K-9

I appreciate and agree to a point, but that TD pass to Diggs was otherworldly. Each week he seems to throw a pass that that literally only a few other humans on the planet can make.

Depends on who you talk to in certain places, I guess. But to be clear, I’m not accusing Eichel or Reinhart of partaking, just gravitating towards veterans whom I often heard did. That last sentence speaks to the point about rejecting the leadership example set by Gianta and Gorges vs. the example accepted from others. And I put that failure completely on Tim Murray for surrounding that young talent with the likes of Bogo and Kane to begin with.

Josh and Johnny couldn’t be more different in their sideline/bench demeanor.

I found Gionta’s remarks very telling. He and Gorges tried to provide the right example in team leadership, but instead, the young guys rejected that and gravitated towards a group that never exhibited those traits to begin with. I’m sure Bogo and Kane showed them how to cut and snort a proper rail though.

I place the bulk of the blame for his “jitters” on that sieve of an OLine. Josh has made more off platform throws in the last two weeks than I can remember over any two week stretch previously. I really don’t think the extension has any bearing at all.

Granato also believes in players being in top physical condition when they arrive at camp; Krueger not so much. I found it very illuminating when Granato took over and at his first presser he was very candid in saying that it would be a couple weeks before this team would be in shape to play. How a coach wouldn’t make conditioning job one is beyond me, but Krueger was clueless in that regard.

Yeah, that would be nice, but morale is a personal choice and if a player chooses not to be part of the solution as has been demonstrated by several of the TM era tank and rebuild, including Johnny, then it’s an impossible task for any coach. Johnny wants out. Tanking for him didn’t work out. Time to move on.

I can’t ask for more if 4 is no more than a four.

Per the bold, is it your opinion that the Canadian right is aligned with the same neo-fascist ideals of the far right wing of the Republican party in the U.S.? Wouldn’t surprise me considering what we’ve seen occurring worldwide over the last decade or so.

So, we needed to sign those two goalies to ensure we would finish last because we just couldn’t finish last without them. Got it.

He has the most annoying habit of answering his own questions as he asks them, which really attempts to box in his interview subject. It’s almost dishonest.

But we finished last without them, too. I understand your point about not addressing the goalie position, I just don’t agree that’s indicative of a deliberate tank. Tanking is simply not necessary for this team to suck.

Tanking isn’t necessary to finish last as we are all too painfully aware, so I don’t see KA having “opted” for it at all.

Wonder how many pull-ups he’s up to now.

CM sounded more mature than I’ve ever heard him before in his interview with Biron and Peters this morning. It’s like he has a new appreciation for what it takes to be a pro athlete. Are the days of chewing tobacco and marathon Fortnite sessions behind him? Here’s to hoping he earns the contract after this one.

Informed (by Eichel and his representative’s behavior) opinion on the matter, yes; bias, no. Not by a long shot. I’ve got a list of gripes with the Sabres organization longer than my arm, so I don’t wear rose colored glasses where the organization is concerned. I find it hypocritical that you would cite “unacknowledged” bias in the opinions of others who put any blame on Eichel for his share of this mess while you so zealously leap to defend his actions here. I believe we are done discussing the matter.

Don’t presume to know how I view athletes. I’ve known and worked with many over the years, pro and amateur alike. I don’t know Eichel personally, so I can’t really say for sure how he really is, but based on what’s transpired since season’s end, my impression is that he’s been dishonest, manipulative, and unprofessional while choosing to ignore the fact that his own union is responsible for the rules limiting his ability to get what he wants when he wants it. And while I suspect his previous representation is mostly responsible, they worked for HIM and he had ultimate control. But I give him credit for firing his agent. The Sabres made him a multi-millionaire and the face of the franchise, so yeah, given my perception of his behavior recently, I see him as ungrateful. Sorry that conflicts with your take, but you’re not going to change my view with any zealous defense of his behavior. Only he can do that and if and when he does, I’ll acknowledge it. Until then, I think we are at an impasse on the matter.

I can’t agree that we didn’t have any idea of his trade value before all the publicity about his injury. He’s a consensus elite hockey talent after all. Ultimately, his value will be whatever anyone is willing to pay for him, but KA has a great basis for establishing his list price. Yes, we all get that he wants what he wants for his body, but I also get that he doesn’t have final say as collectively agreed to between his union and the league. I also get that the team has tens of millions in sunk costs and another 50 million in future costs in an elite asset. Those who get that Eichel wants what’s best for himself must also appreciate the Sabres’ position in that regard as well. Look, I appreciate your defense of him, but imo, one side has acted professionally and another petulantly during the process. And that, more than anything has shaped my view since May. So I’ll just agree to disagree and leave it at that.

I’ve perceived his lack of captaincy material from his rookie year. But I never held that against him as there are plenty of great players who aren’t captain material and vice versa. My perception of him being an ungrateful prick began with his exit presser in May. And he flat out misrepresented the “disconnect” between his doctors and the team’s, so I question his character in that regard as well. He couldn’t have done a better job of sabotaging his trade prospects and he and his team saw fit to persist with that tactic all summer, at least until he saw fit to fire his agent. It doesn’t matter that they didn’t say much, it matters that what they did say was damaging to the team’s ability to maximize his trade value. And the stunt with the doctor in Colorado in response to KA’s assertion that the team was in control of the process was classless as well.

Just calling it like I see it. He comes off like an ungrateful, whiny little prick instead of looking for ways to be a part of the solution. Kinda like how acts as a captain on the ice.

Can you list the times Johnny and his reps acted with an ounce of class during this fiasco? During his exit interview back in May, Johnny flat out lied about the “disconnect” between his doctors and the team doctors. Or how about the classless response by his team to KA’s assertion that the team is in control of the process by having the doctor in Colorado saying the disc replacement is perfectly ok, with the implication being that the Sabres were being punitive and hurting Johnny’s ability to get back on the ice quicker? Johnny needs to take that up with the NHLPA, anyway. They’ve done nothing but lower his trade value the entire time. The only thing I’ll give him credit for is firing his agent. No emojis necessary, sad or otherwise.

I don’t recall seeing those reports, only that they would approve the fusion surgery if it was necessary. But if what Razor said has any truth to it and the prescribed course of treatment is working, then they did him a huge favor by having him avoid an invasive surgical procedure to the cervical spine. Like I said earlier, if that ends up being the case, then the ungrateful prick really needs to write that letter of apology and gratitude to the organization that he and his former representatives have spent the last several months denigrating.

If it ends up being true that his neck is healing and expected to be at 100% via the rest and rehab route initially recommended and prescribed by team doctors, then the ungrateful prick should write a letter of apology and gratitude for being able to avoid any risky invasive procedure on his cervical spine.