thewookie1

It definitely had an effect; the three of them had some intense chemistry. They seemed to always know where the other was and it certainly helped boost Cozens' numbers

For the most part I don’t feel he could have acquired a better goalie for a reasonable price of acquisition. Murray vetoed a trade, he looked into Gibson and the only good goalie that was signed was a guy whose rights were traded prior to July 1st. I never meant that he had zero options total but likely few options for a reasonable price. Throwing 5x6mil at a questionable goalie isn’t reasonable. (Grubauer/Campbell) Vanacek and Samsonov have already annoyed their fans so in hindsight they wouldn’t have been great acquisitions. And we tried to get Vladar or Swayman supposedly in the Hall trade. Could he have signed random goalies with the hope they’d get hot, sure. If you look through the league, the top consistently successful goalies were draft picks or at least developed by their respective team. Sorokin, Shersterkin, Vasylevski, Oettinger, Swayman(granted Ullmark is there too), Saros, Hellebuyck, Demko. Then you have guys like Hill or Ingram who had shown occasional signs but suddenly are good this year but who knows if they’ll drop off like rocks. Vanacek and Samsonov were solid last year but fell off this year much like Campbell had a couple years ago. Bob is a literal sieve one moment and a Vezina candidate the next while making 10 million. Goalies are a convoluted and nigh impossible position to lock down for sure with any particular signing. Eric Comrie showed signs of talent but it hasn’t shown much here. Anderson was still ok just far too old. UPL has been like Bob only younger and far cheaper. Any goalie with even a semblance of consistency is often held onto by their team. Those which make FA-hood tend to have serious concerns about them and or want long term contracts to lock them in. Personally I would targeted a guy like Reimer or Halak to fill Comrie’s spot but who knows what their ask was or even their willingness to come here.

Not if you place his "public" decision close to July 1st. If he didn't hint at his interest to leave it would actually give Adams an excuse for that year.

I do think its possible that the Sabres did everything right with Ullmark only for him to choose to leave in order to change his life as a whole. Imagining a scenario in which the Sabres and Ullmark worked on contract positively talks prior to his father's death, then chose to not bother him in respect for his loss most of the year only for it to bite them in the ass down the line makes sense. In this hypothetical situation the Sabres would feel good enough about their contract talks to not trade him and Ullmark may have just felt he needed to start fresh and thus had his agent effectively make him un-signable for us. Another scenario also could be that Ullmark wanted to go home after his father's death but the Sabres couldn't let him due to the COVID travel restrictions meaning he'd be out practically the whole season. If he went back to Sweden he'd have to of quarantined 2 weeks there, stayed, and if he was somehow allowed to return he'd of been quarantined another 2 weeks. That wouldn't exactly be good for Ullmark either since he'd be forced to stew in his emotions with his wife and small child without anyone else to hug him while in the whole travelling process. The team may have felt safer to keep him with his 2nd family the team, while he worked through his grief. That doesn't mean however that what the Sabres saw as trying to help Ullmark wasn't seen as bad by Ullmark's family or friends. It's entirely possible the Sabres tried to give support only for it to be "lost in translation" or so to speak. Would explain MODO's supposed anger against the team and Ullmark supposedly telling him something negative about the team.

I’d say if he’s healthy tomorrow morning give him the game Saturday, otherwise Levi. If you’ve been sick 3 or more days it tends to take some time to get back to normal. Great game by the Sabres tonight While it does pain me, their youth being a legitimate excuse has very serious evidence from games like these. They lack the consistency of a veteran team. Instead they are wildly inconsistent Robinson is very similar to Girgensons with a tiny bit more size and a bit more average speed. (Girgensons has lost a bit of speed overtime but still has a good burst here and there)

Both are 31 with 1 year left after this season Tanev has been hurt most of this season thus far. Seattle is also in a serious skid this year so their fans would be in similar boats to us

I got positive feedback from Seattle fans.

Adam Larsson & Brandon Tanev for Jokiharju, Rosen, Olofsson and a 2nd Both Seattle and Buffalo need a bit of a shakeup and Seattle gets younger while we get some more experience and a Defensive D + an energy guy.

They are literally midgets lol

Cozens is slumping which happens to everyone. Hell McDavid was slumping until recently. Dahlin is a Top 5 player at his position when he’s on and still a 1D when slightly off. The only Dman I’d even think of trading Dahlin for is Makar.

Power is truly in a sophomore slump and it can be seen from his paralysis through analysis. As a rookie he played free and loose, this year he looks rigid and tied up. The issue being that it’s hard to say if he needs less time or continued time to work himself out of it. In some ways I think his contract made him more aware of his importance and thus he’s overthinking basic things because they won’t “cut it” for a 8mil salary man. Cozens will eventually break through, he’s getting chances galore and must have seriously angered the hockey gods based on his luck.

It’s rarely smart to play that game, it can lead to the Kassians of the world as Darth mentioned. A good way to look at draft picks are that small guys who have success tend to have all the skills and personality to succeed in the NHL but are a risk due to their size. Large players have the physical attributes but are more risky since their skills and personality are more complex. Some large players are good players that are large; others are good players because they are large and thus can mask ineptitude.

I don’t hate the trade, just is a tad underwhelming. Especially if this is all he does all year. Averages about 10 goals a year as a 4th liner with speed and a heavy forechecker

Not lesser talents, different talents

Well, he's a guy I guess. Has some sandpaper, scored a hattie against us last year.

The answer isn't to just aimlessly trade players however; but most of all you don't trade 2 of your top great 4 players for a single great player under contract for a far shorter time.

That isn't going to fix anything

Dahlin is a Top Tier Defenseman already, you can't exactly get much better... Cozens is a damn good player in his own right, he's had a slow start but is genuine player.

No, that isn't the answer. how many times do we want to trade our top players for lesser pieces so they can win a Cup elsewhere.

Personally I'm just trying to figure out how to fit Lindholm into the cap beyond this season if we were to splurge on him. With the 24-25 cap looking to hit about 87.65mil We'd enter the offseason with 25mil in cap space with Skinner (3x9mil) - Thompson (6x7.142mil) - Tuch (2x4.75) Quinn (1x863k) - Cozens (6x7.1mil) - Peterka (1x855k) Benson (2x950k) - XXXX - XXXX XXXX - XXXX - Greenway (1x3mil) R. Johnson (1x925k) - Dahlin (8x11mil) Power (7x8.35mil) - XXXX Samuelsson (6x4.285mil) - Clifton (2x3.33mil) XXXX Levi (1x925k) Notable RFAs Mittelstadt Luukkonen Jokiharju Krebs There's a crunch here that can be handled but a far worse one in 25-26 where Quinn, Peterka, Levi, and Johnson all come due with only Greenway coming off the books. Arguably, in order to make some degree of change to the overall roster we'd have to let most if not all of our RFAs leave via trade. Problem being Mitts has finally become a player worth keeping around and Jokiharju has been solid as of now. UPL wouldn't be a cap burden as a backup allowing Levi to hide in Rochester another year and further hone his craft. Krebs is likely a casualty of his contract demands far overreaching his role more than likely.

At this point, is there anything we actually can do without having heavily overpay due to desperation besides just giving up? Everyone wants our prospects not our picks; but are asking for Top 6 level guys for middling talent in their 30s. How do you break that?

No, the 2nd time we were on the PP

So what, sit good players for worse players?

Cozens is more snake bitten than a man on snake island.

We are honestly just cursed, nothing works out for us. When we get chances they magically hit anything but pay dirt