PerreaultForever

Useless is the wrong word. Not ready for the NHL is more reasonable and we are definitely not developing him properly.

Well the stats are nice but this isn't really news. It's been a thing for quite a long time.

Bruins looked awful today. Sabres could have probably beaten them the way they played. I only mention this because THEY got booed by their fans (and they are still in first place) and Montgomery's response was not a complaint about the fans but rather to say "they were right". It's just different.

This is a spin. The value of ALL franchises has risen because of the sport itself. Franchises in sports are just escalating everywhere. I suspect the value of the Sabres relative to other franchises is actually the same if not lower. Pegula had nothing to do with it.

Probably, but I (selfishly) don't really care if they move as I don't live in the area any more. I just want them to win. You never know though. There's rich guys out there with money to burn. Somebody might want a new toy.

I (and others) have been saying this for a while. The only way to save this is either Pegula finally "retires" and puts it in the hands of a hockey guy or he sells the team as you said. Pegula is clueless about hockey and the parade of inexperienced yes men make too many mistakes while learning on the job.

Ultimately this goes back to LaFontaine. We all know this. Pegula will not hire a hockey guy who says no to him. Hence, inexperienced guys glad for the opportunity and money and willing to be yes men. The minute JBot said no he was shown the door.

I don't disagree with any of this. I don't think Cozens slacked off on purpose this year but I do think he worked extra hard for the contract and maybe relaxed a little too much after getting it. Mitts today was garbage (St. Louis game if you read this late). As I said there, almost like he heard the 32 Thoughts talk and decided well, no reason to work my ass off here any more. In general I think this team has too much of a fun and relaxed room and lacks a work ethic and accountability. Players here do give effort for contracts and then relax (and drop off often) when they get them. I think a Torts type coach could make Cozens into a superstar. Not so sure with Mitts. Totally agree that if he was traded for a top 4 D we'd have a 3C hole to fill and we have to do that in a trade or free agency as well, but a more defensive style player would be the ideal choice. Definitely not Savoie/Kulich/Rosen/Östlund. Krebs imo is irrelevant.

The penalty non call was correct by the rule book. Just saying. It's better hockey than we saw earlier in the year but it's not good enough. imo we saw 2 pretty even teams in terms of talent and ability but they are coached better and have a much better defensive structure. They play the low score defend a lead game much better than we do. All the same usual issues were in evidence. Mitts played like he was sulking after hearing 32 Thoughts and feeling unloved. Garbage today. Parayko is another example of exactly the kind of guy we need desperately in our top 4 D. Dahlin, Peterka and Cozens were our best players today. Mitts, Krebs and Skinner our worst.

Why would you think this? He's never been in the playoffs, ever, and he specifically wanted to be in this geographical area. I'm sure he'd go to Toronto or maybe even Detroit, but they aren't taking on his salary. We are stuck with him.

It's not that he COULDN'T pay Mitts, but I suspect it's a mapped out vision of what percentage of the payroll they have designated for each position. Hence he paid Thompson and Cozens as 1C and 2C and 3C is probably a LOT LESS so Mitts doesn't fit his model of where the money goes, now and later. That's my guess anyway. I'd love to get rid of Skinner but he's not going to waive his NTC. Besides, he has way too much fun on a team that doesn't hate to lose.

I'm not upset with the idea of trading Mitts. I'm pretty sure that this would be "selling high" and if we signed him to Cozens money he'd drop off next year much like Cozens (maybe worse). We've accomplished nothing with this roster so I'm not against ANY deal, but only deals that bring back a return that leads to a better constructed roster. We need a goalie, a 2 way 3C, a top 4 D, and one or two gritty bottom enders. This season is a lost year. Whatever we have to do to fill those holes and change the make up of this roster is fine with me. Mitts could be step one.

Sounds like the guy who wrote that article just listens to 32 Thoughts. Probably all true though. The question is will Adams actually make moves, or will he just "talk" to a lot of people about potential moves that never happen.

Absolutely. My opinion of Adams is simple. Incompetent. I think he is a failure. If they do not fire him, he can redeem himself with the present/future and we can write off the past, but right now we are still a failed franchise. imo although it was supposed to be the minimum bar for this year making the playoffs finally next year is success (finally) and total failure is if/when another talented player loses their love and wants out. If that happens it's basically over.

No I don't. I suspect it would be picks and prospects and I have no use for that (unless it's a sure fire group of prospects with different skill sets from what we have but that seems unlikely). Not agreeing with what they do, but I suspect they've decided our top 2 centers are Thompson and Cozens and they aren't willing to pay Mitts top 2 money for a 3 role. So this is the choice they are making. I won't evaluate it until I see the full trade though. Quality for quality might help the team as a whole, you never know.

Do we say better late than never on the goalie idea? Adams should not get a pass for finally recognizing something we all have discussed for a really long time. Trading Mitts is a reactive situation. One could argue you are "selling high" and if the right return comes back, the team could improve with it. It's possible. You're not getting that for Mitts unless we are also sending a prospect or picks with him.

Those uniforms change people though. This guy: got turned into this guy:

Well, actively looking for a goalie is something he should have been doing the minute Ullmark's re-signing became questionable so I guess Yay, he's finally looking?? As for Mitts, I'm not surprised. If Mitts wants Cozens/Thompson money, which he probably does given his point totals, he isn't going to get it here. Trading him to avoid the hold out painful negotiation circus that might ensue is a good idea but the return determines everything obviously. Besides, we don't know what he's like in the locker room. Maybe he "doesn't want to be here". . Send him to Minnesota for a package that includes Foligno (and more).

Well, "hate" is a wasted emotion (although some might argue it's a potential motivator) but the internet and websites like this one are platforms for venting frustration. It's just what they are. You can feel a little better if you can vent and see that there are others sharing your frustration. In that equation there is inevitably a target and that can be viewed as "hate". Now the definition of the word isn't full. It's like when you were in grade school and some kid said "I'm going to kill you after school" and they didn't really mean "kill" (although again, in some cases these days they might) but they did want to hurt you all the same. So nobody here actually "hates" the Sabres but the level of anger/frustration gets high enough that it is expressed as "hate". I don't "hate" Granato. I'm sure he's a very nice man. But I think he's not a good head coach and won't take us to where we need to be. I don't "hate" Adams, I just think he's incompetent. I kind of do "Hate" Pegula though. I generally dislike the uber wealthy, just cause they tend to be *****, and I personally think frakking is raping the environment but that's just my personal view. It's not an active "hate" but I do wish he'd sell the team.

Given the topic and the avi, this seems appropriate.

Ya, maybe, we do have a history of f'n things up but I think Marcus would be captain right now and he'd have dragged some of these guys up with him and a lot of them would play bigger than they do. Cozens might not have had his jaw broken by Hathaway for example. Marcus would have jumped in and wiped the floor with Garnet instead. It's a dream of an alternate reality I have. Heck, I'd have tried to bring in Nick on a "play with your brother" discount contract as well and hired Mike as an assistant or scout. Give me a triple dose of Foligno and this locker room would have been fixed. Sadly, that moment is long gone.

Well okay, you want exact wording even if you know what I meant. So change it to GOOD vets or experienced leaders. Only Johnson qualifies but he's on his last legs.

I know what some of you think about fighting, but I am 100% confidant that this team wouldn't be where it is if JBot had not dealt this man away. https://www.hockeyfights.com/fights/n268881

Not surprised by this. He was a lightweight kid and was getting targeted. Like a lot of the kids today he was trying to make fancy plays along the wall and didn't expect the checks to come when they did. I have thought this might happen to Benson too, but so far he's managed to keep his head up and play more straight ahead so he's avoided it (and maybe been targeted less) and might continue to as he grows.

idk, you take Benson out and put a 30+ vet in, you go up a half year plus in age right there. The real point, that I think we would agree on, is there is a lack of solid veteran leadership to go with these younger guys and that hurts the team as a whole.