develop.

The only question mark to me is goaltending but Lehner has been working extremely hard to get in his best shape of his career this offseason. His new and improved form combined with the solid numbers he put up last season leads me to believe he could take 60+ games this year.

If everything goes according to plan, playoffs should not be out of the picture for this team.

Thoughts?

Free Agent Signings

RFA		YEARS	CAP HIT
Ristolainen, Rasmus		6	$5,500,000
Girgensons, Zemgus		3	$1,850,000

UFA	YEARS	CAP HIT
Zidlicky, Marek	1	$950,000
Vrbata, Radim	1	$1,600,000
Gaustad, Paul	1	$1,000,000

Buyouts

Draft	Round 1	Round 2	Round 3	Round 4	Round 5	Round 6	Round 7
2017
2018
2019

ROSTER

LONG-TERM OUTLOOK

EMBED

TEXT-EMBED

ROSTER SIZE	SALARY CAP	CAP HIT	OVERAGES	BONUSES	CAP SPACE
23	$73,000,000	$65,737,024	$0	$5,500,000	$7,262,976

Left Wing	Centre	Right Wing
Kane, Evander $5,250,000$5,250,000 LW, RW UFA - 2	O'Reilly, Ryan $1,875,000$1,875,000 C UFA - 7	Reinhart, Sam $894,167$894,167 ($2,650,000$3M) RW UFA - 2
Moulson, Matt $5,000,000$5,000,000 LW M-NTC UFA - 3	Eichel, Jack $925,000$925,000 ($2,850,000$3M) C UFA - 2	Okposo, Kyle $6,000,000$6,000,000 RW NMC UFA - 7
Ennis, Tyler $4,600,000$4,600,000 LW, RW UFA - 3	Girgensons, Zemgus $1,850,000$1,850,000 LW, C UFA - 1	Vrbata, Radim $1,600,000$1,600,000 RW UFA - 1
Foligno, Marcus $2,250,000$2,250,000 RW, LW UFA - 1	Larsson, Johan $950,000$950,000 C, LW UFA - 1	Gionta, Brian $4,250,000$4,250,000 RW M-NTC UFA - 1
Deslauriers, Nicolas $775,000$775,000 LW, RW UFA - 2	Gaustad, Paul $1,000,000$1,000,000 C, LW UFA

Left Defense	Right Defense	Goaltender
Kulikov, Dmitry $4,333,333$4,333,333 LD/RD UFA - 1	Ristolainen, Rasmus $5,500,000$5,500,000 RD UFA - 6	Lehner, Robin $2,225,000$2,225,000 G UFA - 1
Gorges, Josh $3,900,000$3,900,000 LD M-NTC UFA - 2	Bogosian, Zach $5,142,857$5,142,857 RD UFA - 4	Nilsson, Anders $1,000,000$1,000,000 G UFA - 1
McCabe, Jake $1,600,000$1,600,000 LD/RD UFA - 3	Franson, Cody $3,325,000$3,325,000 RD UFA - 1
	Zidlicky, Marek $950,000$950,000 RD UFA

Scratches	Injured Reserve (IR)	Long Term IR (LTIR)
		McCormick, Cody $1,500,000$1,500,000 C, RW, LW UFA - 1

Aug. 2, 2016 at 9:38 a.m.

Kristian

Joined: Jul. 2016

Posts: 104

Likes: 4

I find it really hard to see Moulson in the top two lines after last season. Your betting a lot on the hopes he will rebound, now don't get me wrong he very well could but he looked really slow last year. I think Ennis would go alot better in that spot since he has speed and if health has a scoring touch. I could see Moulson start there, if the Sabres are trying build his trade value, so we can dump him on some poor sucker of a team. That way we can clear his salary without having to buy him out.

Aug. 2, 2016 at 9:48 a.m.

mikeyscav

Thread Starter

I like Eich

Joined: Jun. 2015

Posts: 2,591

Likes: 336

I know his skating is bad, but when he's on his game he scores most of his goals in close on rebounds and tip-ins. If he can regain that, eichel and Okposo will do the skating and the zone-entries with Moulson really just being there for s body to pass to. I know it could be far-fetched but I think if they could make it work it would be awesome for the team. If not, like you said, ennis would be my guy to put there. I would be worried about that 3rd line at that time

Aug. 2, 2016 at 9:48 a.m.

Blynasty

Joined: Jul. 2016

Posts: 1,138

Likes: 106

Quoting: Kristian

I could see that line be effective with Eichel in the middle. Moulson needs a good center to score, and him and Okposo are a lot to handle up front.

Playoff contenders? Probably not.

Aug. 2, 2016 at 10:48 a.m.

TuuksMcGooks

Joined: Jun. 2016

Posts: 43

Likes: 3

You're not making the playoffs with a goaltending tandem like that, sorry to say

Aug. 2, 2016 at 11:27 a.m.

mikeyscav

Thread Starter

I like Eich

Joined: Jun. 2015

Posts: 2,591

Likes: 336

Lehner had a .922 save % in 21 games last season, above average. He's having his 1st healthy offseason in a couple years so he will be ready to go. Even if he falters, Ullmark can come up to buffalo or there are many veteran starters on the market that could probably be had in trade like Miller, fleury, Howard, Ward/Lack, Neuvirth

Aug. 3, 2016 at 7:41 a.m.

palhal

LongtimeLeafsufferer

Joined: Jul. 2015

Posts: 60,251

Likes: 23,113

Playoff bound. Maybe not this year. My thoughts are Rangers and Wings are going to miss the playoffs this year, the Bruins, Canes, Devils, Flyers....fighting for the two spots. Maybe Montreal and Buffalo. CBJ and the Leafs at the bottom. Agree with mikeyscav about the Sabres goalies....they will be fine, but I would stay away from Miller, Howard, and Ward as any help.

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