Meditate daily on the teachings and life of Jesus

At church yesterday, Pastor Dan Brockway shared Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s Rule of Life. The first item was "Meditate daily on the teachings and life of Jesus".

I pulled out my NRSV "seminary Bible" to see how many pages long Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, and Acts was. In that edition it was 200 pages.

So, to get through those five books in a year, all you need to read is a little over one half of a page per day.

To get through them twice, you need to read one page per day and two pages on Sunday.

As I look to revamp some of my daily practices for 2024, that will probably be something that I look at adding to my routines. 

Labels and Grades

 

We live in a time where people are labelled and choose labels all the time. The NFL is no different. And some of the conversations about the Bills draft class is being driven by labels and how people feel about them.

When it comes to first round pick Dalton Kincaid, there are a variety of labels being thrown around. And some of those labels are driven by preconceived notions about what fans and media believe the Bills need to take the next step in the AFC. Some are using the TE label to frame the conversation about the Kincaid pick in a negative light, especially with the presence of Dawson Knox on the roster. People that are excited about the pick might use the label "big slot" or "offensive weapon" when talking about Kincaid.

Personally, I watched the highlights of his performance against USC last season where he was targeted 16 times, made 16 catches, and had 234 receiving yards with a TD. In that video, you see Kincaid getting open from the slot, catching everything, and getting first down after first down, even when he caught the ball short of the sticks and had to make a play to get a first down. I do not expect Kincaid to step in as a rookie and look like a younger Travis Kelce. But, I am excited about the chance he has to team with Knox as a TE duo that will give the Bills options like New England had with Gronkowski and Hernandez and the Panthers had in Cam Newton's rookie year with Olsen and Shockey.

Another label that gets thrown around is "good value". This label came into play with the Bills second pick in Florida OG O'Cyrus Torrence. The Bills likely had an early to mid 2nd round grade on Torrence. The challenge for me is that value only matters if the player is a fit with what you do as a football team. Torrence adds depth at guard, that is for certain. The challenge is that he is not as nimble and athletic as the Bills like to have along the OL. So we will have to see how the three-way OG battle works out between now and week 1. Most people believe that it will be Torrence versus Ryan Bates for the starting RG spot. But, I could see things play out such that Bates and Torrence prove to be their two best guards and Connor McGovern is the guy that is on the sideline to start week one. 

After we get past the labels that are thrown around, we get the post-draft clickbait content of grades. Every website feels the need to put out draft grade and winners and losers articles as quickly as possible after each day of the draft. The challenge is that it is way too soon to know who is a winner and who is a loser. We don't know if Dorian Williams is just a Matt Milano backup and special teams player or if he can surprise everyone and be a reasonable MLB for the Bills as a rookie. We don't know if Dalton Kincaid can step in and get 90+ targets as a rookie and be the easy button for Ken Dorsey, Josh Allen, and the Bills offense. We don't know if their day three guys earn roster spots or if they get plucked off of the Bills practice squad.

All we know is that the Bills entered the draft with six picks, they were able to select six players, and they were able to add a pair of 2024 6th round picks. Having 9 picks, with a 10th in the 3rd round compensatory pick for losing Edmunds likely coming when the league assigns comp picks, in next year's draft gives Beane a few different options. The first is that it will give Beane ammo to be able to trade up in the first round in 2024. Beane has traded up in the first round to make 4 of his 6 first round selections (Allen, Edmunds, Elam, and Kincaid). The second will be if Beane wants to trade day 3 picks for immediate help at the trade deadline like he did getting Hines and Marlowe last season. 

I would be surprised if Beane took 10 players in the draft next year. But, he will always need to add young, cost controlled players as he navigates the cap crunch years as the Bills remain in their contender window. 

The 2028 reflection on the Bills 2023 draft class will depend on what the coaches and players are able to do together. If Dalton Kincaid turns into an elite TE and the Bills pick up his 5th year option, then his grade will be a solid one. If Torrence is a starter at guard and gets signed to a second contract, his grade will be a good one. If Williams turns into a starting LB, that pick will get an A+. If Justin Shorter turns into a Jake Kumerow or Trent Sherfield type STs contributor and depth WR on offense, that will be a solid B. If Shorter surprises people and turns into a big deep threat WR that catches everything, it will be an A+. You hope that Nick Broeker turns into the next Ike Boettger, that is a solid B. And if Alex Austin is the next day 3/UDFA CB that Sean McDermott and company turn into a serviceable NFL CB, that is a solid B.

But like almost everything in life, there are no guarantees. Kincaid and/or Torrence could be busts in the NFL. Broeker could get cut or turn into a 10 year NFL starter. That is why pro sports are fun. You never know how things will turn out on any given Thursday, Saturday, Sunday, or Monday.

Dreams vs Reality

 

With the 2023 NFL Draft kicking off this evening, I have been listening to a lot of Bills podcasts this morning. My favorite so far has been Bruce Nolan's episode from this morning. I enjoy the way that Bruce thinks about things like drafting and roster building in general. So, his thoughts about having limited draft resources and how to view WRs like Gabe Davis and Jalin Hyatt as deep threats and how you don't want deep threat WRs to get a lot of targets on offense. 

So, I am going to go with a few Bruce-isms or thoughts that have popped into my head after listening to Bruce talk about the Bills over the past year.

Disappointment = Expectations - Reality

This may be my favorite Bruce-ism of all time. And as we enter the draft, I think this is something to be mindful of. Especially since the Bills currently hold the 27th pick in the first round, along with five other picks.

To expect any single player to be available when the Bills are on the clock is setting yourself up for disappointment. Personally, I would love it if the Bills were able to draft Jaxon Smith-Njigba at 27. But, to expect that given that he is WR1 in this draft according to most people would be setting myself up for major disappointment.

I also am a big proponent for trading back and adding picks as I think the Bills could use more than 6 rookies on cheap contracts for both 2023 and beyond. But, I also know that Brandon Beane has never traded back in the 1st round and has traded up multiple times. So, if I am dead set on the Bills trading back and adding picks, I am also setting myself up for disappointment.

Since I do not enjoy being disappointed, I will try and be open to a variety of outcomes and not really expect any one or two things to happen. Part of that will also be not falling into the trap that I know everything about all the prospects and what the Bills should do. This mindset is driven by a thought that came from listening to Bruce this morning.

Limits

Bruce started his podcast with a wonderful analogy involving his dog Drax and how the Bills cannot come away with the best WR, a stud RT, a plug and play DT, a game changing RB, the next C after Mitch Morse is done, a starting MLB, and an answer to any other hole on the roster that a fan can think of. That is because the Bills have limited draft capital and that limits the things they can do over the next three days.

That made me think about how we as fans have limited information. We do not know what McDermott and the coaching staff have in mind with respect to how different prospects fit what they want to do next season. We also have no idea how much they want to evolve what they do on offense and defense.

The scheme evolution factors in on a few different conversations on both sides of the ball. On offense, the idea that the Bills could use 12 personnel more could lead them to look at a TE on day one or day two of the draft. Brandon Beane has talked about how they had Greg Olsen and Jeremy Shockey in Carolina and that gave Cam Newton easy options on offense. With this draft class having a lot of really good TE prospects, that could be something that the Bills look to address. But, we have limited information in that we don't know if the two TEs talk was a usual pre-draft smokescreen or if there is something there. We also don't have information on the type of TE that the Bills would like to add if they are looking to make that offensive change. Would a guy like Darnell Washington be their guy as the jumbo TE who can actually get out and catch the ball be what they look for to improve over the OTs they used in that role last year? Or do they wait and go with a beefed up WR type TE like Zack Kuntz later in the draft? 

On defense, we have no idea what the shift from Leslie Frazier to Sean McDermott will mean with regards to the types of players they want to add. With MLB being their most glaring hole among their starters on both sides of the ball, we don't know what kind of LB they want to add. Is it Jack Campbell who was a prototypical MLB at Iowa who called plays and made a boatload of tackles. Then you have Drew Sanders who was more of an edge rusher at Alabama before being a bit of an inside/outside LB at Arkansas. Sanders did not have the tackle volume that Campbell had in college, but he was much more effective at rushing the passer and many feel that his tape shows a more athletic LB than Campbell shows on tape. 

And then we have no idea how the Bills view their needs on the DL. With Von Miller coming off of an ACL tear suffering on Thanksgiving and recent draft picks not developing the way many had hoped, the Bills might look to add a DE edge rusher early. And then you get into what type of DE they would target. Is it the bigger edge setter like they have drafted recently? Or, would it be more of a bendy speed rusher like Von Miller is? When it comes to DT, do they want a 3Tech to replace Ed Oliver after this season to get cheaper? Do they want a 1Tech to replace DaQuan Jones since he is on the last year of his deal, as well? Are they going to try and add a DT that has positional flexibility to contribute at either spot? Or, do they expect to go with the smallest LB group in the NFL with Matt Milano at WLB and  Terrel Bernard at MLB? That could lead the Bills to want to bulk up at DT.

But as fans, we lack real information from the people that matter.

Accepting differences of opinion

Aaron Quinn of Cover1 recently tweeted out that the Bills like Gabe Davis more than fans do. I replied that the Bills like Spencer Brown more than the fans do. I have argued with people about drafting a TE early and using more 12 personnel. I have also argued with people about whether drafting a RB like Bijan Robinson would be a good idea.

At the end of the day, there will be differences of opinion between fans, media, and the Bills themselves. 

For instance, I was not thrilled with the Terrel Bernard pick last year. But, I did like the Elam, Cook, and Shakir picks. And I am sure that Beane was pretty happy with everyone they picked when the draft concluded. 

To limit my disappointment at the end of the weekend, I will try and be accepting that there will be differences of opinion.

Be open to a variety of scenarios

With the Bills having six picks and none before the 27th selection tonight, it is a good idea to be open to a variety of scenarios.

If you get locked into something like "Jack Campbell or bust!!!!!" and some team surprises everyone and takes Jack Campbell in the top 15, you are going to have major disappointment. If you want the Bills to trade for DeAndre Hopkins and he gets dealt to the Ravens or Giants or Patriots, you are going to be crushed.

To avoid that, I would suggest that being open to a variety of options is the best way to go. I believe there are a variety of ways that this draft could go that would be really good for the Bills.

Obviously if a player like Jaxon Smith-Njigba falls and Beane is able to land him either by moving up or staying at 27, that will be a great start to the draft and Bills Mafia will be jacked up.

Taking a guy to fill the hole at MLB will be more polarizing. As will almost every single guy that the Bills are likely to take at 27. 

I think I would be open to more scenarios than most. I would love a short to intermediate 7-11 (always open) WR at 27. I would like a TE like Michael Mayer, Dalton Kinkaid, or Darnell Washington at 27. I would be cautiously optimistic about a Bijan Robinson pick at 27 were he to fall. I would get excited about a Darnell Wright pick to potentially improve at RT. I wouldn't mind a DT like Mazi Smith or Keanu Benton. 

And I would love a trade back involving Arizona where the Bills landed DeAndre Hopkins for moving back and out of the first round.

Analyzing > Hypothesizing 

And the final thing that I have settled on is that analyzing the moves that the Bills will actually make is way better than hypothesizing what they could possibly do.

I have been a mock draft simulator junkie for a while. It is fun for me to play virtual GM and do a variety of things. And as a member of #TeamTradeBack, I love mock draft simulators that allow me to trade back a lot and add a lot of picks. As anyone who likes playing around with mock draft simulators knows, more picks equal more fun.

But, with all of that hypothesizing comes expectations. And as Bruce Nolan loves to say Disappointment = Expectations - Reality. But since I do not like to be disappointed, I need to try and hypothesize a little less and be patient. This weekend will be over soon and we can then move on to analyzing the moves that Brandon Beane and company made. 

And hopefully those moves will lead to hypothesizing about Super Bowl parade routes from Buffalo to Orchard Park this winter.

The shows do not have to go on

 

Last night was supposed to be one of the best Monday Night Football matchups in recent memory. Then on a seemingly normal play, everything changed when Damar Hamlin stumbled to the turf.

Now the questions are about what will happen next. The idea that the show must go on is a false one. The world will not stop if the Bills and Bengals are given time to heal from the trauma that they experienced last night.

It would be unprecedented to have the game be a no contest. It would be unprecedented for the Buffalo Bills to not play again this season.

But as Damar Hamlin lies in a Cincinnati hospital in critical condition from an injury suffered in front of all of his teammates and brothers, we are living through an unprecedented situation.

Having a human response and saying that the show cannot go on is what would be best from so many of the people that have been emotionally affected by what occurred last night. 

Actions speak louder than words. It is time for people to prove through their actions that games played to entertain people are not more important than true matters of life and death. 

Cottage season marshmallows

We are in the part of the NHL off season where a lot of the decision makers are taking time off at their vacation homes in cottage country. So, now that the vast majority of off season moves have been made by the Sabres, it is a good time to throw some random thoughts about where the roster stands today and what we can look forward to in the 2022-23 season for the Sabres.

• I am more optimistic about the Sabres goalie situation today than I was when they announced the re-signing of Craig Anderson. Leading into free agency, the news was that Jack Campbell was signing a 5 year deal in Edmonton and Darcy Kuemper was signing a 5 year deal in Washington. So, with the two biggest names in goal off the market, Eric Comrie was the one guy left that I was hoping the Sabres could get. Shortly after signing, Comrie went on a media tour including the InGoal Radio podcast and Sabres Live with Duffer & Marty Biron. Comrie comes across as a "good vibes" guy and a cerebral goalie that is looking forward to getting a shot to be the #1 in the NHL. Having turned pro with the Winnipeg Jets one year after Connor Hellebuyck. That unfortunate timing has led to Comrie never really getting a shot. It is not a lock that Comrie will be the short term answer in goal, but I like the roll of the dice given the two year deal that he got. 
• The battle for roster spots on the wings will be really interesting with Jack Quinn and JJ Peterka looking ready for NHL duty and the Sabres re-signing Vinnie Hinostroza and not trading away any wingers in a quantity for quality trade means that a veteran winger like Hinostroza or Girgensons will be a healthy scratch with Anders Bjork if everyone is healthy and Quinn and Peterka are in the lineup.
• The center position will be really interesting to watch. Tage Thompson might be the only guy that you can write in pen into a center spot. Dylan Cozens, Casey Mittelstadt, Peyton Krebs, Zemgus Girgensons, and Rasmus Asplund are all guys that could be centers or wingers, depending on what Don Granato wants to do. If they go with Thompson, Cozens, and Mittelstadt at center, the last center spot will be really interesting to watch. Is it Girgensons? Or, do they go without a traditional 4th line center and play Krebs at center? Another option could be to give Cozens the defensive/energy type role given that he did play well last season matching up with McDavid and Matthews.
• Who steps up as the other top four defenseman will be interesting. Rasmus Dahlin, Owen Power, and Mattias Samuelsson are expected to be three of the top four D on the Sabres this season. Whether it is Henri Jokiharju or free agent signing Ilya Lyubushkin who is in the top four as Power's partner will be interesting to watch. I expect that Jokiharju gets the first shot in that role. But, I could also see a scenario where Lyubushkin is that guy given that he has more experience and would be more defensively minded.
• Kevyn Adams is being more patient than a lot of Sabres fans are. The latest Instigators podcast had the guys from the Expected Buffalo podcast on to talk about when will Adams shift gears and be more proactive in building a roster to compete for the playoffs. It was a very interesting conversation. I think a lot of the fans that are accepting of the patient approach this off season are expecting that Adams is more proactive next summer. But, with the first of back-to-back off seasons with major RFAs to re-sign, I would not expect it, either. Next summer, the Sabres have Tage Thompson, Dylan Cozens, Rasmus Asplund, and Mattias Samuelsson hitting RFA. The summer of 2024 will see Rasmus Dahlin, Owen Power, Henri Jokiharju, Jacob Bryson, Casey Mittelstadt, and Peyton Krebs hitting RFA and Eric Comrie hitting UFA. So, I could see Adams waiting until the summer of 2024 to make major moves unless he is able to get guys like Dahlin and Power locked up long term a year early.
• I know lots of fans looked at what Ottawa and Detroit did this off season and they are jealous. I get it. There was a part of me that wanted Adams to do more. And I would still like him to sign Johan Larsson to fill that 4th line center role. But, I do think that the patient approach that Adams has taken so far is the right one for the Sabres right now. While a lot of Sabres fans would eat the marshmallow in the marshmallow test, I am betting that Kevyn Adams would wait.

Some random Sabres thoughts after the draft and before Free Agency starts

 

A bunch of random thoughts after the NHL Draft and with Free Agency starting in a few days:

- With three first round picks, you expect that the knee jerk draft grades are going to be good for the Sabres. And they were. 

- I think I was the most excited about Jiri Kulich falling to the Sabres at 28 when looking at the three first round picks.

- I liked the three first round picks overall. The Sabres added a lot of skill and offensive upside. 

- The few nit picks I have with this draft class are the concerns about Savoie's concussion/injury history, I wasn't thrilled with them taking Leinonen where they did, and I think they could have used 1 or 2 more defensemen in this class.

- I really love how open and honest Jerry Forton is during his post-draft media availability. Him getting choked up when asked about Kevyn Adams as the leader of the front office was heartwarming, as well. 

- It really is too bad that Matt Murray wouldn't waive his No Trade Clause to come to Buffalo. Moving up from 16 to 7 in the first round would have been fun. And he would at least give the Sabres an NHL goalie for the next two years, even if he is vastly overpaid.

- Some people were surprised that the Sabres kept all 11 of their picks. But, given the influence of the analytics department, that didn't shock me. 

- I also don't get why people think that the Leinonen pick meant anything to UPL, Portillo, or Levi. Goalies usually take around 4 to 5 seasons post-draft to make it to the NHL. This is a long development play pick and shouldn't affect things in Rochester or Buffalo for a number of seasons. And given that this is the first goalie selected since Adams became GM, you could argue that a goalie pick was overdue.

- It is way too soon to grade the picks. Given how things have gone since Adams coming on board, I am tempering my reaction to some of the picks that I have not excited about. But, I really only had a thumbs down reaction to taking Leinonen in the 2nd round with a lot of good defensemen still on the board. But, I understand the Sabres thought process as Forton expressed in the media availability. They had Leinonen as the best goalie in the class by a wide margin and they had a first round grade on him. It sounded like they could have taken him at 28 if Kulich hadn't fallen to that pick. Personally, I am worried that they drafted a guy that is big in a time when skating, athleticism, and reading the game are becoming more and more important. But, goalies are extremely hard to scout. So, I just have to hope that he does work out in the long run. 

- Biro and Bryson getting re-signed to two year deals was a nice bit of work. And the Sabres gave their four remaining RFAs their qualifying offers, as expected.

- It will be really interesting to see what the Sabres do to fill out the two or three holes they have in their goalie depth chart. Re-signing UPL is a foregone conclusion. Malcolm Subban has been hanging out with Sabres teammates ever since the trade and through this past weekend. It seems inevitable that they re-sign him as a depth guy that will spend most of the season in Rochester. And nobody will be surprised if Houser re-signs to be the ECHL/AHL guy. The huge question is who can they add to the top of the goalie depth chart. It seems like a lot of people are guessing that Eric Comrie might be the guy they go after in FA and guys like James Reimer or Adin Hill might be on their radar if they go the trade route. I just hope that they don't give up a 2nd round pick for a guy who is a UFA next summer.

- Another thing to watch is what will they do on defense, especially RHD, this off season. PK Subban is a name that has been thrown around a lot. Especially given how well his brother has fit into the Sabres locker room since being acquired last season. Jan Rutta would bring serious playoff experience if they go in another direction.

- Kevyn Adams talked about being patient after day 2 of the draft. I am going to expect that the Sabres won't be as aggressive as a sizable segment of the fanbase and local media will want. But given where this team is in regards to their building process, that is fine with me. Patience is a virtue.

- I will likely get tired of the "Process" talk before too long. It's easy to talk about trusting a process that has resulted in way more results than the Sabres have had over the past decade. I am more hopeful about this front office than the two prior administrations. But, if this team isn't a playoff contender in 2023-24, patience will start to wear thin.

Some random Sabres thoughts ahead of the NHL Draft

 

The 2022 NHL Draft is one of the most wide open drafts in recent memory for a variety of reasons. The biggest factor is the ongoing impact on the development of players due to the COVID pandemic. The OHL taking the entire 2020-21 season off negatively impacted the development of all the OHL prospects, most notably Shane Wright. The other major issue affecting this draft is the uncertainty of what is going on in Russia and how that could affect the long term availability of Russian prospects that are not already playing in North America. The news of Flyers prospect goalie Ivan Fedotov being arrested for evading mandatory military service after signing with the Flyers and wanting to move to North America for the 2022-23 season will likely cause more than a few NHL teams to avoid drafting Russian players in the 2022 Draft.

How I Look At Players

Most people that look at prospects and drafting have some guidelines they like to use when valuing players and deciding who to take. For me, I like players that are hard to play against, have solid intangibles, and contribute to a relatively balanced prospect pipeline.

Hard to play against

When a lot of people think about players that are hard to play against, they simply think of players with a physical edge to their game, like Tom Wilson. For me, there are multiple ways that a player can be hard to play against. The easiest example is a player like Connor McDavid. McDavid is not the most physical player in NHL history. But, he is the hardest player to play against today because of his speed across the board from the way he processes the game, his skating ability, and his hands that allow him to make high level plays at high rates of speed.

You can also think about individual skills that contribute to a player being hard to play against like Victor Olofsson's shot. 

Solid intangibles

The "vibes" surrounding the Sabres and Kevyn Adams focusing on things like grit, mental toughness, and work ethic lead me to believe that the Sabres value intangibles as much, or maybe more, as I do. The big reason that intangibles are important to me is the fact that being an impactful NHL player is as much, or more, about things like work ethic than pure skill. Yes, there needs to be a requisite level of skill for a player to be an NHLer. But, the desire to be their best and to be willing to sacrifice to be the best player they can be is a defining attribute of the elite in the game.

If a player has talent and not the right intangibles, I would rather that another team rolls the dice on that player.

Balanced pipeline 

Some people are of the opinion that you always take the Best Player Available and worry about balancing out a roster down the line. I understand why some people have that attitude, but I do believe that you need to balance things out to some extent and not leave yourself completely bereft of prospects in a single area.

My approach to the 2022 Draft if I were the Sabres GM

- I would make four picks in the top 41. The Sabres currently hold picks 9, 16, 28, and 41 in the first two rounds of the 2022 Draft. I would make 4 picks in the top 41 given the depth of talent in this draft. Basically, this is saying that I would not use the 41st overall pick to trade up in the first round just to get a guy that is falling. With 11 overall picks in the draft, I would be open to moving a later pick or two in order to move up to get a guy like the Sabres did to get Peterka in 2020.

- The Sabres need to take a goalie somewhere in the 2022 Draft. Talking about balancing the pipeline, the Sabres are really thin when it comes to goalie prospects. They will get even thinner if Erik Portillo does walk as a UFA next summer. So, Kevyn Adams should take his first goalie ever as a Sabres GM.

- I would roll the dice on one "risky" pick in the first round. I would prefer that they wait until the 28th pick to do so, but I would put guys like Lane Hutson, Jagger Firkus, or Brad Lambert in the "roll of the dice" bucket at 28.

- Trust your board and be open to moving up or down. There is a reason that the Sabres have scouts and they put in work all year long. 

Guys I Like At...

9th Overall

- If one of the top five prospects fall to 9th overall, don't even think about it. If Wright, Slafkovsky, Cooley, Nemec, or Jiricek are there at 9, it should be a no brainer.

- Best Center Available - Kasper, Savoie, or Nazar are the three most likely center prospects that might be there at 9. Cutter Gauthier is a guy that has played a lot of wing and may play center in college that could be in the mix at 9, as well.

- I would not be mad at a pick like Kemell or Lekkerimaki at 9. But, I feel like the Sabres have plenty of high end wing prospects and could use help up the middle or at RHD way more.

- I also would not be mad if the Sabres were to take the best LHD possible as they may be able to take the best LHD prospect in this draft at 9.

16th Overall

- Obviously if one of the guys that I liked at 9 were still there at 16, you take them. This draft is so wide open that I think there is a good chance that the Sabres really like two guys at 9 and the one that they don't take is still there at 16.

- Best NTDP forward possible - I like a lot of the guys in this year's US National Team Development Program class of prospects. I would be OK with any of the likely first round guys from the NTDP at 16.

- Djurgarden is another program with multiple guys slated to go in the first round. I would not be upset if the Sabres were to take one of the Djurgarden forwards at 16.

- You could also see the Sabres go with either a LHD or a RHD in this spot. If they take a guy in the mid-first round, I would hope that he is a guy who has a high hockey IQ.

28th Overall

- This is where the gambling season should take place. Whether that is a guy like Lane Hutson or Jagger Firkus who have the  major knock is that they are undersized, one of the top Russians in the draft, or maybe the most polarizing player in the draft in Brad Lambert.

- If they went forward-forward at 9 & 16, I would go Best D Possible in this spot.

Random thoughts

- I will be unhappy if they take Brad Lambert and Connor Geekie with their top two picks. While Lambert has an enticing speed+skill package, there are questions about both his hockey IQ and his intangibles. Those are two things that I really value and it would make it hard for me to get excited if the Sabres took Lambert before the 28th pick. And the issue I have in Connor Geekie is that he seems like a guy with a power forward body who plays a bit of a small guy perimeter game and is not as hard to play against as he could, or should, be.

- It will be really intriguing to see if the Sabres are a team that is willing to take Russians in this draft. The Sabres took five Russians in the 2021 Draft after not taking a Russian-based player of note in a really long time. There is talk that 10+ teams are unwilling to draft Russians in this class. With 11 picks, the Sabres might be able to get some real value if they are one of the teams that take Russian players.

- Another area where the Sabres could get some value is in the sub-6'2" goalie department. There are some teams that will not scout goalie prospects that are not at least 6'2" tall. But, with the Sabres trading for sub-6'2" Devon Levi last year, that might not be a barrier to the Sabres taking a goalie. Going off of Central Scouting's list, you have Hugo Havelid, Dylan Silverstein, and plenty of others that fail to crack that 6'2" mark. Havelid had a strong U18 championship backstopping Team Sweden. He could be a nice mid-round goalie pick for the Sabres.

- How will analytics impact the Sabres approach to the draft? Whether it is Will Scouch's rankings or these rankings from Byron Bader at HockeyProsecting.com, there are plenty of people looking analytically in new and unique ways. With the Sabres expanded analytics department, I wonder how that impacts their approach to the draft.

Bottom Line:

The draft should be fun. Even if the Sabres don't take all the guys I want where they pick, I do hope that they turn into quality NHLers and help contribute to the Sabres getting back into the playoffs soon.

What Kevyn Adams looks for in a future Sabre

 

In the opening of the Sabres: Embedded 2020 video about the NHL Draft where the Buffalo Sabres drafted Jack Quinn and JJ Peterka, there was a definition shown of the Sabres philosophy and a definition of "What Is A Sabre." As we head into a very important off season for GM Kevyn Adams and the Buffalo Sabres, I think it is a good time to take a look at this definition, the types of players that Adams has targeted as GM, and help form a better idea of what Adams could do both at the draft and in the prime roster forming season through the first two weeks of the new league year.

The way I read this definition, it looks like it was, "A Buffalo Sabre is an athlete that is intentional with his habits on and off the ice, driven to grow and improve on whatever challenges and adversity are presented. Through grit and mental toughness, a Buffalo Sabre will be unselfish, resilient and compete to get better everyday, with the goal of winning a Stanley Cup Championship."

Over two drafts, here are the picks that Kevyn Adams and his team have drafted:

Of those 15 picks, they have selected 9 players that are listed as either LW or RW, 4 centers, 2 LHD, 1 RHD, and no goalies. They have also picks 6 Canadians, 4 Russians, 3 Swedes, 1 Finn, 1 German, and 1 Czech. With this year's first round having a lot of US National Team Development players in it, we may see a change in direction from the Sabres when it comes to not drafting Americans.

Although, there are plenty of Canadian, Swedish, and Russians that will be in the mix at all three of their draft slots.

Some of the challenges with taking this information and trying to predict what the Sabres will look for both at the draft and in trades and free agency is that a lot of the traits of the prototypical Buffalo Sabre are not things that you can really see watching video of games or even read about in all the articles that will be out there.

We have seen that the Sabres put a priority this past year on guys that fit in the locker room and are good teammates. And having a growth mindset and a strong off ice work ethic are traits that are not as easy for fans to identify as being a fast skater or having a hard shot.

Some draft trends that I expect to change will be a move to add centers, RHD, and hopefully adding a goalie. With reports that Kevyn Adams was following a group of the top US National Team Development players during the workout portion of the NHL Draft Scouting Combine, I would be mildly surprised if Adams does not take the first American during his time as GM.

And when it comes to building out the NHL roster, I do expect that we will see a focus on character more than pure hockey talent. There are rumors that the Sabres do have a desire to sign Jack Campbell and PK Subban as free agents. Both Campbell and Subban are known to be good teammates. So, along with addressing needs in goal and at RHD on the NHL roster, one would expect that they would add to the already strong culture of vibes that we saw from the Sabres this past season.

While plenty of fans will be focused on adding hockey talent through the draft, trades, and free agency, we can see that there are other factors that Adams takes into consideration before making a player a Buffalo Sabre.

Dear Lacrosse, ________ .

Dear Lacrosse,

Thank you.

Four years ago, Nate was the only kid that was willing to hop in the cage for his Gates Chili Modified Boys Lacrosse team. Little did we know where things would go from there. As I sit here typing out this letter after his Senior Varsity Lacrosse season at Gates Chili has come to an end, I have nothing but gratitude to the game and feel so lucky about all the coaches, teammates, officials, and parents that we have interacted with over the last four years. I also feel so blessed that Nate will have great coaches and teammates to help him on his college journey at Morrisville State College.

Lacrosse is known as a white, upper class sport. But, I am thankful for the diversity of teammates that Nate has had throughout his time at Gates Chili. The eight seniors on the Spartans lacrosse team this year represent that diversity well. There are four white players, including Nate, in the Spartans lacrosse class of 2022. But, there is also a player who is Vietnamese, a player that is Turkish, a player with Native American ancestry, and a player who is half African-American and half European-Canadian. 

The starting defensive unit of three longpoles and the goalie had a similar mix. This time it was two white players, the half African-American and half European-Canadian, and a Latino player.

There is also diversity in ways that don't show up in pictures or on questionnaires about diversity. One family on senior night required an American Sign Language interpreter, for instance. And another senior has two LGBTQIA+ siblings.

I also know that Nate's future team will have diversity, as well. While checking the roster for other Rochester area players, it was awesome to see that the two Section V players on this year's roster were African-American. 

I am thankful that lacrosse provided a way to show Mrs. Swiech that Nate and Ty are doing great. She was the reading resource teacher at their elementary school. With Nate and Ty getting ready to graduate and play lacrosse in college starting in the fall, I tried to let her know how they were doing. She was able to make it to one of their games and get a picture with them after the game. It was great to give her that memory.

I am thankful that Nate has an idol like Blaze Riorden. I am extremely thankful that Nate was able to work with Blaze for three days after the PLL stop in Albany last year with Joe Walter's Dream Big camp here in Rochester. I am sure that helped contribute to Nate's great performance in goal during his senior season.

I am thankful that we could get back to this before games this season. After not allowing this pre-game tradition due to COVID in 2020, Nate enjoyed this pre-game ritual. I enjoyed watching Nate slap five with the other goalie and then sprint to his cage and go through his little routine that was likely partially inspired by Blaze's pre-game routine.

I am thankful for Nate's favorite season yet. And I am thankful for the memories that I am sure will come in the future.

A thank you card from a ref to a lacrosse team

 Here is the handwritten Thank You note that my son received after his varsity lacrosse game tonight. It was too good not to share:

5/12/22

Dear men,

I am requesting that your goalie read this to you all, with my deep appreciation and thankfulness for your time and attention.

Just over 50 years ago, I too was chasing after loose balls, fast attackmen, and attempting to pass the ball to "someone who could do something with it," in practices and Monroe County games. It was and still is a fast and exciting game no matter the changes in rules, technology of the equipment and coaching acumen. 

Your goalie, greets us, officials, after being scored upon with the phrase, "Thank you for being an official." It is very generous and unselfish of him and as a leader of your team reflects well upon all of you!

I wish to thank all of you for your efforts, sportsmanship, love for teammate and team and love and honor of "the game."

Lacrosse and spring are always special times to me... New life, unlimited potential and possibilities, the crisp cold weather giving way to warm sunny days and cool pleasant nights, the exhilaration of the face-off, the fast break, a great outlet pass or stick check! As my strength, speed and vigor begin to leave me I smile and remain happy that the game will be in good hands with you gentlemen. Please consider reffing after your playing days come to an end.

With much gratitude,

A very old ref

God bless. 

Next team up

This is the off season where I am replacing my favorite NFL team. Like so many coaches talk about when an injury occurs, I am using a "next team up" attitude to this decision. 

As a kid growing up in Western New York, I should have been a Buffalo Bills fan. My dad has been a Bills fans all my life. It would have made sense. Watching the Sabres on channel 2 was the reason I am a lifelong Sabres fan. But, for some reason, John Riggins and the Hogs caught my attention as a kid and the team from the nation's capital was my favorite team growing up. But, because they were both my dad's favorite team and the home area team, the Bills were always my second favorite NFL team.

I am not a fan of bandwagon fans that hop from team to team to follow a winner. I have been a Sabres fans my whole life and that will likely never change. The same goes for the Philadephia 76ers and the New York Yankees. I was a Yankee fan as a kid during the Dave Winfield and Don Mattingly years. So, that was as far from a bandwagon thing as you could get. I have been a Sixers fan starting with Dr. J, through the Barkley years, through the AI years, through The Process years, until today. I don't like jumping off a bandwagon because a team is down. My favorite college football and basketball teams have been down for years. But, I don't have teams that I root for instead of Nebraska and Georgetown. 

But, this is different.

There are two main reasons why I am no longer a Washington fan and they lie at the feet of owner Dan Snyder. First, I grew tired of the stubbornness that Snyder had with regards to changing the team nickname. I don't get why people fight so hard to hold onto racist team logos and nicknames. As a 1992 graduate of Jamestown High School, I am proud of how the district has been moving away from the logo that was used when I was in school. But, there are tons of people that still don't get it. Snyder finally decided to change things, but it was after I decided that I was done with the team as long as he was owner.

The straw that broke the camel's back with me were the reports of the horrible #MeToo treatment of the team's cheerleaders. As a father, husband, and son, I could not support a team that would treat women in that manner. So, I was done.

Then I debated for a few years which team to make my new team. It really came down to two teams for me. It was the Cleveland Browns and the Buffalo Bills. Cleveland was in the mix as another team without recent success, but some hope of being good one day. But some time during last season, I could no longer resist the urge to go next team up and hop on the Bills bandwagon. I think my almost 18 year old son getting more into the Bills was what put me over the edge. 

And even after making the switch, I was still worried about the bandwagon jumping angle to things. But, one Twitter interaction made me OK with things. One of my fraternity brothers from college replied to a comment about my dilemma. He said that he never remembered me being a Bills hater 25-30 years ago, so he was signing off on the mood.

So, all that is left to say is Go Bills!

What is freedom of speech?

It has been interesting to see the reaction to the news that Elon Musk has purchased Twitter and plans to take it private. It seems like many believe that Elon's belief that Twitter is the world's public square and that he believes in the freedom of speech to mean that Twitter will allow any and every kind of speech moving forward. I am resisting any sort of kneejerk reaction one way or the other and instead am focused on a few things that Elon has said are in his plans for the platform.

This one sentence from Elon's official release on the purchase intrigues me as a Software Systems Engineer:

“I also want to make Twitter better than ever by enhancing the product with new features, making the algorithms open source to increase trust, defeating the spam bots, and authenticating all humans.”

The first question becomes what new features could bubble up to the top of the priority list for the "Open under new management" Twitter? I know plenty of people are hoping for an edit feature. Elon talked about the trickiness of an edit feature and perhaps needing to limit it to tweets that have yet to be retweeted or responded to. I also wonder if you could see users being able to turn on a delayed send feature so that people have a bigger window to edit. I am sure plenty of users who race to get their takes out there wouldn't turn on something like that. But, for users that would really use the edit button a lot, a one minute delay on publishing tweets might not be a bad idea. Kind of like the 5 second delay to allow for the use of a dump button for live radio and TV.

The publishing of the Twitter algorithms to GitHub for public review is the one feature I see having the most potential for good and for bad. Opening up the algorithm for feedback would likely be a net good thing. But, there will be people that will take advantage of the access to learn how to game Twitter. But, I think this would have the potential to be the biggest gamechanger when it comes to social media platforms in general as I could see Twitter being used as an example to get companies like Meta and Snap to open up their algorithms for review. I could also see those other companies doubling down on keeping their code private.

I will lump defeating spam bots and authenticating all humans into one bucket. These are the things that I believe have the most potential for good on Twitter. I also believe that this has the most potential to disappoint the people that are celebrating Elon buying Twitter. When the bot farms who are designed to cause in-fighting amongst people go quiet, people may be surprised to find out what sources they trusted have been silenced. I will also laugh at the people that will be upset by the silencing of the bot farms. People will really be telling on themselves when that happens.

Personally, I will stay on Twitter because I have crafted the way I use it in such a way that it is a net positive for me and I really doubt that Elon buying it will change my experience in any meaningful way.

Unless all the people that are freaking out about Twitter moving to a subscription service are correct...

How long does it take for a goalie prospect to be an NHLer?

 The Sabres have a lot of work to do this off season when it comes to addressing their needs in goal for the Sabres and Amerks next season. While listening to The Instigator Podcast yesterday, they talked about whether trading for a goalie like John Gibson would cause issues in signing Erik Portillo and Devon Levi after next season. Gibson is signed through the 2026-27, so that could potentially impact their decisions.

But that got me thinking about how long does it usually take goalie prospects to develop into NHL netminders?

So, I looked at the top 15 goalies in NHL games played this season and then built a table to figure out how long it took from their draft year to when they first played 20 NHL games and then 50 NHL games. I also looked at how long it took Linus Ullmark, Ryan Miller, and Martin Biron took to see if the numbers lined up.

This table shows the range of development time from how long it took Marc-Andre Fleury to go from the 1st overall pick in the 2003 draft to the #1 goalie for the Penguins to the long and winding road it took Philipp Grubauer to get his first NHL season with 50 games played.

It was interesting to see that the numbers for the top 15 goalies were similar to the three Sabres goalies I looked at.

So, what does this mean for Portillo and Levi?

With Erik Portillo being drafted in 2019, this data would say that if he follows an average development timeline that he would play 20+ games in the 2023-24 season and 50+ games in the 2025-26 season.

And with Devon Levi being drafted in 2020, this data would say that if he follows an average development timeline that he would play 20+ games in the 2024-25 season and 50+ games in the 2026-27 season.

So, while John Gibson's contract with five years remaining on it would more than likely be an issue with how quickly we can expect Portillo and Levi to develop, if the Sabres were to acquire an NHL #1 that is under contract for two or three years would not appear to be an issue.

But like most things like this, actual results will vary.

How can the Sabres stay healthier and better support their goalies moving forward?

 Not only am I a Buffalo Sabres fan, but two areas of great interest to me are goaltending and strength and conditioning. I am not only a beer league goalie, but I have worked with youth hockey goalies as my kids grew up in youth hockey, and two of my kids have played goalie at different times in their youth hockey careers. So, I have viewed the position from about as many different angles as possible.

With the Sabres having zero goalies under contract for the 2022-23 season, one goalie under team control for next season in pending Restricted Free Agent Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen, and two goalies on their reserve list in Devon Levi and Eric Portillo, they have a lot of work to do to fill out their NHL, AHL, and ECHL goalie depth, along with a need to strengthen their goalie prospect pipeline.

But rather than contemplate what goalies the Sabres should sign, trade for, or draft this off season, I am going to look at another thing that the Sabres could do to improve the goalie position. The InGoal Radio podcast interview with Sabres goalie development coach Seamus Kotyk from earlier this season allowed fans to take a look behind the curtain of what the Sabres do to support their goalie prospects. My big suggestion would be for the Sabres to follow a trend around the league and build a Goalie Department of Excellence. The Florida Panthers hired Roberto Luongo to head up their goalie department. I think the best candidate for the Sabres to hire would follow a similar path as the Luongo hiring in Florida.

Ryan Miller is the perfect fit for the role with the Sabres. In Ryan Miller's most recent interview on the InGoal Radio podcast, he talked about his transition from his playing career to what he wants to do next. Miller was originally named as the goalie coach for team USA at the Olympics when NHLers were going to participate in the tournament. This was not a traditional goalie coaching job as it was more about trying to help pick the right three goalies for Team USA and providing as much support as was needed in a short tournament with goalies already playing at the highest level. But, I think this is the type of higher level thinking that a head of a goalie department for an NHL team needs. And if you have listened to either of Ryan Miller's InGoal interviews, you can see how deeply Miller thinks about the position and how he approached the game.

We also know that Ryan Miller still has a big place in his heart for the Sabres organization. Not only did he pull out some old Reebok Sabres gear to record his video tribute for RJ Night, but he also worked with the Sabres social media team to record an amazing "Welcome to Buffalo" video for when Owen Power was drafted first overall in the 2021 Draft. The fact that Miller, a member of the first family of Michigan State hockey, did that for a guy being drafted from the Michigan Wolverines just added to how special that truly was.

So, this wouldn't just be about getting a former player to come back into the organization for nostalgia. I truly believe that Ryan Miller would be a great hire for a job that would have a huge positive influence on the Sabres organization.

Another piece to the goalie development puzzle that I think would be great would be if they added a strength and conditioning coach that is a goalie development specialist. Adam Francilia and Maria Mountain are two of the top coaches in the game when it comes to goalie development and would make great additions to the Sabres organization. Mountain has worked with the Sabres as a guest coach at development camp in the past.

The Sabres need to invest in the goalie position in more ways than just adding players to their organization. And I think this is an approach that could yield a ton of dividends moving forward.

Keeping guys healthy

One of the big issues this season has been the volume and length of injuries to players both in Buffalo and Rochester. Sabres GM Kevyn Adams has talked about how he will look at what they can do to improve in that area, including talking to people with the Buffalo Bills about what they do. Over the past few years, the Bills have been one of the healthiest teams in the NFL. So, the stark contrast in injuries between the two teams is interesting given all the shared resources they have.

If it were up to me, the first person I would consult would be Mike Boyle. Boyle is one of the most well respected experts in ice hockey strength and conditioning. He has a long career both in the private sector and working for teams. He has been the head strength and conditioning coach for Boston University, the Boston Bruins, and various USA Hockey national teams, including the women's national team at the most recent Olympics.

I would not expect Mike to leave the Boston area. But, I would pick his brain for who would be the best fit for the job. One name that I would expect him to put out there would be Brijesh Patel who is the long time director of athletic performance at Quinnipiac University. Patel has been the strength coach for the Bobcats men's hockey team as they have grown into a top tier program in ECAC Hockey and the NCAA. Patel is a guy that gets overlooked and underestimated because he didn't play the game and doesn't look the part. But, I think that is the type of person the Sabres should be looking to add. Patel would also fit in well with an organization that is all about player development given his long tenure working with college athletes.

The Sabres need to be willing to improve how they do things. I believe that hiring Boyle, Patel, or another coach in the Mike Boyle strength and conditioning coaching tree would be a great move forward for the Sabres.

Keep the good vibes going - 5 big questions for the Sabres leading into the 2022-23 season

In the past, I have talked about the need to make the Sabres fun again. Well, with a win over Jack Eichel and the Vegas Golden Knights, RJ Night, and the best March record in I don't know how long, the Sabres are fun again. Some people have talked about the path this team was on and that they could be like this year's Detroit Red Wings next season with the expected arrival of Owen Power, Jack Quinn, and perhaps JJ Peterka to go with a largely young and hungry roster with potential. But, if you look at the standings today, the Sabres are tied with the Red Wings with 61 points this season. Although, Detroit does have a game in hand. Lots of Sabres fans are looking to what does GM Kevyn Adams do this summer with both the NHL roster, but also the prospect pipeline. 

Here are my random questions and thoughts about what could be in the offing for the Sabres and the good vibes train.

Will Adams be aggressive this offseason?

The biggest question that will be answered is how aggressive will Kevyn Adams be in trying to improve the roster? Or, will Adams take a more patient approach and lean heavily on retaining a few UFAs and looking for growth from players and prospects that are already on the roster and in the system?

With Kevyn Adams showing interest in re-signing both Vinny Hinostroza and Craig Anderson, I wonder if Adams will be more patient than Tim Murray was late in the 2014-15 season and in the summer of 2015. Sabres fans will remember the ill-fated decisions to trade for Evander Kane and Zach Bogosian from Winnipeg, Ryan O'Reilly from Colorado, and Robin Lehner from Ottawa in an attempt to speed up the Sabres rebuild with Sam Reinhart and Jack Eichel in the fold. 

With Rasmus Dahlin looking like a true #1 defenseman, Tage Thompson having a 30 goal season, Jack Quinn and JJ Peterka tearing up the AHL, Owen Power likely turning pro after this weekend's Frozen Four, so many other young players taking steps forward, having up to three first round picks in the 2022 Draft, and over $40 million in projected cap space for next season, the Sabres would be in a good spot to try and make additions to the roster that could help improve the on ice results next season. However, Adams has talked about being patient and building from within. That is why the talk about being open to bringing Hinostroza and Anderson back raises questions about how aggressive will Adams be.

Will the Sabres use more of their cap space in 2022-23?

A related question is will the Sabres use more of their available cap space in 2022-23 than they did this season. After the Jack Eichel trade, the Sabres had to take the contract of Johnny Boychuk off of the Islanders' books to remain above the cap floor. And with over $40 million in available cap space for next season, the Sabres will need to add salary to make the cap floor next season. But, they also have the ability to add some significant salary, if they so choose.

The Sabres did not make too many moves to weaponize their cap space over the course of the 2021-22 season. They received a 5th round pick in the Will Butcher trade with New Jersey and that was about it. They were so in need of taking on the Boychuk contract that they were not able to get a pick from the Islanders for the cap and salary relief.

I don't expect the Sabres to add any players to the NHL roster that have a huge contract. But, they do have the cap space if they want to use it.

What will the Sabres do in goal in 2022-23?

The Sabres have no goalies under contract for the 2022-23 season. The Sabres have only one goalie under team control for 2022-23 in Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen. And the Sabres have only two goalies on their reserve list in Devon Levi (Northeastern University) and Erik Portillo (University of Michigan). The Sabres have five goalies with NHL contracts that are UFAs this summer in Craig Anderson, Dustin Tokarski, Aaron Dell, Michael Houser, and Malcolm Subban. 

The Sabres will need to have four or five goalies signed to NHL contracts this summer. 

The first decision to be made will be with regards to Levi and Portillo and whether the Sabres sign one, or both, of them this summer. Lots of Sabres fans have Cal Petersen induced paranoia about potentially losing a solid college goalie prospect by not signing them before they become a UFA. Signing both of them in the next two weeks would allow fans to relax. The challenge could be getting them enough starts in a solid pro league. Although, the Sabres could choose to either loan Portillo to a pro team in his home country of Sweden or start one of Levi or Portillo in the ECHL. While the ECHL does not have a great reputation for prospect development, it has become a more regular part of goalie prospect development as teams have had more and more young goalies coming up through their systems.

The easiest decision will be re-signing Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen who is a Restricted Free Agent this summer. 2022-23 will be a big season in Luukkonen's pro career as he will likely get every chance to have a role with the Sabres next season. 

The toughest decision will be what veteran goalies for the Sabres to add. While Adams has talked about bring Craig Anderson back, I am not sure I would be excited about that move. Anderson turn 41 years old in May and has not played 50 games in an NHL season since the 2018-19 season. I would not trust an Anderson-Luukkonen pairing to stay healthy for an 82 game NHL season. Plus, there are huge questions about the quality of goaltending that the duo could supply as Luukkonen has had a rough AHL season and Anderson has barely broken the .900 Save% mark so far this season with the Sabres.

There will be a variety of options for the Sabres on the trade market and in free agency. Goaltending is a position that is hard to predict from season to season. That is why if the Sabres do go after a goaltender that makes a significant amount, I would hope that they Sabres keep the contract short. Lots of fans are hoping that the Winnipeg Jets decide to go with a full rebuild this summer and move Connor Hellebuyck for a futures package. If Kevyn Adams wants to be aggressive and Hellebuyck were available, that would appear to be a smart move. If Hellebuyck is not an option, I would prefer that the Sabres try and lure a good locker room guy like Jack Campbell on a two or three year deal at a slightly above market AAV. With Freddy Andersen looking good after leaving Toronto for Carolina, it wouldn't be a bad gamble to try and see if leaving the Leafs could help Campbell rebound. 

About the only options I would hope the Sabres stay away from would be trading for guys like Carey Price, Sergei Bobrovsky, Matt Murray, or Jordan Binnington. Whether it is injury, contract, or attitude concerns, these are not the type of gambles that I would hope the Sabres make. But, I also hope that they do more than just re-sign the goalies that they had this year.

What will the Sabres do on the right side of the blueline in 2022-23?

The Sabres are set for a while on the left side of the blueline with former first overall picks Rasmus Dahlin and Owen Power expected to anchor the top two pairings and both powerplay units in 2022-23 and Mattias Samuelsson developing into a solid third pairing guy that brings physical play and leadership. Jacob Bryson is a left shot D that has shown the ability to play on the right side. That positional flexibility will be valuable moving forward.

On the right side, the Sabres have far more questions heading into next season. Henri Jokiharju is the best right shot D that the Sabres have under contract for 2022-23. His play this season has been uneven as Dahlin's partner for most of the season. Casey Fitzgerald is the other right shot D that has seen significant time in Buffalo that is signed for next season.

Kevyn Adams has confirmed a rumor that he has been asking other GMs about acquiring a right shot D with the mind that they would pair with Owen Power next season. That has led Sabres fans and media to try and guess what players Adams has shown interest in. This could be a place where the Sabres ample salary cap space and extra draft picks could allow the Sabres to add a significant player to the roster.

What will the Sabres do with their forwards in 2022-23?

The forward ranks are the spot where the Sabres have a lot of players under contract for 2022-23 and the question is how many forwards will Adams move out to improve the roster for next season?

The Sabres have four forwards that will be UFAs after this season in Vinny Hinostroza, Cody Eakin, John Hayden, and Drake Caggiula. With Jack Quinn and JJ Peterka looking like strong candidates to make the Sabres roster next season, the Sabres could choose to just promote from within and maybe add a 4th line center to replace Eakin and that is it.

Or, the Sabres could try and tinker with their forwards. Anders Bjork is under contract for next season at $1.6 million and he has been invisible for the Sabres for most of his time as a Sabre. There is some speculation about his future and it focuses mainly on three options to get him off the Sabres roster via trade, buyout, or waiving him to Rochester.

The next person under team control for next season that there are questions about is winger Victor Olofsson. Olofsson is a restricted free agent this summer and will be eligible for UFA in the summer of 2023 if he were to sign a one year deal for the 2022-23 season. This is the same situation that Sam Reinhart was in a year ago when Adams decided to trade the forward to the Florida Panthers. Olofsson is a proven NHL goal scorer with a tremendous ability to shoot the puck, especially from the right dot on the powerplay. But, with players like Quinn and Peterka pushing for a roster spot in Buffalo, this could be the right time to try and move Olofsson. Especially if he can be used in a deal to upgrade the roster in goal or on the right side of defense.

The other person that is signed for next season that could potentially be utilized as a trade piece is Casey Mittelstadt. Hopes were sky high for Mittelstadt heading into the 2021-22 season after his string finish to last season after Don Granato took over as interim head coach. However, injuries derailed Mittelstadt's season and we are once again left with a lot of questions about the skilled young center. But, with Mittelstadt under contract for two more seasons at a reasonable $2.5 million AAV, he could be the type of skilled young player that a team with cap issues might be interested in acquiring for a more expensive, most established player. If Kevyn Adams wants to get more aggressive this off season, I would expect that Mittelstadt is traded for a veteran forward that can help the Sabres take a step forward in 2022-23.