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So Steve Yzerman... 2019: 17-49-5 (39 points), 8th in Atlantic, 31st in goals for, 31st goals against, Larkin was the leading scorer with 53pts 2020: 19-27-10 (48 points), 7th in the Atlantic, 30th in goals for, 20th in goals against, Hronek was the leading scorer with 26pts 2021: 32-40-10 (74 points), 6th in the Atlantic, 25th in goals for, 31st in goals against, Larkin was the leading scorer with 69pts 2022: 35-37-10 (80 points), 7th in the Atlantic, 24th in goals for, 22nd in goals against, Larkin was the leading scorer with 79pts 2023: 41-32-9 (91 points), 5th in the Atlantic, 9th in goals for, 24th in goals against, Raymond was the leading scorer with 72pts 2024: 39-35-8 (86 points), 6th in the Atlantic, 22nd in goals for, 21st in goals against, Raymond was the leading scorer with 80pts It's taken a bit but the goals for and against numbers show a roughly steady improvement. I think Detroit's biggest issue is the lack depth scoring and outside of Seider, their defense is questionable. We will see what Edvinsson can do. Yzerman should have a far better defense but he's made some weird trades in Hronek and Walman. With Hronek at least he got something in Pelikka but the Walman trade is just bizarre to me. Anyways, this was fun to look at Detroit and see where they are so thanks Perrault, They actually are slightly better than I thought but also... goaltending and defense are not great looking.

As if the city of Rochester did something wrong

Same as the Ullmark backup plan. I know the situations are different, but I am just talking checkers vs chess again.

What’s the source on this $700k? I’d imagine he’s got money coming from a few different places this year.

BS. It all comes down to Buffalo not winning. Toronto, Edmonton, NYC all have higher taxes and are just as cold if not colder and they get players. Ottawa, Montreal get players. Taxes and Palm Trees is the biggest load of horseshit that Adams has ever tried to sell. Adams can't get players to come here because he is a failed GM, an awful salesmen, and a constantly has a loser tone about "trying to be better"

Wait, what was Adams’ plan this summer if Peterka *didn’t* unexpectedly ask out? Literally nothing? We haven’t done anything 😂😭

I don't. Unsure what the bold means. As for Rochester, most of the NCAA hockey players are not getting 700k to play in the NCAA, they might get 50k plus their tuition. Further, not everyone will go the NCAA route and lots of jr players and Euro players will be around. On top of all of that, the non top NCAA guys will still need AHL time and they will still be motivated to leave college to get paid. McKenna is getting 700k, sure but he's not going to stay in college or ever play in the AHL anyways.

With the money being thrown around, the age ranges and the new CBA of holding draft picks. I fear for the minor leagues. Rochester is on notice...

We didn't talk much about Jarmo Kekalainen, but he's part of the front office now.

100% I said the same thing in a previous post.. TP has let this get way too far... so he wants Adams to say... well fine.. he has this year.. if he fails this year... TP is gonna find out pretty quick as Dahlin, Tuch and Thompson are likely gonna make the decision obvious... and look to leave... sad thing is I think they want to stay, I think they don't want to be known as "One of those players" but how many years of their career are they going to spend in futility... I cant blame them... I can only hope that Adams is not in charge of their disposal...

No disagreement from me. As for Tuch, I'm sure he's got one skate out the door. But I think he's giving the Sabres this year to give him a reason to stay. Same for a Dahlin and Tage. I also think 14 years, plus being cold and high tax Buffalo, makes it that much harder. I don't believe there is a lack of desire on Adams part to make a big swing. It's convincing players to come here.

I don't follow every transaction. And when things like that pop up on my feed, I assume it just happened. I need to check first.

Poor judgment and foresight have been going on for way too long. Common sense tells you that if any UFA player hasn't been signed at an established point, then you have to consider just in case options. What happens if Tuch decides to hold off contract talks and lets his contract run out? That's an obvious tell that he desires to leave the Sabre scene. The problem isn't that this periodically happens because it happens everywhere. It's just that it happens too much here for the obvious reasons.

Also it popped up in my Apple News feed just this morning.

Oh ok. lol. Sorry I didn’t pick up on it.

Lol. I was going with "Harrington's burner" theory until I realized it wasn't a fit. Far more likely Mike just peruses this board for ideas, content. Hi, Mike. Can you unblock me on Twitter, you pud?

Big time. That was sarcasm.

I don’t pay attention to Harrington (don’t like him and don’t subscribe to BN). But isn’t he a critic of Pegula?

What's funny is I look at these situations too and try to assess fair value etc... I always come back to we need to finally get the best player in the trade... and for once lets us be the team that creates the "equal" value with players and prospects or whatever... Unfortunately, the fact of the matter is the Sabres and especially Kevyn Adams are completely neutered by their situation... we have talked about it ad nauseum NMCs, FA not wanting this cesspool etc.. drastically limiting our options... honestly, it is to the point where I really don't believe a fair trade where we get the best player is possible in these conditions of desperation and horrific leverage... (a LaFontaine for Turgeon trade is impossible) Bottom line is IMO the longer Adams is managing our assets and the condition surrounding the FO, dysfunction, losing etc... continue the more damage he is going to do every time he trades (unless he gets lucky)... the more talent we will bleed out because he simply cant make a fair trade where he is the one upping the talent pool UNLESS he is doing it for prospects or picks.. which of course as you said and are 100% correct will set the fans/board/press off... and the cycle continues... I am beginning to move to a very unpopular place... acceptance that without a new GM and FO as well as a tear down of the existing team there is no way out of this... You might find yourself one of these years making the playoffs and summarily being dismissed and the next year out... etc.. but reasonable hope of contention is really not there... He has this year to prove he is a genius... and can turn the tide... if he fails my initial thoughts I believe will play out... and the ones who will finally cement this will be the Dahlin's and Tuch's and Thompsons who bang the drum to leave... I just hope its not Adams in charge of their disposal... But at this point I believe some level of rebuild is unfortunately inevitable and as much as I hate to say it... prospects and picks are probably once again our best hope as I don't believe he can up our level of talent in these conditions, conditions he played a very big part in... Adams baked the souffle its time to eat and unfortunately its caved in on itself... you probably cant save the souffle...

😂😂😂 Busted! Yes, I'm Mike Harrington. Hack journalist and supporter of all things Pegula. I'm surprised I got away with this ruse as long as I did. 😂😂😂 Maybe current Kraken GM Jason Botterill should have been more proactive, no? Not just with Ullmark.

Ullmark was an UFA. They didn’t know that he was going to walk because they were negotiating with him during that period. What was the backup plan if the UFA goalie couldn’t be signed? There was none, at least an adequate one. The problem isn’t that a particular player wanted out for whatever reason as it is too many Sabres wanted out and got themselves out. That in itself is a bad indicator.

We could’ve traded him, right?

Revisionist history. We didn’t let Ullmark walk. Ullmark decided he needed a change of scenery.

Lol, Harrington relying on @PromoTheRobot for content. Either that or Promo is Harrington’s screen name here. That seems unlikely, though. Harrington’s a hack, but be doesn’t generally carry water for the Sabres FO.

The standard argument you make about “some people said” is weak and does’t come close to reflecting what really happened. There is never unanimity on any one player or issue. The prevailing view was that he was a credible (not elite) #1 goalie. What’s so demoralizing is that he started in our system, developed in our system only to mishandle his contract negotiations resulting in his departure with no compensation.. This was another self-inflicted setback a la the Reinhardt contract scenario. It’s apparent to most that this backwater franchise is not very adept at handling basic hockey business. If you don’t believe me just check it’s record over the past generation. Freaking stupid!