nfreeman

I gotta say: I love the crowd delivering the "Luuuuuuuuuuu" cheer after he makes a big save.

This is a legit concern, but I'd counter that (i) the cap will almost certain rise quite a bit during the span of the 3 contracts (assuming BB gets a long-term deal) and (ii) I don't think any team has 3 dmen who produce as much offense as those 3 presumably/hopefully will.

A player needing a contract isn't necessarily a contract issue. As I said upthread, it's quite likely that KA thinks -- probably based on, among other factors, conversations with the agents about money -- that Mitts isn't worth what it would've cost to keep him, but that Byram IS worth what it will cost to keep him. In that scenario, Mitts presented a contract issue but Byram does not.

My wife and I are really enjoying "Shogun" on FX/Hulu. Through 4 episodes I am giving it an A-minus.

I agree with the concerns on Power. At some point I'd sure like them to find him a partner with some edge to his game, because Power doesn't seem to have it in his nature. Having said that, I am pretty far from feeling like Power is a bust or that they will need to trade him. He's a very young player with a very high hockey IQ IMHO and he'll improve every year. I kinda disagree with the bolded. While I think money did play a role, I think KA's bottom line was that Mitts, although a good player whom KA would've been happy to keep at the right price, simply wasn't worth what it would have cost to keep him. I also think there will be cap room to keep Dahlin, Power and Byram around long term if their play warrants it -- and that KA thinks their play will warrant it and is planning to keep all 3.

I'm not disagreeing at all that this season represents an unambiguous failure by KA and DG, or that the overall evaluation of their tenure here is "below average to poor" or that both of their seats should be hot next season (although as I've said, I think DG should be fired this summer if not before). I'm simply saying that I more or less agree with KA's description of the state of the franchise in 2020 as being "in a shambles."

When KA took over, the Sabres had just completed JB's 3rd season. They finished with 68 pts in 69 games, utterly squandering Eichel's FIFTH season, in which he had finally emerged as a no-BS major star. This was also their first season under Krueger, who had been out of the NHL and working in another sport on another continent for 6 years before JB for some reason hired him. JB had also just given Skinner a zillion dollars before Krueger reduced his output to 14 goals in 59 games. It's true that JB would've likely kept his job had he agreed to TP's cost-cutting requirements, but IMHO that was very much a Covid-era move as the NHL entered a period with no fans and significantly declining revenues for the foreseeable future. I think the vast majority of fans here wanted JB fired that summer and would agree with the "in shambles" description.

Now that is a Rayzor-level malapropism. Well done. This is obnoxious. Do not communicate like this here.

This is obnoxious. Do not communicate like this here. I'm not sure who benefits from this...

The stick salute boycott.

Interesting observation from Mike Harrington:

I definitely want them to try to win every GD game, simply to try to expel the losing culture that permeates this franchise. BUT if they lose a bunch of games and a weak finish convinces KA to fire DG...

I think TP is definitely embarrassed about the team's results during his ownership tenure. I also think that TP has made plenty of changes during his tenure and feels, with some justification -- since it sounds like he's heard feedback from multiple league sources to this effect -- that firing people too frequently is counterproductive. IMHO the reasons for his failures boil down to (i) approving the tank and (ii) choosing the wrong GMs in Darcy, Murray and Botteril -- each of whom was very justifiable at the time, but each of whom also cost the franchise and the fans 3 or 4 years in the desert.

Good stuff here. You should post more often! Mitts, to his credit, was continuing to improve this season, and certainly most of his teammates at forward took a step back (other than JJP). But I don't get the sense that Mitts was challenging his teammates to be better. Just the opposite -- I think they are all too nice to each other and do not sufficiently hold each other accountable -- and maybe KA thought this was a bigger failing in Mitts, one of the (relatively) older vets. Separately: I think its also worth noting that KA said multiple times at the presser that they aren't good enough and that they are unhappy with where they are as a team. I expect further changes.

Well, we're all very justified in being PO'd with this franchise, but I thought the presser was fine. If you were expecting him to say that his roster stinks and they need a major overhaul -- I don't think that's realistic. And what was realistic, and true IMHO, was his statement that if they are going to improve as a team, most of the improvement will need to be internal, by the guys who are already there. I agree with @dudacek that KA sincerely believes in his plan and most of this roster, and that he is willing to take steps that he thinks will improve the team. We're certainly entitled to be skeptical about him closing those deals, or that the deals will be effective. I may go into despair if they limp to the finish line and nevertheless bring back DG. Still, the Mitts-for-BB trade was a major move, which gives hope that KA will be willing to make a similar move at coach if he thinks it's justified. But vent if you need to vent. KA and DG deserve every ounce of opprobrium they get here for this utter and complete poop sandwich of a season.

I'll repeat what I said during the stick salute boycott fiasco: TP hates being embarrassed, and Mittelstadt saying this is embarrassing. That's 2 embarrassment strikes against KA in fairly short order. If the Sabres limp to the finish line and end up with, say, 78 pts -- that might be strike 3 for KA, or at least for DG.

FFS. Fire DG yesterday.

Bringing in EJ was a good move on paper that should've worked better than it did. If he's not on an NHL roster next year, then his not working out here was probably more on him than on the Sabres. But at this point we're guilty until proven innocent.

No. It's coaching.

Holy straw man batman. Of course the fans care more about the team winning, and of course they won't be happy if the Sabres stink again next year. The point is that when evaluating 2 players who were traded for each other, one of the biggest metrics, perhaps the biggest, is goals. This is especially true where the team stinks both before and after the trade.

Do you mean the trade is a joke? As in the Sabres should've gotten more for KO? If so, I heartily disagree.

Well, you opened the discussion of the "meaningless stat" by noting that the Sabres have scored 3 goals since Mitts' departure. If team goal-scoring is meaningless when they had Mitts, then it's also meaningless to decry the paltry team scoring since his departure. As for the terrible PP -- are you referring to the terrible PP that Mitts was a big part of (5th highest PP ice time, one of 4 forwards averaging between 2:32 and 2:55 per game)? The teams, fans and coaches all care quite a bit about who scores more goals. Your question about whether the team is better now is of course also quite relevant. My answer is that any improvement/deterioration resulting from the trade is marginal -- they stunk and had major problems before the trade, and they still do.

The Sabres are 29-30-5 for 64 pts and 18 games left. Last year, they finished 42-33-7 for 91 pts. How bad does their finish have to be for KA to fire DG? 11-5-2 gets them to 40-35-7 and 87 pts. 9-7-2 gets them to 38-37-7 and 83 pts. 7-9-2 gets them to 36-39-7 and 79 pts. 5-11-2 gets them to 34-41-7 and 75 pts. IMHO, DG should get a pink slip no matter what, although I think he's definitely safe in the 87-pt scenario and likely safe in the 83-pt scenario. Lindy would take this job in a heartbeat and he'd get much more out of this team.

FFS. They were 23rd in scoring when the great Mitts was here and they still are. Their scoring problems have zero to do with Mitts' departure. As between Byram and Mitts, who do you think will score more goals for his new team this year?

What?