I would not do the Domi trade. It is the 8th overall pick.

Rather look at a team that needs to dump some players for cap space. How about a Bozak from the Blues or something like that?

And Colin Miller is worth less

Domi is vastly better than Bozak, can be signed long term and can move to wing when Cozens graduates or 3C. Im not sold on the players available at 8, they arent getting Perfetti or Rossi. How is Miller worth less than a plug on one of the worst defenses in the league and a 3rd. The hot takes on Miller are getting ridiculous

I have a very heard time understanding why a lot of people say that Miller isn't very good... look I know he's not the number 2 he was in Vegas in 17-18 but he's a very reliable number 4 d-man

it's hard to come back from being scratched by Buffalo...

Well, yes now Domi is better right now, but Bozak was kind of the same level of player when he was Domi's age. But the would be cheap. And chances are actually quite good that Rossi ends up at 8.

I think the picks would be somehow like 1. Laf, 2 and 3 Sützle and Byfield, 4,5 and 6 Raymond, Perfetty, Drysdale (not in that order), then you have New Jersey at 7th who has Hughes and Hischier at Centre, but are not very strong on both D and wing. Therefore, I'd say chances are not bad that they draft either Holtz or Sanderson, which would leave Rossi at 8.

Kevin Fiala was scratched my MIN... what's your point?

Buffalo is a complete dumpster fire with zero depth. If you are getting scratched in Buffalo things are really bad.

Uh ok... but that's not an argument lol good players get scratched sometimes nothing to worry about here lol

he played 3/4s of the season

The Sabres had 10 NHL dmen, what are you even talking about. McCabe, Dahlin, Scandella, Jokiharju, Ristolainen, Montour, Miller, Bogosian, Pilut, Borgen. You completely invalidated your point, you clearly dont know anything about this team

I like the roster build but would like to see us use some of that 5.2 cap to sign a veteran left D for 1 year to help insulate Dahlstrom if he is not ready

Bonuses and Cap penalty, that 5.2 is an illusion. If players are getting close to hitting their bonuses they may have to even waive their extra skaters so they arent penalized again. Or they can split the penalty over 2 years but that leaves them with less than 700k in cap space anyway

you must not know much either...

Bogo - 19 games waived
Pilut - 13 games
Borgen - 0 games
Scandella - 31 games traded

That leaves 6 dman based on your information above - Miller got health bombed 18 times, not a good look when you are middle pairing dman on one of the worst teams this decade....not to mention one of the 4 listed above getting playing time over you.

Colin Miller 51 games
Scandella - traded
Bogosian - cut
Borgen and Pilut stuck in the A because their was no room, Pilut walked because he deserved a shot and wasnt given one
When was Miller "health bombed", after Montour came back and they were trying to sell Scandella and Bogosian. At that point how many NHL dmen on the roster? 8. Your counting is bad. You dont know anything about the team, youre just reading stat lines. His "health bombs" were due to Botterill being a terrible GM

Cap penalty is 1.3. Can easily fit a 6/7 left shot d in for 2 - 2.5 and be cap compliant here

What do you think the cap penalty is for? If they hit on all bonuses again, they will go over on cap again. The bonuses are not factored in till they are paid out, therefore not counted against the initial cap hit, but put in a separate category. I really dont want the Sabres to find out what the penalty is for going over the cap 2 years consecutively. Especially if they havent even paid the first penalty in full yet.

The total for schedule a bonuses is 2.5 if Dahlin, Cozens and Jokiharju all hit those. Dahlin is the only one realistically that has a shot at hitting those. Jokiharju and Cozens can perhaps hit 2 of 4 each. If that happens they are looking at 1.6 roughly and would still be under if they pay a player 2 million and last years full cap penalty now

Not a good take, lots of guys have left Buffalo and done fairly well or at least stabilized their career, just cause the organization is a mess doesn't mean every player that struggles with or is scratched by the Sabres is bad at hockey.

Dahlin _ $2,850,000
Cozens - $850,000
Jokiharju - $637,500
Dahlin and Jokiharju already hit last year. I dont know what Cozens bonuses are but that gives them an extra 850,000 + 650,000 for splitting the penalty over 2 years. If Cozens looks like he makes his bonuses though, theyd have to waive the equivalent of Lazar's contract over the course of the season, as the NHL cap is calculated weekly not seasonally. just for a $1.5 mill depth dman.

Dahlin hit all 4 for 850 Jokiharju hit 1 of 2 for 222500. Dahlin 2 million schedule b bonus is only if he finishes in top 10 of the entire league in points, assists or goals. As only 1 nhl defenseman in the league did that this year John Carlson in assists I am not overly concerned about Dahlin hit that number even if he takes a giant step up this year.