GASabresIUFAN

I still believe bringing in any UFA here will be hard, but our play of late has likely helped our image around the league. Beating Car and Florida for a change will also help. I agree with your upgrade areas. KA/DG are employing a 4 line roll. The one that needs a serious upgrade in talent at center is KO’s line. I also want a veteran tutor for Power and a real starting goaltender. If Holtby would come I am interested. I think there are better D available in the trade market. My guess to all of this is getting players through trades, but UFAs would be much easier from an asset standpoint.

I was just thinking that we haven’t taken any stupid penalties in a while. Oops! That said the 1st penalty was a dive.

He prefers Peyton “playmaker” Krebs

Correct, now we have to tie it up if we really want to send a message.

Skinner needs to lift his head before passing the darn puck.

The PP is much much better with Mitts on the wall.

Did we have someone in front of Knight at all that period?

Whether Hellebuyck is available, which I can accept he may not be, KA has to kick the tires on every proven goalie available. He needs to call everyone and see what shakes out. I also agree he shouldn’t pay a king’s ransom for anyone. A 1st and a prospect is as far as I’d go, but that would only be for a goalie with significant tread left on the tire.

You mean TM. Darcy was definitely a deal maker but his drafting and development was a critical part of his success until video scouting. Teppo, Connolly, Lydman, Briere, Hecht and Drury may have come from trades or signing of UFAs, but Miller, Biron, Roy, Pommers, Vanek, Stafford, Max, Kotalik, McKee, Campbell, Gaustad, Stafford, Kalinin and Tallinder were all draft and develop.

With a few weeks to go in the season the D seems to have settled in. They kept Nash from getting a shot for almost 17 minutes at one point last night. Dahlin has become a star. Samuelsson has been excellent as the physical stay at home D but is also showing a willingness to get involved offensively. Joki is steady and DG likes him on the second PP. Those 3 are locks for next season and honestly Bryson and Fitzgerald are making strong cases to stay in the lineup next fall. Bryson’s play since being moved to the right side has been excellent regardless of who he has been paired with. Fitz has been solid as well while adding a little needed feistiness to the group. Once Power is inserted and assuming KA adds a veteran RHD to the young group, he is going to have a hard time sitting either Bryson or Fitz

TNT vs ROR?

Gotcha. Not wanting to be here is very triggering

He bamboozled key players, the GM, the owners, members of the media, fans, and G-d knows who else. RK is Rasputin.

How do you know he won't want to come here? He is an American kid from Michigan who played college at U Mass Lowell. Who wants to be in Wpg? I don't see them on a upward trajectory. (Maybe I just don't like the ex-Thrashers).

I believe that is correct.

By the way, someone needs to get Jim Kelly an updated Sabres hat. Jim the "Slug" is dead.

The last 17 games were a good test. This is a gauntlet, until we get to beat on the Leafs again. If we win 2 of the 5 against TB, Car and Fla I'll be thrilled.

Why? The Sabres have a $6 mill guy on the 4th line. We need almost $18 in spending this year to just get us to the cap floor, $ 38 million for the current ceiling. Giving $5 to VO is a step in that direction and on a 4 year deal, we'll get his prime years. We shouldn't bounce up against the ceiling for at least 5 years. Don't be so locked in to 1, 2, 3 & 4th lines. KA isn't building the team that way. He is building a team of depth and matchups. The Tuch, Skinner, TNT line is No. 1 right now, but if you noticed DG is also breaking them up mid game. We have seen recently all 3 other lines have big games. Z scored 2 against Wpg. VO had 2g and 1a against Chicago and has 8 goals in his last 15 games. Krebs had a goal and an assist last night. Cozens had two helpers in both the Chi and Nash games, while Mitts had 2 against the Rags and 6 points in his last 7 games. Everyone is contributing that has made the difference in March.

I'd make that deal right now.

It really depends on how close management feels the team is from being competitive. Get Saros for example, who is only 26 and you have elite goaltending for the next 8-10 years. If management thinks the team is ready to be a playoff contender as early as next year, getting a proven goaltender is the highest off-season priority we have. Also we may end up drafting as low at 11 depending on the how the lottery goes. Will that player really help us in the next 2-3 years? Depending on the offer, I'd certainly listen to a deal involving a real starter for UPL and either our 1st or LV's first.

I wonder whose fault that was? His? Jack? RK? Jbot? All of the above. What exactly did he do to make it better? He and Hall are firmly on my most hated ex-Sabre list, right up there with Kozlov. TNT vs ROR ROR - 63 gp 15g 29a 44 pts; age 31 TNT - 65 gp 30g 23a 53 pts; age 24 Jack vs Tuch & Krebs Jack - 22 gp 9g 7a 16 pts Tuch - 37 gp 9g 21a 30 pts Krebs - 35 gp 7g 10a 17 pts

.... so like the Sabres last year.

I would seriously consider it for Saros.

Why does he have to be in the top 6? The team is excelling right now rolling 4 lines. Back in 2005/6 we also excelled at rolling 4 lines that could score. This season two of our current 4th line players have scored in double digits and KO is closing in on 20. Stl in their Cup year had 10 forwards and 3 D score in double figures. Having a "3rd" line winger that can pot 20+ is awesome depth and for a team without a dynamic forward or 2 he is a necessity for the next few years.