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I believe

I like those guys, but it wasn't really about the players. It was simply a thought exercise to see what dumping Skinner for Savoie would free up cap-wise over the big years of his buyout. And the answer was "a lot".

The dumb part was giving him absolutely all the $'s he could have hoped to get AND a full NMC. Give him $6MM/yr and a full NMC or eat the poop sandwich that was the $9MM/yr for 8 years and give him a partial NMC where he can't be waived to Ra-cha-cha and can block a trade to only 5-10 teams.

There was a game in February I saw shifts from where he lost a puck and then practically destroyed the guy who took it, in order to recover it. Loved his tenacity.

Of course they aren't a soccer team, and their ownership knows it. They aren't trying to TM Utah SC nor Utah FC. Sheesh. They're trademarking Utah HC. 😛 Which, btw, is, as you state, idiotic.

I’m not familiar with the Bee connection with Utah? How about Stingers? I suck at this though.

See how I wrote "full ntc" that's the dumb part.

CB Nice shot, goes to the net... little slow in his skating but strong stride... strong on the puck... bet if learns to pick it up a bit will be a good pick... dont see the hate but kid is tough.

@dudacek Why would you give 2.7 to Trenin who is 17 pt player? Two 3rds for Jeannot? The guy had 14 pts last year on a 2.65 cap hit. These guys had 2 pts total in 14 playoff games this season. These are 2 overpayments for 4th line players. We can do better for that money and assets.

Your first paragraph is the argument for keeping Skinner and it is fair. He has bounced back from down years before and it would not be at all shocking if he scored 30 again this year. I don’t dismiss Skinner as a potentially useful player and I actually reject that he is an active barrier to us being a playoff team. If though, you think his value has diminished and that it is likely to diminish further and that a buyout is likely anyway in a year or two, then it is important to remember that the the cap space downside in 2025-2026 and 2026-2027 does not get appreciably better by waiting (and, of course, is only worse if you don’t buy him out at all). Not to mention, with waiting or not buying him out, you never get the benefit of the flexibility to remake your roster as you can with the $7.55 million saved through a buyout this year.

not HC, that's just idiotic. They aren't a soccer team

if they are morons for giving a NMC so if every other GM in the NHL. Look at every roster in the NHL. Go find a top 9 forward or a top 4 D on a veteran contract and you’ll see some type of NMC. Adams gave Hall a full NTC on a one year deal. Yzerman is one the worst offenders. According to capfriendly, nearly every player we have discussed, like Larson, Karlsson, Gourde, Jeannot and Kerfoot all have at least a M-NTC. Cirelli’s kicks in next season. Even Connor Sheary has some trade protection. The truth is Adams should have tried to move Skinner at the deadline to a team desperate for scoring. He should have retained 3 mill a season for the remainder of his deal as an inducement. Other GMs find way to move players with NTCs. It’s time for Adams to grow a pair and find a solution.

This is as good a place to put this as anywhere. (I searched a bit for auld "meddling" threads, but then relented.) Below is an excerpt from Ryan O'Halloran's piece in today's online Buffalo News. We know that Terry transferred a small ownership interest to Laura. From that tidbit below -- about how Laura went to the (boring) NFL business meetings (yawn) and Terry stuck around to talk NHL player evaluations -- we learn of the apparent continuation of the practice that Kim Pegula described, i.e., that when she and Terry get off the elevator, Kim would turn one way (towards the business operation offices) and Terry would turn the other (towards the sports operation offices). Laura Pegula’s role The NFL held its spring meeting May 20-21 in Nashville, Tenn., and the Bills were represented by Guelli and Laura Pegula, one of Terry’s two children from his first marriage. Terry stayed in Buffalo to attend Sabres draft preparation meetings.

I like Utah Yeti or Utah HC so I hope they go with one of those.

Even in a reset year, the Bills can win a Super Bowl because Josh Allen. I think compared to the last couple years, we will have a far more balanced attack that isn't simply, "diggs is open somewhere" and that was the biggest downside of the previous OC. Between Cooks, Kincaid, Coleman, Shakir, and Samuel, the Bills probably have as much talent as they did with Diggs, Davis, Knox. It will just look different and that is probably a good thing, Buffalo needed to get younger and more dynamic.

I like "Itah, Utah, Wetah"

This comparison rings very hollow IMPO. Mitts was 22 a few years back and struggling to be an NHL player, we all now exactly what Jeff Skinner is going to bring. Skinner is going to give you 25-35g and 25-35a in a top 6 role while being exceedingly mediocre defensively. Most want him moved because they feel we need more from our players than what Skinner brings but unlike Mittelstadt, we all know exactly what he will bring. They won't move Skinner this year, but I could see them try next off season either via trade with retention or through a buyout. With Skinner having a full NTC because Botteril and Pegula are morons, it has really made things difficult. Moving on from Skinner has to do with changing the dynamics of the top 6 and within the next year, Zach Benson will surpass Jeff Skinner and that creates an issue because Skinner is wasted with less skilled teammates like Krebs and Greenway IMPO.

Probably my most vivid Sabres dream was just a regular game that I quite literally watched an entire game (I believe I was on Benadryl that night which could explain the extremely deep sleep I was in) This was years ago but it was incredibly realistic. So the idea that you could have an extremely detailed dream isn't unrealistic in the slightest.

Something on Sennecke that I found interesting is at EP and other outlets they talk about his ability to contort his body or move his upper half independently from his lower half. You see this a lot in receivers who jump up for a ball but then can seemingly hang in the air and adjust to the catch. Benson actually does this, where his core stays at point A while his hands and shoulders move to point B. It only really matters because it creates a shiftiness and an ability to make plays off platform. The 2nd clip from the highlights shows this, Sennecke almost falls over but somehow still manages to make a play and keep his balance. Keep in mind this is a player that grew 3-4 inches in the last year and is 6'2" but only 181lbs, so he will add 20lbs of muscle over the next 2 years and that will make him harder to handle. One other note not related to Sennecke that I am very much looking at this draft. Board play is translatable and exceedingly difficult at the NHL level. It is why I like Jack Quinn so much, he seems to magically take pucks from the wall towards the HD areas. So let's talk about Cole Beaudoin, the 6'2" 200lb center who hates you. He hates you, your family, your dog... if you have the puck. Seriously this guy is a physical, gritty, high revv type of player. He is Benson with more weight and less skill. Now if you watch him, you can see the speed in his game isn't there right now. He needs to be more shifty and move/react faster. He doesn't have dynamic hands (Benson does) but does have a solid shot. If at 44, Beaudoin is still there, I would heavily consider it because if he can improve his skating, he could be a really great 3rd line center and PK guy who wins you playoff games in about 5 years. EP said he "is nightmare fuel for the opposition"

Dreams happen quick. Words have to paint the picture

Holy Rapid Eye Movement Batman. This isn't a dream, its a full length feature film.

I like Florida better when I look at the teams and the way they play. I like Florida better when I look at the uni's. I don't really care about Reinhart, Montour, Okposo and the rest. I don't want Florida to get a Cup before Buffalo. I am fine to let Canada get one. Let's Go McOilers! I guess.

Elite Prospects (EP) draft guide is out. I think it is worth it as they provide PAGES of their game notes for each player which is really cool to look at. For instance I can look at game notes from end of last year and into this year. For example: Sennecke from March 2023 compared to April 2024

Oh, I've had dreams like that. I won't "dream" every twist and turn; it's more like I come in toward the end with all the background somehow established in my dream memory. As the dream progresses, details fill in.

I'm aware of the dominant view that Skinner should be dealt or if necessary bought out. Why not simply keep him and put him on the first line? On that line it is not unrealistic to believe that he can score around 35 goals. Moving him up to the first line then allows you to move JJP to the second line with Cozens the center and Quinn on the other wing. That should be a very vibrant line. The issue then becomes who is going to be added on a third line that has Benson? It seems that Skinner has beeb dismissed as a player by many, just like Mitts was a few years back. He does have some liabilities but his biggest asset is that he is a goal scorer. Does his biggest asset make up for his limitations? I think so but most do not.