Thorny

well, if we can’t judge his overall intelligence by the results this far, I’d wager we never could. I’ll stick with hockey acumen, then, relative to what is required for his specific job: and in that case he’s significantly lacking thus far prooof, as they say, is in the pudding. He can change the narrative, he merely needs to change the results

I’ve never played goalie but I do play hockey regularly and I was available so no, Comrie wasn’t the best available

Comrie had like..half a seasons worth of starts in a decade or something at it was like..oh maybe this is The Guy ya, man Ya man maybe he’s the Guy

What did Adams actually say? I’ve gone searching for this in the past and have found a lot of quotes from the players to that effect..is there a chance Adams just sort of quietly..let them say it, rather than endorsing it? And ya the Comrie thing is just another funny example: the bets he makes that don’t work out almost always look like bad bets at the time he aims low

Well of course he doesn’t get a pass, but I still want him to do it. Better late than never, absolutely. Always, always. The past doesn’t exist, do right by the moment. But yes I’ve mentioned before, he’s looking at nothing short of needing to establish that perennial Cup contender to actually get full-on credit, at this point. The idea of willingly throwing all these years away in the name of a long-form rebuild was because “just making the playoffs” supposedly wasn’t good enough: if all we get out of this is a playoff berth after 5 seasons, that’s a poor performance from the GM. That’s a needlessly long pathway to take to make the playoffs and that’s borne out statistically, league relative. Are we going to pat him on the back if he makes it next year? The expectation was this year. Next year would be, “ok, you can keep your job.” We’d obviously all be thrilled: better late than never. But there’s still a separation from a clear-headed analysis of the GM. We are capable of intelligently forming that distinction.

Liquifying Casey for assets is no bueno Draft / prospect assets

He was half right - he bet on Levi and another to emerge from UPL and Comrie Levi bet was, again, against massive precedent. the result was, sadly, not surprising. Sadly, hindsight need not apply

I continually remain shocked at the pushback I get on saying the Samuelsson contract was bad. It’s not enough to just look at it in a vacuum and say “well he’s ALMOST worth it and I feel bad for him so it’s ok” nahhhh. It doesn’t work like that: by the *prism of the moment* the deal looked bad - it was unprecedented. The burden of proof is on the deal to prove its worth. As you point out, it only serves to potentially sully other negotiations I will keep saying it: all these moves are only valuable *as a means to an end*. We said playoffs was the mandate this year not just because we all obviously want it after 13 years: the actually structure and growth of the team depends on it the strategies have to achieve results or EVERYONE DOUBTS THE STRATEGIES

Adams going after a goalie does make sense. If Adams consummated every deal he was supposedly after I actually think I’d agree with him quite a bit- but we have such a difference of priority which results in a different strategic willingness necessary to pay the price required to get these deals done. but he’s right: we DO still need a goalie. That’s what I preached all offseason, the Swayman effect: you need 2 guys in today’s game if you are serious about it winning. We always needs 2. Our backup goaltending is non existent right now: and adding a guy also allows us to avoid penciling in Levi for next season and that blowing up in our faces again

Could be. Could be they made their bed with their chosen core…they are happy to pay Casey as an ancillary piece, but Casey balks on the “want to be here” front due to the realization…and we know Adams will accommodate guys who don’t want to be here

“If the Sabres aren’t willing to pay Mittelstadt like they have with their other core pieces, it’s going to be a problem; he’s not going to be happy” point 3 is fairly interesting. Could be a bit of a problematic offshoot of locking up so many other guys so definitively so early. A guy who gets wind of the fact he’s not being approached in the same way could have issues

Ask not what the Sabres can do for you

It’s so simple

The WICKedly talented

I was gonna chat on sabrespace, and then I got high…🎶

Just think of: all the games in hand we’ll have, to *not* make up any ground? Wi̶TH!

Our record is pretty reflective I’d say

He’ll have to determine if Levi is ready for a full-time backup role at the NHL level. Considering his misfires in managing the position during the first half of this season, I’d imagine he’d be extra careful in not getting into a “shame on me” situation next season. If it’s Levi, great. If not, we’ll need a backup from the outside

absurd. Wrong thread, don’t care: people need to see the once affordable food champion of the people has turned its back on us

Easy solution: get even *younger* next year. No one could possibly claim it’s not an excuse, then

And buzzed when I think of PA

that’s how I picture you and @PASabreFanin my mind