GASabresIUFAN

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.

I don't think he fits what we are trying to do any longer. He needs to go to a team with a strong defensive system that needs him as a scoring option on the PP and 5 on 5.

Can they hire Gaustad to teach them how to win a friggin faceoff.

I think Joki will not be here after next season and could be moved this off-season.

I don’t believe management views UPL as part of the solution any longer. The contrast between UPL and Levi was made evident in the late season shootouts. Levi stoned Kane, Panarin, Mika and Kakko against the Rangers, while Oshie and Kuznetsov embarrassed UPL.

I’m as big a Mitts supporter as there is on this board, but we are getting to the point where we have to many top 9 capable forwards and not enough slots or cap space to go around. I believe that JJP, Krebs, and even Mitts are three guys who may have limited shelf life here once we lock up Dahlin and Power to big $ contracts. If you boil down this team to the core you have Levi, the 3 D, Tnt, Cozens, Quinn, Tuch and Skinner (until his contract expires). The next guys on the list are JJP, Krebs and Mitts who are all affordable now, but we have another wave of Kulich, Östlund, Savoie and maybe others behind them. Krebs and Mitts have one year each left on their deals. Both will be RFAs. Let’s say for arguments sake that both take another leap forward next season. Mitts goes from 59 points to the low 70’s and pots 20+. Can we really afford another $7 mill forward long-term? What about Krebs? How much do you pay him if he becomes a 40pt + guy and he becomes a JT Compher type player? He made great strides toward that goal this year. As to the topic at hand, how DG utilizes Mitts will help determine where Krebs plays. If Mitts is the 3C, Krebs either returns as the 4C or tries his hand as a winger.

You’re forgetting that once VO is traded you’ll clear an additional 4.75. The cap cost for a status quo roster is approximately 68 million. That includes VO, Bryson, Comrie, and UPL, plus re-signing RFAs Rousek and Jost, but walking from all UFAs. Dumping VO, UPL, Comrie and Bryson potentially clears around another 9.3. There is plenty of money to fix the roster by adding 2 D, a vet Goalie and even a 2 way center.

And or Comrie.

That's an excellent summation and I think it's also telling that Z and KO never sat. Your summation also matches my perception of what DG & KA are thinking for next year. On defense, you have the top 3, then a pecking order of Joki, Bush, Stillman Bryson, and Clague. The real question is if you upgrade the 4th D, what do you do with Joki. I'm honestly not all that jazzed with a Joki / Bush pairing. At Forward 9 guys, Tage, Jeff, Alex, Mitts, DC, JJP, Quinn, Krebs, and Greenway) are set in stone for next season with the biggest question on how to deploy them. The rest are up for debate, except VO is going to get traded. Can't and won't pay someone nearly $5 mill who no longer works in your top 9, especially when you can re-deploy that cap to defense where it's really needed. With Savoie almost certainly making this team, it going to be interesting to see what they do with Jost, KO, and Z. The fact that neither Comrie or UPL were tapped to play either half of the back-to-back against the NYR and NJD was also very telling. DG had more confidence in letting the kid play back to back nights with the playoffs on the line than he did his more senior goalies.

There is an opening here, but I'm too much of a gentleman to take it, but it has to do with many of our forwards playing too much on the perimeter.

Sadly Luke M is a D. With so many Lukes, we probably need some Matthews and John. Peter and Paul wouldn't hurt either. Would Dunleavy call them the Little B's?

Hopefully not like ROR gave us the hint on COR. Like I said in jest in a different thread, now let's draft Luke Mittelstadt and get Tyce Thomspon for Rochester.

If I remember correctly, this board was very excited about Mitts after he put up 5 points in 6 games after he left the Gophers.

I will need it if it comes to pass.

But we did get videos from UPL and Comrie who apparently are also on the chopping block. No Stillman or Vinnie either on the videos. I wouldn't to much into the D not being on video. I would be shocked if all 4 of the D you mentioned plus Stillman were traded this off-season. All are under contract or control and would all need to be replaced if moved through trade or UFA signings because we have no D prospects to take their place. This seems way too aggressive, especially for KA. Bryson and Clague being moved wouldn't be a surprise. Jokiharju being moved in a hockey trade also wouldn't be a surprise, but I expect both Stillman and Bush here in depth roles next season.

Very interesting.... So to sum up his post; Johnson is a prima donna, UPL and Comrie will be gone (Sorry @JohnC), there will be staff changes on DG's staff combined with a revamp of the D group (not a huge surprise given they allowed 300 goals and had the worst PK), they want Alex's little bro, Savoie to Buffalo (which we all have), and VO gone (which all assume as well). The only thing really surprising is the interest in Kane and that's hard to prove one way or the other unless he signs here. Actually, it reads like something I would have posted as things KA should do and it would be great if he actually does them.