Curt

Who are the previously mentioned Chicago guys? I’d say Anaheim unless those Chicago guys are better than Comtois.

Gibson would be a bit of a surprise for me, because if they make a trade for Eichel, you would think that they would be trying to win now, and Gibson would kind of need to be a part of that.

None? The guys in this draft class were like 12 the last time Granato worked in the USA development program.

Botterill could have stayed and been GM if he agreed to their restructuring of the hockey ops. The restructuring was/is the vision.

I think it’s mostly this. Pegulas were probably thinking “we’ve been spending more than any other team on scouting for 10 years. Do we have one of the leagues best prospect groups? Do we make great player acquisitions to find under appreciated gems? Why not? Why are we doing this then?” Then the pandemic happened and they decided for sure, yeah, we are going to cut this back. It’s not working the way it’s supposed to and it’s costing us money for no return. If this is the line of thinking, it makes some sense, and if it leads them to pursue a course that incorporates more data analysis then I think that could definitely lead to better results.

Yeah, I’m sure Sabres would. Does Reinhart want to sign a long term deal though? He doesn’t need to. He could just ride out a year in Buffalo, or new team, see how that goes, then go to UFA in a year, when the economic situation might be looking even better, and have all teams bidding for his services.

As of right now, Reinhart is basically a 1 year rental. Is one year of Reinhart worth more than the #9 pick? If a team is able to negotiate a long term extension beforehand then that changes things.

Honestly, the last 14 years of the franchise feel like a big bucket of wasted potential.

If Anaheim refuses to move Zegras or Drysdale and no other team is offering up a prospect of that level, could Buffalo get a package of Comtois, Perrault, #3 overall in 2021, and another piece (2022 or 2023 1st, Lukas Dostal, Benoit-Olivier Groulx)? That would probably be seen as a disappointing return by most Sabres fans, but KA would be able to say that he got his 4 1st round pick (value wise) type pieces that he was reportedly asking for.

A couple LW/C power forward type possibilities in Mason McTavish and Cole Sillinger. 2-way C Aatu Raty, who was a favorite to go 1OA a year ago, but had a disappointing season. Speedster RW Fabian Lysell who has shown elite flashes but not the consistency to go with it. Goal scoring C Chaz Lucious Wallstadt if he is there. A D, but LD Carson Lambos was highly ranked to start the year but had a bit of a rough season. If any of Eklund, Guenther, Johnson, Clarke, or Hughes is still available I would say they must be the pick.

Dach, #11, and another piece could be a nice return

Maybe they met and had an interview on Tuesday? I know it sounds dumb, but as someone who has had to interview for a job that I was already doing for months on an interim basis, it happens.

Obviously

Too funny and weird to not be true.

I don’t think that “anything positive” about Power was called hype. Liger himself has said many positive things about Power. I think it was several people saying, paraphrasing, that he was the no doubt #1 guy after the world championships. That’s what was called hype

Less likely for young people, as are all bone fractures. It’s unusual but it can happen.

If your muscles are strong enough and pull hard enough at the point where they attach to bone, you can fracture small bones in this way. People fracture ribs while sneezing. He said it was a rib tip fracture. I’ve got to think it was core muscles pulling on one of his lower ribs while taking a slap shot.

While of course getting an actual return is very important, your last paragraph is the main difference for me. Drury and Briere leaving as free agents was the destruction of a very good team that feels like it was avoidable. Eichel and Reinhart being traded is the destruction of a very bad team that feels like it was avoidable. Not the same emotional attachment to the central figures involved.

I certainly think that MLB can learn something from from this type of attitude. Obviously they can’t actually do most of the same things, but it’s about being willing to experiment a little and embrace fun.

You say that we have one year to judge these new economics. I agree. In that one year the team spent to the cap and signed one of the top free agents. Im not saying that it’s impossible that they don’t spend to the cap next season. In a rebuilding year maybe they won’t hit the cap. During the tank years I don’t think they did either. I simply have never seen the Pegulas be hesitant to spend on player, or coach, salaries. They have consistently spent. I’ll worry about them not spending when it actually happens. I reject the theory that trading Eichel is financially motivated.

The success or lack there of is irrelevant, I was just saying that they have spent. The thing is that even after the statement about being more efficient, effective, and economical they still spent to the cap. If the Pegulas are going to get super cheap with the player salaries, I’ll believe it when I see it, because it hasn’t happened yet.

Hopefully no serious damage done and a speedy recovery. Get well soon.

That’s fine. My point was just that the appeal to authority type of argument is not very convincing to someone who has reasons to doubt it.

I find your reasoning for how the Pegulas are trading Jack to cut costs, while they have at the same time spent fully to the cap to be dubious. And if they spend near to the cap again next season ($78M+), then what? Can this be put to bed? Since when? Seriously. I feel like I’m taking crazy pills!

The hope is that you can build from that respectable place and get better. You can make a smart trade or draft a really really good player at 20th overall who becomes a star. Teams actually do things like that