All Activity
- Past hour
-
Friedman believes changes are coming to Sabres Front Office; UPL Available?
JohnC replied to Brawndo's topic in The Aud Club
The measure for success in business is profitability; and the measure for success in sports is a team’s record. If a corporation miserably failed for an extended period of time, you can count on a significant staffing shakeup (firings) and alteration in how the operation is run. The Sabres are not run as if it is a normally functioning franchise where there is an expectation of accountability. In the hockey business the Sabres are irrelevant and an afterthought in an an environment that should entail passion. The Sabres have a slumbering fanbase while normally run franchises have passionate fans. The owner through his gross incompetence has destroyed this franchise. It’s a shame. I wish he would get on his big boat and sail away. - Today
-
Friedman believes changes are coming to Sabres Front Office; UPL Available?
Kr632 replied to Brawndo's topic in The Aud Club
That was from June of 2024. -
He actually does do all of that and the front office steers him in the right direction. It’s no secret that he advocated for Mahommes but McDermott steered him away from that. He hasn’t had to change the structure of the FO because they are successful. He’ll spend money, and has proven he will, when he’s convinced that it will lead to winning. He’s like most owners. The Hurricanes owner is a notorious meddler and tight wad and yet, they win and spend to the cap. It’s really not much different then every other corporation except that it unfolds in the public eye.
-
Difference is they also have some toughness and more veteran leadership to go with those kids. Not enough to go further right now but the structure of that team is being built more playoff ready.
-
How would you retool this team this summer?
SabreFinn replied to GASabresIUFAN's topic in The Aud Club
Rosen is the player I have in mind also, and pairing him with Clifton is a good idea. Hard to know however how highly teams value an AHL top scorer. Playing good in the Calder playoff might help us. I see Devils as a team that could be interested in Rosen, a swede about same size as Bratt. An upgrade over Samuelsson would be nice. Wonder how San Jose are thinking with Ferraro, do they want to trade him on deadline för pics or could they take on a player signed long term along with a sweetener? -
How would you retool this team this summer?
dudacek replied to GASabresIUFAN's topic in The Aud Club
I wonder what a Rosen/Clifton or Quinn/Clifton pairing could get, in terms of an upgrade on Clifton. I've also wondered what overpaid but still useful veteran RHD a futures/Samuelsson pairing might fetch from a team looking to dump salary. -
How would you retool this team this summer?
SabreFinn replied to GASabresIUFAN's topic in The Aud Club
The best way to get a good stay at home RHD might be to trade a decent winger to a team like Devils or Vegas. Are we willing to do that? And in that case who? -
Montreal just had pretty much the same season the Sabres had 2 years ago, with a late surge to 91 points, young veterans having career years, a very promising crop of rookies and some holes to fill. It will be very interesting where they go from here.
-
Friedman believes changes are coming to Sabres Front Office; UPL Available?
LGR4GM replied to Brawndo's topic in The Aud Club
I maintain what I said and think the point is sad. Kubel didn't block anyone. Let me phrase it this way. You're suggesting that Kubel kept those players in Rochester until they were ready and better. I'm saying those players were already better and that's a low bar to clear. -
How would you retool this team this summer?
Broken Ankles replied to GASabresIUFAN's topic in The Aud Club
Natural stat trick shows Ras and Bo played ~40% of minutes together 5v5. https://www.naturalstattrick.com/linestats.php?fromseason=20242025&thruseason=20242025&stype=2&sit=5v5&score=all&rate=n&team=BUF&vteam=ALL&view=wowy&loc=B&gpfilt=none&fd=2024-10-04&td=2025-04-17&tgp=2000&strict=incl&p1=8481524&p2=8480839&p3=0&p4=0&p5=0 To point about salary cap - Sabres are 4th in Cap on Defense next year with 4.35 FTE’s signed. Those above the Sabres have 6-8 signed. Washington is tops at $6m more than Buffalo. If you get an arbitration/2 year deal for BB and an RFA for Bernard Docker you are adding $8m (?) and surpass Washington. And unless you can somehow move Clifton or Samuelson without retention you have no room to sign a better, stronger Right handed D to support Power. So how is that improving the overall D? I remember when the Kings won the cup here in LA. Jake Muzzin was Doughty partner and he was a classic stay at home D man. Maybe on a bridge contract - 23 years old, 6’3/220. Dahlin and Bo pairing - maybe they did have the best analytics stats. But maybe a Zack Whitecloud type player with a $3m contract might be just as good when paired with Ras, and allow you to sign or trade for a vet on your second line to support Power/Byrum. I fall on the side of not having 3 D that make $8M +. I’m also moving Power first b/c his contract has cost certainty which is valuable with a cap that is going up. I think he delivers a much better return. -
How would you retool this team this summer?
sabremike replied to GASabresIUFAN's topic in The Aud Club
They literally aren't going to do *****. -
Ref leaning to the Peg. Lousy call, embellishment on Sunqvist?
-
Yep. They have a bright future. Nice young core with Suzuki, Caufield, Hutson, Slaf, Demidov and a good compliment of vets like Anderson, Gallagher, Evans, Dvorak, Armia. They understood the assignment.
-
Would have been nice to see the series with Laine in it. Montembeault, as well.
-
How would you retool this team this summer?
dudacek replied to GASabresIUFAN's topic in The Aud Club
Yes, but I think that still fits, despite the fact Ruff is clearly more qualified than Krueger. A big part of Dahlin's struggle was Krueger trying to change the way he played and all the mistakes were a factor of Ras trying to do things that didn't come naturally to him. I think there was definitely some of that going on with Power, who had never had an NHL coach besides Granato. Remember how much Byram struggled in his own zone when he first arrived? And then how he talked about being much more comfortable in Ruff's system, and it showed? Power went from +8 to -13 on a team that generally improved at 5-on-5 and was noticeably more mistake prone -
Except Dahlin only had a bad year 3 because of Barf Kruger.
-
Sad thing is there was a small amount of buzz building around the Sabres after the 2022/23 season ended. Looked like an exciting young team with a lot of talent that could grow into something. Then we did nothing that summer to help the young guys and have gone backwards two straight seasons. Nobody gives a ***** about this franchise because we're totally irrelevant.
-
They do look good, but I've been impressed with the Habs. They're young and have been a game opponent. As we sit here going backwards, in the last 5 years the Habs have made a surprise run to the Cup Final, tore it down almost to the studs, rebuilt and returned to the playoffs. Their arrow is pointing up. We're going the other way and don't appear too eager to do anything about it.