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I am a Sabres Avatar, these players make millions regardless of where they go so I have zero sympathy for them if they end up on a bad team. You can try and play the moral high ground all you want but I'm a Sabres fan regardless of the situation. And true fans of a team aren't going to care what legitimate or assinine reasoning a player has for leaving; you are either with us or against us at the end of the day. Few players ever surpass that, Ray Bourque being one such example for Boston fans. Why should I care if JJ has a short time period to succeed? Is he paying me money? He can want out all he wants but that doesn't mean I'm going to give him a pass because the front office and ownership are inept. Why not fix it, why not work to improve the circumstances by some means. It's not like we have the access he'd have to the team upper-echelon. If you ask to leave, you are an enemy to this team, it's fans and that's all there is to it. NO matter the caveat.

Adams has his own thoughts they are just hard to specifically divine because they are part and parcel with Terry Adams is a bad hockey executive, he’s not a helpless child Agree, but the Byram plan was clearly proactive - the plan was to string it out as long as possible to have the plausible deniability to avoid spending to cap again I really hope people can see that lol I miss when “woke” meant “woke” people need to be Woke, here. I cannot stress the conflict of interest management has with fans enough *WHEN* they don’t spend to the cap, and you accept that excuse, let it be known, now: you are a sucker

Utter horse hockey, so not in line with your other postings I’m sorry. Not sure what it is about players leaving, but the small man syndrome “we can criticize Phantom Menace cause we are fans, you can’t!” line of thought just brings out the most hypocritically biased takes there are I’m sorry, you don’t think JJ is smart enough to see *just* what we see? Not even anything more? (*of course he knows more*). We lambast the owner and organization and sign back online the next day because we have no real power JJ is a professional athlete with an exceptionally short window to maximize his career. OF COURSE HE SHOULD ASK OUT. Are you are a human being, or are you a Sabres Avatar? Knowing what we know, how could you possibly require him to stay, be angry at him for leaving, simply because you selfishly want him on “your” team??? We *know* the environment is bad and toxic. We should want athletes to be free of it. “Pay your dues” in misery, because we are. Lol what sort of boomer hell is this Separate from bias for a solitary second and look at the league as a whole. The sport as a whole. Imagine you didn’t have a team. All else being equal you want players to play in reasonable environments. This isn’t your average equation. We don’t get to pretend the Sabres aren’t an anomaly when we want to to fit an argument. They are HISTORICALLY bad - that doesn’t go away because you are in a good mood. It doesn’t go away cause it’s Monday. They are an anomaly - even expecting players to behave similarly to how they would approaching these things in other environments is deliberately obtuse. No, I have no requirement for JJ to play under a DEMONSTRABLY BAD owner and manager and organization that *does not prioritize winning* simply because I, myself, am here. That’s literally the definition of bias. It’s wrong. The stance is objectively wrong. You get that Adams has already been GM longer than the average player career, by FAR? These athletes don’t have the time to put up with nonsense (and they shouldn’t) just because us key board warriors do. Would the organization buy out a contract they don’t like? It’s a business

Every move this offseason was from a defensive perspective. JJP trade was a move made defensively. The other, smaller moves were all about cap space to avoid a Byram offer sheet. Arbitration itself was a defensive decision. You can’t make progress if all you are doing is parrying threats in front of you.

Since Adams doesn't have his own thoughts, they are building a chimera of a team based off of the coaches, the assistant gms, and the musing of Terry. Which is why Samulesson is still here... but they went and got McLeod... but they also kept Bryson... but got Kesselring... but drafted Mrtka... but traded Clifton... but did nothing else to the forwards. It's just a scatter shot of ideas that don't coalesce around a legit plan.

It’s not so much trading JJ I have an issue with on its face. It’s more so that the sabres didn’t make any real moves to improve their team Which is utterly flabbergasting They traded JJ because they had to and “did the best they could”. It wasn’t the plan. I struggle to see a plan, at all And when I say that, I mean “plan to improve” Short of making a trade because a player asked out, Adams has done…nothing. The Sabres haven’t changed management, coaching, or looked to improve their team this summer what are they doing?

Mark Mancari 2.0

Small prospect pool maybe?

Neither one of these goalies will be on the team for 2026/27 season. The big blowup which includes mass exodus and firings will also include the goalie stall.

I remember a few online prospect guys who were really high on Osborn when the Sabres drafted him and really sung his praises

Wonder if Boston requested being the team with only 2 games or if it was just luck of the draw.

If the owner would have swapped Jarmo into the GM job and made KA the POHO, I would have been ecstatic. With that organizational reshuffling I would have considered this offseason a resounding success. KA's has done a respectable job this offseason with the JJP trade and the acquisition of Lyons. And a Byram trade is looming, or maybe not. Either way it can still work out well. It's just that this stagnant franchise needs a major change in the hockey operation, and moving Jarmo to the GM position would have made sense.

I don't believe this at all because I never see it. What I see is guys that are tougher/meaner/grittier, putting forth more energy into getting those pucks so they come away with it. I don't believe for 1 second that Power is thinking "oh man, Sam Bennett might hurt me, better shy away" when instead it is just Bennett is harder, more aggressive, and comes out of the corner with the puck because of it. You are arguing intimidation, I am arguing it is hard work and play style. Zach Benson doesn't win board battles because ppl are intimidated by him, he uses the checking skills he has and works to win those battles while Owen Power goes in stick first with no plan. Dylan Cozens was terrible at board battles because he had no idea how to win them and didn't exert the needed battle to win them. What I am saying is it is less about intimidation by opponents and more about lack of a certain character in our skaters. Wilford coming back after how atrocious his defensive units have played in 3 out of 4 of his years is just the most disappointing part of the offseason for me so far. They need an adult back there. Listen to Prospal talk in Rochester, they need him.

Tickets are $12 at https://www.universe.com/users/lecom-harborcenter-CWB0Y3 2025 Prospects Challenge schedule Sept. 11 New Jersey vs. Columbus, 7 p.m. Sept. 12 Pittsburgh vs. Boston, 3:30 p.m. New Jersey vs. Buffalo, 7 p.m. Sept. 13 Columbus vs. Buffalo, 7 p.m. Sept. 14 Boston vs. New Jersey, 12 p.m. Columbus vs. Pittsburgh, 3:30 p.m. Sept. 15 Pittsburgh vs. Buffalo, 12 p.m.

I just keep and will forever wonder if Dahlin or Tage or other leaders on the team said something to Kevyn or Ruff or both. I think it was Dahlin, but someone on locker clean out had this line about everyone needs to buy in to the system or something along those lines and idk if it was JJP but I got the sense the locker room had friction. That alllll said, Peterka is a hell of a player and even if I think we are better, it is marginal.

They drafted only tall folks as well as big and tall elsewhere. You’re asking for even more trades but those are kinda pushing it. I don’t like Power but I don’t force a trade with him, I surround him with players who cover his weakness like we finally are.

...and

And a lot of teams don’t even have one. It’s a glorified spin off of the GM position, nothing more. I’m not even sure it’s a position that really existed in the league prior to the last 25 years or so. In most cases, it feels like a PR position created to bring some former player on board and grab attention. In Zito’s case, he did a really good job so they gave him an additional paper title to give him a raise.

To the bit about the D, yes, the Sabres would be well served to have guys that would clear the crease. They'd ALSO be served by having a coach running the D that actually emphasizes/encourages that skill. The Sabres could have the 2nd coming of Scott Stevens on the roster and they still wouldn't box guys out away from the crease as long as Wilford is gainfully employed by this organization.

POHO is a title that comes with more money and more authority. Not all GMs are POHO's.

I think that Terry Pegula has proven that the NHL doesn't need a team in Buffalo for Buffalonians to take in the NHL. My tinfoil hat is that Sabres viewership is dropping quite a bit and that there are a measurable part of the reason that MSG Networks threatened to declare bankruptcy recently. The Sabres were a steady and reliable viewership/revenue stream, and their dip causes loads of instability for a regional network. I have literally no data to back this up other than knowing that Buffalo is a major NHL TV rating for the NHL but attendance and fandom is way way down. I'm assuming that has started to leak into engaging in the teams on air games. I wouldn't be shocked to hear that Buffalo is watching a lot of hockey, just not Buffalo Sabres hockey.

To the bolded, did it? Kesselring, Doan, Danforth and Timmons are decent players but I don’t know if it’s the culmination of an organization’s offseason philosophy. They brought in a handful of players that play more like actual NHL players than the guys they replaced. Not sure if it moves the needle much overall. Real change would be moving Power in a Turgeon/LaFontaine type swap. Get another highly touted player in return. If you want to look a defenseman trades, think Pronger for Shanahan. I like Owen Power but I think the team needs their version of Tkachuk or Bennett. Get that nasty power forward leader. As far as the rest of roster, it’s inexplicable that Samuelsson wasn’t bought out (it screams cash poor franchise), and Bryson was resigned (because he likes being here despite the diminished role). We have Ryan Johnson for that who is absolutely a better NHL player than Jacob. Even without the Power move, getting Bryson & Mattias out of Buffalo should have been a priority. Instead of prioritizing getting good hockey players, Adams is working with a different agenda. One that MUST incorporate finances (like avoiding buyouts) or guys that want to be here (so what if they are garbage like Bryson). The team still needs more snarl. They’ll still get pushed around even if god forbid Mason Geertsen is somehow are part of the roster. They need at least one, preferable two crease clearing D and another forward that plays hockey and enjoys the physical aspect of the game. I seem to recall the org’s insistence on paving the way with skill over Braun. Unfortunately the rest of the league didn’t. Physical intimidation is still a large part of sports and life. Guys that are bigger, tougher and meaner than you are going to have an easier time retrieving that puck out of the corner because our skill guys are too worried about getting their heads put through the boards.

This is pretty much where I am on the deal. I'm going to add that the Sabres ineptitude in no way gives Peterka a free pass to run for the hills that way he did. If Alex Tuch says goodbye the way Sam Reinhart said goodbye there will be no ill will from me. Same with Ras, same with Tage. Those guys paid their dues, upheld their part of the bargain and earned the right to carve their own paths. To my eye, JJ was treated very well by this organization and given every opportunity to be part of the solution. Instead, he pouted and forced his way out of town at the first chance he got — seemingly because he was unlocked from Tage's wing and asked to backcheck harder. Maybe stuff will come out later that somehow justifies his entitled behaviour, but right now I don't care if this sounds like an old man rant. ***** that guy.

I think Doan is going to play higher in the lineup than most of us predict. For better or worse, what he brings the Sabres have an absolute dearth of. Tenacious forechecker, solid D, net front presence. Tuch and Benson are the only guys on the roster that resemble it even a little. Put Doan in the top 6, watch the wins unfold right before our eyes. Or something like that.

I want to make one thing clear. I think trading JJ Peterka is risky, I think the return should have been better. I still don't dislike the deal and I think Kesselring is a gem in the vein of McLeod and that Doan might at least be a 3rd liner. Still, everyone who is concerned mad or otherwise bothered by Buffalo under Adams trading away another disgruntled (because we ***** lose all the time) player for some hopes, I get that. If the Peterka trade blows up in the Sabres faces, a real possibility, it will be another in a long line of Adams being totally ***** at his job.