mjd1001

Hockey IQ. I think its a term we use when a guy may not have elite, or very good 'raw' skills that are visible, but he is vey successful. A guy may not be that fast like Pavel Bure or Petr Bondra. Not be that big/tall like Eric Lindros. Doesn't have the hardest shot like Brett Hull or Al MacInnis. Doesn't stick handle so well that he has that 'puck-on-a-stick' thing when he carries it like Mario Lemieux. When you see a guy like that but he nets 30+ goals every year, is one of the better +/- guys on your team, is put out there by his coach in all situations, and his production helps you win...well, we just assign a 'high hockey iq' to them to explain their success despite the lack of visible elite skill.

Not sure if anyone wants to add anything, but this started last night with a conversation with my wife. Talking about the Sabres. Best players of all time on the team and Hasek was brought up. She was not traditionally a hockey fan and grew up in NY city so she doesn't know much about him. So, I was showing her some old videos and highlights and it let me thinking to things that we might think are overrated in general, or in sports. Quick spoiler, I do NOT think Hasek was overrated, just the opposite. Overrated things in sports: -Canada's opinion of itself in particular with hockey. After our discussion I read some posts online (some new, some from a decade ago), watched some videos, read some articles..etc. When asked who is the greatest goalie of all time, or at least 'modern' history, the consensus around the world seems to be Hasek, with the EXCEPTION of writers/people out of Canada. Anecdotally through my hour+ stint last night I'd say that 70% of articles/opinions I read from anywhere but Canada said Hasek #1. Out of Canada though (articles, posts, etc), 80+ percent had him 3rd behind Roy and Brodeur. Mind you, I wasn't looking for who was the 'most accomplished' goalie, simply the best. Canada seems to really not be able to separate their opinion of themselves and everything hockey that comes out of there from the opinions of everyone else. Canada, you love hockey and you have lots of great players, but you overrate yourselves a tad bit sometime. -Lewis Hamilton. For those who follow F1 racing. I think he is a great driver, he is certainly the most SUCCESSFUL driver, but fans of his (especially out of Great Britain, where he is from) will seemingly throw down with you if you even hint at the slightest that any other driver is even in the same zip code as him in terms of ability. Prost? Senna, Schumacher? Verstappen? Vettel? Alonso? To most Hamilton (British) fans, COMBINE the ability of those guys and it still doesn't equa Hamilton. They don't seem to be able to separate 'most wins' (due to best car on the grid, as is true with many of the greats) from best driver. Lewis Hamilton fans, he is a great driver, but in your eyes overrated for sure. -Miami. This isn't sports related, but I just got back from Florida again and I just don't get Miami. I've visited the city many times. I lived in Florida. I worked a bit in south Florida. We still own a house in Florida we rent out to a family member (despite me wanting to sell it) so I'm certainly very used to the area. I just don't see the appeal. New England has some nicer beaches. As much as I don't like Vegas, the nightlifte in Vegas (and the volume of it) blows south beach away to me. The city is kinda dirty. Museums are WAY down the list of quality compared to other cities. At one point last week, I had a guy walk up to me downtown and start rapping in front of, then he put a paper cup in my face filled with coins and shook it...and the EXACT same thing happened 10 minutes later a few blocks away. Oh, and we heard what seemed like Gunshots at 2pm in the afternoon not too far from downtown. We also travel to Charlotte, Columbus, and Boston a lot and we don't get any of that (not even close to it) in any of those places. So Miami, you are VERY overrated.

so with VO and Zemgus gone....the player with the longest tenure in the organization is....Brett Murray?

For me its Deadline day. Technically at draft day and free agent day, their 'record' is the same as everyone else's. By deadline day, they are usually WAY out of a spot.

I agree I wouldn't overwork him. Yes, he's getting closer to the prime of his career, but I've always thought... You want a goalie to be fresh in the playoffs, give him about 50 or 55 games in the regular season. Of course some will say.... There are great goalies who you can give 60 or 65 games in the regular season and they perform well in the playoffs also. My opinion it's not because they don't need the rest. It's just that some of those guys are so good that any drop off from them being fatigued is so little that we don't notice it. I get that hockey and baseball are different sports, but for decades... Everyone thought certain pitchers could handle more innings and to a degree they could. But recently they found out that... Even if a pitcher can handle a lot of innings as a starter, in the long run, Even those great pitcherd are better if you control the amount of innings they have. I think with goaltender use in the NHL.. the same thing may apply. Just the sport science of the NHL is a few years behind pitchers in baseball. Honestly I would personally like to see UPL get 50 to 55 games in the regular season, Levi to get the 25 to 30 other games, and in case of injury to have a backup in the minor leagues that you could call up for an emergency basis... It's just that my opinion is... I think Ruff is going to push UPL to that 60-game mark or above providing he's not injured.

No one started 60 games last year? Really?? Saros started 64. Georgiev started 62. Hellebuyck started 60. That was just last year. In the last 3 seasons there are 15 times (some of the same guy) where goalies started 60 or more games in a regular season, so it certainly isn't uncommon when a coach likes his #1. UPL started 51. He didn't play that much the first couple weeks of the season. Between that, and my point about Ruff liking him a lot, it wouldn't be much to say he could start 60. And also totally untrue! see my above post, several times goalies started 60 or more games over the past few years, yes, including last year.

I think this kind brings us back to what they did the 2nd half of last year: UPL the starter. If there are a stretch of games where Levi CAN play a couple times with the big club over a couple weeks, then he is in Buffalo and plays some games. However, log road trips out west, or stretches where UPL would be playing most games, Levi is in Rochester. It appears Ruff does like UPL a lot though. UPL played in 54 games last year, starting 51 of them. I think Ruff uses him a bit more and he starts close to 60, barring injury.

its not that black and white...meaning some of us have been angry at times and not at other times. Its not just that if you are one of the 'angry people' you are always right and the 'non angry' people are always wrong..or again...that some of us like what is happening at certain times and not others.

There are some really annoying posters at times on this board, including me. In all the arguments I have gotten with here with everyone, and there have been some big ones, I have never, ever blocked anyone. This guy Rasmus...he is so intolerable he's going to be the first one. If you are so freakin' miserable about this team and everyone associated...just leave...stop bringing everyone else down with you already.

When you have cap space THIS year, and you bring in a guy on a 1 year deal....unless that deal is taking up so much of this years cap that you can't sign someone else then I don't think it is a 'stupid deal'. The guy has scored 41 goals in the last 2 seasons (with missing some games) so its not like he is a 5-goal-per-year 4th liner.

If that is your 4th line...as I mentioned above, it just might be the fastest skating line in the league, or close to it.

Another VERY fast guy. With the exception of Zucker (who isn't fast, at least not anymore), Kubel, Lafferty, Malenstyn, all have or are bordering on elite speed. Sure, they don't have the offensive ability to go with it, but they are all very fast skaters. You want to develop a 3rd or 4th line with a great forcheck, I guess this is how they are doing it.

Its not a big deal, but not sure what to think. Can he still bring 20+ goals like he has in the past? or with age/injuries has he lost enough where that isn't possible? If he can give you 16-22 goals with 15-17 minutes of ice time, I'm good with it, especially if only for 1 year. I think he's here for the 3rd line with the possible ability to jump up to the 2nd line in case of injuries. He's not that fast, doesn't seem to have a reputation as a stellar defensive guy, will throw a couple hits but not a big part of his game either. I don't think he is the guy you want on a 4th line, he's 3rd line or bust.

I'm thinking a lot of the work around the 'edges' of the Roster is Ruff talking to Adams and the scouting staff and his input as to what he likes and doesn't like. The trade for Malenstyn. Skinner Gone. Bryson no qualifying offer. Its not a ton, but these decisions to me are more of Lindy's fingerprints on them than not.

He could. I just fall back to the fact that when I hear Ruff talk, I really really think he likes his wingers to be guys that are fast, fly down the ice. That is NOT Greenway, and a lot of the reason Greenway as brought in was because of Granato and their prior relationship when he was younger. I just think they are likely to battle it out in camp. If Malenstyn outperforms or even equals Greenway's play in camp, with his speed I think he gets a spot higher in the lineup than Greenway, and that might mean the end of Greenway's time in Buffalo. I guess they could both be 3rd line wingers, but ideally I'd only one one guy on my third line with '15 goal potential' and the other winger I'd want with a bit more stick skill. I agree with your point that its likely they both make this team and they can compliment each other. Its just I have this 'feeling', nothing more than just a 'feeling' i'm trying to explain that, giving up a 2nd round pick, they see more in him than a PK'er and a 12 minute per game 4th liner. To me that means potential 3rd liner and that means its a shot Greenway won't have his spot.

Agreed. Will Adams even make it through this year, who knows. But Eichel for sure, probably Reinhart, and Mountour were likely to not be staying here whether it was Adams as GM or Botts or anyone else before them or most new hires. They were likely going to be out of Buffalo. Its unfair to me to Judge the current roster of this team now than what the team would be with those guys on it....and again, I'm pretty sure all of them (most of them for sure) wouldn't be here and that was/is not Adams fault.

Just a thought, maybe he was acquired to 'kinda' take the spot on the roster of Jordan Greenway? I THINK Greenway had ties to Granato from the team USA days. With Granato not here anymore, I'm not saying they DON'T want Greenway, but I think its reasonable for one to think one of his bigger cheerleaders is gone. -They are both Big guys. Greenway a little bigger, but then again Greenway is not as much of a hitter. -Both were used big time on the PK. -Malenstyn has a TON more speed, so I would think he would be more useful to Ruff on the forecheck. A fast guy who can chase the puck into the offensive zone, hit someone on the board to cause a loose puck and then try to get it to the front of the net for the more 'skilled' scorer. -As far as production goes, he's not that far behind greenway either. 6g and 21p for Malenstyn, 10g 28pts for Greenway. Now Greenway missed some games, but Greenway also got about 20% more ice time per game AND a lot more time in the offensive zone for more potential oportunites. I mean, Ruff I'm sure is having input into at least the TYPE of player he wants here...and I just have the impression Ruff likes really fast wingers, and not so much the big, plodding guys that don't hit but MAYBE their strength is to win some battles on the boards and thats all. I just think there is a chance Ruff thinks of his 3rd line and would rather have a 6-foot-3 guy who can absolutely fly down the ice and has a chance to net you 15 goals a year with 3rd line minutes...than a 6-foot-5 guy who is one of the slowest on the team who is primarily here because the last coach had a history with him. I looked at some of the top teams in the league and wanted to see how 'product' their '3rd' lines are. I took Boston, Carolina, Colorado, Dallas, Edmonton, Florida, NY Rangers, and Toronto. I sorted their forwards, looked at the their 7th, 8th, and 9th highest scoring forwards, and the 'average' goals for all of them was 12.87. So my thinking is....Can Malenstyn get you close to that with 3rd line minutes, WHILE giving you hitting, good defensive play, super fast skating, and one of the better penalty killers? If you think he can get you close to 15 goals, you may have your 3rd line winger. I know I'm repeating myself here, but I'm typing and thinking 'out loud' here...I'm not saying they made the trade to replace Greenway. But get Malenstyn in camp. If he shows that with better deployment than in Washington and a little more ice time they think he could put in 15 goals and 30-40 points (which doesn't seem unreasonable based on last years production with how he was used by Washington), Add to that his speed advantage over Greenway..and I think there is a possibility he may be a 3rd liner in place of Greenway. If he doesn't show them that he can come close to Greenway's production in a similar role, you still slot him on the 4th line. Just thinking out loud here, I would not be surprised if he takes a wing role on the 3rd line and Greenway (along with his $3m per year) is shown the way out to another team by the time the regular season starts.

I'm saying at the trade deadline, not at the draft. A 2nd round pick is usually good enough to get you a decent rental in many years.

I don't think the issue is no other NHL GM's respect him. If you are trying to make a deal with the Sabres, if its a deal you want you do it. If its a deal you don't want then you don't do it. I find it hard to believe other GM's would make a deal with the Sabres if they had a different GM, but won't make the same deal because they 'don't respect' Adams. If I was another team and my GM didn't want to make a deal with Adams because they don't 'respect him' but they would make that deal with another different Sabres GM...then I think MY GM would be the one I'd have the problem with.

As others have said, 2nd round pick seems high, even if he is a hard worker and great in his own end. Could you have done it for a 3rd or 4th? Could you have done it for a mid level prospect? That 2nd rounder....flip it to someone, ANYONE if there is no-one you want for next year's 2nd rounder. A 2025 2nd rounder might be very valuable as a trade chip near the deadline this year. But again, did they REALLY want him and other teams were offering a 3rd and you had to go with a 2nd? Did you REALLY want him and Washington REALLY wanted to keep him and demanded a 2nd? I don't know. I just hope this guy is good and a legit NHL'er at whatever role he has.....because around the deadline, a 2nd round pick usually gets you a LEGIT NHL'er.

I don't want ANY extra cap hit when the current young guys are starting to get paid more in a few years. So to me, I did look at the numbes, for the team that does make it a lot worse in my opinion.

The old "bet against your team" philosophy, I'm surprised isn't used more. For example, in the Superbowl you really REALLY want to see one team win over the other, so you bet a few bucks on the team you DON'T want to win. Its kinda insurance for the team that you do want to win. If your team wins, you lose a few bucks but hey! they won! If your team loses, you get a little payout.

Ok, decent pick I have no problems with it. Not a guy I expect to make a meaningful impact in the near future. Again, decent pick for all I know, not upset. Now lets move onto other roster improvements.

Just a thought... Maybe they aren't 'homing in' on a particular player at 11, but someone in the top 10, or top 5. This is just a shot in the dark, but don't they have Vegas' first round pick next year? Not likely to be a super high pick. But maybe they have a deal with someone to trade 11 AND vegas' first next year to move up to the top 5? And the team they have that deal with didn't want a 2nd and wanted more than #14 overall. And if that potential deal doesn't happen, then no biggie, they pick a few spots higher at the expense of them giving up a 2nd. Again, not likely, but certainly possible.

Ok, you ALWAYS want the higher pick. I get that. I agree with that. With that said, I looked back and the 2020-2015 drafts for the difference between players taken with the 11th pick vs the 14th pick (I simply didn't even use the most recent drafts because a lot of those guys haven't developed/played a lot yet) 11th overall picks: Askarov, Soderstrom, Wahlstrom, Vilardi, Logan Brown, Crowse. Not exactly a list of huge difference makers, and that is going back to guys that are now already in their mid 20's. 14th overall picks the same years: Holloway, York, Farabree, Foote, Charlie McaVoy, Jake Debrusk Of the 2 lists, I'd rather have the guys taken at 14 than 11....but my main point is once you get out of the top 10, maybe even the top 5, the difference in talent between player 10 and 20 might be as thick as a sheet of paper. What may determine the success of the player might be MORE your development team, your development coaches AND random chance vs whether they were picked 11, 14, or 18 or 19. But you would still rather pick earlier right? Is a 2nd round pick to move down a few slots worth it? PROBABLY not if you judge it by who is selected with that pick. But when that pick is used as 'currency' to trade to acquire an existing NHL player at the deadline, OR as just one piece needed to sweeten a deal to acquire a very good NHL player in the offseason, it certainly is worth moving down a few spots in the middle of the first round. So, in a postive way, if both picks are used to select players...ehh...no big deal. You get an extra 'lotter ticket' in the early send round for not losing much in the first. But if that 2nd rounder is used as part of a trade, then this is for SURE worth it.