Derrico

Weren’t basically every sabrespacer calling for JT Miller a couple of summers ago? I wonder how far discussions got with sabres, if at all. It’s incredible how much more accurate dis group of random posters is at analyzing nhl players vs sabres management who actually get paid for dis stuff. Nobody liked the Eakin signing and dat’s proving out. Same with vesey and many other names in the past. I’ve mentioned before but their analytics and pro scouting department are either horrible at their job or the decision makers are not listening to what they have to say. Sabrespace initial reaction to moves seems to be right way more then wrong and it’s very frustrating seeing them just continue to ignore analytics. Nobody who signs Cody Eakin to a multi year contract is utilizing a competent analytics department. Is Nightengale still heading it up? Is he another Steve Smith? Over rated and the organization keeps him around for way too long?

A 3 team trade? Is that even allowed? Sounds too creative.

Adams thinks our goaltending is so good he’s now trading goalies out instead of bringing them in.

Woooooow. Every year I keep thinking this has to be okposo last on the contract. Two more years after this? 25th pick in a weak draft? Get rid of KO.

I think we're all saying the Sabres are terrible but for different reasons. The point I'm trying to make is even if our top six weren't being paced to be outscored by 40 goals, we still would not be near a playoff spot. Albeit we would atleast get a little entertainment. The forwards suck but atleast going into the season I didn't think they would suck this bad. Adams ought to have known his goaltending would be playing about what they are which is not nearly good enough.

Holy small sample size batman. He had an .898 SV% over 31 games last year and .883 over 9 games this season. Those are terrible numbers. Even for a backup.

Dude. I expected more then a plus/minus argument out of you.

Although that may be the case, Hutton has terrible numbers based on almost every metric that one would use to judge a goalie. I just don't want Adams getting a pass over goaltending because even if Jack was Jack of old, Hall was playing better and we were getting atleast something from the corpse of Jeff Skinner, this team was still not sniffing the playoffs with that goaltending.

I sure hope you’re right my friend. Maybe I’m just jaded by the embarrassment this franchise has become and what it has done to my fan hood. I’m just done giving anyone in this organization the benefit of the doubt anymore.

Well put Thorny. You explained it a lot better then I did. My point was also that Adams atleast tried bringing in a 2C and signed one of the biggest free agent wingers. Yes we all see right now they are still scoring at historically low rates. Based on the on paper lineup I think they are massively underperforming which falls on coaching. Goaltending was an obvious weakness going in and the numbers are very similar to what we could expect, which is not nearly good enough. So although the scoring and play outside of goaltending is also killing this team, my major concern is Adams ought to have made upgrading his goaltending the highest priority. @Randall Flagg - if Arizona is asking for too much then move on to someone else. There are 29 other teams with starters, backups and prospects. I’m not suggesting overpaying for a mediocre goalie but as you suggested go down the Gibson road or someone equivalent where it is worth moving someone of value for. This team will not come close to sniffing the playoffs until goaltending is addressed and I still stand by it. Thankfully Hutton is done after this year but the problem still doesn’t change this summer. The exact same elephant in the room remains and goaltending will still need to be addressed. This is a major red flag for Adams IMO. Nobody is suggesting that he is.

Carter Hutton has a SV% of .883. .883?!?! Nobody on this planet can convince me that those are acceptable numbers in any universe. Yes the team is also scoring at historically low levels. I blame a lot of that on coaching (although Adams should get some of the blame there too). The goaltending is squarely on Adams. Hutton isn't having an off year. He's playing similar to how he always has in Buffalo and the team continues to lose as it always has in the past. Do you know where his numbers rank in terms of league wide SV%? This Sabres team isn't near good enough to overcome such pathetic goaltending.

No I don't think including Olofsson or a first is what should of happened. I'm not a GM so I don't know who was available or what was discussed. However, as I've pointed out ad nauseum, there was quite a lot riding into this season. There's speculation (which I'm sure wouldn't be far fetched) that Jack is showing discontent (who can blame him). I don't see anyway we get dollar for dollar value for a Jack Eichel trade. This season could not be a tire fire. Too much was riding on it. With a condensed schedule we all knew the backup was going to be playing an even higher percentage of games then normal. There's just no way we should have been going into the season with an unproven Ullmark and a proven terrible Hutton. He had a sub .900 save percentage going into the season. That's unacceptable that Adams didn't upgrade the goaltending. Everybody knew this had to happen. Good intentions only go so far. He had to get the job done and he struck out. Period. This is akin to forgiving JBot for not upgrading 2C when it was absolutely needed. Yes it may not be easy but it HAS to be done. What happens if Jack wants out after this year? Should we have paid a little more for a goaltender then?

Good intentions aren't landing you multi-million dollar National Hockey League GM gigs. Get the ***** job done. Sick of this franchise excuses. There was too much riding on upgrading the goaltending to have struck out.

I haven't noticed your name around these boards lately. I know the team is terrible but don't be such a stranger. I miss reading your well thought out takes. If it's your real life that has sucked up most of your time then no worries. While you're at it please also bring back @TrueBlueGED I should point out I disagree with your point on Adams but I still enjoy your well thought out posts.

Yes to all of this. I understand any new GM will need time to make all of the changes they envision. Having said that, everyone and their grandmother new this goaltending wasn’t nearly good enough. Hasn’t been since Miller. To go into the last season of Dahlin ELC, a discontent Jack and one season of Hall and he doesn’t addressed goaltending at all? That is 100% on him. Such an important season and he doesn’t improve our glaring weakness. While we’re on the firing train can Steve Smith also please go? I heard nothing but good things when he came on board but our D have regressed and under performed every season. Dahlin play this season and trajectory is a fire-able offense on its own. Period. Throw in how Montour and Miller both played better hockey before coming here and there’s no way I want that guy to continue behind the sabres bench.

Surprised he's not gone already to be honest. I do blame Adams somewhat for not addressing goaltending and adding a bunch of scrubs (aside from Hall and maybe an old Stall) and thinking these were big enough upgrades. Having said that, I think RK is as big of a problem as anyone. What a mess this franchise has become.

I’m done coddling players. I remember skinner having that big year and we just had to sign him long term to show Eichel we’re serious about winning. I still love Eichel and this team will go from bad to a disaster without him but it’s bad for the overall franchise to put any player above what’s best for the team. Also, can our next coach actually be a hockey coach and not a ***** soccer coach?! I would particularly like one who wants to coach his team during games. Also, while I’m here, when there is an OBVIOUS weakness like goaltending this year and 2C last summer could it actually get addressed? I’m not talking with a jimmy vesey we can convert to C or a Hutton got his eyes fixed prayer. I’m talking about being a big boy organization and making a substantial move to address the obvious weakness. Real teams do these things all of the time. So can you. Very last thing I promise. You tell us you’re paying to staff an analytics department. Either listen to what they are saying or if you are then you need a new analytics department. Some random Sabrespacer with a ridiculous name like Liger should not be 100 times smarter than your entire analytics department!! In a salary cap era it is nothing short of an embarrassing failure to be outside of the playoffs for this long and still be so far away.

This. Look in the ***** mirror. Does he really think his goaltending is good enough? That’s what scared me the most from this presser. Jesus Christ he doesn’t get it if he thinks this is what playoff goaltending looks like.

No trades

Wow you're giving the Sabres 2 goals? I'll be surprised if that happens.

That may be. My point regarding Adams atleast is that he appeared to have improved scoring on paper by adding Hall and Stall. I don't think Adams could foresee Jack sucking ass to start the season, continuing to get zero out of Skinner and Hall looking invisible at times. Goaltending was and still is an obvious that will have to be addressed at some point. Again, this team is not good enough to overcome poor goaltending and it's a fireable offence that this was not addressed in the offseason. Wasting another season is completely unacceptable and how the Sabres can continue to hire the wrong coaching and management is absolutely mind boggling. They can choose the best of the best and have the resources to head hunt the best of the best. How the ***** do they continue to screw this up? For a decade plus? You really start to question Kim and Terry and wonder how they became billionaires in one area of life and yet be so clueless in hiring competent people to run a sports franchise.

Ya if Montour ends up playing over Borgan I'll be pissed. Remember when RK was this big coupe when we signed him? Similar to JBotts. I don't know how many GM's and coaches it will take but I have serious doubts RK will get this ship righted and I'm already having serious concerns regarding Adams and his lack of foresight to realize he absolutely HAD to address the goaltending position this offseason.

How goaltending wasn’t addressed is again beyond me. Seemed so obvious to everyone.

Sure hope we have an adequate backup goaltender for all of those back to backs....