mjd1001

As far as Mike Weber as an assistant, he is a dark horse candidate for the head coaching job in Ottawa apparently. Late last week I was listening to 590 out of Toronto, they spent a few minutes talking about the Ottawa job and his name was brought up (not as the favorite but they did bring it up). I like the hiring, I like Ruff and want him to do well. But at the same time, I think what you said has more truth to it than most want to admit.

I'm good with this, his success may very well come down to assistants.

I'd be ok with another "EJ" guy under 2 conditions: -He be at least SLIGHTLY better than EJ was. Doesn't have to be great or even very good. Just a guy with experience that doesn't kill you out there, a guy who works hard on the ice, works hard in practice. Defends his teammates, etc. -He is penciled in as the #7 guy, getting a game every once in a while and when injuries happen. Not thinking he is a 2nd or 3rd pair guy. Even Bryson and Clifton played much better once the forwards starting supporting them in their own zone. I want an experience guy back there, but one that you have to promise ice time to in order to sign him.

one of the reasons I am not THAT upset at the Sabres not making the playoff is....sure I WANT them there, but I just love playoff hockey. Especially the first 2 rounds. Yeah, the Sabres need to be there, but when they aren't, I still love watching it.

I'm not worried about Byrum. You can see the talent there. He's a good skater, fast, carries the puck well. Has a decent shot for a Defenseman. I think the biggest thing is what he said, he was 'the new guy', he needs to find his role on the team and be confident in it.

If you want to say within 6 feet of the crease and right in front, they yeah, 44 of his goals from there....

Not sure if this was posted yet....pertains to the conversation and what you just said above...

Sam Reinhart 2nd in the league in goals with 57. Zack Hyman 3rd in the league in goals with 54. I have to think those are 2 things no-one going into the season was thinking.

So what is the benefit of someing BUYING 25% share of the Bills? I'm guessing if there is a sale of team anytime in the future, they are in best position to buy it?

I think Levi is ready for a role with UPL in Buffalo. He had his taste of the NHL AND a heavy workload in Rochester that he has responded well to.

Possibly. But the other side of it is, if he has another season of playing only half a season (or less) what will his value be? And who is going to want a guy signed to a long term deal that every single year can't play half the season. The same reason Buffalo might want to get rid of him would be the same reason another team won't want that long term deal on a guy who is injured just about EVERY year. Maybe if the Sabres retained some salary, but if you are retaining salary, you might as well just keep him here as a guy with potential you HOPE gets healthier.

He is getting older. He COULD get 35 next year, but I think we are starting to see his decline in production. However, I am with you that I don't see a reason to just jettison him, I think he has value. First, he is not an asset defensively, He doesn't like to go to the boards in the Dzone and win battles, and sometimes he won't even think of going into the D-zone deep. But he's also not a liability as much as many others on this team. Rarely do I see him make a costly turnover in his own zone or be out of position leaving his side of the ice totally open. He is not an asset for sure, but he doesn't cost you goals with obvious mistakes. Next, he does one thing better than anyone else on this team, a thing this team sorely needs. He goes to the front of the net, right in front. No one on this team has more shots from the 'high danger' spots in front of the goalie as Skinner over the past couple seasons. Not Thompson. Not Tuch, Not Cozens. Not Peterka. I think Skinner has one more year left of being an asset to this team. Talk to me at the end of next season. But if/when he is gone, you need a new coach to force the other guys to go to the front of the net more, or you need to bring in a skilled forward to do that.

I remember this last year. I looked at the first round matchups, I picked the 8 teams I thought would win, I was very confident in those picks, and then it turned out I was WAY off. This years round one looks a light tighter/closer to me, and to be honest, the most fun/interesting first round I can remember. I'm really looking forward to watching the next 2 weeks of hockey more than almost anytime I can remember in recent history.

I think UPL now, he has done it for longer stretches in the NHL. Longevity matters to me. That doesn't mean he WILL be better than Levi in the future. Just right now, If I have to pick one of the to start 60 games in a season for me, I go with UPL.

I'm not so sure. In most cases the GM would be probably on his last chance. In most cases, fans, owners, even players would understand he is next. But, there is a good chance things are different here. Pegula is still the owner. He has shown (to me) over and over he is more concerned with having people in power around him that he is comfortable with. People who massage his ego, people who defend him, speak highly of him, people who will 'take the bullet' for him when things are rough while he hides in Florida or on his yacht. Pegula to me will take a 'lesser' GM and give him more time if it is someone who tells him what he wants to hear. Adams is that guy. If Pegula makes a change, he may not get that. I think that is why a coach will be let go before Adams. Pegula seemingly hand-picked Adams because he probably is a nice guy, a 'yes man'. Pegula probably spends a LOT more time in contact with the GM (A GM he likes personally) so its harder to let that GM go than a coach, or even players. Again, maybe if the Sabres don't make the playoffs Adams will be let go. But I think it is far more likely that more trades would happen, more 'housecleaning' under the GM would occur, because Pegula simply will not hire a GM that will give him any kind of 'pushback' on making him feel good about himself. Adams doesn't seem to do that.

For many, its hard to root against Boston when they are playing the Leafs...I think there are just as many people that dislike Toronto as Boston. Plus there is one bonus for Boston winning....Even if you don't hate Toronto, lets say you are indifferent to them....having the Leafs lose in the first round....the drama, the stories, the reaction coming out of Toronto would be more than enough to entertain for the entire offseason.

Unless he gets another injury, and it becomes even more clear that is health/durability means he just won't have much of a career...unless that happens, I don't see why he wouldn't be here.

Yeah, I guess it can be either. A guy who is a top guy, or maybe a few guys who are at least not bottom of the roster guys.

I go back and forth on how important leadership and 'knowing how to win' actually are. Something I think it doesn't matter, others I think it does. For the, this team has brought in veteran 'leaders' throughout the drought, but none of them were really the 'best' player (or even close to it) in the team. The young guys with 'all the talent' who are told they are the 'future of the organization' aren't likely to listen to someone who they think isn't as important as they are, or isn't as good, or isn't likely to be around for a while. For veteran leadership to work, I think you need a guy that is at least in the same neighborhood in talent as those around him (someone who will be a top 5-6 guy on your team) AND he needs to be someone who is here on more than just a 1 or 2 year deal...in order for the 'young guys' to actually lead and follow him.

Agree with all of the above. I hate when teams get moved. Ultimately we know its many times more important what the owners want, what the league wants, what 'dollars can be made' to make billionaires even bigger billionaires. If there ever was a 'fans bill of rights', one of the top things on it should be that no fanbase ever loses a team, no team is moved.

I could be ok with Lindy, still not a fan of Kane. The head coach is important. Yes, of course its important. But who is he bringing in with him as assistants may be just as important, or more important. What many are saying here, you want a head coach who is going to set a standard, make a decision to run more up tempo practices. Be a little harder on some guys. Have respect from the guys in the room. I think Ruff does all that, as well as some other coaches. Ultimately I know the head coach is responsible for things, but i also think the power play is run more by the assistant coaches than the head coach (unless the head coach CHOOSES to step in). How the D-man play positionally is more the assistant coaches working with the players, while the head coach oversees everything. The assistant coaches are breaking down video late at night while the head coach is doing the post game press conferences or having one-on-one conversations with the guys. Again, Yes, the head coach does those things too, but I think a great head coach can fail if he doesn't bring in good assistants. I want my head coach to be 'good' in all those things, but I would almost rather he just competent at them, but for him to set the direction for the team, set the tempo, set the expectations, and have good-to-great assistants working on the X's and O's.

I think he took a step back overall this year. I also thin he played better the last 30 games than he did the first half+ of the season. I think he'll be fine, actually I think he'll be really good, just its going to be a gradual, slow grind to get there over the next couple of years.

Maybe someone who is really REALLY into analytics can analyze Cozens a bit more, but to me everything I see comes down to last year him having a higher shooting percentage, this year it reverted to mean (his career average) His ice time, his shots per game....similar. When you look at the NHL edge metrics over the last 3 years...His top skating speed, speed bursts and average skating distance are his strengths and the pretty much the same each year. His offensive zone time is below average and the same each year. Even where he TAKES his shots from is the same each year (compared to the rest of the league he REALLY likes shooting between the faceoff dots and over to the right boards 10-15 feet out), One of the biggest differences in their metrics is shooting percentage. THAT is the one thing that is different. My worry, and my continued worry with him is he really IS playing the same game he always has. This year. Last year, The year before. There is really only one thing that was different than stands out...his shooting percentage JUST last year. When he has ONE very good year, but that one year he has a shooting percentage of almost 15.....while his rookie year was about 7, his 2nd year about 8, this year 9...its hard for me to not think that maybe the 6-9% range is the type of player he really is...and he is a guy that consistently looks to get 200 shots a year for his ice time....200 shots times even 9% gives you 18 goals. He is still young. He can get better in other areas of his game. But every year (including this year and last year) he looks to be a 200 shot guy, EVERY year he takes shots from the same spots on the ice. Unless he goes back to that nearly 15% shooting percentage, hes not going to be a consistent 30 goal guy for you. The only SMALL thing supporting the concussion idea is his shooting percentage was 14.3% (in a small sample size), continuing last years trend, leading up to his concussion. It was after the concussion that it went down to 8.4% for the rest of the year.

Maybe the new owner will move the Sabres to Arizona...

still think that is way too high. As others have said, it should be at, or close to his qualifying offer. 1 year for a bout $1m. That would be about a 20% raise for him, and he hasn't even earned that yet.