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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.

I'm as nervous as any Sabres fan about Levi's final form -- goalies are so weird and Adams is a funking doofus -- but this is fair. The guy should get the entire year in Roch to continue to build his game.

I've always liked Kulich. liked the draft pick. Think he has a bright future still. We are, as always, rushing him a little so a sort of drop off or sophomore slump is highly possible and I wish there was a plan B for that possibility but there isn't, so hopefully he can work through anything like that and keep developing. If Kulich and Benson have sophomore slumps (using the term loosely) the season is over before Christmas. There is too much pressure and reliance on them succeeding but it is what it is.

Did they make a "big deal" out of it? All I heard was they announced there would be a public relations announcement at the arena at a certain date and time. Isn't that how it is supposed to work? I mean, I get I am not wired into the interwebs, but if they made a "big deal" out of it I certainly missed it. I think people just want to complain, so go ahead and complain. To me it's just being petty.

Finally a normal and completely correct contract.

I have no idea how the Sabres lines will shake out. Too many similar guys and trying to balance kids with vets. Is Thompson a center or wing? Is McLeod going to be 2 or 3? Where will Doan play? I don't see a clear checking line. You can argue the 4th line is a bit heavier but not overly so the plan is roll all 4??? Is Malentstyn still part of it? What do we get out of Zucker and Gtreenway? I just don't know. Part of my constant problem with the Sabres is the constant rotating of bodies but with a lack of clear direction or identity. What are the Sabres? Who will they try to be? I never see a clear direction forming in any season and can't see one now. So to your other frequent comment, yes, I have issues with the coaching as well. What I see in the league with Florida's success is although the league has pushed towards more open ice speed, finesse, and scoring, the clever coaching answer to that has been speed combined with an aggressive forecheck. Essentially eliminating offense before it even gets started. It's a good counter plan as Florida has proven. Why isn't that the Sabres plan? We have and have had big young fast players. We could build that way. But we don't. We have some sort of open ice possession game obsession that never seems to come together and leaves us on the perimeter more often than not. Weak and ineffective. So what kind of roster are we trying to build? I currently have no idea.

I'm not "so upset" about it I just think it's a joke. They made the big deal about the pending announcement and then that's it. So typically anti climatic because they actually have nothing of value to announce. All they did was give the internet the next great mock the Sabres meme with that shot of Terry in the helmet (that makes him look like an autism kid that crashes into walls). It was ridiculous.

Worse, he was not happy because he saw no signs that the Sabres FO were committed to winning. The first things he said after he signed with Utah were comments on his new teams commitment to winning.

The problem with all that size is that the NHL is actually getting smaller, especially on defense. Florida was the third lightest team in the playoffs this year and only Tampa has won a cup recently with a heavy defense.

What are you basing this on? Did Levi not just finish a terrific season in the AHL? Before he got roughed up by Laval he had a 2+ game shutout streak vs Syracuse. Levi is still on schedule. There's no need to rush him. Take a breath.

THIS IS SO SABRESY!! THEY OVERPAID!! WHAT A JOKE!!! Am I doing this right?

Maybe? 🤔 I think you're trying too hard. This is nothing more than a run-of-the-mill corporate image event...more for Key Bank than the Sabres. No one is pulling a fast one. They said nothing is getting done until the new Bills stadium is done, which is understandable. Besides, the hand-off between county and city needs to be settled first.