PerreaultForever

Go back and read what I said. Nowhere did I say they were bigger or younger. The point was in regards to at the end of the day "talent wins out" not in terms of who had more talent. The question is why are they currently in the playoffs and we are not? Their rebuild started later, they have less talent, they should be much worse than us but they are not. They are roughly the same (although different in style) or better so, "talent" is not winning out at the moment. That's the issue.

Well that was interesting. I don't know what's wrong with them, but Detroit was horrible. (haha) The Sabres on the other hand played like the team they are supposed to be building so I guess they are? Well idk, it's an enigma in many ways but there are some players finally going to the front of the net, they played with speed and with a quick exit, and it all seemed to click today. So both things can in fact be true. Detroit was bad AND Buffalo was good. Now the test is to see if they can bring that or will it against a team that doesn't let you do what you want. They do that, and we might actually have something real. Byram is good at what he does. The added D is allowing Clifton to settle into his role properly and he looks more like the Clifton from Boston last year. The only thing I did not like was they ran UPL twice, and we did absolutely nothing about it. That will not take us far if we ever do make the playoffs because you know if we did and UPL was playing well, a team like Florida would be worse than what we saw today. We need to be tougher. Happy days today though.

No, the point was Colorado traded him because they thought they wouldn't be able to sign him and give him what he wanted at the end of this deal. This is now our problem. It's a real thing. We already gave money to Power and Dahlin so how do we make Byram work into that down the line? I don't see it. The point is, if you were set on trading Mitts, I'd rather have replaced him with a mid level defender and a forward. A big/tough winger or a back up goalie. Things we actually need long term to fit with what he already have. Byram is talented, no question, but we already have Dahlin.

Zamula is 6'3" and just coming into his own. Sanheim is 27 but locked up long term and he is solid. Maybe that's not "young" but he's in his prime. York has also become a top defender. Bonk is still developing. The others you already mentioned are all looking promising. How many do you want, they only need 6 starters. Who do you mean by Buffalo's 2nd and 3rd rounders? RJ is the only guy I see pushing for an NHL spot. With the addition of Byram you can argue the Buffalo defense is better. It's certainly more talented, but I'm not sure it's better as a unit defending.

Well unlike some of the other teams that have come in lately Detroit has zero excuse to come in napping so this is a true test I think. No excuses on either side so this SHOULD be playoff hockey. Let's see what we get. (and yes, I decided now I am going to comment on games still, just to annoy the handful of mutts that took shots at me when I said I'd had enough of it for this year. Maybe next time they will be nicer and I will shut up 🙂 )

I disagree on two levels. First, we may or may not have more talent coming. Despite having the rapey goalie problem they too have a promising young goalie in Errson. They have big solid young D. Not the flashy offensive kind we have, but big defenders. There is a veteran core, and then there's Michkov. If he comes and is what he might be, when you add that to the foundation they are building they will be a top competitor. The second thing is I don't think that in the end "talent wins out". Yes, of course you need some talent, but team systems, coaching, roster dynamics, the whole package matters and that includes gritty bottom end guys as well as talented ones. If talent wins out we'd see the Leafs in the cup by now wouldn't we.

He was, and he was likely not going to fit into their cap projections/decisions but getting rid of one problem with another problem isn't really a good plan. We are just kicking the can down the road.

The guy you want is hard to find. You need to take baby steps in the direction and having this guy while you try to find and develop the more talented tough guy still helps your team. We had the guy you want in Marcus Foligno, but we didn't value him and have not replaced him. All time Sabre that fits that bill would be Rick Dudley. Add a couple guys like that to this team and everything changes.

I suspect this might be correct, however, as a fan, this magnifies the view that we tread water, get nowhere, and are just a farm team for the rest of the league. I mean if you are right, oh yay we ditched our 2/3C for a rental on D and then get more prospects. Hoo-ha.

Some won't agree, but imo he's slightly less than Curtis Lazar. He is a slightly better play maker and is maybe faster (hard to tell if you factor in age) but he isn't as good on draws and Lazar was (and maybe still is) a better physical presence. Neither can score. So with the right wingers, like Lazar had in Boston, he can be a marginally effective 4th liner, but that's about it.

Ya, he sticks it right out on impact, that's flagrant and obvious. You can't even argue it's a height difference thing.

So here's the biggest problem (besides us now needing a center). Listening to 32 thoughts today he was putting it out there that Colorado felt they would have to move Byram eventually because he wanted to be a number one guy (and paid like one) and that was never going to happen in Makar's shadow so when his contract comes up it'll be the Sabres problem given we already have Dahlin and Power (already paid in advance). I don't see this going well.

I think it should be Tuch, but after listenign to KA and processing the direction and beliefs they have it is almost certainly going to be Dahlin.

Colorado has a guy who might fit. Mittlesomething or other, I forget his name. Planning on Krebs as 3C is just beyond absurd to me. This the same list I have but sadly it's the same list I had at the end of last season. No progress. Maybe even regression. Probably end up with Jesper Boquist when the Bruins let him go. Or perhaps it is going to the light? It's the Sabres management who can't seem to see what we all see.

Skinner yes. Tage idk. The other 3 definitely not coach killers. Maybe not as good as people thought they were, but not coach killers.

Which is why, when you are in this situation, you need to rebuild with a character driven team. Gritty guys who give you 60 minutes even if they are less talented or less skilled but you rebuild a culture while you draft your "stars". We are missing that part. You won't get players to come here with a fancy locker room and by coddling them, you do it by creating a winning culture, and thus a loyal fanbase.

He'd just slouch beside Skinner stuffing his face with wings.

Detroit's been struggling. Haven't watched them so idk if it's injuries or goaltending or they are just bad but they look like a fragile beatable team. The Islanders on the other hand are playing hardnosed hockey and winning more than losing so that'll be a tough one. IF we won all 3 games I suppose it'll look like we are back in the race but it's unlikely. Obviously can't give them loser points either.

Well yes, they won't win the cup that's a no brainer BUT where I'd disagree with you is in their desire to make the playoffs, to WIN NOW, as they rebuild rather than just saying oh it's a "development year" we have long term plans be patient. He was a cheap available body to fill a hole while they have 3 guys on IR. At this deadline they upgraded their draft as a a whole and are trying to make the playoffs for this season, how can you find fault with that? Do you really want to argue that their rebuild has been less successful than ours this season? We SHOULD be WAY AHEAD of them but we are not. We are the clueless franchise, not them.

Not true. I do recognize the good games, but there haven't been that many of them. I will admit that I have no time for fanboy stuff where I say "oh wow did you see that shot by Tage, what a rocket" or whatever. These things are obvious when they happen. Discussion is far more interesting when you look at the flaws and issues and think about how they need to be fixed. That's just me, but I find a critical objective analysis more interesting than cheering after the fact. Now as to the team, I'd just say anybody getting excited about wins now has a very short memory. Right now I do not see a team that is in any way better than the team that missed the playoffs last year. We are in exactly the same situation.

This is true, but part of it comes from the organization's decision to "let them grow together" and not balance the team with solid veterans. This goes right back to two things imo. One, the tank. Stripped away any identity and culture the team had, even if it was less than perfect. Rebuilding from that was handled poorly. Two, naming Eichel captain instead of ROR. They chose talent over character and coddling Eichel and others led us down this rabbit hole. Not sure we can get out of it with a roster filled with players who as Shorsey would say "don't hate losing".

Not only that but Torts got kicked out of the game. 🙂

Well that's an interesting subjective view. Whether or not their low event hockey is an intentional strategy or whether that's just what it is. You see if that is a strategy that they are doing like the Isles have been, it goes against everything Granato says about how they want to play. It goes against the type of players they are drafting and bringing in. It would mean they are far more capable than I believe they are. So I will give the idea the benefit of a doubt for now, but I don't think that's the case at all. I think they are just not very good and most teams come in underprepared and uninterested thinking it's an easy night. Probably no way to know unless we get close enough to some team to make a game actually matter.

Says the guy with a chicken on his head.

You are exaggerating. I do not "hate" Thompson and I do not "crucify" him. I do however think he lacks the compete level that some of the true superstars have. With his body, he could be so much more than he is. If you are suggesting 3 tiers, as in Crosby top tier, Past second tier, Thompson third I have no argument with that, but I wouldn't make all 3 tiers elite. That's just a question of where you draw the line on a word. Doesn't actually mean all that much.