...

I once thought Ott may be re-signed as an UFA, but I think that may be unlikely now. He's buddies with several guys on the Blues, and Miller could very well sign there. They're contenders, or this close to being contenders. Moulson could sign here, perhaps. It's hard to tell if these guys are sincere when they talk to the media, because one day he's saying he really likes it in Buffalo, and then he's traded and seems pretty happy to have been traded. I think it might be more productive to identify the UFAs league-wide, and maybe anyone who can be tendered an offer-sheet. GoDD has a pretty competent list in another thread somewhere.

This isn't bad, but I think you can erase Thomas from the equation. GMTM likes Neuvirth and his potential, so I think the Enroth/Neuvirth tandem will stand next season.

Agreed. I just watched his post trade deadline presser again, and he laid out his plan clearly: they're going to identify prospects who have been in someone's system for a little bit and use picks and player trades to try and acquire the ones they want. What was left unspoken, although I think it was addressed in the WGR interview, was that they have a ton of cap space to pick up players to flesh out the roster. One aspect of his responsibilities that I hadn't picked up on until this second watch of the presser was his interest in development. Several times he referred to developing young players "appropriately" which he clarified at one point to mean "to the highest level they are capable of achieving" or something close to that. So, while next season looks like it will be another bust on paper, I have hopes that the 2015-2016 season we may actually start seeing the team turn around if all of GMTM's planning pans out.

I didn't see a thread on Murray, so I figured I'd start one. Fitting, I think, since now that the trade deadline has come and gone, we have a taste of what this dude will bring the Sabres. The more and more I hear him interviewed, the more and more I like him. I appreciate his up front, no B.S. style. He says he has a plan, but that he's willing to make mistakes. I don't know if I'm head over heals with the results of the trade deadline, but I think that's more a matter of not being in on the plan. Thinking of the players left, and those in the system, I can perceive a "direction" he may be headed, which is far more than I can say I did for his predecessor. I almost seem to think, too, that he's "lightened up" a little the past few days, to which I can't attribute anything certain, but it does correspond with PLF's departure and the impending/passed trade deadline. I think this guy likes to be the cowboy riding in and taking down all of the bad guys...

He just said 3-4 years.

Again, it's probably best to avoid looking at all of these pieces individually. GMTM is trying to assemble a team that works together, not a list of assets that look good in a spreadsheet. Apparently, GMTM's analysis of what he had concluded that the thing should be stripped down even further than it had been. It hardly gets more bare than it is, so now he has to build it back up.

...which they can provide.

934 users browsing the forum. Weeeeee!!

I'm sorry. Really.

Right. His fault was his pieces didn't work together too well. You can get a good player, but assembling a TEAM is, clearly, a different matter. This has to be part of the formula that we're not seeing in all of this activity. GMTM is trying to assemble a team, and it looks weird to us. Seriously, q.u.e.e.r. is censored? God.

McDavid aside, that draft is supposed to be really hot, so the more first round picks and low second round picks the Sabres have for it, the better.

What are we supposed to do, run over there and lynch him? He's the man right now, you have to hope he has a plan and it will work.

I think the league ought to deduct points for being exceptionally awful. So, next year the Sabres are ranked -30.

Also, yes, the Sabres aren't a playoff team, but you still need competent D men you can call up if there are injuries.

The more I think about this, obviously the target was Neuvirth, and I think the goalie situation is in pretty good shape for the next season, at least. If this tandem works, then they can lock 'em both up for a few more years.

This team is going to be awful.

Parker Parker.

I think I like that: A) it appears TB, TP, et al were not in the room, and B) GMTM is doing things his way. I guess at this point we have no choice but to wait and see if B works.

If Enroth stinks it up, they need some insurance. Don't forget, the players aren't interested in losing.

Maybe they're still trying to work out the fine print on the coupon he used.

And Parker? Seriously? That name is there for effect only.

TABULA RASA, people, tabula rasa.

Yeah, the Sabre's goalie situation could be a lot worse going forward.

Well, remember, if you remove Moulson from the equation, and add up the picks and prospects, that is ultimately the return for just Vanek.

Mitchell $1.9m cap hit with a year left. $2.5m actual salary.