GASabresIUFAN

Do we trade Jack, Risto, or Reinhart first? Do we make a deal to insure Seattle takes Miller? Do we acquire or sign a goalie to utilize our expansion slot? What happens first?

So when do they announce Granato was the new permanent HC?

He only has one vote on my board and that was 31st by Elite Prospects. The math says Martino will also fall into the 2nd and he is a guy I think will excel as well. 59 guys with at least one vote is a very high number since I've been doing these consolidated boards. Tons of Russians on the board and I think has to do with COVID causing no OHL and limited other viewings of many of the prospects. This is the draft to have a big scouting department. Oops.

I've updated my board. I have 14 ballots as I've now added Pronman, ISS, Smaht (for @LGR4GM), & Draft prospects. Also Kennedy at SI/THN has updated his board. We are down to 13 unanimous picks as ISS dropped Wallstadt from their 1st rd rankings. Also Matt Coronato is on all the lists except Kennedy's and Lambos is on all except McKeens from back in April. It will be interesting to see what happens with Tier 7 when updated rankings come out. I also now have 59 players with at least 1 vote. Powers is now clearly the No. 1 pick based on the consensus. TOP 8 Tier 1 Powers Tier 2 Beniers, Hughes, Eklund, Guenther and Clarke Tier 3 Edvinsson and Johnson Big Gap TOP 14 Tier 4 Wallstadt, McTavish Lucius Tier 5 Lysell, Sillinger, & Raty Gap TOP 26 Tier 7 Lambos, Coronato, and Svechkov (13 ballots) (Note Svechkov is only on 12 he has been on every ballot since May) Tier 8 Ceulemans, Chibrikov (11-12 ballots) Tier 9 Cossa, Olausson, L'Heureux, Pinelli, Bourgault, Othmann and Robertson (11-12 ballots) Big Gap TOP 33 Tier 10 Bolduc, Toumaala, Rosen, Chayka & Dean (9-10 ballots) Tier 11 Stanhoven, Samoskevich (8 ballots) Others to Watch Tier 12 Svozil, Pastujov, Martino (4-6 ballots) Tier 13 Behrens, Hreschuk, and Koivunen (3 ballots)

So idiots.

Who is really blaming Sam and Jack for the team's failings? Jack has played well every year and Sam has been solid always and was excellent last year after being moved back to center. We have laid most of the blame on TP and KP for their terrible hires and the inexperienced GM's for their lousy coaches, bad drafting and poor roster management. Yes we dislike certain guys who have been here (Taylor Hall), but little of this mess can be blamed at the two top picks.

This is fair, but it doesn't excuse some of KA's decisions and as the GM you are responsible for all the decisions regardless. Accommodating the coach is one thing, not fixing obvious hole in your roster (like the backup goalie) is another.

Or can we narrow it to picks 6-10? Would they have reported top 5 pick if it was negotiations with teams 2-5? So Det, SJ, LA, Van and Ott. With Det and Ott returning to our division, my guess is we are talking about picks 7-9. Eichel to be reunited with buddy Kane or going to LA for a pile of picks and prospects. SJ is desperate for a top line center but do they have the assets?

That’s not true. KA brought in Hall, Staal, Eakin and Reider but didn’t upgrade the goaltending creating the worst team in Sabres history. These facts lead to pessimism The Kids, like R2, Mitts, Cozens and Bryson have been successful at every level and when given a real shot at the NHL blossomed. Unlike KA these guys have earned my optimism.

It’s a great theory, but our GM with our tiny scouting staff has zero chance of determining who those guys are. KA frankly should have been fired after this past season.

I think it was a great hire, but we need a healthy dose of skepticism to anything this team does until we have proof that they actually can make a good decision.

Yes he is, but will Adams listen?

Yep!

But your asking Kevyn Adams to spend money wisely and your hoping good FAs want to come here. Those are huge ifs with zero evidence that KA is like capable of making those decisions.

Oh good let’s turn our team into something akin to a expansion team from 20 years ago. There are no Sedin twins in this draft but at least we have a terrible GM like Waddell back in the day to draft the wrong player.

The cap with Jack, Sam, and Risto traded and Miller lost to expansion is as follows Forwards (9): Skinner, KO, VO, Eakin, Girgensons, Bjork, Tage, Cozens, and R2 for 27.325. RFAs: Mitts and Asplund UFAs who could return: Sheahan, Caggiula Defense (1): Bryson 900K RFAs: Dahlin, Jokiharju and Borgen UFAs who could return: McCabe Goaltenders (0): None UFAs who could return: Ullmark Total: 10 players for $28.225 (plus 800K to CoHo) Near Ready Prospects Forwards: Quinn (925K), JJP (900K), Weissbach (842.5K) Defense: Samuelsson (925K), Laaksonen (853K) and Johnson (unsigned) Goaltending: UPL (780K) Talk about a clean slate if we had competent management. I'm not going to project the return for any of the traded players but for Jack and Reinhart may guess is 3 pieces each consisting of a draft pick, a near ready or young player and a cap dump (hopefully a semi productive vet with 1 year left on his deal). Without the 4 guys and assuming we retain the RFAs mentioned we look something like this Forwards Skinner ???? VO R2 Mitts Thompson Asplund Cozens Bjork Girgensons Eakin KO Defense Dahlin Jokiharju ????? ?????? Bryson Borgen Goaltending ????? ?????

https://www.cbssports.com/nhl/news/rangers-hiring-gerard-gallant-as-head-coach-adding-one-time-nhl-coach-of-the-year-per-report/ One good candidate gone.

I’m semi in agreement. People like Hall might come here to grab some quick coin or guys like Sheahan looking for an opportunity to stay in the NHL. Only trades or development are bringing in fresh blood.

I fully agree and part of that is the graduations of Cozens, R2, Asplund and Mitts in one season. It’s one of primary reasons I want Beniers in the draft, but at least JJP and Quinn are grade A prospects. I’d also list Rousek and Murray as current prospects.

Last I looked Jack is still a Sabres. Until he is traded and we know the return, the “Post-Jack” depth chart isn’t very helpful. Also Sam is also still under control and therefore is still a Sabre until traded.

A couple of thoughts. If we get Zegras we likely aren't going after Turcotte (or vice versa). Cozens is in no way playing ahead of Mitts in this new lineup. Mitts played at a 50-60 pt season clip once Granato took over and Cozens wasn't close. Mitts would be the top center of the group you propose. Also R2 should play much higher in this lineup. In the end we also won't see this much youth. McCabe is likely to return to be the veteran presence especially if Risto is gone (in trade). Miller is the likely lost expansion piece. If we also trade Risto and sign McCabe, I expect at least one more veteran D. Maybe even as a salary piece in the Eichel or Reinhart trade. If Jack is traded, I also expect Reinhart to be retained at least until the trade deadline. All that said, it's kind of nice to have the ability to create an entire roster of legit NHL capable young guys. Good depth to have around for emergencies and injuries.

No F-him and the F the Pegula's for how they have run this thing into the ground.

Absolutely and the horse he road in on.

@Weave I loved Lord Chumleys. I also miss Valentines, Rue Franklin West and my cousins restaurant the Roundtable.

Our best 2nd rd pick since Pominville.* No pressure kid. *unless UPL becomes a star.