GASabresIUFAN

And two great safeties in Poyer and Hyde. Now if we can just get a corner to upgrade Wallace.

I believe this team will have more Sabres developed prospects then any team during the rebuild. There are vets here. Anderson, KO, Skinner, Eakin, Miller even Girgensons, but most of the key roles will be kids. There are no Kanes, RORs and Bogosians in key roles.

Maybe - Power is his guy and we know that KA is cleaning house. Maybe - Dahlin likely thinks that this could be his team given the clean out, but does he and his agents think that there is any future here given the current inept management? We have seen both the positives and negatives of bridge deals. We saved cap and we certainly received good value for the money on Reinhart and Ullmark. However now 2 key players are gone because we failed to commit to them long term when we had the chance. We have also seen the problem with long and medium extension. The Jack fiasco, KO, Skinner and even Risto who didn’t play to his $5.4 mill cap hit. I’d offer 6 for 6 and go from there.

Why is this a surprise?

If playing in the olympics was so important, maybe he and his agents should have worked to get this done earlier.

Photoshopped

What does that change? Had they drafted a center or two, they wouldn't have had to experiment this season with Quinn as a center. With Cozens and R2 in the NHL, who is our top center prospect(s)? The only centers in the pipeline are 5th rd Costantini, 6th rd Von Barnekow, and 7th rounders Konecny and Kozak. Odds against any of these four ever playing a minute in the NHL are significant. It's even more unlikely that any of the 4 even become NHL regulars.

FYI - FROM USC Spine center https://www.uscspine.com/treatement-options/back-treatment/artificial-disc-replacement-adr/ If ADR isn't FDA approved for neck surgery, why has this even been an issue?

https://buffalonews.com/sports/sabres/tapping-into-offensive-talent-may-have-sabres-prospect-ryan-johnson-on-cusp-of-pro-career/article_a2a06b4c-123c-11ec-be65-5f1b5018e74c.html @LGR4GM I thought you'd find this interesting. We could see a much more O oriented Johnson this college campaign. Some final thoughts on the prospect challenge. Maybe had we drafted a center or 2 we wouldn't have to move a winger (Quinn) to center. However, I think JJP justified my high ranking for him and I obviously ranked Murray to low. I'm really interested to se how JJP, Quinn. Murray and Weissbach develop this fall/winter in Rochester.

Honestly I looks like Josh is trying to do to much. The receivers have dropped passes they usually catch and I don’t think Josh is getting the ball out quickly enough with our not great Oline so far. That said two games aren’t a regression. If he is still at 55% six games in then we should worry. It was nice to see a better running game.

Sadly I think he’ll be our 4th line center to start the year. He should be waived and given the Matt Moulson treatment. We need an option of 4th C but inadequate in that role.

I agree I don’t think this “change” has anything to do with Jack’s agent or a softening of the Sabres position. It has to do with insurance money and their willingness to explore the best options to get Jack on the ice to avoid a huge claim.

ACDF, which is the upgrade from standard fusion surgery. I know Jack wants ADR, but I don’t think it’s FD approved here for use in neck surgery.

He had ACDF, which is the removal of the bad disk, replacing it with a bone graft which then fuses over time.

The Sabres took out insurance on Jack’s contract so that if Jack is unable to play, the insurance pays 75% of his deal. (A friend industry told me this is how most of these deals work.) That’s a 37.5 mill potential liability if Jack can’t pass a physical. I would think the insurance company would want to take a conservative approach at first to minimize the potential negative outcome from the ‘experimental” surgery and probably told the Sabres that the “experimental” surgery would void the contract. Now that rest didn’t work and he won’t pass a physical, they had to re-access their position. Getting Jack back on the ice has suddenly become everyone’s priority. Funny how that happened with camp on the immediate horizon.

Not ready to go there. I'll reserve judgement until I see him play in NA. JJP looked pretty good at the prospect challenge.

Marty has an accent?

If I had to guess the Sabres insurance company agreed to the change in procedure when the rest and heel didn't produce the hoped for results. If this is the case, they'd be on the hook for Jack's contract (likely about 75% of it at least) when Jack failed his physical. With the surgery there is a improved chance Jack can return this season. It's also not like the requested surgery is brand new. The procedure has been around for at least 20 years and has been successfully performed on other pro athletes like Peyton Manning. Also the consultation with a new set of doctors, not his and not the Sabres, seems like something the insurance company would have requested in order to change their opinion. Whether additional premium $ were paid is anyone's guess.

The shows new name will be the "Sabres Positive Spin Hour."

It's a concern, but with last change at home, DG can get the matchups he wants and should be able to deploy a checking line against the top centers in those games. That said, I think Cozens and Mitts have a better chance then many people think of standing up to good competition. Dylan has that work ethic and Casey has developed that work ethic since being sent down. Both played tough minutes at times under DG last year and held up pretty well. I'm actually not all that worried about those two. Their wingers are another matter.

Everyone knows my distain for what KA has done this summer. The goaltending fiasco leading to Tank 2.0 (or 3.0 depending on one's point of view) has been a huge problem for me and others and is the wrong direction for the team IMHO. However even in that there are some positives in the moves so far. The Good - 1) Committing to the youth movement. This is something I wanted last season when he had better support for them, but I'm happy we are finally there. 2) Hiring of DG - With positive #1 we need a teacher as the coach and I think DG is that man. 3) Trade of Ristolainen - I think KA got max value here. I also like Hagg and think he could thrive here with a very defined defensive role. 4) Signings of Joki and Mitts - While the $ for Jokiharju were more then I expected, getting both key guys locked up for the next 3 years was a good decision The Neutral - 1) Depth signings - Hinostroza, Pysyk, and MacInnis - I think all players have more to give then the contract $ spent. I know MacInnis is likely ticketed for Rochester, but he is a guy who could surprise under DG. Even if they don't rebound, they aren't a burden $ wise and are here only on 1 year deals. 2) Not giving up assets to retain Borgen during expansion. It would have been nice to keep him, but Pysyk is a more then adequate replacement. 3) Hiring of a good analytics guy. Proven hire, but will they listen to him. If they do, this is a good move. If they don't, then it's a waste. 4) The draft - I liked the overall talent KA found in the draft, but even here there was some inexplicable decisions. 1) No centers when we have none in the pipeline 2) all the Russians - lots of talent but remaining questions about when and if they'll come over. 3) The reaches in the 3rd round. Talented guys but no reason to draft them that early with no Jr track records from last season to go on for them. That said, it looks like solid value on the picks after the 3rd. With Top overall pick Power going back to college and no ETA for Rosen's coming over to the NA, I like the draft, but still a neutral (really an incomplete) until we see how all these kids do and get a better handle on when they may become Sabres. The Bad - Where to begin 1) Acquisition of Butcher. Could be neutral if he plays well and we get a decent pic for him at the deadline. Solid offensive player but a problem in the D zone. Basically a LHD version of Colin Miller. Wasn't a necessary player for this roster with Dahlin, Miller and Bryson already here with a similar skill set. Currently our second highest paid D at 2.8 mill for next season. Yes we got a 5th for him. Yes he is only on a one year deal and his cap hit would have helped us with the cap floor had Jack been traded. Yes, we may get another pick for him at the deadline; maybe. Still he is taking money that should have been allocated to goaltending and IMHO is blocking Bryson from assuming his place on the roster, which is something KA said he wouldn't do. 2) Hayden - Still cant figure out why he is here. Why add a guy who wasn't even good enough to play every night in Arizona, who doesn't score, can't pass, can't win a draw, doesn't skate well and doesn't kill penalties. At best he is our 14th best forward and 10th best winger. Will move to neutral if and when he gets waived and sent to Rochester on his 2 way deal. 3) Reinhart trade - Simply put we didn't get enough for a top line player and former 2nd overall pick. I also don't like that he was traded in the division. Signing him for one year would have allowed Mitts and Cozens to continue to be eased into bigger roles and I think we could have received as much for him at the trade deadline. I do like Devon Levi and have zero problem with adding more quality goaltending depth to the organization. 4) Eakin and Caggiula - why are they still here? Eakin is a shell of a former decent player who was a disaster last year under both coaches. Caggiula who was acquired on waivers last season (and re-signed this off-season) add virtually nothing after being claimed. KA could have done more with their roster spots. The Ugly - 1) Goaltending - Failing to sign Ullmark followed by "pivoting" to the signings of the retiring Anderson and the incompetent Dell and then telling us he is Ok with our goaltending. 2) Being a cap floor team - Pretty sorry state of affairs for this one proud organization, which under The Pegula's ownership and KA's deft hand has become a laughingstock. 3) The Jack Eichel trade and surgery mess. A symptom of Ugly #2. Obviously, once he deployed the Tank 2.0 off-season strategy, he lost me and his grade was going to be an F for his work this off-season. However it would not be fair or accurate to say everything he did was bad or ugly when it wasn't. I also hope KA send UPL down to be the starter in Rochester and someone bails KA out by waiving a competent goalie at the end of camp.

Hopefully this saves Jack's career and hopefully this helps the player and the organization move forward be it together or separated. I've been saying we need to ask Jack to waive his NMC as part of this negotiation since the beginning. It is the only real thing Jack has to offer the Sabres to get them to change their position.

Why is this even here? He isn't a center (although described as one). His FO% is 25% over the last 2 seasons. He plays less then 10 minutes a night when he plays and then it's about 50% of his team's games. He doesn't score as evidenced by with 9 pts over the last 2 season. He doesn't kill penalties. The scouting report says he is good around the net, add size, but needs work on his passing. He isn't fast and also isn't quick. He basically sounds like a smaller John Scott with slightly better hands. Lets not forget that he wasn't tendered by Arizona, the other worst run franchise in the NHL and one of our main competitions for the 1st overall in the draft next year. It should also be noted he signed a 2 way contract. This implies to me that KA thinks there is a strong likelihood he ends up in Rochester. Honestly I'd much rather see what the bigger and better Brett Murray can do with a call up here and there then ever insert Hayden into the lineup.

Where is he playing? He is a C/RW with 14 pts total over the last 3 seasons. Who is he beating out for a job? He isn’t playing ahead of these 9 wingers Skinner, VO, Girgensons, KO, Asplund/R2, Thompson, Bjork, Hinostroza or Caggiula. At center we have Mitts, Cozens, Asplund/R2 or Eakin. He won’t play ahead of any of these guys. I see him as our 14th best forward, 15th if Eichel is healthy. I think Macinnis is more likely to make the Sabres the Hayden. Obviously injuries may give him a shot at lineup, but as it stand right now, he should be ticketed to Rochester.

Rochester. Injury callup maybe.