msw2112

While I have not personally observed any Sabres' practices in recent years, my understanding is that Krueger's practices were slow, boring, and sloppy, while Granato's practices are high-tempo, fast, intense, and precise. That seems to translate to the games.

I didn't see most recent Boston game, so I didn't see the incident. From what I have seen, Dahlin isn't a vocal guy, but he plays with a bit of an edge. I don't think it's a concern. He's a highly skilled player and probably not the guy you want mixed up in too many fights. If his teammates didn't back him up the other night, that's a problem. I have to assume that Couzens was not on the ice when it happened. I'd think a team like this one would be the type to step in for a teammate, even if they are not brawlers.

Until recently, I had been of the mindset that Eichel might thrive in Granato's system and if the team was succeeding, he might be willing to bury the hatchet and return to the Sabres after recovering from his surgery. The up tempo game might suit his skillset and he would have fun playing hockey again, etc. He could raise his career to new heights. It would be a win-win. My mind has changed. Indications are that there was a segment of players on the roster in recent years who were dispectful to the staff, treated the less talented players poorly, and were essentially prima donnas and classless dic*heads. It fractured the team and ruined chemistry. If Eichel is one of those guys (what I read did not identify the names), I would rather see him move on, his talent notwithstanding. I would also assume that Reihnart was one of those guys and probably Taylor Hall last year. What the team is doing may be what the Bills did when they purged some of those types of guys - high talent, but poor character and poor for team chemistry (such as Sammy Watkins and Marcel Dareus). I am all for process and team chemistry, so I am OK with moving on from Eichel. Focus on high character guys with "medium" talent (like Okposo, Girgensons, etc.) and a few character guys with higher talent levels like Dahlin and Couzens (and Quinn, JJ, etc. when they complete their development in Rochester).

I have no idea how Houser has played this year, but it seems crazy that he won games in the NHL last year and now can't even stick in the AHL. I guess they want to get UPL playing time to see if he can get out of his funk and perhaps they feel Dell is too experienced to send down to the ECHL.

I'm not a big fan of the idea. What happens if a player who scores isn't one one of the ones with a song? Are they going to get a song from every guy on the roster and/or any time a guy gets called up from the minors? How about a goal where they aren't sure who scored it? Goal songs are designed to pump up the crowd and continue the excitement of scoring, but I'm not sure some of these selections do it. All that said, if the players and/or the fans enjoy it, more power to them. It won't change anything for me.

While I don't disagree, let's not take anything away from the effort. The Sabres played a fantastic game in all phases and deserved a big win. They exceeded everyone's expectations. That kind of an effort against a better/more competitive opponent might end up in a 3-2 win or a 3-2 loss (maybe 4-2 with an empty net goal either way), but it would be a reasonable product on the ice. I'd buy a ticket to see it. Hopefully, they can maintain the intensity and effort throughout the season. If they do, it will be entertaining and it will provide a foundation to build on for the future.

The option I would have picked, if available, would be "Useful BOTTOM-6 production with speed and effort that help establish a team identity." He seems like a guy that plays with hustle and heart and has a little bit of offensive upside. He probably isn't a good enough player to warrant 2nd line minutes, but can contribute on 3rd and 4th lines. Guys like this are needed (think Curtis Lazar), but you can't win with them on our top 2 lines. You need to fill out those lines with the more talented guys.

The team is terrible right now and presumably will be for another season or twp. Dahlin may have wanted to see where this thing was going to go before signing a long-term deal. Also, the Sabres have overpaid for a lot of players and been saddled with huge contracts. Dahlin has clearly shown flashes of what he can be, but he has not been a consistent all-star caliber player as would be befitting of a #1 overall player with so-called "generational" talent. This deal gives the team a chance to improve and be an attractive place for Dahlin to re-sign for term in 3 years and also gives Dahlin time to improve and show that he is deserving. In the meantime, the Sabres overpaid by a bit, but they are hovering near the cap floor, so they needed to spend some money and it creates goodwill with Dahlin. Plus, he's wrapped up before camp, eliminating another potential distraction. So overall, a fair deal that works for everyone.

I think that Eichel could do really well in the Granato system, with all of the young guys playing like they did at the end of last season. The team, in this scenario, would have a chance to be successful and a happy, healthy Eichel may be better than any speculative trade return. Unfortunately, bridges have been burned and the team has no reliable goaltending, so this scenario is highly unlikely to play out.

Thanks. If the Sabres are competitive, I would be willing to spend a few bucks a month to catch a few games.

The Sabres have 3 NHL goalies - UPL, Portillo, and Levi. Unfortunatley, they will be NHL goalies in 2022 or 2023 (or 2024). None will be fully ready in 2021. UPL may be close, as he didn't look completely out of place when he played last year. He would still benefit from a full year in the AHL. Failing to re-sing Ullmark looks like it will come back to bite them this year. They need to find an experienced, competent NHL goalie under the age of 40 to play some games this years.

My reading of this - and at least as far as what I have available - is that there are only 2 nationally broadcast games. ESPN+/Hulu are paid services to which I don't subscribe. I get TNT as part of my Directv package and it is part of most cable packages. So I'd have to sign up for new services to see the other 8 games. My Directv package also includes NBC Sports Network, which used to broadcast many more Sabres games than the 2 that are available on TNT this year, so it's a net loss for me. In the past, I used to buy the last couple of months of the NHL Center Ice package - after the Super Bowl - to watch the Sabres down the playoff stretch. It has been several years since I made that "investment" of both my money and time, as the Sabres have not even been in the mix. I would be thrilled to do it again this year, but I am just not seeing it.

I'm both a Sabres fan and a Michigan fan. I think this move is the best for all involved.

What does a development coach do?

On the Sabres' 3rd pair? I have not seen enough of this player to know, but I hope your assessment is accurate. The Sabres most definitely need guys who play with an edge.

This thread is depressing me. Granato did a great job with the team last year and I was impressed by the improvement 5 on 5. I don't think the PP was all that great and with Jack (and Sam) gone, it has the potential to be pretty bad. Jack has been known to float (or sulk, as the case may be) 5 on 5, but he, like all offensive-minded players, had plenty of jump on the PP. That jump, along with his high level of skill and ability to attract defenders, is going to really be missed on the PP. But hey, other than goaltending and the power play, they'll be fine.

I don't give a lot of credence to Lehner's claims and think they have nothing to do with Eichel's situation. Lehner was in the midst of major mental health issues while in Buffalo (and the Sabres went out of their way to help him) I don't know much about the Sabres medical staff at the time, but that staff is no longer with the team (so no impact on Eichel situation) Lehner is on his third team since leaving Buffalo, so his 5th overall and he's not that old of a guy. Perhaps that says something about Lehner. (I think Vegas has made a big mistake by trading Fleury in favor of Lehner.) All of these points have been made above - I agree with all of them and am summarizing them here.

If Sam didn't want to re-sign in Buffalo after this season, better to get a 1st and a prospect than have him walk away for nothing. They probably wouldn't have gotten as much at the deadline as a rental. I still think he was worth more on the trade market (I think he's a more valuable player than Risto, who netted a much larger package), but I wasn't negotiating with the other GMs, so I don't really know. As to the contract with Florida, I think this is a great deal for the team. They get a highly productive winger and potential center in his prime at a reasonable rate. If, at the end of the deal, both sides are happy with the relationship, they can re-sign him. If his play is looking like it may decline due to his age, they can move on. I think Sam could have gotten more money or term, but he may also want to bet on himself and cash in bigger in 3 years after the deal expires, if he plays well and the cap goes up. He may also wish to look at going back to his hometown Canucks after this deal expires.

Agreed. I think they will play a competitive brand of hockey whether they get another goaltender or not, but their win total will be much lower if they don't get one.

Thanks - those are my initials.

If the Sabres can continue their upward trajectory under Granato that they showed last season, they will be competitive and watchable this season, IF they acquire a starting caliber NHL goalie. They might also get lucky if UPL develops quickly. He actually looked better in Buffalo than he did in Rochester. Any talent they acquire for Eichel will be icing on the cake. They will not a Stanley Cup contender and probably won't make the playoffs, but they won't be awful. The following season, the young guys will be further along, Power will be on the team, the goaltending situation should be better and they could be competing for a playoff spot. This is the glass-half-full view of the situation that I am choosing to take. I've been a lifelong fan and it certainly has been a struggle these last few years, but they will turn the corner. The Bills drought was 17 years and look where they are now.

I have never seen Levi play (did not see any of the WJC), but I also wonder where Portillo fits into this mix. Also, did Levi have one hot tournament or is he legit? I'm not suggesting this to bust anyone's chops - I really have no idea. I had never heard of him before the trade and am interested to hear the opinions of those who know about him. Same for Portillo. I know we drafted him and he's in line to be the starting goalie for one of the top NCAA programs (playing with Owen Power in front of him), but I don't know much beyond that.

A bit unrelated, but I was surprised to see the Sabres trade for the goalie Levi in the Reinhart deal. They have UPL and Portillo in the pipeline, and guys like Tokarski and Houser to stock the minor league slots. I suppose you can't have too many quality goaltending prospects, but their real need now is NHL-ready goalies (2 of them). While impressed with the Risto return, I wasn't impressed with the Reihnart return. I see Reinhart as the much more valuable player. Florida is a good team, so it is likely to be a late 1st rounder and Levi is years away, if he ever makes it. Reinhart scored 25 goals for a last-place team that was offensively challenged in a COVID-shortened season. He stepped into a center role (so he can play wing and center in the NHL at a high level) and was great. He's been productive his entire career. He's a top-6 guy, and has been/can be a top-3 guy, entering the prime of his career. I'm surprised the market did not yield better. Perhaps it was his UFA status that drove the value down, but wasn't Risto also a UFA after the season? And not as good of a player overall.

I have no idea who they will take, but Borgen is the guy who I would least like the Sabres to lose. He's a young player who has shown potential and will likely develop into an solid NHL regular, 2nd or 3rd pairing D-man. He's also very affordable right now. Seattle may have other ideas. They may prefer to go with a veteran who can contribute more right away and try to win right out of the gate, as Vegas did. If they go that route, it could be Miller, Okposo or Girgs. Okposo's huge contract might take him out of the mix, so Miller or Girgs. I voted Miller with incentives, as Miller hasn't lived up to expectations with the Sabres, but is a proven veteran that has played well in the league. He has a decent-sized contract and is likely to get pushed aside for some of the younger guys, so I see the Sabres wanting to move on from him. After the 1st and maybe 2nd round, NHL draft picks rarely hit and are not worth that much, so to send a 3rd to Seattle to make them take Miller seems to make sense for both teams.

In the past, I always preferred playoff hockey to playoff basketball. Nothing is better than the NHL playoffs. That said, THIS SEASON, I have watched more NBA playoffs than NHL playoffs. For one, the broadcasts are easier to find. Perhaps when ESPN and Turner take over, that will help the NHL be more visible. I couldn't even tell you what number USA Network is on my TV package....The second point is that the NBA playoffs have simply been more interesting this year. There have been highly competitive series and many have gone 7 games. The NHL finals were terrible - Tampa outclassed Montreal by far and there wasn't much of a series. The NBA finals is 2-2, going six games, and probably 7. Young, major stars in the prime of their careers on both sides (Giannis for Milwaukee and Booker for Phoenix) are showing in the biggest stage. So much for the much anticipated McDavid - Eichel matchup in the finals.... I grew up with the NHL playoffs. Perhaps I have lost some interest with the Sabres not being a part of it, but it could also be that the ways things played out this year made it less interesting. Although I am really enjoying the NBA playoffs and finals this year, I barely watched last year. The Heat were not a worthy challenger for the Lakers and I don't like the Lakers. I loved LeBron James in Cleveland, but really don't care for him anywhere else. When the Dylan Couzens-led Sabres are in the Stanley Cup finals (featuring Rasmus Dahlin, Owen Power, and UPL in the nets), I'm sure I'll be all in!