Mango

Mitts leapfrogged Cozens on the depth chart. He’s now firmly the 3C. Cozens path to the top 6 in the next 3-5 years will have to be at RW. EDIT: 3C assuming the roster is healthy.

I think we should let Adams decide what to do. And if his plan is to roll it back again then tell him to pack his bags. I know that sounds a bit contrived, but part of the issue with the team is that we just keep rolling it all back. Instead of forcing the guy in charge to make moves, give him the freedom to fail. I am not putting this entire situation on Adams. Granato gets some blame too. But I am questioning how capable he is in pivoting from his vision, and pivoting well. We didn’t add enough this offseason. He didn’t force this team to change special teams coaches this last offseason. This is all by design. I’m not sure that firing Granato wouldn’t just be performative. And if it is, then just go ahead and have the GM pack up too.

Ranked by play this year? Or potential. This year has to be closer to: Mitts Thompson Peterka Skinner Greenway Tuch Benson Cozens Quinn (he hasn’t played)

I agree about the steady hand. But in regards to gas, and other stuff there are a ton of Stewarts around my house with another gas station either right across the street or just down the street, and in each spot the "other guy" is 5-10 cents cheaper.

And their gas is always more expensive.

For the most part I make it back every 4-6 weeks to help some of my more elderly family.

Oh, Webers is the truth. I’m definitely not knocking that.

Maybe I just don’t eat enough hot dogs? I’ve lived in 4 states and never bought the local hot dog and thought, “wow trash”. In regards to Wawa, that’s more a comparison to chains. In any mid/major city I’ll take a neighborhood bodega over any chain 7 days per week. But compared to Stewart’s they might as well be Wegmans.

I came into this thread thinking that this thread was going to go a totally different direction and talk about some of the stuff that Buffalo hypes but feels silly. I came prepared to answer a question nobody asked me, so here it goes. Tim Hortons- Their coffee stinks. I have never missed it. Sahlens hot dogs- Don't get me wrong, I love Ted's. But when it comes to brands a lot of regions have their local purveyor and most taste pretty similar. As not to pile on Buffalo, I live in the capital region now. Stewarts - If K-Mart were a gas station it would be Stewarts. People who hype Stewarts have never been to a Wawa (The Wegmans of gas stations/corner stores)

I was all in last year. But this year I am struggling to find the vision after seeing the bottom 6 perform. I know I keep coming back to it, but the top 6 is more or less set for the next 3-5 years. We have some guys to shuffle in towards the end of that as guys age out and contracts expire. But it seems like we have too much overlap in that skill set and lack anybody with any physicality or grit n the pipeline. I just don't see the plan other than just wait, see, and hope. And if that is the case, WTF is the point of an NHL GM if all we do is draft and wait? It just feels like we are building this thing as our first line is our best line and our 4th line is our worst, and that isn't how teams are constructed.

Maybe this is a net positive. Tage is super talented but could use a little less dangle and a little more straight forward play. Maybe he becomes a guy who crashes the net. Just to big and strong to get/move out of the way? I don't know. Everything stinks right now.

I missed this one. After the way we played the Pens, then the state of the Bills, a Bruins beating would have hit me pretty hard. Did Cozens finally have a good game? I imagine there was likely a lot wrong with last night.

Regarding Levi. I think it is because he is waiver exempt. If Levi needs to go down to the AHL he can go down. If Comrie or UPL stink they stink. Either way Adams is to blame.

I’ve been asking this for a bit. Given how common trades are much more common in the NHL. How long it takes draft picks to evolve into NHL players. The sheer number of leagues to manage your own prospects in and scout for new ones? Does managing your amateur scouting department alone make you a good GM? Im tempted to put this one on Adams more than Meatballs

I wasn’t going to watch this one after the Bills game but my lady is sick and just went to bed so I tossed it on. First scene is a replay, Power with a wrister, VO sneaks one in. But I think “that’s the least excited I’ve seen anybody after scoring a goal. Man, his situation in Buffalo sucks for everybody I guess”. Then the next shot is Levi walking to the locker room and it’s 5-1 on 17 shots. Jesus Christ.

I told my partner today that this PK thing might have some legs and he might be coming. She reminded me that a friend of her family was assaulted by Kane. I felt like such an idiot for not remembering. This hits home for the in-laws. For all the Eichel was an a-hole, and we need to clean up the locker room stuff, I think I’ll struggle with this one as a person myself; but also the judgement of the FO.

I’m not giving up on Cozens either. This was just sort of piggy backing off of some hypothetical. I really liked Cozens game last year.

I was more talking about the org. I know there’s connections with Donnie and KA. But it has me curious.

I agree with you that they’re not ready. But given the injury I am not sure Kane is either. I don’t think Kane provides any 5on5 help. And I don’t think he’ll be better than what we’ve seen from Tuch/JJP over the last few weeks. Based on that it makes it tough to get excited about the add as a 3rd line RW. Maybe he’ll buck the trend of hip surgery’s, be lights out and all of a sudden everything is different. I’m gonna hype myself up for it if he signs. But right now I am cautious/hesitant.

I’ll get up for what the idea of Kane could provide because of who he was as a player. But I don’t see how this fits. We have 100 prospects who all fill the Kane role. This team isn’t missing flash. It’s missing finish, and grit. This roster needs one, maybe two more Greenways. EDIT: I am curious if we’d have any interest if he wasn’t a Buffalo guy. And if the answer is no, we should move along because we’re not making hockey decisions at that point.

Gun to my head, pick between Cozens and Mitts, I’m taking Mitts and moving forward. I wouldn’t lose a wink of sleep. It isn’t like Mitts is 30 years old. He’s 24 to Cozens 22. He’s playing like the player we hope Cozens becomes. We need some help at C down the roster but Cozens future in the top 6 is on the wing unless those two guys stop progressing and he takes a huge leap.

Sorry, I thought I mentioned the offseason. I totally agree.

It’s time to start trying to move some of the pieces around. We should have an idea of who’s close and who isn’t ready for the big leagues. Not to mention, I am not sure many of those guys are capable of grinding out those lower line minutes. It’s not just about good, better, best across 4 lines on game day. Somebody posted in the Mitts extension thread about how “the core is set” and we might not be able to meet Mitts value because he’s “core +1”. I posited that if that hypothetical is true. IF!!!! That Mitts has played well enough to be included. He’s only 24. I would consider moving one of the guys out to the core next offseason for a haul of depth to make room for Mitts going forward. Being GM isn’t just about drafting guys. It’s about vision and timing of when and who to commit to and when to not commit to them. Again, not suggesting it, but if not keeping Mitts because of “the core” is rattling through the brains in the FO I’d shop some guys.

I’ve been hard on Thompson in the past. Even to start the season. But he’s been playing really tough and effective two way hockey. There are guys who have leveled up this year. JJP is leading the pack.

I think Quinn will be a none factor for a while. There will be a bit of time between “getting Quinn back “ and “GETTING Quinn back”. He’ll be fine but I suspect it will be unspectacular for a while.