nfreeman

So here's some info on Dakota Joshua: - Pretty cool name. - C, 6'3", 206 lbs. - Only 2 full NHL seasons, and he he turns 28 tomorrow. Drafted in the 5th round in 2014 by Toronto. Played 4 seasons at Ohio State, then part-time in the AHL for 3 seasons, then 2 seasons with Vancouver. - Played 11 min per game last year for the Canucks and 14:23 per game for them this year, with 18-14-32 in 63 games. - 60 PIM per year for the last 2 years. 5 fights last year and 4 this year. He seems like a 4th-liner, but at the right price I'm interested.

Dude. No one is under any misapprehension as to your feelings on KA. You are well justified in your dissatisfaction with him and the team, but still -- all I said was that he's potentially about to undertake a particular action as GM that we've not yet seen. You don't need to grace us with the full screed, even if you are still outraged about his trade of Casey ("66 goals in 357 career games") MIttelstadt.

I agree that the RBs are going to play a bigger role (and I too like Davis!), but I think their WR group is a major issue. They're trying to win a Super Bowl, and they are going to need to score at least 34 pts or so to beat KC in the playoffs.

Well, I'm sure Florida would like to keep Montour and Tarasenko, but they will definitely prioritize Bennett over those 2, and Lomberg won't cost much. Reino and Lundell are interesting though, to be sure. I think Reino will probably cost them $10MM per year, and if they give Lundell a long-term deal, they will have to pay a higher AAV than his scoring production would seem to support -- maybe $6MM per year? No one needs to convince me to want Bennett. I just have a hard time believing that Florida would move him for futures to create cap space. I think they will sacrifice elsewhere. Having said that, it's possible that they misjudge the situation, or that Bennett demands too much cash, or something else happens that makes him available. I would give them #11 and any of Kulich, Rosen, Östlund or Savoie in a heartbeat for him IF the deal included him signing an extension. Maybe we'll get lucky on this one. Excellent post, but are you perhaps referring to the spring/summer of 2021 (not 2020)?

I think Greenway is a pretty good 3rd liner and Anderson and Clifton were decent. Hall was terrible but I think that move was driven by Krueger. As for the rest -- I agree that these were all bargain bin guys -- that was kinda my point. To date his pro acquisitions have all been low risk, low reward. This has been by design -- i.e. his plan has been to develop the young players into guys that can fill key roles -- not to bring in expensive, veteran NHL guys to fill those roles. It sounds like he's now interested in shopping in the more expensive aisles (although not the premium aisles) for a couple of middle-six forwards. Before the Byram trade, KA hadn't previously spent any real assets or money to bring in valuable NHL players, other than the Eichel trade, where he had a gun to his head and needed to make chicken salad out of chicken poop. I don't think the bargain bin shopping is an indicator either way of how he'll do if and when he steps up to the big boy table. You can be unhappy with the state of the team, as we all are, and can hold KA accountable, which is more than fair (although it's worth noting that his team last season far outperformed the teams iced by Botteril, whom you unaccountably continue to defend). I'm just saying that he's entering a new phase, and I'm curious to see how he performs. Hell yes -- he is exactly what the doctor ordered for the Sabres. However, his cap hit is only $4.425MM -- that's not enough for the Panthers to feel like they need to cut him loose. He's too valuable for them to do so.

Interesting. I certainly wouldn’t be surprised. Like the Byram-Mitts trade, any real trade this summer will be informative as to KA’s pro talent evaluation abilities. So far I think the jury is still out.

I too was generally unimpressed with KO, although he was far from their biggest problem. He is 100% right in saying that he could tell in October and November there were major issues. They were freaking terrible in those 2 months.

You’re completely justified in doubting last year’s group. But next year’s group now includes a HOF coach. Lindy is going to be a huge improvement over DG.

I kinda think they are going to bring in a couple of real vet forwards with the goal that they will flex between the 2nd and 3rd lines. We shouldn't kid ourselves though -- no one good enough to fill that role well will come here on a 1- or 2-year deal. It's going to be at least 3 years, and the AAV will seem too high given the player's production. That's how it goes when NHL Siberia is shopping in the UFA market. I'm not expecting a good vet defenseman -- I think they are going to go with the guys they have, although a trade of Joki or Muel wouldn't shock me.

No sir. They are about to reward your patience.

This is low-key an interesting question about the roster next year IMHO. JJP, Quinn and Tuch are locks for 3 of the top 4 winger spots. Who will be the 4th? Skinner? Benson? Greenway? A FA or trade FNG? A hastily promoted rookie? A deservedly promoted rookie?

Good to see ya sir!

FFS. The Leafs aren't trading Mathews under any circumstances.

Yes -- I would just add that most of them are pretty up-and-down. There is certainly the possibility that they give him a 3- or 4-year deal, he stinks right away and we are screwed. But I agree that the most likely outcome is that he is decent-to-good and, with Levi, gives the Sabres a solid goalie tandem for the duration of his contract.

I'd much prefer a 3-year deal, but if this is what's needed to get it done, I think they have to do it.

Abso-freakin-lutely.

OK -- please take the political talk to the politics club.

I just saw a similar article about the major benefits of taking the stairs instead of the elevator/escalator -- even a few flights of stairs per day makes a huge difference. We'll all need to live long lives to have enough time for this GD team of ours to turn it around.

I really want an agent of destruction like Carrier -- preferably 2 of them -- to be brought in for the 4th line this summer. For years the Sabres' 4th line has been a series of low-impact JAGs and not-good-enough demoted scorers. I want a 4th line that will knock some heads, change the tempo of a game and get the crowd going.

Well, to be fair, the Bills were already flawed at the WR position before letting their top 2 guys go this offseason, and they have an elite QB in his prime, and this draft was allegedly rich in WRs -- so it's not irrational to have wanted them to stock up at the position.

If Toronto feels desperate enough, there will be plenty of bidders offering much better packages than Skinner and his albatross contract, and most-to-all of those will be much more attractive destinations than the Sabres are from Marner's perspective. Don't kid yourself.

The guy you're thinking of is Javon Solomon. I think Sal Capaccio and a couple of others have compared him with Jerry Hughes, who was a great pass rusher for quite a few seasons for the Bills.

Certainly no one here would say no, but I think there is zero possibility that Toronto says yes. Also, IMHO it's the kind of offer no NHL GM would make as it would make him sound silly.

Take it easy. There is no reason to scorn those who disagree with you. It's far from risible IMHO to believe -- as every single NHL GM does -- that each potential trade asset has a price, and that it's bad business to pay far in excess of that price. Indeed, but NHL guys don't willingly leave Southern California for WNY. This. We're not talking about Brady Tkachuk here, for whom I (and I think most here) would pay a heavy price. We're talking about a good NHL winger who isn't a difference-maker, who would probably play on the Sabres' 2nd line and who has 4 goals (and 10 assists) in 37 career playoff games. One can reasonably believe that the Sabres should be open to trading their prospects for good NHL players while also believing that not every good NHL player is worth any price someone can propose.

You are in for a lot of fun. Enjoy.