dudacek

I think what we are feeling is the hangover of having such a rich selection of prospects this time three years ago and few of them hitting the way we had hoped. We now have a more typical group of prospects and wonder if the previous group didn't do anything how the hell will these guys?

The Sabres are on record as thinking he will be worse than Radim Mrtka. It will be interesting to see how that quote ages.

Can’t argue, haven’t seen him play. But he played 25 NHL games for a coach named Lindy Ruff, who used to use Andrew Peters 5 minutes a night, 50-odd games a year. He now coaches a team that has a reputation for not being able to handle the rough stuff, has no one like that in their system, and just signed Geertsen to a contract. I have a feeling we’re going to see this guy this year. What you predict, or what you prefer?

The forwards as they stand right now are so up in the air. Norris is one of the top 6 centres, who is the other: Kulich, McLeod or Thompson? Do they put Tuch and Thompson together on a real 1st line or split them up for balance? Which offensive options get to play with the big boys: Kulich, Benson, Quinn or Zucker? Where does the odd man out from the above group fit? Is he sitting? Are Krebs, Danforth, Doan and Greenway energy line role players, or will Lindy sprinkle some in with the skill guys? Is Malenstyn the spare forward, as of now? Does Kozak make the team? Does Geertsen make the squad as a token deterrent a la Andrew Peters? 2 scoring lines, 1 checking line, 1 energy line? 2 2-way lines, 1 sheltered offensive line, 1 energy line? 3 balanced lines and 3 role players? There’s so little established in terms of patterns. Peterka’s out, Norris and Greenway didn’t really play down the stretch, Danforth and Doan are new. You know Lindy’s going to lean on Tage and Tuch, and Norris will probably be the same. I expect McLeod to get a ton of ice time, but I’m not sure how or with who. After that there is a lot of space for people to carve out some territory. And I am including unexpected people like Greenway, Krebs and Danforth in that equation. I have no real sense of how this is going to settle, but maybe it will coalesce around a new edition.

I think the difference between us was I had 14 forwards: Benson, Quinn, Krebs, Norris, Tuch, Thompson, McLeod, Greenway, Zucker as more or less secure. Five more openings. But you’re right, they might keep 13 forwards. There’s probably 1 or 2 more moves coming: They sign Byram and add a forward, or They trade Byram for 2 players, or trade him and infill behind him afterwards

Guys, you know Josh Doan spent the final 4 months of the season as an NHL regular right? You know he’s 23, a 2nd rounder and was over a point a game in minors right? All while being a physical guy who plays “the right way” on both sides of the puck? You know that 5 from this group are making the Sabres? Doan 51 NHL games, 19 points Kulich 62 games 24 points Danforth 61 games 21 points Malenstyn 76 games 10 points Kozak 21 games 5 points Rosen 8 games 1 point Östlund 8 games 0 points They got him to make the NHL roster harder to play against. Most of you have Jiri Kulich in the top 6. Unless they add at least 2 more veterans and at least one of them is a banger, I’m not sure why you’d think Doan making the team is in doubt.

Yeah, they’re both small and play a fearless dog-on-a-bone game. That’s the extent of it.

I think the Blues are looking to add to Broberg for their D corps moving forward, not replace him. The reason they want Byram is because Broberg is really the only top 4 D in their system between the ages of 20 and 30. But they have scads of interesting young forwards. Fowler is 33 and a UFA next summer. The Blues only gave up a 2nd to get him. He played really well for them, but I think they move him and Nieghbours for Byram all day. But I doubt He waives for Buffalo. I feel like he already has refused to earlier in his career.

It will be interesting. People talked a lot about McQueen’s back injury, but setting that aside, as a player he reminded me of Kirby Dach. I preferred Mrtka.

Dont see the Blues interested in Krebs after signing Suter but I do see a Neighbours and Fowler combo as very much something the Sabres would focus on. Pretty much exactly

😘 Nice talking to you.

The list I posted was the 12 forwards who played the most games that year. Vanek played 13 games. Weird that you’re hanging your hat on the likes of end-of-the-line Pat Kaleta and “physical”!? Mikhail Grigorenko, but they played 5 and 18 games respectively and combined for 3 points. The entire group you posted combined for 77 goals, or 3 less than just Tuch and Tage combined. That team finished with 27 points less than this year’s team despite having Ryan Miller in goal. If you want to follow @thorny’s lead and say you liked that forward group more, fill your boots. But by no objective measure is it better. Not even close

When Byram and pieces are dealt for Robertson feel free to gloat to your hearts content. Personally, my preference is Byram signed to term, followed by a deal for a top six forward. History and the tea leaves have taught me to expect Byram for a lesser defenceman and a lesser forward, with any leftover cap space invested into the new Bills stadium concourse or a bilge pump system for Terry’s yacht. But I am genuinely looking forward to the day when you are finally able to say “I told you so.”

Probably premature because I don't expect Byram here, but aren't most people expecting: Byram Dahlin Power Kesselring Samuelsson Timmins Something Adams said about helping Power makes me wonder if we could see: Byram Dahlin Samuelsson Kesselring Power Timmins Four reasons: Adams says he wants a simple puck-touch, low-risk type playing with Power, that's Timmins game and he played his best hockey being that guy with Karlsson This set-up allows you to shelter Power somewhat at even-strength and rebuild his confidence against lesser opponents Kesselring's attitude may bring out some of that from Mule and help him play more like the concept of Mule The size/range of the second pair is such that maybe you can lean on them in defensive situations

It's not an assumption at all, it's a resume. I can think of one deal in 5 years where Adams was the "buyer", as defined by him throwing multiple assets at a GM or buckets of money at an agent to acquire a "better", upper echelon player: the Josh Norris deal. He's made hockey trades (Mitts for Byram), shopped around for working class parts (Greenway, Clifton, Zucker) or sold bigger pieces for mutliple smaller (Eichel, Peterka)