dudacek

There are no Cup final games in the weekend. I think the shoe is about to drop.

How did the primaries and ES look? Id imagine the former was quite good, given how far ahead he was of his next teammate in total points.

Have you done a deep dive into Johnson’s numbers the previous year in Trail? He had 41 goals and 101 points in 52 games - 10 goals and 30 points more than the next highest scorer in the league. Alex Newhook led the league the previous year with almost identical numbers: 38 goals and 102 points. Newhook was 9 months older.

My takeaways: First and foremost, Granato is a hockey coach; it’s what he does, it’s who he is, it’s what he cares about. @SwampD said it earlier: I like listening to this guy talk about hockey. Any lingering concerns about experience were eroded. Every response leaned into his experience. He exuded unforced, natural confidence and he shared more about coaching philosophy and strategy in one presser than we got in four years of Housley and Krueger. The repeated references to a smart, passionate fan base and an obligation to them were interesting. I think it will be mantra of the culture change plan and one Adams and Granato appear on the same page with. Donnie was clearly trying to set a tone when he talked with such conviction about “wanting this so badly” Whether it is primarily going to be a marketing strategy or a hockey strategy (I think it’s both) next year is going to be about forging a band of brothers identity for the team. The Peca Sabres had it, the Briere Sabres had it. Even if they had very different play styles, they had an attitude of being for each other that the community bought into and fed off, which the team then fed off. Granato’s anecdote about the alumni event and recapturing the identity he felt from those players was a perfect illustration of what this management team wants to recreate. The above is why I believe Adams thinks Jack has got to go. Right now, we have an Eichel-centred culture, something Ralph fully embraced. I don’t think that’s automatically a bad thing; it worked for Michael Jordan. But I do think Adams believes it is a bad thing for this group, at least given Jack’s current state of mind. You can’t have a team-first mentality when one player is placed on a pedestal and that player does not respect or empower the pieces around him. @Thorny has expressed some very pertinent concerns about this being another “evaluation” year that allows management once again kick the can down the road. I liked the way Donnie addressed that. His focus seems to be on active improvement. He wants to challenge his players reach and grow and believes they can. He basically said the talent around them in the division is irrelevant. It is their job to become better than them, and it is something within their grasp. “If we stay focused on getting better we will hit a tipping point, it’s inevitable.” They want to get people here who believe, and who thrive on the above challenge. My favourite quote was “Don’t wait to win. Find a way,” and “We have talent in place to take big steps very fast.” Donnie came across as a good choice for this situation and this plan.. Now it’s up to Adams to get him the right pieces.

That tells me Jack’s camp believes a trade is close. With Vogl reporting yesterday there was no chance the team and the player would kiss and make up, it’s pretty hard to read this any other way.

Kings wanted two top-6 forwards and a 1st pairing defender this summer. They got a top 6 winger for three years on a good contract and didn’t touch their treasure chest of prospects. They still have plenty of ammo for a bigger move and will probably make it. They’re a team with a plan in a division with room to make a leap.

Beniers/Eklund Eidvisson/Hughes

Vogl today talked about staff staying in place until the draft despite the old June 30 cut-off. This is evidence that is certainly not universal. I guess this guy has no connection to Karmanos, but he is certainly the type we’ve been led to believe he and Adams are interested in adding.

I saw what you saw. I also wonder how much of that was a factor of trying hard to do what was being asked of him instead of what came naturally - the old thinking-instead-of-reacting issue. He did look better post-Krueger and this certainly fits with his comments about Granato wanting him to play the way he’s been brought up to play.

Is anyone else intrigued that a few short weeks after Kevyn Adams telling the world that no one is going to know until the Sabres step up to the mike who the first pick is going to be, we get not one, but two juicy leaks? On the same day no less? That seem to conflict? From what has been an extraordinarily tight ship? Reported by Buffalo reporters not known to be insiders? Could our rookie GM actually be playing the plant a rumour smokescreen game with the competition as he jockeys to reset his roster while holding the high card in a highly volatile draft and talking trade with a number of teams behind him?

The Sabres getting all three Michigan players would have helluva story. Be still my beating heart…

So if the Sabres pick the “consensus” top player in the draft at #1, is it meddling? Johnson strikes me as Alex Nylander, a guy more in love with his skills than the games.

You mean people haven’t already decided?

Give him the Chabot deal now? 8x8? The going rate? 3x4.9 (McAvoy bridge) or 6x6.75 (Provorov term) Or wait and let Heiskanen, Hughes and Makar set the market and try to slide in behind them?

It is a tough scenario for Adams, but he is the one who has decided to hit the reset button, decided to hire Granato and will make the decisions on who we acquire. I mostly agree with your post Im not going to give him a pass or fail based entirely on his record, but I will need to see improvement that includes wins. This is a last place team that was awful last year. Improvement shouldn’t be hard.

The Athletic’s Scott Wheeler has released a mock where he projects who he thinks teams will take, as opposed to who they should take. I think how different it is from his own personal rankings points to the volatility of this draft. This is his personal top 10 Power (1) Johnson (9) Clarke (8) Beniers (2) Eklund (6) Guenther (3) Hughes (4) Lucius (10) Sillinger (12) McTavish (7) This is his mock Power (1) Beniers (4) Guenther (6) Hughes (7) Edvinsson (11) Eklund (5) McTavish (10) Clarke (3) Johnson (2) Lucius (8)

This is what I was trying to say.

The New York Rangers, as a rival, are irrelevant to me. Must be a western New York thing. If the Rangers make the best offer, I make the trade. They could make a winning bid, but if Drury only offers what their fans would offer, they aren’t getting Eichel.

I don’t get that sense with Sam. I think he’s the one who wants the fresh start. With Jack, however, I absolutely agree.

Me too. If he succeeds with this roster next year, I will give him a ton of credit. If he fails, I will give him very little blame. Adams is the one I’ll be be putting under the microscope.

The Sabres will have the ability to appeal to Sam’s pocketbook by offering him a better contract than he will likely get elsewhere. They will have the ability to offer him a better role than he will get on any other team: 1C and likely team captain. They will have the ability to give him a coach he knows he connects with and is valued by. And they have a month to demonstrate they finally get it. Its not a foregone conclusion. I still think he’s gone.

I’ve never heard of Ohtani until these posts.

“I’m sure he’ll enjoy his time in Columbus and be a good player for them.”

I sometimes think the genial health care professional thing is a facade and @Brawndo is actually an AI.

Yes, or Columbus could kick back a Tampa’s 1st to Philly as well. I think Philly needs a sweetener.