PromoTheRobot

The auto-response is offer them enough to come here anyway.

Because goalies, especially, go up and down. You can count on one hand the NHL goalies who are consistently elite. The vast majority get hot then fade and maybe get hot again before fading again. Remember Dominic Hasek was considered a scrub before his trade to Buffalo. Hopefully Buffalo's analytics and coaching staffs can spot a guy who has the tools and the potential to get hot. Is that Subban?

https://russianmachineneverbreaks.com/2022/07/09/report-braden-holtby-unlikely-to-play-next-season-his-career-may-be-over/

He's been conspicuously absent from any chatter good or bad. Is he recovered from his injury? Is his agent talking with KA? Does he have any future beyond the AHL or emergency NHL backup? Or does he become the Sabres new Doug Allen?

I can't see the Sabres trading any major prospects. Draft picks more likely. The benefit to Chicago is getting Kane's salary off their cap.

Well that depends on how Pat Kane sees his role. If he becomes a mentor that's great. If he's a me-first guy then no. I think there's room for a mentor Pat Kane on this roster.

The Athletic rates the Sabres draft class tied for 3rd best with AZ and CBJ. Buffalo Sabres: A- I was a big fan of how Buffalo approached this draft. They acquired a lot of skill, hockey sense and scoring touch in the top four rounds to go with a top goalie prospect in Topias Leinonen. I could quibble with a few things — Noah Östlund at 16 was a tad high for me personally, even though the NHL industry roughly had him there. That said, I like a lot of the players they brought in and can envision several quality regulars coming out of this draft, including a projected good top-six forward in Matthew Savoie. https://theathletic.com/3409495/2022/07/08/nhl-draft-grades-analysis?source=user-shared-article

Because he's no good, or he was drafted too soon?

Where does this come from?

Right now. How about after a few years of development?

Holtby, reportedly, has injury issues that aren't resolved. Possibly career ending.

Or Russian mob.

But the Internet says.....

It's ironic that you have an issue with this pick. If we failed to get him or Brennan this draft you'd be losing your mind.

"So-and-so had a such-and-such grade on him and would have been there in round X" is a weak argument in this case.

What's stopping us from offering RFA Oettinger a fat deal? These are last year's numbers but the Sabres could offer up to $4.1MM/AAV for 5 years and only end up owing Dallas a 2nd round pick. You could go $6.1MM/AAV for 5 and lose a 1st and 3rd. https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/2021/6/28/22554643/2021-offer-sheet-compensation-set-nhl-rfa-rules-picks-aav-calculation What about keeping the path clear for your prospects? To me that's secondary if Oettinger plays well. And if he doesn't you still have UPL, Levi and Leinonen in the pipeline.

Another Russian: D Vsevelod Komarov

ESPN3 = free. ESPN+ = subscription.

Can Josh Allen play goalie? He excels at pretty much everything.

FWIW. the Athletic rates the Sabres draft day #1. (Might be behind a paywall.) https://theathletic.com/3401481/2022/07/08/nhl-draft-first-round-winners-losers/?source=pulsenewsletter&campaign=4620774

"Reach" is something invented by draft nerds to discuss. (Remember when Shane Wright was a slam dunk #1 pick?) If he's good, no one will care where he was drafted.

Putin isn't going to mess with his favorite team.

Ovi knows a guy.

So MAF is off the market.

Okay. They did bad for 11 years. What would you like then to do now? Fire Adams and Granato? Fire sale the players? Sell the team? Will that please you? What are you going to do once the Sabres are good again? Why are you even here if the Sabres are so unbearable? Do you not watch the games? Do you get mad when they win?