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I don't know hockey well enough to have an established opinion here, so I come asking questions, not stating facts: Is the NHL clsoer to MLB, where you need a robust farm system to have any chance at succeeding? Or is like the NFL/NBA, where you can cycle guys out every offseason and totally revamp the team, but as long as one or 2 superstars are anchoring your roster, you will be fine? I ask, because to the totally uninformed (me), it seems like the Sabres are riiiiiiiiight there. You look at their 20 game splits over the last 3 seasons, and they basically play like a top 5 Eastern conference team for quarter-season stretches, and then a last place team for (more) quarter-season stretches. At each point in the last 3 years tough, they have spent at least a quarter of a season playing on a heater, including the end of last season. In other sports, that's indicative of a young team finding its footing and learning how to win. I ask my original question because it colors my outlook on this team: If the entire farm system needed to be rebuilt from the ground-up to get a pipeline of talent coming in that can get the team "over the hump"... to the uninformed, it would seem like they're very close to getting over that hump. If that's not at all how success is attained in this league, and it's closer to the NFL/NBA, where we're basically just treadmilling in the 10 spot with uneven play, and have a GM that won't plop down the cash to get the team over the hump, and what ACTUALLY needs to happen is trading away the farm(system) to get expensive talent that Terry won't pay for because a new stadium is being built for Josh, then I'll plan on giving up on the Sabres again this year before Thanksgiving.

Can I pretend that this counts as a good free agent signing?

Too many things involved to not think Trump is a disgusting human being. "He likes them on the younger side" https://www.rollingstone.com/politics/politics-features/a-timeline-of-donald-trumps-creepiness-while-he-owned-miss-universe-191860/ I love that Trump has a big mouth b.c it makes this so much easier.

Im not singling out your comment alone, more the attitude currently of the sabres fanbase because it is interesting to me. The team sucks, but we want to extend everyone to long term deals? We can't trade peterka because he's going to be a superstar? We need to spend to the cap, but who are we going to spend the money on? After like a day of free agency Jeff Skinner was one of the best free agents left. The way I see it, Byram is currently dman 3 or 4 with warts that the analytic community is quick to point out. But hes still super young too. A 2 year deal still gives you leverage to sign or do a sign and trade next year. I'd think the last thing all parties would want is a 5+ year deal.

This gives us at least 1 more year of keeping all the developing defense away from Buffalo. Novikov, Komarov, (I think Ryan Johnson is the 7th), and it means all 200 rhd in college or Jr's get another year or 2 as well. That's at least a good thing.

Frog legs for dinner at Indabuff’s house!

You completely wiffed on my use of the word defensive.

Trading Zach Benson would be the stupidest thing Adams could do. He's already an elite defense forward and the points are doing to come in buckets.

But it's still better than Samuelsson and Bryson

Idk where. Big club is packed at forward. You'd have to trade at least one. (Lines are rough estimates not the point of my overall post) Benson - Norris - Thompson Zucker - Kulich - Tuch Greenway - McLeod - Quinn Krebs - Danforth - Doan Kozak - Malenstyn They'd be smart to give him power's pp time but I doubt they will.

I don't think this team is worse. It's just only marginally better. We're an 85pt team.

They do have to keep the youngest team in the league status

To me, this seems like a sign and trade move. Byram agreed on a cheap AAV with the hope he get moved.

To the quoted Tweet: I think acquiring Kesselring and resigning Byram is a good start, defensively, to show Dahlin something. Offensively they still need a top six forward.

Well 2 years to UFA puts him in a prime spot at 26 or 27 or whatever ready for a big payday anywhere he wants so I'm sure he's happy with that even if it is Buffalo. I suspect his ask for a longer term deal in Buffalo was too high for Terry and his hand puppet Kev and since they are incapable of making good trades this was relatively easy to get. So at least we have the belief that the D will be better for the next 2 years and we have to hope Quinn gets better and Benson and Kulich keep developing and if the injury squad stay relatively healthy well then if it all goes well and UPL doesn't suck well maybe, then maybe, we only miss the playoffs by a few points and maybe still pick in the top 10. One can dream can't one.

You're assuming a lot here. Theres going to be drop off offensively, mainly to guys like McLeod, Zucker and Tuch. The team is still soft. And until they change that, none of this will matter.

It’s definitely not. Norris. Lyon. Kesselring. Timmins. Doan. Year 2 for Zucker and McCleod. If Norris stays healthy. If Kulich, Benson, and Quinn (15 points last 16 games of season) continue to develop. Maybe one of the other kids makes a leap. If Power suddenly starts reaching his potential. And the Goaltending can just be average. Why aren’t we a playoff contender? 80-85 points should be this group’s floor. Just trying to be optimistic here. Getting Tuch to sign is now top priority.

I think it's likely we're better than last year. It feels like we're a good forward away from definitely being better. It still might be enough to get in the playoffs but adding another forward or one stepping up, makes me feel comfortable we're a playoff team. I don't think this team is same old.

Rather have the player than the lesser player and pick we would have got in a trade. Contract seems in line with what I would have expected from arbitration. Player should be highly motivated and has more to give. Just like with the Peterka deal, Kevyn Adams survives the battle but is no closer to winning the war. Now surprise us and go get a real forward.

Acceptable. I am looking forward to this season, it looks like an AHL forward or 2 are going to make the jump to the big club.

I wonder if maybe he’s not actually fighting for his job

underrated, for sure. he's got all the tools. fast, good shot, decent passer, alright on the powerplay. if i remember correctly, i think the amerks were even using him on the penalty kill as well. played well in the playoffs and seems to do pretty good when it matters the most. he's had a lot of game winning goals over the last 2 years. bunch of injury prone forwards, maybe he gets a real shot this year? him and/or Östlund will definitely be the first forward call ups

Most likely outcome: BB is traded next summer. Sneakily possible outcome: BB outplays Power convincingly next season, Power is traded and BB signs a long-term extension.

She didn't follow Phil Collins' advice.

If this signing does not follow: 1. Trading of Byrum for a top 6 forward 2. Keeping Byrum and finding a way to land a solid Top 6 option like Jared McCann Then this signing and entire process is a failure.