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Not saying your proposal is what I would do exactly...but your style of thinking is what is needed. Major shakeup moves. D needs a reset.

Not saying I want it...but I don't hate the idea of him getting 20 minutes being top dog and refining his offensive skills. Play PP and a lil PK. Dominate against men rather than boys. I'm not sold on everything I just wrote...but if the sabres actually were able to bring in vets that can help push to the playoffs...it's a scenario I could 'live' with.

Do the rules allow for it? If so, depending on his off-season and training camp, I don't hate the idea.

I'm not sure he 'should' be a top 6 forward already. Many teams outside of the sabres would not have him in their top 6. Our team sucks. Him currently being in the top 6 is a problem imo. Not a forever problem...but a current one.

That's the tough part - and probably why you don't bring 18 year old kids to the NHL unless they are truly special offensively. The Sabres believed they were a playoff team the last two years, preventing them from 'developing' his game. Sink or swim. Good news, I think Benson has the mental chops to fight through the meat grinder. Definitely not untouchable though - for the right haul, you move him.

I went with option 2, a future top 6 forward. My issue with Benson isn't even an issue with Benson himself. Not being able to play in the AHL stinks for him. It would've been a great opportunity for him to develop his offensive game against men while playing 20 minutes of hockey a night. Regardless, he is still a kid and clearly an NHL top 9 talent at worst. For where he was drafted, that isn't bad at all. All that said, I still believe he becomes a top 6 player in the next couple years.

Oof....that's another missed playoffs there...

Yikes. Upl is a bit broken. Say what you will about lindys system....but good goaltenders can manage it. Upl cannot. If anything, lindys system is a great way to identify goalie incompetence. I rooted for upl....but he is not an answer. He's a time killer until someone else is ready.

I like zb. But we overrate him. He's a kid not ready to play prime time minutes. He has to play protected minutes on a bad team. The rules suck...he should be in the ahl. It's not a slight...it's reality.

Lol....I hear yah. That said, I haven't had an Arby's roast beef in close to 20 years. I do HOWEVER, on occasion get the crispy chicken bacon swiss sandwich with curly fries and a side of cheese sauce. It's tasty ...but I sure do hate myself after eating it

It doesn't have to be the best choice to still be a good choice.

That's a lot of things. My God this team is poorly contracted and lacking talent.

Ovechkin is amazing. The amount of goals he scored in this era is mind boggling. The way he plays is fun as hell to top it off. I'm rooting for him.

Great question. I like him. But we are one of only a handful of teams he could get legit NHL minutes on. He may very well be 3 years away from his first 20 goal season. This Sabres team blows.

B- At worst, as another poster said, he reshuffled the deck while holding a losing hand. At best, he replaced Cozens (3rd line C/middle 6 W) with an actual 2C. Took flyers on stay at home RHDS. The trade deadline was never going to solve this teams issues. The off-season was always, unfortunately, going to be required to attempt it

I sure hope no one is naming their kid after a sabres player at this point. 500? This team is WAY below 500.

4th lines are better than they have ever been. But....is the on ice product better bc of it? You could argue no. I think expansion can wait.

USA! great game overall.

Last night was a great example of why Kreider should be looked at by the Sabres. One scoring line just ain't gonna do it. Quinn and Benson are just not there yet (yet).

so what we have is a center who has low shot volume, low shooting percentage, low assist totals and low faceoff percentage wins. he is not a second or third line winger, why? we don't have to like our front office and/or coaching staff - but we know based on where they are at - they are not necessarily dumb people and understand hockey. this round peg in a square hole routine is odd. they have to be overly enamored with his season that was a major over performance from a shooting standpoint. I wish i could find his whl shooting stats...he scored...but a first round pick in the nhl should score in the whl...

i like everything you posted. and i have the same thoughts as you regarding whether he is a w or c. he had fluky statistical season...and we paid to soon for it though.

I am all for the argument of where he belongs in the lineup - he is a 3rd line player - and that is ok. the 7 million dollar contract is what skews this. the team needed and still needs to find a 1 or 2 line Center. as the team stands now - we have one first/second tweener line, 2 third lines and 1 fourth line.

I know him. He was f'ing w you trying to have fun. Always sarcastic and aggressive w kids. It's his style.

One year protected lottery first round pick (unprotected year two), starting D (joki, but probably samuelson to offset salary and keep ana at floor) and a top 5 prospect (Rosen, Östlund or Wahlberg). Maybe the sabres get a 3rd back. That's the deal.

Healthy ... A very respectable 25g - 30a and a two way presence. He is a plus player for this team. If he catches a healthy streak season over season, I see a 30-35 player. I'm hopeful.