Thorny

You aren’t interested in anyone, I know. You are the guy in improv class who says “no” all the time eventually to the point where the teacher sets you aside and explains the “yes” rule of improv /s - - - As for goalie, and whether he will be “judged” on it: of course he will. Clock has already started on that. He already has a failing grade in that specific regard. “Who even is there?” need not apply when the time frame is your 4th season. At some point the expectation is just that it’s fixed. I’m not judging him based on what he does in the offseason at the position, have already mentioned that. He’ll get judged on the results of the position this coming season. If the results are sub-par, he’ll again be adjudged to have failed the position

Here’s the money shot for how Adams feels about handedness it’s a “Dahlin is a unicorn” thing, not a “we don’t care about handedness” thing. Its about Dahlin

Here’s a great, great in depth article on defensive handedness in the NHL. The most definitive research I’ve seen, and compelling evidence against the idea that “handedness doesn’t matter.” https://www.expectedbuffalo.com/do-the-buffalo-sabres-care-about-defensive-handedness-should-they-and-to-what-extent/ “Either way, the findings from last season certainly do a good job of putting the approach in context. The idea that the Sabres don’t care about handedness at all is wrong, but the extent to which they care is probably a moving target.” Highly recommend reading the whole thing. The Sabres relative to the league played D men on their off hand more than any other team but 1. The article argues that’s out of necessity - primarily it’s because of Dahlin our numbers were that high, and the number say Dahlin did *better* on his proper hand. Now, this isn’t to say players can’t and don’t succeed on their offhand, but it’s harder to do, it’s not a non factor, the amount the Sabres have been doing it IS uncommon and Adams is aware it’s harder to do and matters, as evidenced by the article, because he didn’t have his young learning players on the off hand when he could avoid it, and he had Dahlin on the left, when he could. Further information should be available when we see what hand any new D man addition goes by So: the Sabres have certainly shown a greater willingness than others to do it, but it’s absolutely not a “non factor” so I feel somewhat vindicated in talking about this when others have said its a non factor

IS THE EVERYTHING KEVYN HAS DONE THREAD UPDATED

Haha Why

https://getyarn.io/yarn-clip/ad12ba55-c7fb-47ae-960a-1b2545e39189

Savoie still *is* the mystery box. I highly doubt he’s saying he’d deal Savoie for a pick

There just haven’t been any reasonable ways to upgrade the output from the goaltending position in any of the last 3 offseasons including this one. No team has succeeded in doing this. It’s why I’ve personally begun to scratch these years off the “failed to make the playoffs” list. Imo they don’t count towards the drought, because they were loaded scenarios with no chance of success. Ymmv but for me, the clock begins when teams smarten up and agree to take the players we DON’T mind giving up, in return for their good players.

Add Lance to the growing list of those expecting a run back in net. There just aren’t any good options! 4 years now! Who’d have thought. Ah well, what can you do.

Garners more retweets - - - Its mildly interesting both the Sabres and Bills extended their coach when they still had 2 years remaining on their current deals, no?

Thats a good question. Definitely does seem like my local Jets are opposed to ever doing a full tear down. The fans here are passionate as hell, maybe it’s a quantity thing, though? Winnipeg the city is as populated as Buffalo I think but the greater surrounding area... well, Winnipeg doesn’t have one. Small arena. Maybe regardless of passion, if even a sizeable chunk tunes out, our quantities are an issue? I do know the season ticket list here, once miles long, has evaporated. It’s gone. As I said years ago, the honeymoon period is over. Would a full rebuild further dent that? Plenty of the more passionate fans have been clamouring for a rebuild but maybe it’s just not in the cards

The tending will almost certainly be improved year over year merely by Levi’s presence. I’m just not sure “better” constitutes the position being “appropriately managed”. I’d rather the GT and team succeed outright to whatever levels are reasonably possible than potentially succeed *in spite* of goalie B being sub-par, simply because we can

Right, I guess I just meant “nothing further than what we ended the season with”. But I get you And oh I just saw your thread lol

Brilliant: 3C, Top 4 D, Vet G Very good: Top 4 D, Vet G Pretty good: Vet G Fine but Dicey: Top 4 D Those are mine. I’d rather have the vet G if I could only have 1 thing. I said “fine but dicey” for the last option but in reality based on what I THINK they need, i don’t really think a run back in net is fine I don’t expect a F but I wouldn’t rule it out, nor would I say there’s no room for someone who is defensively responsible. Fixing the D doesn’t have to just be defensemen. Example: Skinner - Thompson - Tuch Peterka - Cozens - Quinn Mittelstadt - Laughton - Greenway Girgensons - Krebs - Okposo I’m kinda surprised you have an offseason where we don’t address GT as “pretty good”, tbh

The reality is that Levi and some guy is likely to be good enough in net one day to win a Cup provided everything else is looking good. It might even be good enough to be a strength along with the other aspects of the roster. The more interesting divergence point for me is specifically the looming season. I’m just a lot more interested in the value being really good next season specifically would provide, that is to say I think I have a higher priority placed on that than KA. There’s a recent quote from him where he says it’s about building sustained success, whereas I’m very ready to just start with some success, period, in getting this show on the road, and worry about sustaining it once we actually achieve it. I can’t really explain it beyond that, I’m just ready

Maybe Power. He’s got the highest ceiling

Still the best thread lol just read it “Florida is in trouble now... like Vegas.”

This is how it’s done

No. I just really like @PASabreFan

The idea that Hellebuyck is a “bad” fit needs to die a slow death. It’s just a misunderstanding of what the numbers are saying. I’m not saying one has to feel he’s worth a first, not at all, but he’s not a “bad fit”. You drastically undervalue goalies. “Don’t mind” Saros. Good grief

Ya

Whether his offseason was a success or not can only be determined based on the results of the season. That’s not a cop out, that’s the actual answer

Ie one person could feel paying a 1st for Hellebuyck in a scenario where the WAR of that trade is say, like, 6 standings points, isn’t a good value turn around on a first round pick, and I understand that. But another could say I’m happier with the 6 points and making the playoffs, than I would be with the first round pick, and missing. Even though one would say a first SHOULD get you more value than that. There’s no guarantee either way of course, but in the hypothetical scenario, paying that first is looking for an ends justify the means type outcome in my estimation we have such a significant asset pool that I’d be moving on to prioritizing results over meeting my desired value in every deal

I don’t see how it’s a straw man at all regardless, I think we may be saying the same thing. I’m not saying he wants to win deals just to win deals, I’m saying he may believe in a philosophy where the net result of a trade isn’t the aim so much as exactly what you said, the deal meeting the individual value evaluation of the assets in question