GASabresIUFAN

What terrible puck decisions. Dumb

“Some marvel from DC”. Thumbs up to Dunleavy.

KA needs to find some D.

KA needs to find some D. What he’s got isn’t cutting it.

I don’t see Skinner remaining with TnT and Tuch long-term.

I’m not saying this is the case here with Asplund, but as the season drags on, all the guys will have dumps and bruises that could benefit from a day off here and there. We’ll be happy for the depth when that occurs. I also don’t agree with anyone being exempt from sitting even if they were a letter. We aren’t a good enough team to be playing guys who aren’t pulling their weight. If you aren’t contributing, who should sit. The player I’d sit right now is KO. He hasn’t contributed at either end of the ice as much as Asplund. If Cozens or Mitts or VO aren’t playing the right way and others are, they should sit to. This is admittedly a little naive but it’s how I feel.

I’m an Asplund fan as well, but having a more defensive forward sit during a home game when you control last change makes much more sense than sitting him on thr road. KA wants to get PT for JJP, Krebs, and Quinn to help their development, but this will come at the cost of at least one vet as long as Vinnie remains in the lineup. Tonight Asplund draws the short straw against an offensively challenged team. It’s a calculated risk, but a necessary one to keep Krebs and or Quinn for sitting to long. At some point Sheahan is also going get some PT and then 2 people will sit if everyone is healthy. Honestly I think KO would benefit from getting a night off from time to time. One other thought, I want Krebs in and on the PP2, we need his passing skills there.

Frozen puck traveling at 100 mph hitting someone in the face. I'm surprised it's not much worse.

And? He is almost certainly an upgrade over Fitz and Pilut and if he is an improvement for Bryson, so be it. Always better to have competition. If he makes Bryson expendable for other assets, that's fine as well.

Perfect. Make it so.

Small sample size. Also he was a guy based on last year's shooting % that was likely to regress this year. I do agree with Curt that he has been better of late, but no one was good yesterday.

No worries, no one is claiming Pilut either when he has to clear waivers.

If you acquire someone better than Fitz, why does it matter if you waive him? Odds are he won’t get claimed. If he does, so what.

That’s correct. There are no legit prospects in Rochester on defense. Acquiring someone, even someone with term, wouldn’t block anyone. From KA’s point of view, I think he and DG like the top 6 when everyone is healthy. Getting someone like Myers would complicate their goal of max PT for guys like Bryson and Joki. While I would agree seeing what we have in those two is important, I saw enough in the first 5 games to believe that with a good D group we could be a legit playoff contender this season. It’s time to move on from a strictly developmental goal for the team and try to field a winner. Making a bold move to shore up the defense now would help that winning narrative. I’m just not sure KA is willing to be that bold. What happens if no more development is possible for those players?

The truth is almost no team in the NHL can lose 50% of their top four D without seeing a significant drop in the quality of play. However, the GM’s job is to limit that drop off as much as possible. For a team with a rookie in Power and the average age of the top 4 of 21.5 getting veteran depth was a greater necessity than for many other teams and adding only Bush wasn’t enough. With 19 mill in cap space he certainly has the money to correct the mistske, but does he have the will? Sadly, I don’t think he’ll act to fill that hole, even if the team languishes for the next few games.

Nor is Fitz.

This was bound to happen. Upbeat press, over achieving goalies, some bad metrics, and down to one top 4 D (in Dahlin). Power is a raw rookie, Lyubushkin is a good 5, Bryon a 6 and Fitz and Pilut AAAA players at best. As I noted in the D injury thread, KA needs to work the phones and get help. Signing Davidson is great for Rochester, but that doesn't help the Sabres. The Atlantic is a gauntlet. KA owes it to the guys who are here to give them a few games to settle in and play better, but if by game 10-11 they continue to struggle, KA should make a move to help the situation.

I’m out

Worst period of the year

Shoot idiots

Was that a power play?

I guess playing the 7 & 8 D isn’t a good thing.

I assume he means Okposo

KA is very deliberate. He most likely going to give Pilut and Fitz a legit chance to succeed before making a trade. The caveat is if someone makes an offer he can’t refuse

Why would it be a negative to the locker room? If anything they’d likely view it as a positive that their GM has faith in them and is supporting the team in their hour of need. When is the last time you heard players pissed that the GM made deadline additions to fill holes in the roster? The added bonus is that he is signed for another year and depending on his play and our needs he could be traded at the deadline or in the offseason or if he plays well he could earn a role next season as well. His cap hit would also free up KA to trade Bishop’s contract for other assets.