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Lol — you sure? I take your issue here to be principled and generalized (“don’t lie to your team’s long suffering fans”), not personal. As stated, I’d urge you to a more practical view, but I won’t drag for the passion or zeal with which you’re making your point. Keep on rockin’ in the free world.

The more I consider this, the more I think this off-season is the time for the buyout. If you look at this over the period of the next 6 seasons, the buyout #’s show that the only real negative to the buyout this June over next June is the 6th year cap hit of $2,444,445 (vs $0.00 in year 6 if we wait a year). That’s significant to be sure. But years 2-5 are nearly the same with a buyout this June costing a manageable extra amount of $444,445 per season. What sways me to this June is the $7,555,555 in savings this year. Now, we don’t know yet if the Sabres are ready to spend money. If they are, though, then the expected increase in the cap combined with the savings on a Skinner buyout would position the Sabres for a major roster overhaul. Assuming a reasonable extension for UPL, a Skinner buyout would leave around $25 million in cap space. It’s not so much that I think we can’t get anything useful out of Skinner next year as it is that I think we can get more useful things with the cap savings. No question if we spend to the cap this year it will create difficult decisions next off season re: new contracts for Quinn, Peterka, Greenway, Byram and potentially even Levi next year. There is risk. But if several of those guys have the type of year that it puts us in a difficult spot with the cap, then I believe the phrase is “it’s a good problem to have“.

I am interested to see if KA moves on from prospects and which ones. Ruff will watch Rochester closely and probably get up to speed with Savoie, Komarov in the CHL playoffs. KA talks about a team of decision makers, I want Lindy to have a lot of input.

I watched his clips from Michigan and read the draft reviews, they all said this. He is the polar opposite of Pronger despite his stature. I just want to see an incremental increase. As he gains strength and confidence he may hit 10% more. Using his body to win battles should be a given.

You make an excellent point about him not being an inflexible coach with a rigid system that can't be deviated from. As you point out, he adjusts the system to the players' talents and not vice versa. In an interview he noted that the players of today are not the players of yesterday. And as a coach he had to have the flexibility to the adjust to individual players.

Benson will have to play 24 minutes a night. I hope they go out and get a couple of guys who can get some greasy goals and don’t take s**t from anyone. I mentioned Dakota Joshua in another thread as an example.

In a disappointing season, the two biggest surprises for me were the play of UPL and Benson. Usually, young players start to falter at the end of a long and grinding season. His play never declined. There was a consistent energy and grit to his game that were impressive. I can envision him on the second line next year with Cousins and Quinn. Although he has a youthful countenance, he plays like a man.

I would bet money that they know English just fine. It’s just easier than telling you they don’t care.

My neighbors across the street are building an extension on their house. They started the framing yesterday. During their break, the workers were laying down napping in my yard. I went outside and told them they were in the wrong yard and one responded “what did you say?”. I said it again and then got nothing but “no English”.

You don’t eat babies when you’re in your own market.

I still don’t think telling these guys to go to areas they clearly are averse in going to will make them turn into Brendan Shanahan.

I am not a Doors fan, but this is great. Also, great is the first glimmer of light after totality in your avatar. Great to see that too, my friend.

3.5 for 3 years works

He said while watching the playoffs, he felt about 50% of the goals being scored involved a tip, screen, or scrum in front. It was really good to hear and he indicated he's already talking to the remaining coaches on what the Sabres need to and shouldn't do. Mentioned going over video.

I agree with you and I hope that it works. His coaching style back when turned boys into men, but by 2005 he had a far better roster than the Sabres have now. NJ was a young team, but a better team than the Sabres are now and Ruff was fired when NJ slid backwards. Adam really has this offseason to build the team. Seems that Ruff will be involved in that, which is key. Both talked about the 'next level' - we all know that means playoffs. I want it to mean cups and I have my doubts that Ruff will get the Sabres there - Adams too. Again, I am hopeful. As I have said many times, without hope there is nothing.

Lots of ppl thought Power would be a physical player, hits are but one part, and that's never been his game.

Cost of everything. 😡 Glad we had our kitchen remodeled 3 years ago. I can only imagine what the cost would be today.

Nailed it. We want the next season to start now. I don’t get as much entertainment from watching the Leafs lose as I do with a Sabres game in which they compete.

No I don't. That's idiotic and stupid. Adams has no idea who I even am.

Lindy will love Benson.

I have concerns about Lindy coaching this team at this time, but having to learn what it takes to be an NHL coach is definitely not one of them.

After seeing that whole production in Utah yesterday, I am already jealous of their fans 😞

Things have to be done in a certain way in order to give your team a chance to consistently win hockey games at the NHL level. Ruff knows those things.