French Collection

Playoffs! Five year extensions all around!

I’ll add “the best way to deal with this guy is to talk about getting him cap space”. “that guy just loves his WHL prospects”. “ that guy was pissed when you got Byram”.

I like the fact that there are guys in the organization who have GM experience (Jarmo) and front office experience while being considered for GM jobs (Karmanos). Jarmo just made TP hiring Forton for GM less likely.

and he said repeatedly how he wanted to be here, as this was his only contract offer.

Bryson is OK with the direction of the team. A million bucks to play every 2nd or 3rd game. He might complain if he had to play 82.

It’s something. I respect this guy’s resume but I am surprised he would report to KA. His scouting background should help identify talent. He knows how to deal with a small market organization that probably had a lot of NMCs at the top. I like this, if KA actually listens.

Nill is a top level GM, it would be tough to pry a good goalie off of him unless he had a solid plan B. I doubt he would hand over the reins to UPL. The cap space gain, goalie wise could allow him to get another decent one though. Byram has value but Dallas has Heiskanen and Harley as puck moving LHD, not too different from the Sabres scenario.

Interesting. That happens a lot in hockey. The next smart decision is that a GM evaluates them vs each other and other candidates. Seniority is a thing, especially in a unionized environment, but sometimes the “apprentice” is much better than the mentor. I know we dump on Appert but it’s difficult to not see him taking over the HC job with KA at the helm. Qualified people may hesitate to work for him and the owner has trust issues with outside talent. On top of it all, a first time coach will be cheaper. Lindy is a different story, there was already some trust established and he could supply more than coaching knowledge.

I read a story about Zito’s leadership style. He said he has surrounded himself with some smart hockey people who will challenge him. He wants a diversity of ideas and will hear them out before making a decision. The people he mentions as advisors are Rick Dudley, Paul Fenton, Roberto Luongo, Gregory Campbell, Les Jackson and a few others.

You just never know, he could be the next Jon Cooper. Karmanos probably hired him and would know him best. KA would rank Appert above him. Appert, Wilford and Ellis are locked in, there are no better coaches available, KA has done a deep dive into it. They just need more time for the palm seeds to take root. The new strength coach will whip the team into shape and turn them into beasts. We just need patience, LOL.

KA press conference. “We liked Marco at the draft but were set at C with Eichel and Reinhart so we picked Quinn.”

Shanahan would be better than KA, the bar is at a mouse doing the limbo height. No way he takes a #2 job for TP after being #1 at the “real hockey heaven”. LOL. I would take him but he has that Leafs stench on him.

KA weaponizing cap space, bringing a knife to a gunfight. Looked like that guy with the impressive sword work that Indiana Jones shoots.

But, Lafferty is so much faster. Except for Perry’s short lived stint in Chicago, he’s been signing with playoff teams hoping to go deep. I don’t think the Sabres are on his radar. I doubt he would mail it in like Staal.

Yeah, bringing in RHD like EJ, Clifton and Lyubushkin was an attempt at helping Power but they don’t have the ability to play 2nd pairing minutes.

Yeah, I don’t think he takes Eklund but he might, as much as that kid is what I see as more of the same. I am ready to shake it up from BPA to BFA ( biggest friggin’ attitude).

He obviously still loves the game to embrace these roles after what he accomplished as a young man. His grit would be nice to infuse into 95% of our Sabres players.

It will be easier for KA to justify taking Eklund.

Shaw probably told TP he wasn’t willing to take Wilford’s spot with the Jr. Sabres.

Those numbers tell me that they are too young, lacking older man muscles. KA running it back will eventually get them to top 10 in weight.

Jake Sanderson and Power had similar amateur careers and signed similar long term deals. Sanderson took a big step forward while Power has stalled. Chabot was an easier hurdle to jump than Dahlin but Power may have even regressed. A lot of his off season training may be delayed due to his injury but a smart player/organization would use the time off to recharge and assess the weaknesses and how to get better. The mental part of the game could be his biggest stumbling block and he has all of the time needed to improve.

Ditto, I try and grasp that stuff and have the time to learn it but it just doesn’t capture me. I do like the Coles notes version explained to me and how it reinforces ideas.

Novikov has a great summer and comes to camp as a beast and makes Bryson his b***h, and plays the game we wanted to see from Mule, making him expendable. Sad, but I’m not seeing any good news until September, with these clowns in charge.

If I was GM I would be seeing what the market is for Byram and Power. I can move on from either. The return plus potential cap space could sway me in either direction. Power could bring more back and Byram could be signed for less. KA will not move Power, so this idea is dead.

3B victim. Blocked by Bryson.