I don't think this is 9 games unless he crashes and burns. If Skinner or Tuch miss some time, he's the first option now.
- Lunaion

I just think it is a lot to ask of an 18 year old rookie. It is not common for them to come up and play in the NHL and even less common for them to stick and even less common for them to be the go to guy. He's not Bedard or McDavid.

That being said, if he gets a point per game in 9 I'm not going to argue that he's earned a spot and shouldn't be sent down. If he does well, awesome. The odds are just not on his side and if I were a betting man I would put money on him getting his 9 and going back to the WHL with a new found sense of what it takes to play in the big leagues. Give him the Reinhart assignment of bulk up, eat a lot, build some muscle even at the detriment of your season stats.

In case anyone missed:

Waiver claims:

AJ Greer from #NHLBruins to #Flames
Prosvetov from #Yotes to #GoAvsGo
Ludvig from #FlaPanthers to #LetsGoPens
Thomson from #FlyTogether back to #GoSensGo. If only Anaheim put a claim in, they can send him to AHL.

Credit to @PuckPedia




So the Avs get their goalie and it isn't UPL. Prosvetov seemed like he had some juice too.

Not necessarily.

Ryan Hartman just signed a 3 year deal, can’t see why Mitts would completely leave it off the table.

Guess we’ll see where we stand 12 months from now
- Swedish_Jesus

Then we don't agree on what a bridge deal is.

Wouldn't have an issue with a shorter term deal. Not every deal should be 7/8.

Peterka isnt getting an 8 year deal unless he pops off big time. Quinn probably bridges.

I'm not even sure Savoie is good (sorry). Benson I buy.
- Michael Ghofrani

Can’t help but look at Cozens’ development curve and draw parallels.

In saying that, Cozens plays the more important position, but I definitely think Peterka is being slept on.

Peterka isnt getting an 8 year deal unless he pops off big time. Quinn probably bridges.

I'm not even sure Savoie is good (sorry). Benson I buy.
- Michael Ghofrani

Is that based on something you've seen or is it based on just not having seen much of him? He was pretty good during the prospects tourney and had he been in preseason may have been the one we were talking about getting his 9. All of that is ifs ands and buts with the injury, but I am definitely not looking to write him off in his D+2 year before he's even played it. I also would mention the chemistry and familiarity that he has with Benson as something that could be useful for the Sabres moving forward. Those two could be 2/3 of a line themselves and just need a 3rd guy who can keep up.

95 points in 62 games, another 29 in 19 in the playoffs. For a comparison, Reinhart in his D+1 year had 65 points in 47 games, then 23 in 13 in the playoffs.

https://twitter.com/RapSh...amp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Etweet
Kincaid is in Concussion protocol
Knox hurt his wrist
We be hurting

https://atozsports.com/buffalo/roger-goodell-admits-bills-were-given-a-disadvantage-in-jags-game-nfl-news/
Well this is something, we were part of a experiment. Isn't that just fantastic.
- Buff36

The Bills have nobody but themselves to blame on that part, though. I was willing to give their strategy a chance, even though it sounded weird. Conventional wisdom said "get there as early as you can and give your bodies as much time to adjust as possible". The Bills tried a completely different strategy in the name of "sports science" and it didn't work. I'm not necessarily going to blame them for trying to think outside the box, but when it doesn't work, you have to own it. They looked sluggish for the better part of 3 quarters, especially on offense. Would coming up Monday or Tuesday have made a difference? Who knows, but what they ended up doing certainly didn't help.

Can’t help but look at Cozens’ development curve and draw parallels.

In saying that, Cozens plays the more important position, but I definitely think Peterka is being slept on.
- Swedish_Jesus

Cozens' underlying offensive numbers were further ahead I think. Not that I think peterka is bad but I dont he's in the territory where you definitely need to sign him to an 8 year deal.

Is that based on something you've seen or is it based on just not having seen much of him? He was pretty good during the prospects tourney and had he been in preseason may have been the one we were talking about getting his 9. All of that is ifs ands and buts with the injury, but I am definitely not looking to write him off in his D+2 year before he's even played it. I also would mention the chemistry and familiarity that he has with Benson as something that could be useful for the Sabres moving forward. Those two could be 2/3 of a line themselves and just need a 3rd guy who can keep up.

95 points in 62 games, another 29 in 19 in the playoffs. For a comparison, Reinhart in his D+1 year had 65 points in 47 games, then 23 in 13 in the playoffs.
- Zschalberg

Its more the absence of something. Most successful 1st rounders who go back to the WHL for the DY+1 add an element to their game that helps them reach their potential, he didn't really do that. First half of his year was rough, he bounced back in a big way second half, but for the post season I found that Benson was driving the line more than he was.

This isn't to say that he can't get to that point, it might just take him an extra year like it did Barzal. But so far Im just not there yet. Feels more like Sam Steel than Dylan Cozens.

I am probably wrong though. The guys in charge of drafting are leaps and bounds ahead of what it used to be and I have to admit looking at Sabres picks I always have that in the back of my mind (the assumption that Kevin Devine is doing the heavy lifting on scouting/development).

The Bills have nobody but themselves to blame on that part, though. I was willing to give their strategy a chance, even though it sounded weird. Conventional wisdom said "get there as early as you can and give your bodies as much time to adjust as possible". The Bills tried a completely different strategy in the name of "sports science" and it didn't work. I'm not necessarily going to blame them for trying to think outside the box, but when it doesn't work, you have to own it. They looked sluggish for the better part of 3 quarters, especially on offense. Would coming up Monday or Tuesday have made a difference? Who knows, but what they ended up doing certainly didn't help.
- buffalofan19

I agree about the leaving part, just found this article interesting. I have been on some long a$$ plane rides into different countries and it always seemed like it was 3 or 4 days to where I felt somewhat normal.

I think the question then becomes why couldn't he get the deal Ottawa got? Or were they banking on Ottawa finishing below us? For the record, I wouldn't want to get rid of the Benson pick so I guess it's a moot point anyways.
- JCSabs06

From what I remember hearing down here, AZ did Chycrun a solid by letting him have a say in where he went. Ottawa was Chycrun choice of the teams interested in making a trade. Family connections. his grandparents live there, grandpa was at his first home game (he may have grown up there after his dad left the Panthers, idk).
The reported steeper price Buffalo was asked I imagine would be the cost for AZ to burn Chycrun on any supposed gentlemen’s agreement to send him to his desired destination. Adams rightfully said no to the rumored AZ asking price.

Cozens' underlying offensive numbers were further ahead I think. Not that I think peterka is bad but I dont he's in the territory where you definitely need to sign him to an 8 year deal.
- Michael Ghofrani

Really want to make the playoffs and win a round or two before locking up 20 guys long term.

I mean jesus what are we doing here..

From what I remember hearing down here, AZ did Chycrun a solid by letting him have a say in where he went. Ottawa was Chycrun choice of the teams interested in making a trade. Family connections. his grandparents live there, grandpa was at his first home game (he may have grown up there after his dad left the Panthers, idk).
The reported steeper price Buffalo was asked I imagine would be the cost for AZ to burn Chycrun on any supposed gentlemen’s agreement to send him to his desired destination. Adams rightfully said no to the rumored AZ asking price.
- Ratsreign

Thanks Rat!

Its more the absence of something. Most successful 1st rounders who go back to the WHL for the DY+1 add an element to their game that helps them reach their potential, he didn't really do that. First half of his year was rough, he bounced back in a big way second half, but for the post season I found that Benson was driving the line more than he was.

This isn't to say that he can't get to that point, it might just take him an extra year like it did Barzal. But so far Im just not there yet. Feels more like Sam Steel than Dylan Cozens.

I am probably wrong though. The guys in charge of drafting are leaps and bounds ahead of what it used to be and I have to admit looking at Sabres picks I always have that in the back of my mind (the assumption that Kevin Devine is doing the heavy lifting on scouting/development).
- Michael Ghofrani

Good points, I did not get a chance to watch much of his game in the WHL and his exclusion from the WJC was unfortunate. I do expect them to give him 9 games as well just to keep him up here for a bit and see what he can do before sending him back down. Hopefully then we can see what he really has.

I agree about the leaving part, just found this article interesting. I have been on some long a$$ plane rides into different countries and it always seemed like it was 3 or 4 days to where I felt somewhat normal.
- Buff36

it really sucks heading east too.

Good points, I did not get a chance to watch much of his game in the WHL and his exclusion from the WJC was unfortunate. I do expect them to give him 9 games as well just to keep him up here for a bit and see what he can do before sending him back down. Hopefully then we can see what he really has.
- Zschalberg

I had thought he'd go to the AHL for a conditioning stint but 9 games with the big club would be intriguing too. He's got talent and he's tenacious, so we may just be looking at someone with a slower/longer development curve. But if that's the case, that still likely means he doesnt work his way to an 8 year deal. By then the cap will be mostly eaten up and offensive usage will be mostly spoken for.

I had thought he'd go to the AHL for a conditioning stint but 9 games with the big club would be intriguing too. He's got talent and he's tenacious, so we may just be looking at someone with a slower/longer development curve. But if that's the case, that still likely means he doesnt work his way to an 8 year deal. By then the cap will be mostly eaten up and offensive usage will be mostly spoken for.
- Michael Ghofrani

If they can do the AHL stint I bet they will, I just can see the NHL denying it like Grigorenko.

Its more the absence of something. Most successful 1st rounders who go back to the WHL for the DY+1 add an element to their game that helps them reach their potential, he didn't really do that. First half of his year was rough, he bounced back in a big way second half, but for the post season I found that Benson was driving the line more than he was.

This isn't to say that he can't get to that point, it might just take him an extra year like it did Barzal. But so far Im just not there yet. Feels more like Sam Steel than Dylan Cozens.

I am probably wrong though. The guys in charge of drafting are leaps and bounds ahead of what it used to be and I have to admit looking at Sabres picks I always have that in the back of my mind (the assumption that Kevin Devine is doing the heavy lifting on scouting/development).
- Michael Ghofrani

Think some of that had to do with the shoulder injury and not having much of an offseason.

Savoie also put up a 2 PPG clip the second half of the year, a good chunk of it without Benson who was injured (which to me helped alleviate the concerns that he wasn’t just riding Bensons coattails).

Bills look to be signing CB Josh Norman

I had thought he'd go to the AHL for a conditioning stint but 9 games with the big club would be intriguing too. He's got talent and he's tenacious, so we may just be looking at someone with a slower/longer development curve. But if that's the case, that still likely means he doesnt work his way to an 8 year deal. By then the cap will be mostly eaten up and offensive usage will be mostly spoken for.
- Michael Ghofrani

I'm curious how the NHL is going to view this. I'm not sure they'd look too fondly on a conditioning assignment, if they don't plan on giving him NHL games after. Probably a phone call they've already had.

I'm curious how the NHL is going to view this. I'm not sure they'd look too fondly on a conditioning assignment, if they don't plan on giving him NHL games after. Probably a phone call they've already had.
- Lunaion

I don't think the NHL would have a problem I think the CHL might but under the circumstances if I were the Sabres, I'd tell them to go suck a railroad spike.

You're probably right he gets a few games here though, mostly cause at this point why not.

Think some of that had to do with the shoulder injury and not having much of an offseason.

Savoie also put up a 2 PPG clip the second half of the year, a good chunk of it without Benson who was injured (which to me helped alleviate the concerns that he wasn’t just riding Bensons coattails).
- Swedish_Jesus

It's the playoffs that mostly concerned me, but the injuries have slowed him down a bit which is fair.

it really sucks heading east too.
- Hatboro_Swords

Tough on the legs? 😂

Adams isn’t messing around this year, business is important:

It's the playoffs that mostly concerned me, but the injuries have slowed him down a bit which is fair.
- Michael Ghofrani

Yeah I would have liked a better showing against Seattle despite them being overmatched talent wise.

Winnipeg was really Benson, Savoie, Geekie, and a bunch of overagers.