Taro T

Yes, it appears (and has appeared since Lyon was signed) the plan is for Levi to get the bulk of the work in Ra-cha-cha this year and be available to bump up should either of the other 2 falter or get injured. And his contract is low enough that none of it will count against the Sabres cap while in Ra-cha-cha. So, he might've been able to get a higher annual salary if the 1st year were a 2 way deal; but this likely would net him more money ove the 2 years.

Puckpedia had him by 2+ hours.

No, the youngest team shouldn't be dictating who gets traded. But it turns out Seravali was right that Peterka wanted nothing to do with being here, apparently the Captain was ambivilent to him coming back, and he actually had value on the trade market. And with all that said, not happy he was traded. He was one of the players that was fun to watch the last couple of years. And don't believe they got full value for him. Now, if they use some of the cap that still remains that was freed up by trading him, it'll look a lot better.

Could've sworn that was brought up here late in the season. And the part in parenthesis was simply stating how, if true, it would correlate similarly to when Drury did in fact say that the team would be better without Satan than with him. And NO, am not saying Dahlin's displeasure with him rose to that level.

He wasn't arbitration eligible. Not sure if he could've received an offer or not. Know Levi couldn't, don't believe Peterka could either but not positive about that. There also were RUMORS that Dahlin didn't want him on the roster (providing vibes similar to when Drury told management to punt Satan at all costs and they then literally let him walk as a FA).

True he was. But unlike a player that after his 1st stint in the NHL after his college career ended hasn't had success at the NHL level and is still eiigible to be sent back to the A without having to clear waivers; Peterka was a fixture on the big club and had legitimate trade value. A guy that has no appreciable value outside his current club deciding to make waves won't really get very far. And it does appear he did gain a concession from the Sabres - per Puckpedia he's on a 1 way deal. Unless Bryson gets sent down, he'll be pretty much the highest paid player on the Amerks.

Significantly less than this kid expected him to get. But it makes sense as he has absolutely 0 leverage. Wonder if the 2nd year is a 1 way deal?

Fair deuce. But regardless of the reason why, he WAS the guy that was playing with Thompson down the stretch and if Norris and Thompson don't click, he's likely the "next man up."

Don't believe it's so much that the guys entering their 3rd year are penned into the lineup so much as we might see a 3rd year guy and a 2nd year guy penned onto Thompson's line which will essentially be the 1st line. AND it's possible that Quinn, after as awful a start to a season as you can have and NOT get sent back to Ra-cha-cha MIGHT be on the 2nd line. And Doan could find himself in the top 6 in place of one of those other 3. That is a LOT of youth to give significant roles to. Now if they were spread across the 2nd - 4th lines, nobody would really bat an eyelash at them provided the guys stepping up actually get the job done.

Umm, don't believe it is the fanbase that is giving serious consideration to lining him up next to Thompson (particularly if Norris & Thompson don't gel). He should not be the #1 C at least until he gets a little stronger in his own end. But whether he's 1C, 2C, 3C or 1/2LW; none of us have any say whatsoever in which of those he's lined up into.

What, you don't like Adelphia's color scheme?

Yep. (Particularly to the stuff about Benny.) Would really like to see Ruff come up with a lineup that doesn't have both Benson and Kulich on the top line. Barring another move (and one HAS to be coming, right? it just makes so darn much sense (yeah, yeah, wishful thinking)) expect they won't both be there on day 1, but expect they will be before October is out. They could be great there a couple of seasons from now, but right now, would rather have more experienced players with Thompson letting the kids not face the same quality of opponents that Thompson will always get on the road and usually get at home. (AKA, either the other team's top offensive line or their top defensive line depending upon the makeup and philosophy of the opponent that night.)

Pretty sure Pegula and Adams like him. Lindy probably likes him as a person too. But being a good guy and allegedly good at development coaching doesn't mean he's remotely competent to be an NHL assistant. And there was a report here from our usual breaker of all news Sabres that the Sabres did make an offer to a coach to take over Wilford's role but were rebuffed by the guy they made the offer to. Would like to have seen them then reach out to a plan B, plan C, or plan D guy at that point. But, again, somebody likes HIM, not necessarily the results he gets. And maybe this is the year he finally understands that being ok with 2 D going behind the net, leaving the C to try to cover 2 guys in the slot or having your D let a guy simply stand in front of your goalie without trying to move him away, or being OK with the D not recognizing that a player is by himself in the low slot a mere tick-tack pass away from toeing it into the open net are not good things and that he can actively teach against doing that and actually reduce guys ice time when they do those sorts of things. He also can get on the nuts of F's that stand around lost in their own end. (Whether they report to him in that end or not; doesn't matter, get their heads out of their bippies. He's in charge of the play in that zone. This is not Don Granato's Sabres team anymore. Somebody should let Marty know.)

That is true. BUT the question of HOW the PP with both Dahlin and Thompson on it was rhetorical.

That's probably realistically his ceiling. Unfortunately, it'll likely take a couple more years before he becomes whatever he's going to become.

2 more in their prime Griers would go a long way towards making getting into the playoffs a thing that's theirs to lose rather than one they have to steal to get.

Getting top 12 goaltending is necessary but not sufficient to making the playoffs. The Sabres will need more than just that to go right to make them. Norris staying healthy all year and one of those kids breaking out would go along way towards providing the extra impetus required. (Broken record alert: fixing the d*mn PP also could do it. And how a PP with both Dahlin and Thompson on it (2 REALLY good PP players) can be this awful this often for this long is boggling. It's only been good for one roughly 7 week stretch since O'Reilly left the building.)

@LGR4GM beat me to it, but Quinn's best offense has come when he and Peterka swapped wings. Yes, he's more than a bit of a defensive black hole right now, so regardless of which side you're playing him on, you need to give him defensively responsible linemates. Personally, would rather get the increased offense from him (which could be substantial) being on his off-wing and worry about the slightly worse defensive play (it CAN'T be much worse than it was if he is going to keep a job in the NHL) as it comes. Tuch and McLeod/Norris would be defensively responsible and actually give Quinn players with legit offensive chops that might actually get him the puck or be able to do something with it should he get his passing touch back. Krebs & Greenway would cover for his defensive deficiencies but wouldn't afford him much help in the offensive zone.

Realistically, at this point, the only potential "real goalie" getting brought in would be Hart. And that is, at best, a long shot. IF they were to bring him in, would definitely wait until the end of TC (possibly even later than that by a handful of weeks) before choosing which goalie to jettison as he's been away from the NHL for a full year now.

If they got rid of Wilford, would very likely agree with this. But just simply can't get past how bad he has been at preparing these guys to play in their own end. HE is still here. The rocket surgeon that sets up the X's and O's on the PP is also still here. Those 2 items and goaltending has been their Achilles heal for the better part of the entire Adams era. Though the personnel have been improved to a degree in all those areas, the guys directing the troops are still the same.

Like it, and do expect Norris to be with Thompson. But for some reason just don't expect that to work. So expect fairly early in the season we see Kulich, Norris, and McLeod all slide one spot with Kulich moving to the top line (which he ain't ready for) and the other 2 sliding down 1 spot. And expect late in periods and the 2nd 1/2 of the 3rd to have much mixing of those lines as Ruff tries to limit Kulich's ice time.

Don't expect to get much at all for him. And it IS possbile that the lightbulb will click on and stay on for him and he'll be not just a servicable goalie but an actual honest to goodness good one. But, at this point, they really shouldn't be worrying about what they'd get in return for UPL or Lyon (or even the guy that could be their future); but rather what do they need to give up to get a sure fire (well, as sure fire as such a thing is in this league) top 10 goalie. If they had one of those, a playoff spot would be theirs to lose, not theirs to steal like it is now. Also, if they did get another goalie (and we all know they won't, but will state this anyhow) they should keep all 4 into TC and see if a goalie gets injured somewhere else in TC. Maybe for once, the puck luck will bounce the Sabres way, and instead of getting a 2nd rounder for a guy that could be useful they might get a 1st or a legit NHLer for the odd man out. Goalies are weird and there aren't enough legit goalies to fully go around, so the market for goalies is always weird in itself. Heck, the Avs managed to trade Georgiev last year and he was absolute hot trash when San Jose took him. Even bad goalies on bad contracts can get moved.

And pigeons breathe a sigh of relief. RIP Professor Lehrer.

The Grigorenko pick would've been outside the 12 year window he's looking at. And, he did state the last batch of players were those that weren't DIRECTLY stemming from any of those picks. So, can see why he didn't include guys that came into the organization a trade later wouldn't be counted as stemming directly from Compher and the pick that went out for O'Reilly.

Keep him and trade away Luukkonnen. Or head into camp with 4 goalies, knowing Levi can be sent down. And trade whichever guy ends up the #3 at that point for what you can get.