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If you add Kulich to your rising talent group that will be a fairly large group within a roster. With respect to McCleod and Zucker, even if their scoring production declines a bit, they still play a responsible two-way game that this team needs more of. As you note, the big question mark is UPL? Will he return to the promising composed form he displayed a couple of years ago or will go back to his panic style of play that marred his last season? It's the big question that will determine how the upcoming season plays out.

I was suggesting wing for him ages ago as well. I don't think his on ice vision is all that good and his thinking is a little slow (relative to the speed of the game). So he's indecisive and sometimes that costs him precious seconds and he also sees one wing but not both and then makes bad decisions. As a winger he could use his size and limit his focus to one side of the rink but whatever, no longer our problem. We will see what their coaching and camp does with him and for him.

I don't remember that but I would say it just doesn't look right. If you're going to do that don't be wearing a suit. Wear Sabres merch head to toe or at least a jersey.

With respect to Cozens, I believe that he would be better at wing than at center. I also believe that the trade was the right thing to do for the player. It gives him an opportunity to have a fresh start and new chance to refresh his game. He was pressing too hard here.

People on e-bikes(especially kids) are nuts. I was on a secondary two lane road with a 35mph speed limit. Teenager on an e-bike was directly behind me(not off to the side of the road) and I was going almost 40. I didn’t even know they could go that fast? Most, but not all users, have become a menace on both streets and sidewalks. On a related note…why the heck do kids need e-bikes for? Has pedaling become too much of a chore?

That's an interesting way to look at it. Could be. Have to wait and see. They definitely created the mess they are dealing with though that's for sure. Have they figured it out? idk, I'd have more faith in thinking that if they had Rochester playing that way already though. and they don't. Imagine Tage Thompson actually running people in the corners and bumping them off the puck. Imagine what a force he'd actually be.

You make an excellent observation and point that the event was more to serve the interests of Key Bank that it was for the Sabres. The primary reason why they would pay to extend their sponsorship was to seek publicity. If there was no extension or no change in sponsorship there wouldn't even be an event.

This what the Sabres hope for from somebody every year right? More likely it's up and down or one up one down (like Peterka and Quinn last year) and that won't be enough. Hopefully no Cozens yet. No guy who completely loses his game. As an aside I am interested to see if Cozens regains his game with a full season in a new setting and a proper training camp. Won't matter, but just one of those things you look at and wonder.

reposts and quoted posts. The way twitter goes. It's not important. You have given me pause to think maybe it's time to step back a little. I just feel so negative about the lack of change, the lack of additions. This is the most pessimistic I've been about a season before a season, and I have been pessimistic over the last number of years quite a bit. I just see zero hope for this year so it comes out in everything. I need to care less.

I mean, frankly outside of Arizona, I'm not sure that there is less stable "home ice" situation than the Buffalo Sabres. Pegula also made a big deal about the roof Nobody wants KBC. The county has noped out. The city says the don't have the money. Poloncarz implied that the Sabres would continue on as year to year for the time being. Creating loads of hoopla around a building sponsorship for a building nobody wants to own is about as close as one can get to being a gong show. I can't think of a comp in recent memory to the Sabres/KBC (including nobody wanting the arena with an expiring lease) across any of the major sports leagues.

I totally understood you were just playing along with the running joke, and don't begrudge you that. Heck, all opinions are welcome, right? I normally add a "not directed you" disclaimer when I just wanna pick at a point with broader SS.

That's a big concern. It seems way too often that D-men fall off a bit in their 1st year in a new location needing to learn the new system (when they go to a place that actually employs one; and not to go too Neil Peart here, but if you choose not to system you still have A system 😉 ) and learn their new partner. Hoping they'll fit right in (Bernard-Docker seemed to, maybe he'd've slumped off this year without the adrenaline of midseason change when you're already in game condition), but wouldn't be shocked if it takes a significant portion of the season for him and Timmons to do so.

Mods, please feel free to move this to the politics club if this is too political, but considering half the people here won't even remember who he was, doubt it's really all that political, and it isn't meant to be political. Now, with all THAT said. Does anybody else get a Dukakis wearing a helmet in a tank vibe from this photo?

Don't know. It WAS the Sabres plan until Murray got punted. Theoretically, it kind of was supposed to be last season's plan but the implementation left a lot to be desired and the plan seemed to get scrapped somewhere midseason to go back to more of a Granato style open ice possession game.

When the edibles kick in way too hard:

They put on a drone show in the sky last night. It sort of had the fanfare of a Wish NHL hockey club. Which the Sabres are.

Just in terms of how NHL trends generally work, one would expect. McLeod and Zucker to take a step back after surprising seasons. Power, Quinn and Benson to take a step up as rising talents who have been around a bit. Timmins, Greenway and Norris to miss a lot of games. And who the ***** knows with UPL? The rest of them are probably too new or too established to pick much of a shift one way or the other although I think Byrams going to have a good year and I wonder how Kesselring handles the new system and increased role.

It's another great example of why the offseason sucks, making a big deal out of every single thing.

I think this is a good read on the game today. I just think that the Sabres actually do agree with you and tried to go exactly in that direction. Analytically, Danforth and Doan are two of the best forecheckers to move teams this summer. They’ve got Tuch and McLeod, they drafted Benson abd molded Krebs to play that style. Norris can fly. Greenway’s not fast, but he’s a load. they walked away from Skinner and Olofsson and Mittelstadt and Peterka. They also tried it with Lafferty Malenstyn and Aubé-Kubel and failed miserably. All of them fast, each with a forechecking reputation. Maybe the problem was not identifying the right for checkers? Maybe its coaching- either Lindy or the transition to Lindy? It hasn’t worked yet, but I don’t think they’re completely blind to the issues they perpetuated under Granato.

Most likely. I'm not asking that question though am I? I'm not arguing a position either. Simply put: If you could guarantee the Sabres made the playoffs this year, but would miss the playoffs afterward for X years, how high would X get before you would NOT take the deal? So basically, if you said X = 1 then you would be willing to give up a guaranteed playoff miss the following season and all bets are off after that.

Isn’t there also a good chance that both Benson and Kulich have bump up seasons?

As @LTS points out this is a standard press setting to announce a business arrangement. There are plenty of things to be upset about involving this owner and the hockey operation. Whatever irritation you have I recommend that you don’t waste it on this pedestrian event.

Was it used by the Sabres or by people on social media? I just looked and I didn't see them saying it. I mean, to be fair, a 10 year extension on naming rights and putting the name on the visiting helmet isn't necessarily a small thing. I'm not going out of my way

I was seeing a lot of pre announcement hype. "Big announcement" was used repeatedly. So it seemed like a lot of hype over nothing. I'm probably spending too much time on Sabres twitter and the internet in general though. Probably should have shut it all down and taken a vacation.

I still don't have my car.. almost 4 weeks. No progress. The insurance company is not even contacting me.. Guess who won't be a customer much longer? Bloody hell. It'll be over with soon.. I hope.