Here's A Look at the Sabres Depth Chart After the Savoie Trade 

Pretty good analysis but a few things I liked to mention as a Sabres fan Kulich has grown and is now listed as 6'1" by Rochester. Just looking at him you can see he's bigger than he was when he was drafted. Benson is short but if you saw his Dad when the Sabres had their father/mentor trip you know he's going to fill out. His dad looks like a cross between a pitbull and a fire hydrant. Helenius just put very good numbers as an 18 year old while playing against men in the Finnish elite league, which I think is more impressive than 20 year old Savoie dominating boys in the WHL. Everyone wanted the Sabres to trade their 1st rd pick, and if they had traded that pick directly for McLeod and Malenstyn I think most Sabre fans would have been ok with that. That's basically what Adams did while swapping out Savoie for Helenius.

Corey Pronman said "Based on my survey with NHL GM's, Matt Savoie doesn't have much trade value around the NHL"

It's easy to understand the trade but most people feel they could've had a bit more for Savoie, especially considering Edmonton desperately needed to clear some cap space

Sound analysis as always, Shannon. Always enjoy your vids and the work/love put into them.

Adams has been drafting the BPA every season, even if it means picking the smaller forwards year over year. But kudos to Adams for moving one of those redundant assets in favor of a player that better fits the team's needs.

McLeod struggled offensively as a 3rd line center, scoring a lot of his points on the wing, and struggled pretty badly defensively in the playoffs at times, finishing a -7 (admittedly a flawed stat, but it was also obvious by watching some of the games). I wish him the best and hope he reaches his potential in Buffalo. I'll be cheering for them now he's on their team, as I was a bigger fan of his than most.

I appreciate the team summary Shannon. Very nuanced and level-headed!

Malenstyne really put out effort with Caps last season. When you know a player’s number who is an unknown..that’s a good indicator. Remains to be seen whether his effort prompted by the excellent Caps coaching.. I am just really impressed with this roster…intriguing depth.

3C was a huge need for the Sabres. McLeod makes them a much deeper team and better defensively. They could still use a top 6 winger but I think they are going to surprise people this season.

I hope this is a series you do on all 32 teams I love these

Always like your videos now subscribed 👍. Savoie is a very good to great player, but the Sabre's having drafting Helenius made it possible to move Savioe. Mcloud has NHL experience and is needed now. Savoie had 2 seasons to make an impact. He did in the WHL but Savoie had some health issues trying to make the big club. He got injured and plus his age stopped him from getting a potential spot. Benson grabbed the spot and didn't look back. Size is needed for sure. Waiting to see if Owen Power can get a bit meaner that would be something if he turned into a Chara or Pronger (Dmen tipically take longer to develope) The Sabre's do have some prospects in the pipeline with size but they were not 1st rounders. Time will tell if they can make the jump. I do like what Adams is doing. It has to be a difficult situation because of the 13 year playoff drought and players having no move trade clauses. I do believe the NHL should do something to remove these clauses as well as top prospects stating they will not sign with the club that drafted them. Some big time issues the NHL better get figured out because it is hurting the game except for original six teams (for the most part) and some teams not having state taxes or very low taxes getting prefference. this is bad for a small market team in NY like Buffalo not to mention Canadian teams and how hard they get hit with taxes! Sorry to get off topic. Keep up the good work and videos.

Spot on analysis Shannon. Another factor for concern is that almost half the forwards will be new this year, on top of a new system and coaches. They can’t afford a slow start.

Fantastic breakdown. I'd add Anton Wahlberg to the "Also" list for the forwards. He's 6'3, and joined Rochester in their playoff run last spring (coming from Europe) just like Ostlund. Expected to be full time AHL this year.

Lindy's gonna have this team running and gunning off the forecheck and transitions. Not planning the parade yet, but, Go Sabres.

As a Sabres fan, this was an exceptional breakdown of the trade. Savoie was not going to see the line up with the log jam of prospects. Injuries and underperforming when in the AHL had him buried. He could be a very good player in EDM developed him properly. Adams has been questioned for the redundancy in his picks and now finally sees that grit matters; probably Ruffs input.

We needed a 3C, and have several prospects like Savoie. Trade makes sense for making a run this year. I like it

CapFriendly still being available to hockey fans today makes life feel just a bit better than life without CapFriendly.

Great video! Thanks for the depth of knowledge and the care in creating content.

That was areal good one, thanks

All the talking heads act as if the Sabre's have traded away some kind of "can't miss" phenom in Savoie. He hasn't been able to crack the line-up on what many would say is one of the worst teams in the league. Small and injury prone is not what Buffalo needs.

It's clear what they are going for. Speed, speed, and more speed. It was lacking last year which is why the offense plummeted. This is a lineup that Ruff wants and could work. I would prefer another top 6 guy, but everyone being healthy and more growth could happen.

Looks like an interesting, possibly under-the-radar team. They're still awfully young. But Thompson is just a monster player. They have lots talent. As a Devils fan, I'm pulling for Ruff. He gave us a great season in 22-23. Will be curious to see how they do.

I think Jiri Kulich makes the roster out of camp. I also think Zucker is no longer a top 6 forward, your comment about Benson jumping above him is about right. Cap Friendlies defensive pairs are a bit wierd. I think they will try Power with either Dahlin or Byram hoping they can one of these pairs to work. It will be interesting to see who Lindy has backing up UPL. I still think Savoie is an overpayment for McLeod unless there is something notable that is not in the public domain.

As a Sabres fan it’s been a rough not very fun offseason. The negativity has never been higher and at points Ive had thoughts of do I want to keep following this team like I have all my life. That said I understand this move. We have an abundance of prospects and someone had to go to fill a need. It was at a bit of a cost but I’m glad a trade was finally made, just hope they can do one more to fill out the top 6. Im just tired of our team essentially being a farm team for the NHL. I just really would like some good playoff contending hockey that’s it.

It was time we moved one of our prospects with how many we have; and I think a lot of fan bases don’t realize how brutal our bottom 6 was last year so happy with how KA has revamped it!

i had no idea fans around the league were so high on savoie. people are acting like hes a guaranteed top 6 guy

If they let the D play O and the forwards backcheck, they have the best chance in years. With Byram, Power, Dahlin they have the ability to play so much better.

Sabres fan vomiting my thoughts out real quick: Do I wish we could have gotten a greater return for Savoie? Yes. Do I want to Adams to trade for a top 6 winger or a RD? Yes. Am I still under the delusion that we could have signed either of the players in free agency? Kinda. In a way, it’s a good thing we didn’t massively overpay a top-6 or RD to come here, because Benson is going to need his big boy contract in due time, and I’d rather the team not get stuck with another Skinner contract. Overall, I feel much better about the state of the team now than I did a few weeks ago. I think with these new additions and with Lindy Ruff behind the bench, the team can absolutely get over the hump, though I would not be surprised if we miss the playoffs with like 93 points because the Atlantic division is OP. In-short, I’m optimistic about the future of the team, perhaps to my own peril, but I refuse to be as negative as so many of the Buffalo fan base. The Sabres is not the middling franchise that they were before Adams took over.

Nhl network needs to offer this guy a full time gig, he’s unbiased and super knowledgeable.

Oilers fans say McLeod isn’t tough and doesn’t hit, but he had 27 hits in 24 playoff games, Buffalo forwards like skinner had 26 hits in full season, Casey Mittestadt had 10 hits, nobody on Buffalo was a big hitter. Savioe gets hurt every week and has the body of a small school girl

I really enjoyed your video. It made things clearer as to what they have and some players that are at the crossroads.

Great deal for Edmonton

Excellent analysis!

I like their lineup. Hopefully they can figure things out. As an oiler fan loved McLeod but he slots in nice on that third line. Hopefully savoie does well for us!

The Sabres have so many prospects that could be equal to Savoie in terms of impact if not more. The trade was for help NOW. They could honestly do with trading a couple more prospects and still be fine as far as the pipeline is concerned. Trade was fine

Babe, wake up! The Hockey Guy just dropped another video!

as a buffalo fan i love the additions except for zucker. its a one year deal but i think we couldve gotten something way better

Swapped out Savoie for Helenius and added McLeod, who was much needed now. I like the trade for the sabres

Excellent indepth evaluation, Skanes... Your positivity is exuded with intelligence... By the way, that is a very nice Captain Blood Sabres jersey... Better known as Captain Peca

Excellent analysis

Is there that big a difference between 5'11" and 6'? Seems like making a big deal over nothing.

Great analysis Shannon! The Savoie trade looks bad for the Sabres at face value, but sometimes it's more about what a team most needs, and I expect Lindy Ruff has provided plenty of input, and Kevyn Adams comes off as a GM that prefers consensus from his staff over a more autocratic approach. But ultimately the buck still stops with him. It's questionable whether or not Savoie will even be NHL ready this season. Injuries are a thing too, as how his last season began, but he also has the potential to be an eventual superstar. Time will tell like always.

Not enough is being recognition is being given to McLeod’s defensive game, he was on the best PK is recent history. Having a piece of that experience is worth a lot!

K Henelius is almost 190lbs as a 18yo. Rosen was around 150lbs when drafted.

Always gotta wait on the Shannon analysis before letting my emotions go over a trade. Great video, thank you…I’ll wait and see how we look on ice. Go Sabres

I've always loved this logo/uni for the Sabres.

Great video Shannon. It wasn't that long ago during the McJesus tank that the Sabres had the worst NHL roster I've ever seen. One of those years, it was Zemgus Girgensons and that was pretty much it. One NHL level player and I think he was forced to be the #1 center, when he really is a #3/#4. They stripped it down so badly, there was nothing. And worse, there were NO prospects in Rochester(AHL). Fast forward to today and the cupboards are starting to fill. The team is full of NHL level players, that they drafted. And Rochester is filling up with NHL ready prospects. As you stated, the Sabres have plenty of small shifty offensive "scorer types". What they didn't have was any grit or real defensive players. No shutdown defenders at forward. No hitters. Not much size either. No one who could win a faceoff in a key situation. Adams goes out and completely changes the third and fourth lines via free agency and this trade. That was needed and I think he did a good job of it. The big remaining question is Skinner's replacement in the top 6. It's still possible that could be addressed with another trade. Necas is still a Hurricane, btw. Now is the time. Trade prospects for proven NHL players. Finish the building of this team. I'll predict they make the playoffs with their current roster. Barring catastrophic injuries.

fans just dont know what we are building here in buffalo. we had scoring the season before, we couldnt outscore our problems... we didnt have consistent goaltending or defense. we were building from within with smaller guys esp at forward. we also traded before this other teams scraps cause nobody wants to come to buffalo, on top of that we were so soft we got pushed around and bullied constantly for years. we had to address these things at some point, UPL took the next step last jan and levi looks like a stud, goaltending sorted imo, we picked up clifton that seals the defense with jokr getting 1 year, our defense is now solid. now the physicality... that is what we addressed this offseason with mal/laff and clouder, with size and speed. we are built from the bottom up now. we will hopefully be hard af to play against esp our bottom 6, our pk should improved as well with those pickups. now our guys gotta be and stay healthy for a stretch, get the goal scoring back, we will be solid.

Always love our demon goathead jersey and cap. Thanks Shannon for donning them well and for the breakdown.

thanks for this

If it's possible, I would like to see your analysis on Oilers depth chart! 🙏🙏🙏🙏

Thx for this. With one more move I think playoffs are in reach. Top 6 forward is needed. Go buffalo

Tage was hurt all year as well. Great stuff Hockey guy!

I like Ryan McLeod, but it just seems like a lot to give up for a guy who can't finish if his life depended on it. McLeod is a moderate upgrade on Girgensens, but if there expecting him to be a Mittelstadt replacement, prepare to be disappointed.

Sabres have been getting steals in the draft with guys like benson because other teams are scared by a height below 6 foot. Not saying height isn’t a factor, but the amount of times it was mentioned in this video was frustrating

Is it true the 13 years in a row no playoffs is the all time NHL record?

Good luck with the Blues chart

so excited for first time in years

Lmao at “fudging their age”

Looking at that forward lineup, it really looks like they could use a young talented skill guy who scored 2 points a game in junior...

To be fair Thompson was injured all of last year. That really hurt his production.

Thank you for using real logic here I personally liked the trade, didn’t love it but I understood it from the moment the details came out.

I didn't realize just how young Buffalo is. YIKES

Shannon where did you get that Sabres cap please I need one of those 😭

Adams drafted too many players of a similar type but the Savoie trade is why you draft the best player available. If 2-3 years down the line there isn't a great/good fit, you've got some trade value.

Love the rumored flipping of Krebs and Jokiharu to Philly for Farrabe. Gives the team more size and opens up a D spot for Johnson.

I'm pretty sure Oilers got a really good player. But I could see McLeod being the thing that Buffalo needs to get over the hump. He's got playoff experience. He knows how to grind. He's big and fast and he can easily score more with more icetime. I think a big part of the reason Oilers needed to trade McLeod, is they also knew he would be demanding more money next contract and they wouldn't be able to afford it. Great trade by Jeff, but it's def a hockey trade - nice break down THG

You are so right

It's not that it was necessarily wrong to make the trade, but the Oilers should have had to give up more.

I rather doubt that I am the only hockey fan, who is pleased that CapFriendly is still up, today, 07/10/2012.

As a Panthers fan when I look at the Sabres lineup, it actually looks very good. Especially in the defense department, much better on paper than ours. Maybe it's still lack of experience since it's a very young team? Goaltending not realiable enough?

When you havent had the playoffs in the last 13 years and you trade a prospect for the fastest guy in the game, provin PK specialist, 3rd behind mcdavid and leon (any C in The league would be 3rd to that) have NHL and Stanley Cup Final Experience, while beong over 51 % in fave offs (sabres were last in rhe NHL in faceoffs, sabres added laugherty aswell) sabres are now tougher, faster, better faceoff%, and harder to play against, whilr keeping the Core that was amoung the TOP of the league 2 seasons ago. Lindy will have the offensive saide back as it was a coaching issue not a player issue that held them back last season. And Goaltending...UPL 😊...not only eaill yhr Sabres make the playoffs, But Stanley will make his way to Buffalo, Just a matter of time Baby, Wooooo! 🔥

Buffalo still could’ve gotten more for that trade, I’m shocked they didn’t press for more

THAT!! is a nice sweater 🫡

i understand why the sabres made this move, even if it is a steep price to pay for McCleod. they have lots of top 6 forward prospects other than savoie (rosen, konsta, kulich, ostlund, benson, etc). and young, defensively responsible, fast, penalty killing centers like McCleod don't come cheap

Buffalo has - as noted - a stacked pipeline of first round prospects. What was not noted is that their non-first round selections would make most teams envious, and some of them are big boys. I really like your style; objective without a hint of patronizing. I just wonder if commenting on the other prospects that are legitimate NHL prospects might answer some of your concerns.

Patrick Kane 5'10", Sid Crosby 5'11", Brad Marchand 5'9", Connor Bedard 5'10", dozens more very good players under 6 feet. BTW, Peterka is 6' and Quinn is 6'1". The average height of NHL forwards is 6 feet 1/2 inch. Kulich is listed at 6'1", Rosen is listed at 6', Krebs is listed at 6', Ostlund is listed at 5'11" and growing. Helenius will likely be 6' or taller by the time he gets to the NHL. The whole, "Sabres forward picks are all small" discussion is ridiculous. By the time they get to the NHL they will be normal size or even taller.

What a young team

Samuelsson is brittle as glass sadly! If he could stay healthy.... Uhhhh...No! But Lindy's influence is clearly showing! Cautiously optimistic. Krebs... Just don't know where he fits anymore

I really appreciate the video, but the height argument has a few things off that seem to tip the scales. One is that Kulich is now listed at 6’-1”, Peterka since he was drafted has grown to 6’-0” and 189 lbs. you mention McLeod is being “okay” size, but he’s the same height as Matthews at 6’-3”. Considering Thompson, Power, and Greenway at 6’-6”, Tuch and Samuelsson at 6’-4”, and Cozens, McLeod, and Dahlin at 6’-3”, having 2 players that are an inch or two under 6’ who are known for being feisty doesn’t really feel like much of a narrative, even though most of the video is based around “is Buffalo too small”

Columbus might want to dump patrick laine. I could see laine doing well with the young sabres

As a diehard Sabres fan for over thirty-five year, I'm more disgusted now then I was when it was clear they would miss the playoffs for a thirteenth year. That being said, I'm beginning to be intrigued by the potential of this new direction. The key need last year for me was more grit. Bigger, faster, stronger with an entirely new direction in coaching... This could be very interesting next season.

The Michael peca goathead is so crispy, great jersey

Learn from the Blackhawks where we embrace the “smaller forwards “ and they THIRVE

The last 2 first overall picks of Celebrini and bedard aren’t really tall, but the heights listed usually aren’t true like you said online I seen on the nhl app nylanders height went from 5’11 last year to 6’0 this year and same goes for panarin it was 5’11 and now all of the sudden it’s 6’0

Hello

Crazy that Peterka was the only guy to play all 82 last season.

I kind of like it. Getting tougher now we need the top 2 lines to return to form, I fear that tage has a permanenttype of injury that's holding him to about 75 to 80 percent of his production, he is unable to go 100 percent and it is what it is

This COULD be a team to break-out this coming season - hope they keep things interesting next spring.

Is Savoie 5'9" with or without skates?

Seeing how big last draft was.. im surprised how small the sabres are.. i really hope they get some trades with teams done that add more physicality to the team

Future does look bright when you have Dahlin, Byram and Power on defense alone. Also, in all honesty, not much difference between 6'0 and 5'11...and some of those giants they have on both offense and defense might just be a good counterbalance. I think it will be real difficult for many similar teams in the Atlantic division, where all of the weaker teams are getting better at similar paces (Buffalo, Ottawa, Detroit, Montreal), it's going to get as tight as the Metropolitan once was (I say was because of the recent upsets of failing to get into playoffs by one point for Pittsburgh, because of Florida's 13 or 14 wins in a row to get the last wildcard spot in 22-23, a lot of people don't trust Pittsburgh to get back up, not me, and then New Jersey who had an awful season and it's not guaranteed they will have one as good as in 22-23 when Vanacek was being miraculous,that said, it could get real jammed up in the Metropolitan division once again, too). Detroit and Tampa complicated things when joining that division, sometimes I miss having 3 divisions per conference, but hey. Good luck, not particularly a Buffalo fan but for the sake of it, I want them to end that playoff draught, worse lineups have made it before.

Overall that’s a VERY young roster. Size notwithstanding if they reach their potential they could be very good but it’s still some years away. They have minimal experience

Thompson came back too quickly from his wrist injury, as the season progressed he looked much better. I think he would have finished in the upper 30's to lower 40's with a healthy season, a step back but smaller than with a broken wrist.

great dive brother buffalo will love mcleod

Buffalo got fast af after getting rid of Skinner+Okposo and adding guys in the 96th to 100th percentile for speed.

Savoie is closer to 5”7

The season doesn’t start until October, Buffalo isn’t done yet, if McLeod doesn’t play well who cares, it’s only 2.1 million, they have centers Benson, Krebs, Ostlund, Helenius and even Kulich who could replace him. How many teams have that many skilled centers in depth chart?

I could see Helenius ending up as the replacement for Lafferty, and Kulich for McLeod in a few years, but these moves gives the team actual proven players that they feel like helps make them more likely to make a run for the playoffs. Less unknowns I guess. Also, for Clifton, on the size point, we have a player that's 6'2 and a right shot coming up named Vsevolod Komarov, who should be ready to fill that role when Clifton's contract is up in a couple years. Overall I think Adams is doing a good job trying to position the team short term to be competitive, but also not bet big on role players who we have young players in the system who can fill those spots in a few years, so hopefully it pays off and they make the playoffs with Lindy captaining the ship with this group haha

It’s good to have some small guys that can get really low to the ground. Not for defenseman though