GASabresIUFAN

He’s had some bad games, but they usually coincide with bad Sabres games overall. However he was excellent against Minn and has been good the majority of games this season. If you look at his PT, Ruff seems to play him 20+ when he’s going well.

I don’t fully agree on the defense. With Samuelsson’s re-emergence and the addition of Timmins, I think the Sabres are one defensive D from being above average defensively. All the defensive metrics are improved this season. The goaltending remains a black hole. The Sabres save% (.887 vs .891) overall and 5 on 5 (.902 vs .913) is subpar. These numbers are pretty disappointing in light of the improved defensive metrics and the excellent PK. If we just had average goaltending we’d probably have another couple of win already (in regulation no less).

Cozens, Quinn, Nylander, Ristolainen, Mitts, and Savoie were all top 10 picks in this era. Not a lot to show for those picks. (Mrtka is a new draftee) Our top 1st and 2nd overall picks Eichel and Reinhart are great but traded away. Dahlin is great, but Power sucks. The only second rd picks to make an impact are JJP (traded away), UPL and Samuelsson. That’s all we have so far for 18 2nd rd picks and UPL stinks as well. Our other 1sts are still developing or made little impact with the Sabres such as Johnson, Zadorov, Östlund, Rosen, Kulich (out with blood clots), Benson, and Helenius. I like some of these players, but none are elite. Our top 2 players outside of Dahlin were both former 1st rd picks acquired in trade in Tage and Tuch. Both are 1st line players, but neither is truly elite. That’s not a lot to show for 15 years of bad play.

Scoring wise Tuch is a top 10 RW and top 50 of all forwards. Add his PK ability and he is a top line, but not an elite forward. FYI he is the Sabres top scorer (pts wise) and is 50th in the NHL (forwards). Colorado has 2 players in the top 10 and 3 in the top 38. We have a ton of middle 6 forwards and and 2nd pairing D of various quality, such as Power, Byram, Samuelsson, Doan, Benson, Norris, & McLeod. Quality is the issue. Mcleod, for example, is a high end 3rd line center, but a low end 2nd line center. The real issue for the Sabres, besides bad management and goaltending, is the lack of elite talent.

Is this news to anyone that the Sabres lack high end players?

It didn’t take 8 games.

Can you add the NJ debacle?

It was a joke.

The ECHL.

Tie the game and fall apart. I think we have seen this video before. Shocking! Ok, not really.

He isn’t according to the article. They are looking to get younger. Their biggest issue is how to keep Quinn in town if he wants to go East and play with his brothers.

I remember a few years ago when the watch word from management was how fast the new guys, like Malenstyn were. How did that work out? Speed is great, but speed without skill isn't all that helpful.

Keon Coleman has a high max speed as well.

Beck’s goal shows that any guy in the NHL, even an Adam Mair or Beck Malenstyn has more talent at hockey than most of us can even imagine. The issue for Beck is the distance between him and McDavid is also the size of the Grand Canyon.

Kulich isn’t tradable right now and I don’t think the Sabres would trade him if they could. Until the blood clots are resolved he isn’t going anywhere and he is an effort player like Doan and Benson and we don’t have enough of those. Garland is an interesting idea. A long-term Zucker replacement ? I don’t think he’d cost as much as Kulich (if healthy). The Sabres actually have a slight cap issue right now if Norris and Danforth are returning this season. Some contracts need to be heading back to Van to make the numbers work. I’d start a deal with Krebs and a 2nd rd pick or Wahlberg. If they want Rosen, then Krebs Rosen for Garland and a draft pick. I think Rosen proved he is a viable middle six forward during this call up which should have increased his trade value. My biggest question is does Garland fill a need now? We still need real goaltending and defensive help. I like to see management focus on improving those areas before forward.