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It's at least a move in the right direction. Is it enough? Who knows. Many of the kids are actually pretty close to being men. So, the moves Karmanos makes might be enough provided Ruff actually still can find a useful assistant coach. Personally won't be happy if Appert is still in the organization. (And fully expect Appert will still be in the organization.) Do all of the above and move Ruff to Special Advisor with Sullivan being brought in and believe that would be enough. (And is likely the best we can hope for with things as they are..)

One of my biggest criticisms of KA is less about talent evaluation as it is about roster construction. There are promising young players on the roster and in the system. But they are not sufficiently surrounded with experienced players with varied attributes (ruggedness) to put them in a position to succeed. As an example, there is a noticeable imbalance on the roster as exemplified by the makeup of the blueline. There are too many puck moving and finesse orient players on the unit that needed maybe a couple more defensive players to be paired with the skaters. Constructing a team is not simply about having pieces. You need pieces that fit and can play the required roles that make up a well-rounded team. I would take that internal shakeup and be reasonably satisfied.

With Pegula, each mistake serves to complicate the next decision. He feels he was steered wrong by NHL people, so he hires his guy in Adams. He trusts Adams, but Adams is not qualified for the job and is failing. He needs a qualified person, but he doesn’t know any, and doesn’t trust anyone to give him advice, other than Adams. Because of all the firings through the first 7-8 years, he has a reputation for being inpatient. So, he likely feels he will further damage his reputation if he doesn’t give Ruff another year. So he will go into the coming year with a lame duck GM and coach who he knows have not done well enough to grant extensions to, but who he also can’t fire due to trust and reputation issues.

I generally agree. I think we are still in a spot right now where we could transition to a new GM/HC combo, without a full restart. In effect, we could change the culture by hiring new people to run the team. A year from now, I’m not sure. If the speculation is true and Ruff is going to have an outsized role in roster decisions (and there are no NHL teams that operate this way), then the potential is there for this to go very badly. We could be moving on to rebuild #4.

Better than the bend over, grab your ankles and lube up path we currently seem to be on.

How would everyone feel if Adams is moved out of day to day operations of the GM and Karmanos is promoted to GM and Sam Ventura to Asst GM. Along with some Assistant Coaches being moved out?

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.

Everything Trump touches dies. The fact Carney is PM after the election, one where his party was getting throttled just 3 months ago, is proof. At least Canadians have brains and common sense.

I really think some people cannot understand just how dire the situation is. When they crash and burn again next season Tuch is 100% gone and Dahlin and Tage likely both ask out and at that point it's over.

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.

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?

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.

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.

Okay.

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.

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.

because there were players ready to come up from Rochester. That's the point.

They literally aren't going to do *****.

After the most catastrophic failure of a season in team history these ***** are essentially going to run it back.

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.