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Rain will stop this weekend so that is nice.

The Buffalo Sabres are indeed bringing the exact same coaching staff back. This isn't my opinion.

Billionaires don't live in reality. They exist in a world of everyone rushing to please them, and their voice always being heard. It makes it very hard to identify weaknesses or have the self efficacy to address them. It's easier to be like "nah, I'm right" and since doing that has 0 consequences to them personally, it self fulfills.

It won't work. None of the 3 are good defensively and none of the 3 have a good checking element. That line is a 1 dimensional rush offense line that will get figured out. They'll score on quick breakouts or d zone screw ups but they'll never be able to run a cycle, dump and chase, or sustain zone time between their play styles and their youth.

Read the parts about Wheeler breaking down the skills of a player, especially skating. You might understand why Zach Benson is not a "bad" skater or why he is in fact good. That part is near the bottom of a really long piece that touches on how scouting works. "but I prefer a player who can move, change directions and turn feet attacking on tight angles than one who can explode down the boards with a longer stride. In today’s game, I believe changing tempo is now more important than top speed" - Wheeler

It's when people stop talking about you that you have to be concerned. Sadly, people are still talking about this trash heap, so they don't have to care yet. I'm at the point now where I'm only checking in here every few days. Nothing changes with the team so there's little for people to talk about except the same things over and over again. I won't be bothered to even give a damn about this team any more.

But they want to be here.

My impending fear is that the Sabres stay stuck on the road to mediocrity and a player like Tuch concludes that it is in his best interest to take an off-ramp to liberation. It's got to bother him that the team he was traded from wins the Cup and is a regular playoff participant while the team he goes to is plagued with organizational dysfunction that has perennially kept him on the couch watching playoff games of other teams. Careers are short and quickly pass by. It won't be surprising that when he has contract leverage to move on, that he will use it. And even a bigger fear is what happens when Dahlin gets fed up with his plight to the point where he says get me out of here! If Jack with a long-term contract could do it with wonderful results, then why can't I. Few people expect this perturbing owner to act out of desperation and order a flurry of action to demonstrate that he cares. What is the most bothersome is that there isn't even a demonstration of urgency to do what is required to do to become a relevant team. Cruising along when you are on the same road to failure is gesture to fans that I don't care. I just don't understand this owner.

Good luck b.c I think Terry is getting ready for Hard Knocks with the Bills.

I swear to F&$king God if they bring the same coaching staff back🤬🤬🤬🤬🤬🤬🤬🤬🤬🤬🤬🤬🤬🤬🤬🤬 Every other conversation on this board is pointless. They have no clue what is wrong and no desire to make changes that might improve the team.

My 2nd round target is actually Vaclav Nestrasil at this point. He's a 6'5" winger who at worst ends to as a 4th line guy but he's got a lot of tools and is simply a little raw still. There's 2nd line power forward elements all over his game. He's going to UMass in the fall and I'd say leave him there for 3yrs so he can refine his game. The Czech forward is a physical player with increasing offensive ideas and skills. He's the perfect type of guy to explode and over play his draft position. I'd even trade up in the 2nd to get him. He's a guy who grew his game all year in NA and who is going to take some time but he's fun to watch.

The more I see of Mrtka, the less interested I become. At 15 or 16, sure but at 9... he's just not aggressive enough. I think you're better off taking the London Knights guy in the 2nd. Henry Brzustewicz.

I think it's gonna take a bit more than Jim Lorentz releasing a rehabbed bat. Perhaps.... a new team name... the Buffalo Bats? And maybe put a belfry in the Key Bank Center?

I would agree with this except for his Buffalo connection and his inner wish to succeed as a Sabre. I think that gives it a slim chance that he will stay and sign an extension. Slim, but real.

The saddest part of this was Shaw and Peca were there for the taking (among others).

How can I put this in a tact manner: Worrying about a Tuch extension is a moot point as the odds of signing Marner (essentially a pipe dream) are far better than Tuch signing an extension. Unless a biblical miracle occurs Tuch will be dealt at the deadline for a late round 2027 first before he can walk as a UFA. He is as good as gone and accepting that fact will make it far less painful when it actually happens.

Just move some pieces. Honestly don't care who. I like Benson on this roster and that's about it.

Bump

For Cuylle, my follow through was to ship them Quinn for the return of BUF 2nd (and whatever else balances out the trade). But Cuylle will take much more than 4.67 to pry from New York. The 2nd-only level is easy for the Rangers to match and then still re-sign RFA K'Andre Miller. You need to break 7M so that they're forced to take the picks rather than match. Otherwise, you just make Drury's job easy. The potential problems are threefold: 1) the owner is still living in an EEE world where the cap is not necessarily their cap; 2) Tuch can sign an extension beginning this summer and doesn't owe this team/leadership a hometown discount (and the NHLPA and his agent can tell him he's worth $9+); and 3) Skinner's buyout is going to cut $6.444 off the cap in the first year that Tuch's extension is due + Benson's 2nd contract (possibly a bridge, but not if he breaks out). Like I said, you can always move Power, because unless he's a D-zone stud and getting PP2 to click at 22% or better, he probably can't earn his contract's expectations until the back half of its term when the cap is high enough.

Cheer for Florida, and then spend the month of February down there. Go rogue, get wild.

Love Floridas game. That’s playoff hockey. We could only dream of a Buffalo team like that.

I can't cheer for Florida but man do I like how they play. That was textbook perfect hard nosed hockey. Terry? Are you watching???

Ya I can't disagree with that but it takes will and a GM who will make moves and not just wait for prospects to develop. Adams isn't that guy.

The problem with Carolina is they are basically a one line team. Plus it seems like they ain’t built to come back after getting down a couple of goals. Plus let’s face it Freddy Anderson isn’t better than Bob!