dudacek

As much as I agree with the bolded part, it’s proven that is nothing a sharp GM and capable coach can’t overcome

Stretched it out for weeks. People were accusing Lafontaine of dragging it out artificially and deliberately as way of fishing for intel.

How did the thorough and professional searches that yielded Tim Murray and Jason Botterill end up? How about the whimsical and insular hires of Rod Brind’Amour and Eric Tulsky in Carolina? There is no magic formula; if there was everyone would follow it. The Sabres haven’t sucked for a long time due to any one thing, as much as people need to find one. It’s through a series of poor choices exacerbated by the resulting fragility that has manifested within the organizational psyche. TLDR: not enough good players and/or good leaders in the same place at the same time. It’s not really any more complicated than that.

The makeup of Laval is not veteran heavy, it's almost identical to Rochester's, with a handful of AHL vets complementing a deep group of NHL prospects. It's kinda seems ideal for development to me: the kids get to play in important situations and learn from them, while surrounded by enough veteran voices to show them the way. They were the 1st and 4th place teams in the AHL this year. Amerks have both made the playoffs and improved their record in each of the past four years, and are currently in their 8th playoff series over their span while graduating a half-dozen players into full-term NHLers. But the Sabres do still suck, so carry on being right about everything.

I’d have to agree. Not sure why you are. My post didn’t suggest it was, and “Terry cares, that should be enough” is not exactly a sentiment I see frequently posted around here. 🤷

I’m not going to get into a semantics argument about what constitutes caring. If you think driving to Rochester to hang out with Seth Appert is normal behaviour for an apathetic billionaire, I’m probably not going to change your mind.

I don't know about Sabrespace, but I'm ready to trade anyone if it makes the team better.

Cuylle Schneider and a bad contract (Kreider?) for Peterka and pick/prospect?

Rangers have about $56M invested in their top 6 players (Shesterkin, Panarin, Fox, Zibanejad, Miller and Lafreniere). They’re not built for giving big raises. In comparison, Sabres top 6 cost about $44M.

Puckpedia has the Rangers having $2.8M available to re-sign him and K’Andre Miller. Something’s gotta break there. Perfect fit for the Sabres, IMO: middle-six, young physical wing. He’ll be in demand and the Rangers will be doing their damnedest to move some cap to keep him. EDIT: actually $8.4M next year, I was looking at this year.

Competence and caring are hardly synonymous.

it was interesting that nearly all the braintrust was there together: Terry, Adams, Lindy, Ventura, Staal, Guelli, Appert, another guy I recognized as a member of the analytics department. But no Karmanos, the guy who is actually most responsible for the team on the ice. Maybe he was in the bathroom lineup?

Did the people who think Terry is checked out on the Sabres and just doesn't care beyond EEE see him in Rochester last night? What only-in-it-for-the-money billionaire leaves his yacht and travels halfway across the country to Rochester to sit in a box with his employees to watch the prospects of the team he doesn't care about? He's as checked in as any of us on Sabrespace and more than some.

That be Chytil, the guy they got in the JT Miller trade.

Out here they talk about Norris being more attractive because he’s Quinn Hughes’ buddy. All Canuck talk is filtered through “we can’t let Hughes walk when he gets to UFA”. They’re deathly afraid he will be joining his brothers in New Jersey. People already saying only reason Foote was hired is because Hughes likes him.

Looks like the Canucks are going to name Adam Foote as their new coach. Was a Tocchet assistant.

Why are people reacting to this like we’re thinking of hiring Lou as GM? Why do people think that Rick Dudley, a 76-year-old with 7 years experience as a GM, just one of those in the past 20 years would be a terrific senior advisor, and Lou Lamiorello, an 82-year-old with 37 years as a GM, including all of the past 20 years would be terrible in the same role?

Basically, it’s only the 3rd tier you’re worried about. You match the 4th and you take the picks with the 2nd. And that goes for both Byram and JJ. The danger spot is anything that translates to over $8M AAV from a team in the upper half of the league. That’s where you’re paying more than you want in contract, but getting less in compensation than you probably could have in trade. Remember, it’s not just the draft picks you’re getting in compensation, there is also the cap space you get to backfill.

Byram and Peterka's offer sheets just ran screaming in Evan Bouchard's direction.

I think Ray is a mediocre analyst but I love him as a colour guy, and there has never been a better Buffalo Sabre. I'll miss him.

That photo is fantastic 🤣 My only interest in Lou Lamiorello as a GM is that he'd be better than Kevyn Adams. But as an actual senior advisor — knowing the league, the gossip, the tricks, the history and not being afraid to give Kevyn Adams a different point of view — doubt you could find anyone more qualified. If it really is him, he's probably just finished telling Terry what an idiot he's been, and he's just about to call Tuch with instructions on where to find a razor.

So many nuances missed here. In 3 years, the cap hit of the average NHL player will be a tick under $5M: Dahlin 11 Power 8 Byram 8 leaves $8M to stay on average. That means rounding out your core with 2 $3M players and 2 $1M players, with the option of using some of your Tage savings to spend on an upgrade, if you want. The cap hit is hard now, it will be the opposite long-term. Power was a positive player - largely without Dahlin - in each of his first two seasons. We shouldn’t forget that. Byram couldn’t anchor the first pairing of the Buffalo Sabres for 7 games without Dahlin is a far cry from Byram needs Dahlin to be effective.

To be clear, there has been no actual acknowledgement that this is happening, just Friedman relaying what he heard, after initially relaying that Adams might be shuffled upstairs.

He sure plays a safer game than Clifton. And he’s just as mean and far bigger. Issue is his feet: are they fast enough to keep up with the Mitch Marner’s of the world and is he smart enough to compensate. At the AHL level he is exactly the type the Sabres seem to lack at the NHL level.

Dahlin has benefited hugely from Byram. They have been the most effective first-pairing in the NHL: I believe it is something like 35 ES goals for, 15 against, playing against the other team's best players. I hope repeating this is starting to get annoying. Those are real goals. Not imaginary ones. Doesn't matter, I know. Dahlin will be at 70% with Samuelsson too. That 51% is probably a typo.