GASabresIUFAN

Of all people you know that development isn’t linear. Go look at Mitts and TNT. Admittedly I’m a big believer in Kulich. I did write off Thompson and was proven wrong. I’m not writing off Quinn either. In Quinn’s first 24 games this season he had 5 pts. He’s had 14 pts in his last 19. He’s far from perfect, but his play of late is much closer to the player who had 19 pts in 27 games last season. Other than Cozens which major forward prospect has fallen on his face? Mitts, Thompson, JJP all improved. Quinn has suffered through injuries, but finally is coming back around as I noted above. The issue with this team is team defense. Our blueliners are terrible defensively across the board and the forwards don’t do enough. Fix the defense and this is a playoff team.

I’m not defending Adams. I’m pointing out that we did get something for Reinhart. FYI Kulich’s 9 goals since 12/1 leads all rookies and his 11 EV goals is tied with Celebrini.

Wouldn’t that be that be an interesting development. I don’t count on it happening, but as I mentioned up thread, re-signing both guys would be a major step forward in how this team is managed.

Talk about spilt milk. Yes the Sabre blew the rebuild now 3 times. As I said before, the team that trades the established player for picks and prospects always losses the deal. We lost the ROR deal, lost the Eichel deal and lost the Reinhart deal. FYI They did have to trade Reinhart as he was a year from UFA status and wouldn’t re-sign with the Sabres. We are trying to move forward and yes Kulich is emerging. Reinhart had 42 pts (23g) as a 20 year old rookie in his first full season. Kulich, also 20, now has 11g 5a in his first 37 games. That translates to 24g and 36 pts over a full season and Kulich’s scoring has been accelerating with 7 points in his last 6 games. No one is saying that this team doesn’t suck or that the roster hasn’t been mismanaged, but it’s wrong to say we got nothing for Reinhart. It’s like saying we got nothing for ROR. Last I looked TNT is a very good NHL forward.

lol. Maybe he really is Howdy Doody.

Sadly even with Kulich a top 6 center is still needed especially if TNT remains on the wing. Don’t worry Adams knows in his heart that he is incompetent.

https://nypost.com/2025/01/31/sports/rangers-reunite-with-j-t-miller-in-blockbuster-trade-with-canucks/ Miller to the Rags for Chytil.

Which means Petterson is staying in Van. Next idea. How about Zegras?

Amen brother, although I'd pair him with Byram after trading Power.

The Sabres received Kulich (28th overall in 2022) and Levi for Reinhart. I wish as you do that we had signed Reinhart long-term, but the emergence of Kulich this season is a very good development. I doubt Kulich will ever put up Reinhart numbers, but he is rapidly developing into a top 6 forward who plays with grit. No trade for picks and prospects ever favors the team selling the established talent, but this trade is finally showing some value to the Sabres.

I have to admit, as much as I like Howdy Doody for Adams, Kevyn Milbury is a great nickname for our incompetent GM.

Talk back to Terry Pegula instead of saying Yes Sir, Right away Sir!

https://thehockeywriters.com/sabres-who-should-be-dealt-trade-deadline-2025/ This writer believes the Sabres should trade Cozens, Quinn, Tuch, Zucker and Levi by the deadline.

And both would have made the Sabres better, but stupid Adams wouldn’t make those deals because they would have blocked a prospect. It’s past time for no longer worrying about blocking prospects. Each move needs to be about making the Sabres better now. I’d love to see a deal like the Bennett one. I’m not really hopeful that Adams will make such a move, but I do believe it’s what he should be doing at the deadline.

There are trades ever deadline season where teams can actually get talent that can improve a team long-term. The classic example is the Sabres trading Gratton for Briere at the deadline. Another great example is the Pens acquiring Chris Kunitz from Ana at the deadline in 2009. He stayed for the next 8 seasons helping the Pens to 3 Cups. Adams made a similar hockey trade at last year's deadline of Mitts for Byram. The jury is still out if this was a smart trade or not, but Mitts re-signed with Colorado and Byram is having a good season with the Sabres and is an RFA at season's end. I think there are deals like these to be had at this deadline and this is what Adams should be trying to do instead of just jettisoning UFAs.

Good thing the offense scored at TD.

If Zucker is a mercenary, then sign me up for more. Since he arrived he has played hard every shift, done whatever the team asked him to do and raised the play of those around him. Of all the moves KA has made as GM Zucker is by far the best. We “overpaid” for his services, but unlike nearly every other Sabre, Zucker has given the team their monies worth. I’d re-sign him right now for two years at $5 mill a season and be pretty sure I’d get reasonable value on the deal in effort alone.

What if Adams doesn’t trade Greenway and/or Zucker? What if he extends them instead? What a message that would send. It would be the first time in a decade that the team is actually serious about winning or at least getting better.

The famous Kevyn Adams mantra. I tried to get so many players, but no one wanted to come because we didn't have palm trees.

His trade value is fine. He is a former 1st overall pick, with size and good skill. Many teams are going to believe that they can fix his poor D play or they have a defensive D partner for him to cover for his mistakes. Around the league scoring D are at a premium. Unlike most teams, the Sabres don't lack for scoring D and are therefore trading from strength. That said, the most important thing is getting out from under that contract. If we are able to fix one of our roster holes all the better. It's more likely Samuelsson gets bought out as @Brawndo pointed out in another thread. His buyout would be $714K for 10 years according to Puckdepia.com. This results in a cap savings of 3.571 million annually for the next 5 years. That pays for 50% of Byram's next contract. If you can trade Cozens and Power and then buy out Samuelsson, even if you re-sign Byram for $7 mill, you are still nearly 12 million to the good. That cap can be re-directed toward defensive D partners for Dahlin and Byram and/or adding someone like EP. My preference is 2 RHD defensemen who can play defense.

You’re missing the broader point. Whether Power is good or not doesn’t change the fact that we are misallocating resources by keeping Power, Byram and Dahlin. We honestly can’t afford to keep all 3 and still fix the other areas of the team. It’s also a waste as there isn’t enough PP time for all 3. To get the most out of these guys and their bloated contracts, each needs to anchor their own D pair and qb PP1 or PP2. Management needs to make a choice. For me that choice is obvious; dump the defensively inept Power while he still has excellent trade value and get out from under his terrible contract. I honestly don’t care if he blossoms elsewhere.

@JohnC Power is a $8 mill defender who can’t defend. That makes him useless. He is positionally terrible, does not engage physically and turns the puck over constantly. His offense is worth about $3-4 million but he is so bad defensively that he is a near worthless player as he causes more harm than good. He is Ristolsinen 2.0 without the physicality. The Sabres need to win now and can no longer afford to wait another 5 years for Power to figure it out. Byram is the better player now, in the near future and maybe always. He also needs a new contract which will likely be in the $7 mill area (also too much for another bad defender but at least he tries). Investing $27 million in 3 offensive LHD, two of which are liabilities on defense, is stupid and a waste of cap space. Management has to make a choice between Power and Byram. I’d trade Power and reallocate his money to partners for Byram and Dahlin. I honestly don’t know how anyone can watch Power’s play this season and think wow there goes a good player.

Getting out from under at least one of the bad contracts (Cozens, Mule and Power) should be a deadline priority. Whether we end up with a top 6 forward or a partner for Byram or Dahlin is gravy. Admittedly moving one of these contracts will be easier in the offseason, but given the rumors maybe there is a smidgeon of hope Adams gets a deal done.

Why can’t they play like this all the time. I’d settle for even most of the time. Power still stinks.