GASabresIUFAN

Not really. 50% of the D isn't adequate. While Levi is certainly the future and maybe even a key contributor as early as next year, he still needs a running mate for next season and I'm sorry, but there really isn't an excuse for the crap we've had in net for the last few seasons. They could have and should have hired better placeholders while waiting for the prospects to mature (oops they don't have any D prospects soon to emerge). As I posted earlier, GAA of 3.12, 3.50, 3.50, and now 3.65 is not improvement.

I think he is too offensively talented to become that limited. We saw Mitts breakout finally to become a 60 pt player and I still believe Krebs has that ability as well. He just needs to find a role to secure a spot until that breakout happens. Krebs' development curve reminds me of Eriksson Ek for the Wild, who finally became a 60 pt player at 26.

He could, but he doesn't seem like that kind of guy. Krebs, Quinn, and Cozens were all teammates for Team Canada, and like the USNTDP guys, they seem particularly close. There is also a real bond between those two groups as well. I know Dahlin, Mitts, and Cozens are very close as they talk in interviews about traveling together and hanging together at Mitt's place during the season. I think this group will do whatever Donnie asks them to help the team win. I don't honestly remember any other group of Sabres being this close.

I'm happy with the direction of the franchise, but it doesn't change the fact that Adams and his staff have failed to improve the defense and goaltending over the last 3 years. Whether that changes this off-season is a question that needs to be answered. So far I have not been impressed with their choices on D and in net and the poor stats reflect those poor choices.

I wouldn't mind hearing the "Russians are coming," "the Russians are coming."

They had the same expectations for Krebs as they did for Mitts after seeing him dominate at the U18's and U20. Part of Krebs' problem is that he is on a team with Thompson, Skinner, Tuch, Cozens, Quinn, Mitts, and others with as much if not more O talent. For him to win a spot, he's either going to out offense the competition or find a niche that others aren't filling. The hope for Krebs is he develops into a Haula or Compher type player. Krebs is 6' 190. That's the same size as both Haula and Compher. Haula had 55 points for LV in 2017/18 (at age 26) and has had back to back 40+ pt seasons while winning 52-55% of his draws. Compher fully blossomed this year at 28 with his first 50 pt campaign and he wins about 50% of his draws.

He has already said the Playoffs are the goal next season. I want to hear his roadmap to getting there.

That wasn't because of the defense and goaltending and it's still not in a playoff spot. Clearly, this front office can evaluate forwards, but so far their record in evaluating and hiring D and G is suspect. They traded away Montour and allowed Ullmark to walk. Instead, they acquired Hagg, Butcher, Pysyk, Dell, Comrie, Subban, Tokarski, Clague, Stillman and Lyubushkin. The few pluses on the ledger were the dumping of Risto and the signing of Anderson off the scrap heap. The Sabres' GAA in the last 4 years has increased from 3.12 to 3.5 to 3.5 to 3.62. This is not a positive trend. Hopefully, Levi cures some of these issues, but he can't do it alone.

What is interesting are the Save % on the PK by the 3 main goalies and this stat is one of the primary reasons I want to move on from Comrie and UPL. UPL Save % overall .892 PK .833 Comrie Save % overall .886 PK. 823 Anderson Save % .908 PK. .882 If we had had Anderson level goaltending last season every night we'd have let in 30 fewer goals (including 13 less on the PK), had a positive differential of about 20 goals, and probably have made the playoffs. Comrie's and UPL's PK save % are among the worst in the NHL. Couple losing possession of the draw in the D zone on the PK 62% of the time with goalies that allow goals on 17-18% of the shots taken and you have a recipe for a terrible PK. Back on topic for a minute. If Krebs can develop into a good PKer, that will really help his long-term value to this franchise

Didn't help last year. The same front office gave us Lyubushkin, Clague, Stillman, and Comrie. Not exactly an endorsement.

That the team is going to upgrade the defense and goaltending.

You would think, but on the PK does the extra skater on the PP team may wipe out that advantage? It seems like it. On D Zone draws the Sabres were 41.6% last year, but that number drops to 37.96% on the PK. The same holds true on the PP. Our regular Ozone faceoff % was 45.97, but on the PP it increased to 49.46% Clearly the extra skater makes a huge difference in the faceoff stats.

The Flames and Trelving just parted ways. Maybe he'd be a good replacement if Karmonos takes the Pitt job.

Simple solution. Wear Goatheads at home, and traditional whites on the road.

What I’d like to see is research on PK faceoffs, not if they lead to goals, but whether a PK faceoff win leads to a clear within 15 seconds of a puck drop. If more PK wins leads to more clears, then it should probably follow that the PK has a higher success rate, unless of course you have the Sabres goaltenders.

I give you one. The article talks about face offs in general, but what about situational face offs. I’d like to see if there is a correlation between Dzone faceoff % on the PK and the success of the PK. The problem also with the research is hockey has too many other factors that affect the outcome. Take the PK for example. The Sabres had bad faceoff guys, bad goaltending and mediocre D all on the PK. Is it any wonder their Pk was only 73%? My guess is goaltending was the biggest factor, but it would be interesting to know if winning a draw would have helped. It certainly wouldn’t have hurt. By the way the Sabres were 32nd in SH faceoff W % at 38%.

Your assuming he stays at the 4C. Injuries and other issues tend to change assignments over the course of a season. Look at Mitts this year; from a failed 3C early, to a thriving 2/3W in the middle to the no. 1 center by year’s end. VO, a perennial 20+ goal scorer played himself off the roster. Don’t forget that Krebs was on the same level as Cozens for much of their Jr careers. Krebs was Canada’s leading scorer at the U18 (10 pts 6goals). Cozens had 9 points. At the U20, Cozens blew up (16 pts), but on a loaded team, (Perfetti, Quinn, Newhook, Byfield, Cozens, McMichael etc..) Krebs was tied for 2nd with McMichael with 8pts. Krebs also average nearly 2 pts a game his final Jr year. This is a very talented player who is only 22. To Krebs’ credit he accepted the role DG gave him and became the 2nd most physical forward on the roster.

Very, except it doesn’t apply. The teams and the team owned RSNs are what one would call vertical integration. The networks exist to give the teams an extra profit center and marketing. However NESN broadcasts much more than just the teams under the same corporate umbrella. What does deserve have to do with it?

He played 7 games. Matt Schneider played 44 games and Keith Tkachuk played 18. Bondra and Recchi also played less than a season in the ATL. So did many ex-Sabres and soon to be Sabres. Zhitnik, MacArthur, Thorburn, Afinogenov, Slava (the a-hole) Kozlov, Bolton, Darryl Shannon, Jbot, Dean Slyvester, Bob Corkum, Krupp, Smehlik, and Steve Shields all played various numbers of games. Krupp played only 4, while Bolton played 6 years. Craig Ramsey also coached the team. Kane and Bogo eventually became Sabres and brought the bad Thrashers karma with them. Former Sabres draft picks Kamil Piros and Shane Hnidy played as well, plus Williamsville native Jeff Farkas.

I don't disagree, but we can carry up to 14 forwards (especially if we don't carry 3 goalies). My roster projection for next season, with just 13 forwards, includes one of KO or Z. If management wants KO to be that one, I'm ok with it. The Sabres are trying to change the reputation of the team around the league to a good destination for FA's and trade targets. Treating a universally respected player well is a PR gain toward that long-term goal. Give him a one year $3 mill deal, rest him over the course of the season to try to keep him healthy and keep that leadership and professionalism in the locker room for one more year. The forwards would look something like the following: Skinner TNT Tuch JJP Cozens Quinn Savoie Mitts Greenway Girgensons Krebs ???? (Jost & Okposo)

He wasn't going to retire 16 games short on 1000 for his career. He also needs 8 points for 600. The question is will be here or elsewhere. Odds favor KA wanting him to achieve that milestone in Buffalo.

John Travolta wrote the thread title. https://www.slate.com/articles/arts/low_concept/2014/03/john_travolta_called_idina_menzel_adele_dazeem_what_s_your_travolta_name.html

Tell that to Liberty Media and their profitability on the Atlanta Braves. Just because Bally F'd up by overpaying for the regional broadcast rights doesn't mean that others aren't profitable or working well. Fenway owns The Sox, Liverpool Football, the Pens, NESN, and even an auto racing company. By the way Jerry Jacobs and Delaware North (the Bruins owner) owns 20% of NESN. In fact, NESN, which is very profitable, is likely to add the Pens and Pirates to their broadcast system.

TNT wants a team here and they are one of the broadcast partners. If you build it, a team will come. Think about it. Comcast owns the Flyers, Rogers and BCE own the Leafs. MCG owns the Rags, and Fenway (of all people) owns the Pens (w Mario). Having a broadcaster own the franchise is the trend. I wouldn't be at all surprised if Turner Broadcasting (Warner Bros) is the money (or in partnership) behind getting a team. FYI Liberty Media owns the Atlanta Braves. The development of the Battery around the new Braves stadium near my home has been a huge success. It's become an entertainment hub for NW Atlanta with Bars, Restaurants, Offices, Hotels, and the Roxy Theatre. Building a similar complex to service NE/NC Atlanta should also work.