dudacek

The idea that a couple high-profile free agents is going to get us into the playoffs is false in my view. We certainly need additions to fill the holes, but no outsider short of McDavid is going to make enough of a difference if we don't get the best versions of guys who are already here: Specifically, Thompson, Cozens, Quinn, Power and Samuelsson; 5 good players who can give far more than they did last year.

Absolutely agree. That's why we need to add 4 forwards over the next month. Right now, Kulich and Savoie are on the roster by default. Girgensons, Jost, Robinson Olofsson (and Okposo) need to be replaced (read upgraded) in a way that makes them have to earn a spot.

It really feels like the Sabres have reached a critical mass on prospects that reflects where an NHL franchise should be: 20-year-olds won't be handed jobs in training camp out of desperation, they will be cooked in the minors until an opportunity opens up top and it will be up to them to take advantage. (Also saw some talk on line that last night featured a lack of Skinner talk from Adams and Linday that left some reading between the lines.)

Here's the other thing about comparisons to Peterka: JJ at 19 was really, really good. I did the research a couple years back on here and am not going to repeat it, but at the time Jack Quinn's 21-22 season was off the charts, the most productive by a D2 AHL player in 20 years. JJ's was not far behind, something like 4th or 5th, if memory serves. That's why JJ became an NHL 2nd liner just 2 years later and I believe has another level. He was a rare prospect. Kulich is simply a good prospect. As LGR shows, his numbers stack up well against his cohort and an NHL career is likely.

One think to keep in mind with Kulich (and this applies to Rosen as well) is development plan the Sabres implemented. Kulich's first year he was usually deployed like a middle-six offensive player: he got lots of ice time, but it was in friendly situations: lots of o-zone time, against friendly lineups, often on the wing. Last year he was often used as a first-line centre and asked to play a complete game against the toughest opponents in the hardest situations. They asked more of him in order to grow his game.

Summer fun automatically makes you ineligible.

Yep. From my perspective Adams comes across as capable in both his ability to lead people and his grasp on the business side of the hockey department. I'm just waiting to see if he's right in his player evaluations. Regardless of what adds he makes, the success and failure of his build is relying heavily on Thompson, Cozens, Power, Samuelsson earning their contracts.

Not particularly about your post, but I've seen a recent trend toward calling all short-term contracts 'bridge" contracts. A bridge contract is typically short, but it's defining quality is that it starts and ends with the player as an RFA and basically takes advantage of the team control RFA status offers in order to keep the player's salary low. Basically, it bridges the gap between the fixed ELC contract, and the leverage a player gains with arbitration rights or UFA status. It doesn't have to be (because 1-year deals exist), but it usually is a 2nd contract. UPL just finished his bridge contract and now has arbitration rights.

Forton tightens his clutches.

People are talking Iginla and Sennecke being in play for some teams at #5. Sounds like there are more than 10 players worthy of being top,10 picks. That 2nd tier of similarly-ranked players is a big one and we’re in it.

Don’t know that I agree on the particulars, but I do agree with this: not everyone can or should get a big, long-term deal. It was actually kinda my point. The solution may be as obvious as you say - my current views aren’t dissimilar to yours - but there are a lot of variables that could send things sideways. The pressure to re-sign Tuch, for example, could be considerable. What if you have to choose between Quinn Peterka and Benson? Levi and UPL? What if Byram is a stud? Do you bet on any of these guys early like you did with Mule and Power? (Skinner is playing out a long-term deal and is a good reminder of how some long-term deals play out. He isn’t on anyone’s list of players the Sabres should be re-signing to a long-term deal, that’s why I set it up like I did.)

I’ve yet to see a mock where the Sabres don’t have a choice of very interesting players. The way the draft is tiered 11 ended up being an attractive slot. A few weeks back I was OK with the thought of adding an Eiserman. Now I’m convinced there will be better choices available than a guy whose scouting report looks like Mike Bossy’s.

I agree with concept of locking up the guys you believe in early. The question don’t see being addressed is how many? Skinner, Dahlin, Thompson, Cozens, Samuelsson, and Power, that’s 6 Luukkonen, Quinn, Peterka, Benson, Byram, Tuch and Levi are coming. Tampa gave out term to Stamkos, Kucherov, Vasilevskiy, Hedman, McDonough, Palat and Killorn And then augmented as they went along with Point, Hagel, Cirelli, Sergachev and Cernak. So it's definitely possible and can be successful. But stacking up that many value contracts, including some absolutely elite players could not have been easy.

I guess the Bergeron hire should be considered in conjunction with this. College scouting was Forton’s thing. Bergeron picks up some of the slack as Forton adds more admin duties, and in the process frees of Crowe from admin duties to do more actual scouting?

Is Zeev Buium this year’ Benson? The smaller kid with the elite hockey brain who might drop out of the top 10 due to teams falling in love with another guy’s better athletic package (shot, size, skating etc.)? He looks to be a poor fit as smaller puck-moving LHD, but if he’s there at 11, it would be hard to imagine a better player being available.

So basically the practical shift is that he’s been elevated over Crowe and the pro scouting department (which I think is only Crowe?)

So basically you're saying that if Adams fails this summer, we're hitting the reset button with the ultimate manifestation of the Peter Principle in charge of the next 4-year rebuild? Sabrespace crumbles to dust as even @PromoTheRobot admits defeat and adopts the Bandits as his full-time team. And @PASabreFan is left alone in the wasteland, wearing his tattered Larry Mickey jersey and gloating in the devastation of his ultimate victory.

God, I hope you're right. The fact you would even have to consider those kinds of shenanigans because of your owner... But we've all seen the evidence.

Looked like an obvious head shot to me. NHL discipline is like the weather. You don't argue, you just endure.

That's just what i was speculating. If Adams is sharp (unsure) or Guelli (likely) and Brawndo is right (he usually is), this is exactly what you do.

What does this even mean? He gets a raise and better title obviously, but does it mean anything for the Sabres? This is a new position; nobody moved on. He's still below Adams and Karmanos on the org chart. He's still part of the inner circle that includes Ventura, Jakubowski and Crowe. Does it mean more and different duties? A new chief scout getting hired? Has he been given more power and influence, or has he been quietly moved to a flashier but less important role? Hard one to read, but I'm going to consider a token move until something else drops.

Did you see Pronman’s piece in the Athletic today where he quotes anonymous scouts and executives? Great stuff that really reinforced to me how misleading trying to create a consensus NHL draft list is. Doesn’t really matter if the average of league opinions on Player A is 10th if there’s a team that has him 3rd picking at 5. There are teams who see Catton as a legit 1C and Silayev as a unicorn, others who see Catton as a guy who will struggle to be a top 6 centre in the NHL and Silayev as Samuelsson. Makes Bobby Mac’s draft list even more impressive because he’s gotta have insight on how specific teams are leaning. https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/5517608/2024/06/11/nhl-draft-confidential-2024-scouts-executives-celebrini-demidov/

This applies just as much to mattias Samuelsson, Dylan Cozens, and JJ Peterka as it does to Elias Lindholm. Every long-term contract is a bet. Also, I think the concern over being able to resign Peterka and Quinn is a bit overstated. The Sabres control their rights for 5 more years. They don't have to give them 7-year, $50M deals next summer.

Wait, 5'11 175-pound players can't play in the play0ffs. It's a well-known fact around here.

The 7-year deal were an example of the Sabres trying to take advantage to the opportunity. We shall see how successful they were as those contracts age.