dudacek

The kids do need support, but the bold isn’t automatically, or even usually, the case. More often underutilized people are put into feature roles by circumstance and they crash. And sometimes they blossom into something you never imagined. Dominik Hasek, the goofy backup you acquired for a declining 3rd liner being the most prominent example around here.

Why does this have to be the case? Why cant this be a hockey trade between two teams shaking up their cores?

While I agree with your point, the bold is because of the way the season unfolded. COVID, Hutton, injured Eichel, injured Ullmark, injured McCabe, snakebit then listless Hall, terrible Staal and especially Krueger put us into a hole. Dumping those guys led to a notable improvement. Some of the kids showed us they could play. The team had a playoff-calibre record with Ullmark in goal. A healthy Eichel is about the best upgrade the current team could make. With Eichel and Ullmark, maybe we're not that far away. Personally, I think we need more, but you can see the argument.

I think a playoff team needs better production from a first-line winger, especially when that winger isn't bringing an element of defence or hard-to-play-against I'm not sure why you are so convinced Skinner is the same player he was in his first 40 games in Buffalo. He wasn't that player the season before that, or the 2 1/2 seasons since. Isn't it possible that his game has declined, or that he caught lightning in a bottle?

How much production would Skinner need to put up with Jack to hang on to a spot on his line? Would jumping from a 20-point producer to a 40-point producer be enough?

Don't know enough about the service to the community, but the on-ice excellence, dedication and resiliency are no-brainers.

Yeah, it's like going back to 2017 and imagining Jack Eichel would only have 2 goals in his 6th post-draft season. 😘

Casey's got 12 assists, including a gorgeous one last night. Cozens has 9. Production aside, I see Casey doing a good job seeing open teammates and getting them puck, and also creating open space for them with his stickhandling. I have no worries about that area of the game for him. Reinhart is only one doing these things better currently among our forwards. He has 8 assists in his past 20 games and I don't have a problem projecting him as a 30-assist guy going forward (with allowances for small sample size) I agree Dylan is underrated in this area, or at least he's better than I thought he was when we picked him. He does these things much differently than Casey but should be at least as effective when both mature. I think what we are seeing is a lot closer to peak Casey than peak Dylan

So, not Skinner then?

Do you think that ship has sailed? I don't, given suggestions of Rutherford's Pittsburgh contract, and his statements about maybe getting back into things in June.

I like the Reinhart comparison and the implication (production-wise) that he is behind him at the same age. I think Dylan's approach could mean his development is more linear than Casey's and will ultimately mean he will be a better all-around player. I'm not sure he will be more productive. I do believe some people should temper their expectations. Anyone who was comparing young Cozens to young Jack shouldn't have been. Different tiers of talent.

I maintain Jack is one of the top 10 assets in the league. That factors in his production, position, contract and potential moving forward.

Well put.

Yep. Some call it the Krueger line.

Yeah, but only by me. 😜

7 goals in 20 games is nothing to dismiss. Thompson should be protected.

Dylan Cozens rookie year prorated stats over a full season: 8 goals, 18 assists, 26 points — pretty similar to Mittelstadt's 12/13/25 rookie season. He is currently on a 19-game goalless drought and has scored once since Feb. 23. How confident are we that he can put up 40-plus points next year?

For sure. I wrote my post before seeing yours. It keeps circling back to the question: if our injured guys return, can we make the playoffs by simply adding a top6 wing and a good back-up?

Just to be clear though, we are making the following changes to a team that has gone 9/9/2 in the past 20 Risto —> Jones Sheahan —> Jenner Tokarksi —> Merzlikins Miller —> McCabe Caggiula —> Girgensons Reider —> A new guy who should be our best winger. I'm not saying I disagree with you, but those are some pretty significant upgrades. If they can't move us into playoff contention, we are a long ways away.

What if we trade Jack in a hockey deal that addresses some of our holes? Jack and Risto for Merzlikins, Jenner and Jones? (spitballing, not advocating) Is this a playoff team? Olofsson Reinhart Cozens Skinner Jenner ??? Asplund Mittelstadt Thompson Bjork Girgensons ??? Okposo McCabe Jones Dahlin Jokiharju Samuelsson Bryson Borgen Merzlikens/??? You'd have enough space to add a $6 million winger and a $3 million goalie to fill in the ???

Please forward this idea to the Sabres. It would mean so much to the fan base.

Man deserves better than to end on this note (or the past 10 years). That said, even though I want Rick to go on forever, there have been some times this year where his performance made me sad.

I am so happy I don't listen on radio. A small part of me says "let's see what he can do with a team worth calling." A bigger part says he just doesn't have "it." I don't dislike him, and I understand we've been spoiled with Rick, but we still deserve better. Marty and Duffer are very capable. Marty is very likable, Brian less so, but they work well together and provide good content. Ray is great when he is allowed to be himself — needling the others, going of on weird tangents, making self-deprecating jokes, and taking potshots based on what he is hearing and seeing ice-level. He sucks as an analyst. I wish they would add another voice to dissect the game and just let Rob do his beloved teammate thing so I never have to hear "the Sabres need to slow things down" again.

Let's start with the obvious ones everybody mentions: Richard, Howe, Beliveau, Orr, Gretzky and Lemieux. So four more? Most oldtimers would say Bobby Hull. Crosby for sure. Ovechkin? I'll say McDavid has shown enough that he'll be there. Jagr? Messier? Bourque? Lidstrom? Guys like Perreault, Dionne, Clarke, Bossy, Esposito, Forsberg, Mikita, Potvin, Trottier, and Robinson have to be in the conversation. Then guys that nobody is old enough to remember. Doug Harvey won 7 Norris trophies as best defenceman and six Stanley Cups. Eddie Shore predated the Norris, but he won four Hart trophies and was a 7-time 1st team all-star. I mean your guys are definitely in the conversation, but they aren't slam dunks.

You're not counting anyone who played before 1980?