Ruff Around The Edges

True, but John Tortorella was a great coach back in the 2000's too and still is a great coach now, Ruff could still be a great coach now too.

A lot a Rangers fans on twitter are calling this Ruff hire a disaster because of how Ruff has handled the Rangers below average defensive group. I think we Sabres fans can cite a lot more better and relevant examples to provide to Devils fans that Ruff might be a much better hire then the twitter mob believes.

Still have this feeling at the 11:59PM hour at the last minute, I can see the NHL pulling the plug on this and just deciding to start the season later this year.

Dudley lives in the WNY area, is 71 and would likely be his last job in the NHL. This would be great for the Sabres, he has 40+ years experience in the NHL, can't be anything but a win win for Kevyn Adams to have a guy with that kind of experience to help him. Not to mention Dudley has had plenty of success in this role. Get it done TP and KP.

I agree completely. Growing up the NYC metro area as a kid, watched a lot of that Islanders dynasty and Goring was an intricate part. Mike Bossy, Billy Smith, Dennis Potvin, Bryan Trottier and many more. Islanders won 4 Stanley Cups in a row and made it 5 straight years losing to the mighty 1984 Oilers. The early 80's Islanders are the most underrated and overlooked dynasty in the history of the sport, bar none. What a machine those Islanders teams were.

As for the Devils, depending on if they earn another 2 1st rounders this year, I can see NJ taking G Yaroslav Askarov at 7 overall, given that they can have as an example, picks 10 and 17 and NJ can take more forward help there and snag the top goalie. Unless NJ really believes in Blackwood, but to me Blackwood isn't anywhere near the caliber of Askarov

Agree, which is why I can see Adams taking a guy like C/RW Dawson Mercer or C Anton Lundell at 8 and many here will grumble initially.

I would keep the 8th overall pick. I truly believe an organization can never have enough top young talent. The sins of GMTM have really hurt. It's time to restock. The #8 overall this year is actually better then most seasons; the Top 10 of this draft is superb. I would deal Risto to get that 2nd center.

Did the Tankathon 3 times this morning We ended up in the Top 3 all three times. Call it what it is: I'm feeling optimistic about the lottery finally being very kind to the Sabres.

I know this has probably been talked about already, but unless Jack Eichel storms into Kevyn or TP or KP's office and said 'There is no way I will ever play another game for you ever again' I see ZERO reason to ever consider trading Jack Eichel. Most of not all of you know this but we all saw what a monster Jack was this year, and the best is still yet to come. The Sabres would never, ever get real value for Jack, when you also consider the cap hit and term left on his deal. If a GM trades Eichel just to trade Eichel, he might as well resign on the spot. Franchise players are very rare and hard to come by. You keep that player at all costs. Figuring out the rest is 'easier' then finding players like Jack. Here is to some big time lottery luck coming our way tomorrow night and we land in the Top 3: If the Sabres could ever land Alexis Lafrenière, Tim Stützle or Quinton Byfield, couple that with the excitement I and many have about Dylan Cozens, and now we are cooking with gas. On top of that Rasmus Dahlin is just scratching the surface, that would be an very strong Top 3-4 players to work with. More realistically, if the Sabres pick from 7-9, there is still going to be a great opportunity to land a Top 6 forward: It will probably just take a little more time to see that payoff. And I'm not including Sam Reinart (if he stays) and Skinner. I do feel Skinner was playing above himself with the 45 goal season, doubt anyone can bank on that ever showing itself again, but feel confident he can settle into that 25-35G range with the right #2 center. And Casey Mittlstadt, he is a wait and see approach. UPL being what we think he can be as very critical as well. The cupboard is far from bare folks.

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The good thing about this draft is that is it very deep, so even if the Sabres do fall a couple of spots and pick #10, I expect Kevyn Adams will be able to add a quality player to the system. Wanted your thoughts on this: Given that this draft is deep even at the top, if the Sabres are picking 3rd hypothetically, would you support a trade down to say 7-10 to pickup more assets where you still can get a similar impact player in that rage?

More sports entitlement from a Boston writer. They feel they are owed Eichel because he is from the area. The only scenario where I ever trade Eichel is if he asks out, otherwise I'd never do it. The end.

Hockey, and to me sports, just took a massive blow: Tampa Bay Lightning temporarily shut down training facilities due to multiple cases of COVID-19. Also 8 Philadelphia Phillies test positive for COVID-19. Saynora sports till 2021 IMO.

2 interesting, yet similarly troubling thoughts: The owner overruling part, especially in terms of Skinner's contact which at this point, appears that it will be an albatross that could plague this team for years to come, happened. Having said that, JBot did NOT want to give Eichel term? What exactly was JB watching? Bottom line: TP and KP need to stay the living heck out of the way and let Kevyn and his staff do their job and trust, similar to what TP appears to have done with Brandon Beane with the Bills.

Remember when many used to say Alexander Ovechkin wasn't a winning hockey player because his teams would always disappoint? Ovie wasn't the problem then, and that foolishness has stopped being talked about once Washington figured out how to build a true winner. Same with Eichel. Its the organization that is a dumpster fire, and Jack is far from being the problem.

I hear you about Harrington, I personally think Mike Harrington is a classless punk, the true definition of an Internet Tough Guy, but this is the one time where, given the ineptitude of the Sabres over the past decade, where a guy like Mike is actually useful at a time like this to be that guy to cross the line. The Peguals need to know loud and clear: Kim may have the heart in the right place, but she is in way over her head. 'The Pegula Honeymoon' is way way over.

True, but if the lottery is kind to Ottawa where they could possibly get the Top 2 picks in the draft or even 2 of the Top 5 after the Erik Karlsson debacle of a trade for SJ, that perception will also change in an instant.

Hearing the Pegulas, can anyone with a clear mind have any true confidence this franchise is heading in any direction? I am no fan of Harrington, but he asked the tough question to Kim Pegula, and she stumbled around it badly. Until further notice is the worst franchise in the NHL, and its not particularly close.

This organization is the absolute laughing stock of the league, from top to bottom. Eichel at this point would be justified to ask out of he wished. He is wasting the next 2-3 years here of another pending rebuild incoming. If I owned the Sabres, I would make every effort to hire a Team President, have that President either be the GM or hire their own person, then their own coach. And that staff has the ability to do what they see fit, even if that meant trading Eichel and/or Dahlin.

Agree, just need to pair Skinner with a good play-making Center. Not sure if Skinner can get close to 50 again, but even if Skinner can consistently get to 35 goals or so for the next 5 years, most of the contract can be justified.

Agree, what this franchise really needs is a President at the top of the food chain. Its a shame the LaFontaine move was a disaster because someone needs to get in Terry's ear that is the way to go these days. Get someone in here to be the figurehead at the top and hire the right GM and coach and let Terry focus on being a fan and focus on that. Kruger for Team President?

When Botterill is fired and we mean when, I hope they decide on hiring someone with real GM experience this next go around, similar to Ken Holland in Edmonton.

There is always life outside hockey regardless of a pandemic or not. THIS is the lesson that a lot of people (including myself at times) need to learn from this more then anything else. As far as those saying 'please don't play July hockey because we all need to be sheltered' I say no. Its time to get moving, of course with some sort of direction, balance, and being efficient and smart with everything we do. We all have a small role to play in beating this pandemic. And we will. Hockey is a business as we all know. Owners want to make money, players want to earn and play. Fans want to consume, its as simple as that. They should do everything to get back provided the safety check marks are all green, like Bettman has said several times. If the July hockey bothers you, sports has been and is always a choice. If someone does not like it, don't watch. It's that simple. As far as I stand, if there is a Sabres/Caps game on July 16th in some neutral arena with no fans, you bet Ill be watching and cursing off Botterill in the summer heat.

I am not here to stick up for the Pegulas in this case. Let's just be fair: If the Sabres had 10 straight years of making the playoffs, 2 ECF's and 1 SC title, is this even being discussed? Does this article even exist? All they have to do is win. Winning masks most if not all of this. The Pegulas have earned being an easy target for the lack of winning the Sabres have been doing, so that is the only way this will change.