[2023 Stanley Cup Finals: Florida vs Vegas]

2 minutes ago, sabremike said:

I for one can't wait for an entire offseason of the dogshit hockey media shitting all over us like a Taco Bell toilet and rubbing our noses in it with cackling glee.

We deserve it.

[2023 Stanley Cup Finals: Florida vs Vegas]

11 hours ago, Huckleberry said:

Will pretty much happen, learn to live with it.  And he will make some bad remark towards the sabres im sure.

Gotta think Buffalo is the furthest thing from his mind. Why would he bother?  This is a fun time for him, why bring up the crappy past.

[2023 Stanley Cup Finals: Florida vs Vegas]

15 hours ago, Weave said:

Vegas is going out and proving alot of hockey fans wrong. Alot of us criticized Vegas heavily for departing from their original roster makeup and upgrading to high priced, high skilled vets at the expense of depth and prospect pool.

Well, they are on the brink of a cup parade after the management team worked a conversion from high effort castoffs to high skill vets that bought into what the high effort castoffs built.

Id gladly take Vegas’ now plus Vegas’ future.  The future is always unknown.

I couldn’t give a ***** about Jack, or whether the ***** team created the Jack we had, or if he’s just naturally built to be an *****.  But I am genuinely jealous.  That team was hell bent on winning and they made it happen.  As an expansion team they had every excuse to slow play things and didn’t.  They started out refusing to accept losing and are on the brink of something special in half the time Buffalo has been suffering.

God, I hate typing that out.

Interesting thing about Vegas, with all of their success, they've had 3 coaches in 6 seasons. Pretty crazy.

[Would you trade Devon Levi for Connor Hellebuyck with a contract extension?]

2 minutes ago, Flashsabre said:

LeBrun reports that Hellebuyck has informed the Jets that he will not sign any extension in Winnipeg and doesn’t want to play in Canada.

He will be moved.  Would I trade Levi for him? No

He is 30 and will want a big $ extension.

I would rent him for a season if the deal was fair to pair him with Levi for a season and get a good playoff run.

Obviously, if rebuilding , Winnipeg would look to capitalize on moving big assets. Trading them to a team only looking for a one year rental would not yield a good enough return. I would expect the Jets to seek out a partner looking to sign him. A one year rental as a last resort.

[Would you trade Devon Levi for Connor Hellebuyck with a contract extension?]

2 minutes ago, French Collection said:

He’s got to look at it cold heartedly and be comfortable possibly losing UPL and Comrie via trade, waivers or buy out.

Doesn't UPL have to clear waivers to go to Rochester?  I see a trade as I can't imagine Levi backed up by UPL for the season.

[Would you trade Devon Levi for Connor Hellebuyck with a contract extension?]

3 hours ago, wildman72 said:

Heck no! Use Hellebuyck to mentor Levi. That's it. Other than that, Levi is someone to build the team with. Getting tired of the Sabres trading everything away for short term fixes. Look at Ullmark!! Trade him away, then he is one of the best goalies in the league with Boston. They trade away gold before it becomes great.

Another 'mentor' comment.  You don't make a blockbuster deal for a player to be a mentor. Mentors are overrated, we have coaches to teach players. 

Mentors can help,  but everyone gets really carried away with them. 

[Would you trade Devon Levi for Connor Hellebuyck with a contract extension?]

9 hours ago, Doohickie said:

My real point is that you seem to think a small goalie can't make it in the NHL and my point was that size isn't necessarily an indicator of success.  I just got too cute in saying it.

I like Levi, but i think his size is a legit concern. I hope I'm wrong. I'll just keep having thoughts of Roger Crozier.  KA ain't gonna trade him anyway.

[Would you trade Devon Levi for Connor Hellebuyck with a contract extension?]

2 hours ago, Doohickie said:

You were criticizing Levi because he's not huge and, quoting you now, "It's not a small goalies game anymore."

So if you like big goalies, UPL must be your guy, right?

 

The point I was making, if you're still not getting is there are big goalies that aren't that good and smaller goalies that are.  Have you caught up yet?

So you understood that to mean that all big goalies are great ? 

If I thought UPL was the guy,  I likely would have said so.  

I read you comments and they're usually worth reading,  this one wasn't one of them.  

 

[2023 Stanley Cup Finals: Florida vs Vegas]

On 6/7/2023 at 8:24 AM, LGR4GM said:

Since you've brought it up again, I'll give my answer.

I don't care. He can win that and whatever. I don't have to wish hatred and dwell on or in negativity over Jack Eichel. He just doesn't matter much to me anymore. 

I started following him in high school when it was said that he and McDavid were the 2 big guys in the draft, He was my favorite player on the Sabres and I hope he wins the Conn Smythe. He's done nothing to change my view of him. He was smart enough to get out while the getting was good. Obviously, a life changing decision in the most positive way. We should all be so wise.

[2023 Stanley Cup Finals: Florida vs Vegas]

1 hour ago, Wyldnwoody44 said:

Here come the officials 

 

Stone's back looks just fine BTW 

So the 2 surgeries in the past year have helped. Makes sense.

[Power and Mittelstadt Extensions Next?]

4 hours ago, pastajoe said:

I’m still hoping they use Mitts in a trade to acquire a top 4 D if they don’t get a UFA. Move him while he still has value.

He was one of our top players the last month or so. I would really like to keep him.

[Would you trade Devon Levi for Connor Hellebuyck with a contract extension?]

3 hours ago, Doohickie said:

Ah, so, UPL is definitely our guy then.  Is that what you're saying?

Of course.  That was GA's point.

I didn't even mention UPL, this was about Levi and Hellebuyck.  

Not sure how you got there.

[Would you trade Devon Levi for Connor Hellebuyck with a contract extension?]

1 hour ago, ddaryl said:

I'm not into rentals, and if we can acquire Hellebuyck then offer lesser options and keep Levi. But we have to extend Hellebuyck or no deal

Give them UPL and some other teir 2 trinkets but trading Levi is not an option because there is a damn good chance Levi is going to have a long rock solid career that fits in nicely with the teams trajectory and age.

 

Levi is untouchable along side others on this team

The question was 1 for 1, with an extension.

Not any other scenarios. 

There's a chance,  not sure a 'damn good' chance.  

He's pretty damn small, that gives me great concern. It's not a small goalies game anymore. 

 

 

[Would you trade Devon Levi for Connor Hellebuyck with a contract extension?]

1 hour ago, ddaryl said:

***** NO

 

Why would anyone even consider this an option. 

Sure glad Adams would never even visit this scenario.

Why? Because one is a proven top 5? goalie that would immediately make us a legit contender, the other isn't even close.

[Would you trade Devon Levi for Connor Hellebuyck with a contract extension?]

without hesitation.

[2023 Stanley Cup Finals: Florida vs Vegas]

11 hours ago, Doohickie said:

I'm willing to go with the Kevyn plan for now, and for each season they get better and deeper into the playoffs.  If it tops out or stalls then maybe it will be time for a front office/coaching change, but I'd rather see steady, incremental improvement than the gallant race to 9th place *every* season.

I agree, i'm actually fairly optimistic about the future and I'm pretty pleased with Adams.

[2023 Stanley Cup Finals: Florida vs Vegas]

6 minutes ago, OverPowerYou said:

Let this sink in

The Sabres tanked for 2 years in a row in 2013 and 2014 and got the #1 and #2 overall picks. Those players are now playing against  each other in the final round of the Stanley cup finals. 

Here's the best part. One of the teams is an expansion team from 2019, which has made the finals twice already in 4 years. 

One of these two franchises will also win it all for the first time. Meanwhile buffalo hasn't done squat since 2007. 

But hey,  we almost finally made the playoffs this season. 

[2023 Stanley Cup Finals: Florida vs Vegas]

11 hours ago, Eleven said:

Oh come on.  The timing of his recovery was a bit convenient, no?  He's like the schoolkid who is sick all day but is suddenly well enough to go out for ice cream at night.

2 back surgeries isn't quite the same as a kid home sick 1 day from school. Be serious.

[2023 Stanley Cup Finals: Florida vs Vegas]

15 hours ago, sweetlou said:

It just shows in this league that you need a great team and not just a great player or two.  Eichel has a team around him where Edmonton has tried to win with just McDavid and Draisaitl.  Vegas also pulled the old Tampa move and "rested" Stone for the season, cap circumvention, and now have a stud team in the playoffs.  Also shows if you have a great team, and defensive structure, decent goaltending can get you deep into the playoffs!

side note: Sabres should look to improve defense before they worry about the goaltending.

Stone had back surgery last May and this January, I would say he was recovering more than resting. I think back surgery is a legitimate reason to have a player on LTR.

[Kyle Okposo is back]

20 minutes ago, ... said:

Technically I believe it'd be called an abusive ad hominem fallacy.

Are your feelings hurt?

[Kyle Okposo is back]

2 hours ago, Doohickie said:

When all else fails, resort to ad hominem attacks, eh?

Nothing failed,  just got bored with his manifesto. 

You really consider that an attack? 

[Kyle Okposo is back]

43 minutes ago, ... said:

At this point in the exchange you're asking me how I "know" something when it's pretty clear I don't know anything. Like you don't know anything. We are making assumptions based on our observations and individual abilities to string together a narrative from available data and experience.

In fact, you allowed yourself an out in every statement you've made in this exchange:

"I'd[sic] he's such a strong leader, why the alleged problems in the locker room before? He's getting credit for a good locker room when it's good,  but no blame when it's bad."

Alleged. And, by the the by, it reads to me, here, like he is getting blamed for the locker room being bad - by you.

"...why didn't he do anything about the alleged cancers in the room?"

Alleged.

"I personally think the cancer claim in[sic] BS, the whole organization was a large tumor."

I personally think.

Note that I posited my thoughts as questions since I am aware that, in the end, I really don't know for certain what was going on inside or outside of the group.

If the entire organization was cancerous at the time isn't it pretty easy to presume that the GMs and coaches weren't supporting Okposo - or anyone in particular - in an effort to fix the locker room? Or, if they were supporting a particular person, that person wasn't Okposo since we know that what Okposo has done for this group has worked?

You got a lot of time on your hands, don't you?

[Kyle Okposo is back]

3 hours ago, ... said:

Because he didn't have the backing of the coaches and GMs to accomplish anything meaningful to the average observer?

And we know this because....?

[Kyle Okposo is back]

11 minutes ago, Doohickie said:

He was trying to recover from concussions as the post-concussion meds that almost killed him.

He played every season he was with the team.  I know he went through a lot,  but he was in the room every year when he built his reputation as a leader.

[Kyle Okposo is back]

8 hours ago, ... said:

Not sure what you're asking. Are you suggesting Okposo take the players with the bad attitude and cliquey mindset out behind the arena and learn them a good one?

 

My point was,  I'd he's such a strong leader, why the alleged problems in the locker room before? He's getting credit for a good locker room when it's good,  but no blame when it's bad.