dudacek

Hayden plays to his size from what I've seen in two viewings. It's something we need. I think someone is going to have to knock him out of the lineup.

Vogl Tweeted that Butcher pulled Granato aside and asked to play him in as many exhibition games as possible. He got 28(!) minutes against Cbus. This Hoppe article paints a picture of a highly motivated guy. https://www.buffalohockeybeat.com/sabres-will-butcher-has-special-chance-to-reignite-sputtering-career/ I don't recall seeing a lot of Butcher tire-pumping in the Jackets game-day thread, but Donnie apparently loved what he saw: “We had other experienced players – (Anders Bjork), Vinnie Hinostroza and (Zemgus) Girgensons – using that game as a gauge,” said Granato, whose Sabres play a road game tonight against the Detroit Red Wings. “I could see those guys aren’t close to where they can be in another three days, a week or a month. Yet, Will was making plays as if he was already in midseason form.”

Is it Fallon who does that thing with celebrities reading mean tweets about themselves? Id like to see Lehner reading some of the posts made on Sabrespace about him back in the day.

I don’t think I’m doing any such thing.

Totally agree with this. I think some people have started to pigeonhole me into anti-Adams because of my Eichel comments. I like Adams, the vision and philosophy he projects. I support the steps he’s taken to fix the culture, modernize the hockey department and give the fans what they deserve. I think these things are hard but necessary and could ultimately finally turn this ship around. But strategy is useless without execution and so far we haven’t seen much execution. Looking forward to that changing and I have plenty of hope that it will.

Sorry man, but GMing is like actual hockey. You can explain away any and every instance, but ultimately you have to win more than you lose.

I don’t blame Adams for Ullmark signing elsewhere in and of itself, I blame him for the series of decisions that led to the goaltending we currently have. His job is to provide the team with capable goaltending. It seems he has not. **** I’m not one of those fans who judges players strictly by hits thrown, shots taken and encounters won. There are also things like positioning and puck movement to consider. Dylan Cozens centred a line with two rookies that won the possession battle by nearly 80 %. They didn’t give up much and they created their share. Cozens is - and will be - fine.

I think I’m going to have agree without this. Krueger could command the room and function in an NHL environment. His tactical and development philosophies were badly outdated, his standard of accountability lacking and his inflexibility ultimately killed him. Housley could function in an NHL environment and his tactical and development philosophies were more modern, if poorly implemented. He at least tried to make players accountable but largely failed due to his lack of personal leadership skills. Rolston could neither command a room nor function in an NHL environment. His tactics and philosophies were sophomoric. I struggle to think of something he did well.

The team would almost certainly respond that playing NHL hockey with an artificial disc is a bigger risk to his long-term health than fusion would be. That said, I am surprised at how few on here seem perturbed by the concept of corporate business interests taking precedence over personal health interests, no matter their feelings on the surgery options themselves, or how rich Jack might be. It’s a cultural thing maybe?

If Peterka finishes camp on par with Bjork and Hinostoza does he go down to get better in the AHL, or does he sink or swim in the big league?

Adams always knew Tokarski had it on him to be number one

Team identity established right from game one: Terrible goaltending, never give up. Wins are always fun

Way back Alexei Yashin tried to wait out his contract and was suspended. The league ruled if he refused to play then he still owed them that year. Ive seen it argued that the same thing would apply to Eichel if he went rogue and got suspended. I do not know if the rule is still in place but I suspect it would be. Whether it would apply, I have no idea.

Our salvation

Lot of ifs there, but it is my hoped-for ending as well. I just wish I saw more signs that Adams is actively working toward this resolution.

He's got literally nothing for Jack now, as opposed to your version of nothing. His plan seems to be "if I wait long enough some GM will pay a 'healthy Eichel' price for a 'broken' Eichel." Or "If I wait long enough, this man will agree to a major surgery he clearly doesn't want."

This is where I think it has to go, and where I think everyone's efforts should have been focused on months ago.

If the first two hold true, then one of the bold must change in order for there to be a resolution. I don't think either of the first two will change, and if anyone here does, they have yet to speak up and tell us why.

What does it say when I look at that group and can say both "10 guys that could be on the team' and "just 3 vets" and have both statements be true?

To add to the above before people sweep in with "how do you know..." This is my impression created by the messaging put out there by the people involved. Adams has seemed most focused on showing fans he's steadfast. I would have appreciated more messaging that also shows he's willing and able to solve this problem.

This is why I'm disappointed in the way Adams has handled this situation. If the offers have been not even worth considering because of the surgery question, why didn't he simply say two weeks after the draft — either directly from his mouth, or indirectly through an Insider — "It has become clear to us that no one is willing to make a fair offer for Jack until his neck is healed. Therefore we will not be pursuing trade talks until that issue is resolved." And then started negotiations with Jack's team on a way of getting the neck issue resolved that protects the Sabres interests? He's been flexible where he should have been tough (by putting a broken Jack on the market) and tough when he should be flexible (by not working to find a way to break the surgery impasse)

Asplund got a turn at C today, between Caggiula and Thompson. Girgs still at C as well, now between Hinostroza and Bjork

Even 4 years removed from the position, Girgs is a better 4C than Eakin right now. Caggiula and Bjork are JAGs, but they are better players than Eakin who is not an NHLer, and better fits for the way Granato wants to play. What does it matter if Eakin wins a draw but blows the breakout or scoring chance immediately afterwards?

Without putting words in Brawndo's mouth I read that as Pegula nixing the idea of pursuing an Eichel trade, rather than nixing an offer already on the table, but I'm sure he will clarify . Imagine learning that the Rangers' "fair" offer for a healthy Eichel was actually fair and was nixed by Terry in favour of Taylor Hall, Ralph Krueger, Cody Eakin and the current Eichel mess. Par for the course for this decade of suffering.

When Brawndo offers stuff like this, it's definitely not blather. That still leaves me wondering about other team's willingness to take on the risk though. Are they confident enough of the operation's success they are OK with the voided policy? And basically only willing to take that risk on, if their offer for Eichel is peanuts?