GASabresIUFAN

Who are you comparing Ullmark to? Ullmark's numbers are pretty incredible if you think about the teams he played on. Did the other guy achieve those numbers on a similarly crappy team or did he have a better team in front of him?

When camp breaks for the 2023/24 season, what do we project the team to look like? Will Skinner still be a Sabres? Who will be our centers? Who will be the goaltenders? We have depth on D, will Dahlin and Power anchor a dominate group? KA has focused (for reasons unknown) on drafting wingers, wingers and more wingers (We've done this before under TM), will any of them make the team in 2 years? Will any of Rosen, Quinn, JJP, Poltapov, or Kisakov make the Sabres by then? Here are my initial thoughts. Skinner is currently the only Sabre signed beyond 22/23 season, besides Eichel who will be gone by this season's trade deadline. I think we are stuck with him and the only question is his role on the team at that time. At forward I'm looking at a spine of Wright (the 2021/22 tank fruit), Mitts, and Cozen with Wright actually playing 3rd line center as the gets used to the NHL. JJP, Skinner, Quinn and Routsalainen as 5/6 of our top 6 wingers. I think JJP and Quinn tear up the A this year and are in the lineup in Buffalo in 22/23. I don't see Bjork, Girgensons as part of the picture long term. I also only see one of VO or Thompson here beyond next season. If here, Asplund will be in the mix for a bottom 6 role, just not sure where or if KA will move on from him as well. I can see Pekar, but more likely Murray and or Rousek earning a 4th wing spot. All 3 add a physical presence this team needs. I also think Weissbach could surprise and make a run at the top 9 job. On defense Power, Dahlin, Jokiharju, Samuelsson and Johnson seem like 5/6 of the long-term pieces. As an RHD, I think Laaksonen has a chance to grab a job. My guess is Dahlin and Jokiharju get extended beyond to at least 23/24 this off-season. I think Power and Johnson sign this year and play here late this season. Power wins a starting job in 2022/23 and Johnson 23/24 after spending one season in the A. Goaltending: UPL will be the backup, but KA will need to bring someone in as the starter. R2 Mitts Quinn ???? Cozens JJP Skinner Wright ???? Murray Asplund ????? Samuelsson Dahlin Power Jokiharju Johnson Laaksonen ????? UPL

Doesn't everyone.

one top D who plays his offside in the NHL is Sergachev and there are others

Actually he can play either side. Has played his offside before in college and in international competitions. Dahlin also plays both sides. I actually expect Dahlin to move to the right side. Samuelsson and Bryson are left shoots as well. Doesn't matter in the end. The best players will play and talent wise he'll earn a spot quickly. We need smart defensive D who can skate and that is Johnson's game.

Buffalo is probably the best place for him then. Wasn't he also paired with Samuelsson for an international tournament?

The Sabres can't afford to let quality young players walk if they are trying to build this the right way. Just think of how much better our goaltender situation would be if Jbot had gotten Petersen signed.

I would love it if ESPN asks RJ to call a Cup Finals game. Obviously the Sabres won’t be there but it would be great to gear him on a national broadcast to cap his career.

I said that day one.

I know full well he is growing into the job. Maybe he should have actually become a scout or asst GM instead of running a team into the ground as he learns. What I don’t understand why so many were not willing to give Mitts the benefit of the doubt while giving a pass to someone who in clearly not competent in his job.

Really? 18 year old kids who have had success at every level earned the benefit of the doubt as they develop. I also gave TM and JB the benefit of the doubt, because they earned it coming up through the ranks. TM lost it completely with the McNabb and Lehner trades. Jbot lost it by never replacing ROR. Unlike KA, they had earned the opportunity to run a team. KA doesn’t get that rope, not because of KA the person, but because the Pegulas put someone in charge who had no experience, no credentials and thus no business being in charge. He had to hit the ground running and prove that he was worthy of the job. He’s proven otherwise. His failure to get the team credible goaltending is alone worthy of dismissal.

You can honestly tell me that based on his track record to date, that you are confident that he has the skills, leadership and the ability to make the right decisions to get this team back to the playoffs?

I agree he isn't going anywhere for now, but he doesn't exactly inspire hope for the future does he?

It wasn’t RK who didn’t upgrade Hutton. It wasn’t RK who gave Hall $8 mill, so he couldn’t afford a goaltending upgrade, and a full NMC. It wasn’t RK who overpaid Eakin in $ and term. I’m sorry he doesn’t get a pass for making stupid decisions.

Lol I hate autocorrect

Even that was 2 weeks to late and after a press conference where he stated he needed to review the situation before making a decision. That’s pretty sad when his firing an incompetent coach is the basis for your opinion.

What has KA done in two off-seasons that shows you he even remotely has a clue as to how to build and manage a hockey team. Was it all the goaltending he brought in to upgrade the position? Was it finding good players in trade or free agency? Was it the intelligent contracts? Was it the great value in trade? Seriously name one position he actually upgrade so far in his tenure? If it isn’t any of these actions, then your must be relying on his stellar management career prior to becoming GM. As to DG, certainly some of my opinion is partially based on his 20+ stint as the coach. However is actually based mostly on his 30 year successful coaching career at all levels. I asked for a teacher back when we hired RK and instead we got Rasputin. Now we have a proven teacher for a young team. Unlike KA, Beane was a known commodity in the football world with significant experience in all aspects of running a NFL team. He just hadn’t been the top guy.

You lost me.

The current tradition is bad coaching and management. The best new tradition would be for the Pegulas to hire competent management, not a rink manager with no credentials to run the team. Get good management (see Buffalo Bills), your team's winning culture will follow. We actually might have stubbled on the right coach. Now if the darn GM would get him so friggin' goaltending.

It could happen. Honestly, I know Beane knows what he is doing, but I actually doubt he’ll trade even for a first or the Terminator. I think he is all in this season.

This doesn't mean it's our only shot with Allen at QB, but it is the last year with Allen not taking a huge piece of the cap. When the Falcons paid Jones and Ryan, their flexibility to retain their top D disappeared and so did the team. KC is now struggling to keep everyone now that Mahomes' deal has kicked in. KC's window isn't closed, but things have gotten much much harder.

Yes he’ll probably be here one year but we are trying to win it all this year. Getting Mitch is part of that strategy. He was brought in as insurance for Allen so that we can winning in case, G-d forbid, Allen gets hurt. It’s especially important for running/mobile QBs. Don’t forget we’ll be much tighter to the cap when Allen’s contract kicks in next season. This is the window to win it all.

Do the Bills get to one of their Super Bowls without Frank Reich? Do the Eagles or Giants win Super Bowls without Foles or Hosteller? We finally have a capable backup who fits the system and he should trade him for futures? The future is now.

Prove it. I have the numbers and the coaches statements to support my opinion. He scored nearly a PT a game in the AHL and Taylor played him in all situations, PK, PP and in key minutes at even strength. Last season he scored at over a 60 pt pace under Granato and DG played him in all situations especially at the end of games to preserve wins. These coaches backed their actions with interviews supporting Mitt’s progress. What supports yours?

That’s not all that happened. Mitts has played well with every coach at every level not named Ralph Krueger the confidence killer. He was excellent in his tryout, solid as a rookie, excellent in the AHL, and terrific when finally given a chance by DG. This is a talented player who has physically and mentally matured. It’s not some mirage.