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Hard to tell how they'll operate without a GM. They could trade back to 3 and still get Hagens. No idea what a trade like that would look like.

If they actually operate like that, they’ll be joining us in the long term playoff drought bus.

If Pegula was a flavor it would be.... "alas... earwax" IYKYK

It's just so unlikely to work that smoothly. Also Tage is a ppg guy and Buffalo wasn't near the playoffs. Those picks you're counting on will be 18, 19yr olds. We already know that one is probably 2-3yrs away from nhl games and the other unless they win the lottery, is the same. I'm not convinced Eichel signs there just like Kane never signed here.

Tavares left, they have that in their minds.

If I didn’t know better, I’d swear they are making changes(or lack of) in an effort to get STH to walk away.

I have no idea what the Sabres think of McQueen’s health, but if this is the way the top 8 drops, McQueen at 9 makes a mountain of sense in terms of upside and need. Like most of you, I think Martin would be ideal, but I would be good with this.

There is a lot of chatter picking up that the Islanders will strongly consider Hagens with the first pick. He’s local and grew up right by the arena in Long Island.

It is, and I hope it takes them 20 years to get back. But, they also don't have Adams as their GM nor are they EEE, and they have $34M to fill a couple of the major holes in their lineup this offseason while still being a lottery team. I can see a path for them to revive quickly, depending on a handful of key things: McAvoy/Lindholm return as 1st-pair capable D-men Swayman regains himself Buyout or trade/retain on Korpisalo and Mittelstadt Hit on their first this year (and 2 firsts next) Then, add an Eichel. I admit, that's a ton -- but it's no more far-fetched than any rebuild on the fly. Pastrnak gives them a legitimate point-per-game guy with seemingly any linemates and a one-line team can do damage in the regular season. The D-corps returning and Swayman returning to his potential track is the key.

Oh I dont know that they run deeper... if you think they run a country club that caters to its prima donnas and has zero accountablility... I think if people thought differently this is a great example... a part time consultant or a scout on the road I guess ok... an Assistant GM... maybe they should be at the games... like all of them unless there is a conflct... wonder if Face timing Lindy during games is next... just a big ol screen of him yelling at players to be in position while drinking a beer in his back yard... they do it with their scouting... can this be next...

Papacy made more significant changes

This draft selection has the scent of, "Buffalo has TNT, so of course they'd go for another super-tall shooting center -- imagine if they had two of them" and not the realization that the Sabres have already moved TNT to the wing. I'm thinking the Sabres are scared by the back injury (Eichel Redux!) and it's a different team that looks at McQueen and says to themselves, "There's an injury risk, but maybe we can have our own TNT."

Paul Hamilton intimated that some key Sabres personnel, like Jason Karmanos, still live in Pittsburgh. I’m kinda speechless at this point. The Sabres don’t require their employees to actually work in the city the team they are contributing to resides in? Ummm… Maybe the Sabres problems run deeper than we all know.

Not that I don’t agree with you, but to be fair that’s not uncommon in NHL circles. Hasnt everbody’s darling Dudley lived in Buffalo his entire stint with the Panthers and even earlier?

They won't. That team is a patchwork of players. They'll need 3-4yrs to fix it.

Not only success... as it could be argued Eichel/Reinhart/ROR had no success with the Sabres. But, they were far and away the best forward talents on the team and in the two #2s, getting better year-after-year as well. Boston won't make that mistake with McA/Pasta, and they won't move Swayman except to go get a #1 goalie immediately thereafter. I do think Boston would happily have one more down year, get a lottery pick which they'll miraculously win up to get #2 overall (Pitt is in full tank mode and is going 1st with McKenna). And then, maaaaybe, they add Eichel to pair with 2026 #2, 2025 #7, and they're right back into 3rd in the division.

Agree on that. Might be necessery to trow in a 2nd or a 3rd and a 4th to make a trade including Rosen as interesting as the 9th.

So... Staal isn't even moving here, he's just gonna be in and out of town from what's being speculated. What nonsense this is.

Every GM values the unknown more than the known. They could draft a star at 9. Rosen will be lucky to be a 3rd line NHL player.

think it depends on what timeline I have to work with. Is it a rebuilding team I take the pick. Otherwise I take a shot on Rosen.

Lazy player says lazy statement. Towing the SS Pegula Yach PC line. If Pegula was a flavor, he would be great value, sugar free, lactose free Vanilla.

Eric Staal can’t be the lead offseason move. It just can’t. Have a sense of your fans. We all hate the guy. Just bury the news until after something else has been announced. The org has no pulse on the fans. If Marchand retires, they should bring him in as well. The head of Junk Spearing and Face Licking.

Sobotka for motivational speaker?

The position that Staal was hired for is a typical entry level job for a recently retired veteran player that most franchises have. The advantage of this type of hire is that the new employee knows a lot of current players and is tapped in to a lot of coaches he has been involved with. So he should have a lot of information about other players and whether they would be a good fit if pursued. People getting upset over such a standard practice/hiring is perplexing to me. (As your post demonstrates, there is nothing novel about this type of hiring.)

You are an opposing GM, would you want #9 or Rosen?