Taro T

VERY possilbe. Both from punishing a guy for oftentimes not playing the "right way" and rewarding another one for ALWAYS playing the "right way." (Well, at least as long as he wasn't giving refs the ability to call him for trips not a single other player on the ice would get called for. Still amazed at how jealous the refs are that a little young player like Benson gets to live their dream and they never could.)

Really don't like the idea of having Power-Dahlin pencilled in as the top pairing this season. Power is coming off a major injury (the 1st of his career) and very likely could have rust to get out of his game. Playing top line minutes isn't condusive to overcoming rust. Also, Byram, while not great in his own end, was significantly better there than Power is. Plus, Power isn't going to create the quick breakout that Dahlin and Byram both can provide. Expect that Dahlin will have to rein his game in a smidge if partnered with Power, which is the last thing you want to do. Kind of like when Eichel was centering Skinner and Pominville he'd have to hang a bit higher in the offensive zone than was ideal because Pomms couldn't get back in transition and Skinner wouldn't.

After some early season experimentation, Ruff had Dahlin and Byram together for almost the entire time the Sabres had a realistic chance of making the playoffs. Once it got to be, well, if everybody else falters (pretty much happened) AND Buffalo runs the table (not even close), then Ruff went back to Dahlin-Samuelsson Byram-???. Expect that was for 2 reasons, 1 Ruff (probably heavily influenced by the staff's opinion) had expected Muel-Dahlin would work as a pairing and he wanted to see if it would once both had been exposed to what he was asking of him; which would free up Byram to either run a lesser pairing (Power's and Byram's pairs seemed to be 2A & 2B down the stretch with neither really getting THE 2nd pairing matchups, at least from the eye test) giving the Sabres a chance to create mismatches with the other team's lesser lines and/or to decide how easily they could overcome Byram's departure using him to either improve the F's or the goaltending. Am HOPING that's a big part of why they let Kulich play 1C pretty much the entire last month of the season even though teams with really good 1st lines were eating him alive. Explains Benson getting some top line work too as the last month was. or seemed to be,- let's see what we have while not getting blown out on a nightly basis time.

1 - Demko. Adams, make it happen. (But please DON'T bring Petterson with him.) Bring in Demko, and then he's the #1 until (and possibly beyond) when Levi is ready to take the reins. If Levi gets to the point you have to make a decision on one of them, well, 1st world problems are good ones to have. And you've got a pipeline behind Levi finally. Something they haven't actually had since Lehner didn't work out and Ullmark wanted out.

Eh, don't think it really matters if he gives the offer to a UFA verbally, in writing, or via smoke signals. The team will still have to submit the particulars to the league office should he get a deal agreed to. And that WILL have to be in writing.

Is the answer because they're blaming his season on the S&C coach rather than on the player?

Half a mil to ride a bus around the Northeast and play hockey. Reg Dunlap would be jealous.

How many more can they find an office for: Adams, Kekalainen, Karmanos, Forton, Ventura, other? Oh, yeah Staal. Or maybe that's the point, with Kekalainen and Karmanos in house they've got 2 extra offices just sitting empty. Wanna help shape an NHL team; ok with Zoom meetings with most of your coworkers; do you like to have open honest conversations. If so, send your resume to SHKIIIP. Wanting to be here, or at least Zoom in to here, critically important. Experience a plus but not necessary.

Gave you the "laugh" but just as easliy could've run with the "cry."

But it doesn't count because it was all Dahlin and Dahlin and ANYBODY else would've been better (except at least with who the Sabres had, it wasn't) and Byram and Power were demonstrably bad together and Bryam couldn't be the Sabres 1 when Dahlin was out. Still would like the Sabres to keep Byram. But if Byram going out the door would bring Demko in; well, bye-bye Bo.

Personally love the Knies deal, for all the reasons you mention. It might work. But there's a better chance it won't. MHO.

And the MLB allows players that aren't going to college to be drafted after completing HS. AKA, as soon as you're 18 or going to be 18 you are eligible to be drafted. That seems extremely similar to one of these other 3 leagues. The point about the Euro leagues wasn't simply where the kids will develop. It was also about where they'll play. The NHL gets players that are signed to the 2nd level of the Swedish league to get out of their contracts to come to the US. Don't believe that is the case for players in the top league, the SHL. So, if players can't be drafted until 20, they will end up signing and playing in the SHL with no immediate recourse to join the NHL. Same issue with the KHL. The Sabres can't get the Russian F they drafted ~3 years ago for at least 2 more years. You can say it isn't and won't be an issue; but it is and has been an issue and if players don't get drafted at 18 but have to wait until 20 it will become more of an issue; not less. And Non-NA players are now about 1/4 of the total NHL players; that has continued to increase through the years. You sure that you're cool with that going back the other way if those players are good enough to be playing in the NHL? You seem to be more concerned about making the NHL Draft destination TV like it is for the NFL. It isn't destination TV for the MLB and nobody seems to mind. Is there something else that this kid is missing here? If so, please let me know.

Levi wasn't even a glint in Adams' eye when they couldn't work a deal out with Ullmark.

Nah, they're just telling us who's money Marner will officially be getting. (Though in reality, they'll both be getting Alex's cash.)

Which is said of virtually EVERY non-goaltending 5th - 7th round pick made by any NHL team.

Worse (and likely more accurate): "It's really important that you understand that I WILL still be here (for no necessarily explicable reason) when you end up here."

Most likely the case. But it depends on whether they gave themselves any early termination provisions to the MOU version of the CBA that extended the 2012 CBA from September 2022 through September 2026. The MOU didn't have any early termination provisions but have never seen a copy of the CBA itself as modified by the MOU. The 2012 CBA did have early termination provisions (which have long been expired for the pre-MOU CBA); presumably there are none in the current CBA as it now stands, but as have never seen that version of the current CBA (and haven't seen the new one yet either) that is simply a presumption. So, again, believe you are correct that the existing BF-LTIR loopholes that Vegas, TB, and others take advantage of will still be available through this coming season, but not 100% certain of it. (Would put it about 98% likely. 😉 ) And teams will still be able to take advantage of BF-LTIR loopholes; there just will be more constraints which theoretically will limit just how much teams can try to abuse the system.

It also needs to clear labor laws in 2 countries. Personally would prefer to see the draft go back to 20 years old being the norm. But there are more moving parts than you are considering. Hockey, unlike football or basketball, has legitimate well established pro leagues in several other countries. How does raising the drafting age affect the interactions between the NHL and these other leagues? Do Swedes or Russians decide to sign longer contracts than they already do to stay in country at 17 or 18 keeping significantly more players from those countries out of the NHL until they are much older? Does a lack of access to as many young Euros materially affect league plans for expansion? (Personally would see that unforeseen consequence as a win as the league shouldn't expand IMHO; but am quite certain the league and the NHLPA would see that as a loss.) Does the CHL want to see a change like this, especially if "exceptional 18 & 19 yo's" can still be drafted? Don't their teams get a marketing benefit (in gate driven leagues) by having x # of "future NHLers" on their rosters? Does it affect ELCs and 2nd contracts, if not in principle but in practice? If it does result in ELCs shortening and 2nd contracts getting larger, with a hard salary cap, could see the union opposing it. If it would result in no effects on ELCs (other than essentially no more contract "slides" as there are no more signed teenagers) but 2nd contracts shrinking, the union might publicly oppose it but privately approve it (as the currently dues paying members end up taking home more pay). Not sure what you mean by this only matters for "like 1 18 year old per year?" Several kids that are 18 in the fall are ready for and get opportunities to play in the NHL at the end of their Junior/NCAA/Euro seasons and do end up playing at that point. They won't have that opportunity any longer.

Then better hope the NHL trade deadline falls on a Friday or a LOT of teams will be running short benches the 1st day or 2 after the deadline looking to allow their younger players the opportunity to get into playoff games for their farm team once the NHL team's SC dreams have gone awry. And personally loved the idea that players will have to physically report to the farm club until getting to that part about also having to play in at least one game. Thought for, literally less than a moment, that there was finally a change in policy in the NHL that would actually benefit the Sabres. They could have a player in Rochester and back within 3 hours if he doesn't check his speedometer too closely and doesn't hit bad traffic/roadwork along the way.

It makes sense that Demko would be the odd man out for the right price. It would seem that between Byram, prospects, available cap space, and even the possibility of sending them UPL to be insurance should Silovs turn out to be not quite ready provided the Sabres got Demko to ink a new deal the Sabres should be able to offer "the right price." So, the questions left are can Adams get it done and can Petterson not be part of what comes back to Buffalo. (Really hate the idea of this team swapping out Norris in a package that includes Petterson. On this team with this staff, can't see Petterson's contract anything but an albatross. Would happily be wrong should he become a Sabre, but just too much risk involved.)

Agree with most of this, but believe you are leaving out one huge issue from last season that contributed heavily towards your issues 2 & 3. The coaches don't know how to get through to the players on this team. Is that because they don't know how to teach/implement the system Ruff wants them to run, is it beause the system (as opposed to Granato's lack of a system) isn't good enough, is it because the players can't/won't implement it, something other, or a combination of all? Yes. But regardless of why the coaches are ineffective and have been for years hear; making a change there would seem to be the low hanging fruit to get improvement from the players. So frustrated that there is no movement on remedying this particular issue.

Thought he meant Samuelsson and Power.

Love the idea of landing Demko. Realize that there's little chance he'd be the only player leaving Vancouver. Hate the idea of Buffalo being the team that believes it can turn Petterson around. So, very much like this trade idea.

He only has about a year left on his deal. 1 year and 2 days to be precise here on Sunday June 29. A player can't sign a new contract with more than a year remaining on a current multiyear deal. (They have to wait until January 1 to sign a new deal when their current deal is only for 1 season.) So, Adams could make a trade with Dallas today and have a gentleman's agreement with Robertson that he'll sign an extension on Tuesday, but if Robertson decided to walk away from that deal and play out his current contract the Sabres would have no recourse to force him to sign nor to force Dallas to nullify the trade. Robertson could very well get moved but would be surprised if it happens before Tuesday unless it is to a team he REALLY wants to play for. And guys do get traded before "extensions" can be signed, O'Reilly being the most recognizable example here. But there is a legit risk involved from the team's perspective and can't see a GM for Buffalo or Columbus or any other "destination" team being dumb enough to take that risk.

Why is 18 the draft age? Ken Linesman. Why doesn't it get modified to something such as players can be drafted at age 18 but only in rounds 1 & 2? Because it would have to be negotiated in the CBA (one can't keep adults from freely practicing a legal trade unless a union for workers of that particular skill agrees to it) and neither the players nor the owners want a change like that enough to push it through. Will be at least 5 more years before you see something like that. And wouldn't have any money on it happening then either.