PerreaultForever

I don't like any of it.

I guess Adams is sure he won't be able to lure any free agents of note here in July. This is a gross overpay for a fading veteran who is injury prone. I don't hate Zucker. He's better than a lot of them, but this is not progress. They better hire some extra rehab and medical people the way they are building this team.

I don't care any more. I just can't. Zucker, Greenway, Norris all injury prone. Really injury prone. I can see next year's excuse already built in. "We were close and would have been in the hunt if not for the injuries". Bet on it.

I guess he's a depth guy since they moved Gilbert and maybe Jokiharju.

So for me the only explanation to Peterka being in trade talks at all would be that Adams does not like his contract ask, the gulf is huge, and/or Peterka wants out. Now watch it'll be Rempe and a prospect 😉

Some nice snipes by the skilled forwards but Tampa owned the front of our net like they almost always do and thus the result. It was not UPL's fault, it was the D, Byram was absolutely horrible in this one. Clueless. Ruff should put the Cernak block on a loop and show them how it's done. We got anybody like that? No, no we do not. Interesting to listen to the ESPN guys saying "somebody has to step up and help the captain there" in those scrums several times. Very telling. Very obvious. Greenway hurt already? That would figure. idk what Adams is doing travelling with them at the deadline but I guess phones go anywhere. Still, I'd have expected this to be an in the office couple of days. Whatever.

That moment has come and gone. Olivier is a free agent I think. Overpay him instead in the off season. I do think Dubas is a bad GM. Decent drafting skills but not a good GM. In fairness however I do not think he has much choice there. Ownership will want what Crosby wants until Crosby doesn't want it any more and Dubas has no choice but to do that.

Well the owner ain't going anywhere. The team as an asset for a rich guy has grown in value by a lot. He's got the Bills to watch and enjoy. Win or lose it's not going to matter to him in terms of ownership so we can dream on that but nothing's going to happen. So to "new GM, new coach & star player" what I'd like to see is who? I'm all for it since this isn't working but WHO? Name names. GM? Is there an experienced GM out there looking for a job? Do we want another rookie to learn on the job for 3-4 years and all the mistakes that'll bring? Another new guy who will look at the potential and over value what we have based on ceilings? WHO? Coach? Who? Wait for someone to be fired this year? Do we want a guy who got fired? Who is out there with a resume other than Quennville and all his baggage. Detroit snapped up the only guy I had as an option. Another rookie coach? An AHL coach? I don't have another name do you??? Who? Star Player? We have those. Dahlin and Thompson. We've been down that road. I'd suggest maybe the plan should be build to the stars rather than from the stars. What we need is the competitive middle level guys who come to play every night and drag the guys around them into the fight. We need toughness and push back. We need a TEAM not a star but that's just me. You want a new star, who? Lindholm is the only one out there and he's not working out in Vancouver so is that what you want? Raantanen? Pay him a fortune will he be the guy you need? I doubt it. So who???? Myself, I think the roster needs a major overhaul and reconstruction. I'm keeping Thompson, Peterka (assuming I can sign him reasonably) and Tuch, and Dahlin and Byram (I'm trading Power, again assuming I can sign him reasonably) and UPL for lack of a better alternative. I'm keeping Benson but he's spending next season in Rochester. I'm keeping Kulich. Everyone else is negotiable and up for grabs and I'd rather move people than keep them but obviously not all would end up moved. I'm adding guys who compete. Perhaps less skill than we have, but far more compete. Sabres? They will likely stay the course, preach patience, wait for prospects to develop. Nothing will change. They'll maybe add a bargain FA or an unwanted overpay like Zucker/Clifton and that'll be it. When it doesn't work again next year they will fire Ruff and make Seth Appert interim and that'll likely be just like Granato was. Eventually Adams will be fired but only after another year or more of this and he will be replaced by whichever assistant Terry trusts most or the guy that flatters him most a lot like you know who. God I hope I'm wrong but I see nothing to indicate that I might be. I don't know what I'm going to do with hockey next year now that the Bruins suck too. That fall was inevitable and is finally here. Maybe I can find a new team but you all know how hard to do that is. I guess I wish I lived in Florida. How much is a retirement condo down there?

Is there a part 2 maybe? It is a weird deal for sure.

There is some blame on the forwards as well. We have quite a few offensive guys who aren't very good at defending or choose not to at times. Again, the way the roster is constructed it has a heavy skew towards offense or at least offensive intent.

This is continual and it's what they insist on constructing. They want quick transition speedy puck movers and not big and strong positionally sound defensive D men. Powerless is big but he plays small. Only Gilbert is a defensive D man but he's marginal NHL level at best. It won't change until the roster construction philosophy changes.

Wasn't that the thing being said about Hughes when he was drafted? Highly skilled, but could he withstand NHL physicality? I seem to remember that discussion taking place.

Not surprised he'd sign here for that. He wasn't going to get near that anywhere else. By way of contrast, Bruins weren't willing to give Frederic $4 million. Now we hope Greenway can stay healthy.

It would be pretty funny if he did come here and the first thing he did was ship out Cozens.

Yes that would be bad but the better plan is signing new free agents in the off season after getting assets for those players now. You can also circle back and sign them in free agency after trading them. Also you can package up the assets you gained in the deadline deals for players in the off season. There is absolutely no reason to keep these free agents on a last place team. The team needs an overhaul.

Nice haul for Seattle. Tampa obviously thinks they can make a run this year. Gourde was a huge part of their playoff success after all. I would suspect the Leafs will panic now and maybe make a big move(s).

Problem I have with this is he never makes it through a full season. He's impactful for a few games, then he floats and disappears for a few, gets injured and is out for a bunch and so it repeats. There's a consistency issue and a durability issue. So it appears Adams is content to roll back a last place roster for next year and just hope some of them play better. Good plan.

and, while there is of course still time for Adams to act, you have a Boston team much closer to a playoff spot (but also likely on the outside) selling their UFAs and disappointments. The thing with Adams too is he says he wants NHL players in trades not picks and prospects and that's fair, especially earlier in the year, but if you'd have built a roster with veterans on it you'd be able to move out underachievers for picks and prospects and still build a roster. They constantly create a self fulfilling prophecy.

It's official. I'm renaming him Owen Powerless from now on. This was like watching preseason hockey. Just horrible all over. Bunch of floaters waiting/hoping to see if they'll get traded out of this hellhole.

and this is the same thing as every year for I've lost count of how many years now. Virtually nothing has changed.

Oh goodie, they fought back and got a point. woo-hoo.

Well the question would be will his ceiling justify his contract? Will he reach it? Right now he's grossly overpaid. That can affect the dynamics of the rest of the roster as well. I think for example, they likely have a problem with Peterka and that's why his name is now coming up in trade rumours. I suspect he's getting sick of losing and has a pretty big ask for any kind of longer term commitment. I mean wouldn't you if you were him? His number might be far above the Sabres number and his ask is likely influenced by how they rewarded Cozens and Power. This is the problem Adams has created for himself by building the way he has.

I can't disagree that Cozens has been disappointing but is Power getting a pass because he's a little younger? You want to talk about not living up to contracts Power is often the guy who costs us hockey games. He's weak, he's lazy and at times looks like his head is in the clouds and not in the game. Sure, he loves getting in the offense zone and he can play on the PP and he might even score a goal but he can't defend worth a crap and his game is NOT improving. Ruff seems to have had zero effect on his game at all. I know he's still young and there is upside but I just don't see the progression, even a slow progression. So my point really is what is the common denominator here and it's Kevyn Adams handing them both huge contracts so who should get the blame, them or Adams? imo it's Adams. ADAMS HAS TO GO!

Won't help unless the guy at the top changes the direction and method. In other words Terry has to step back fully and give it over to an experienced hockey guy(s).

You still think there's a plan?