PerreaultForever

and always travel in pairs I guess.

The name and logo stay with the old owner? Damn, I really thought the Utah 'yotes had a good ring to it. What are they going to call them then the Salt Lake Slickers? The colours could use a change though, that's for sure.

I still remember he took on Kevyn Miller who was a true heavyweight and held his own. His size and the size of his giant hands makes me not worry about him entering any fight. I just hope he develops the desire and compete that I envision and if he does he will dominate.

I can't speak for everyone but what you say isn't true for me. I base it on more than that. I watch how he's elevated his game at times (lead by example), I noticed how it was him with RJ not Dahlin (remember that?), the way he does his own version of the goalie hug. There's lots of little things that are on camera, in addition to his community connection and desire to be here. I don't see these things from Dahlin post game and I don't see him leading during the game either. He is a star player and he does compete, but I see nothing on camera that says leader. the locker room could of course be different. As I said, I expect it to be Dahlin but I think it should be Tuch. Maybe I am biased and haunted by the fact that I thought it should have been ROR and not Eichel and I was right and I'd hate to make the same mistake again.

Probably, and I wouldn't be surprised if he has a sophomore slump and an uneven development. I just hope we don't ruin him and he becomes like some of the other slackers. The guy is different and he stands out because of it relative to the others. He's been coached differently and his attitude is different. Kid is a hockey player and he brings it. He is without a doubt the best thing about this bad season.

I'd prefer a Gallant or some other veteran coach out there but the Lindy with Peca idea has appeal. I would actually be willing to roll the dice on Peca as head coach right off. Unproven, yes, but he was my favourite Sabre in his era and he played the right way and hard all the time. If he can bring that ethic to this team we might be okay. He'd need some good assistants though. A good PP guy and a good guy to work with the D primarily.

Maybe, but he's not too old to still emerge as a decent goalie as well. Lots of late blooming goalies out there. Goalies are weird. I would have kept him in the system myself. As for Stone, ya, so blatant. League needs to drug test him in the playoffs though imo. I have a feeling they jam him full of pain killers and meds for the playoff run to keep him going.

Why shouldn't he? Guy has huge hands and a really long reach, plus the height. I'm not saying he should go out and fight the Rempes and Oliviers of the league but he can and should handle his own battles now and again and also aid smaller team mates if the situation arises. He's fine. There are quite a few big name goal scorers in the last few decades that also drop them. Nobody has ever said he's not strong (at least I don't think so) just that he chooses not to use it far too often (and that's not about fighting that's just about getting in front and asserting his will physically or finishing his checks). He could be a dominant force if he wanted to. Wish he wanted to. Nothing wrong with a Gordie Howe hat trick now and again.

Yes of course. I do remember the Sabres brain trust saying "they know better" and I believe Pegula felt he had made a mistake listening to hockey people. Why listen to fans? Absolutely no point, Sabres know better, just look at the results. Geniuses!

yes. sometimes, iffy, unknown. (to the bold) I have no idea who cares the most or who is the best locker room motivator. A captain does not have to be the most talented player on the team. Boston named Marchand, not Pasternak for example. It likely will be Dahlin but I'm no sure that's the right choice. To the Rick Martin Award Winner -" “The Rico” is presented annually to the player who fans believe best embodies what it means to be a Buffalo Sabre based on on-ice excellence, resiliency, and dedication to the community." Is that not what the captain should be??? Dahlin didn't win it.

So I guess Torts hasn't lost the room in Philly? They looked really good against the Rags. Weird.

Tuch doing the final game fan appreciation thing made me wonder.........................

See, they appreciate the fans after all. Washington's a weird team. I think they are turning into the Islanders. They just try to clog everything up and then toss one at the goal every now and again. It's a strategy, but it's not exactly entertaining. The fight at the end was fun and I really wish Tage would assert himself physically all the time but it is what it is. Good thing Greenway was on the ice to tie up Wilson. There weren't a lot of highlights but I want to draw attention to Benson's goal. Sabres need to put that on a loop and play it over and over and over for next year's team in camp. That is how you score in the NHL. He's taking the cross checks, he's holding his position, he makes the tip. Goalie has no chance. That is one of the main things that has been missing from this team all year long. Benson plays the right way and we need other guys to follow that example. Somebody has to teach that kid how to shave though. The face pubes aren't making him look older, they just make him look like he can't shave. So it's good to win the last home game anyway. I missed it though. What's up with Byram? He isn't concussed already is he?

It's not a fallacy, he just didn't bring them in. Bringing in a guy who is done and just looking to pad his retirement funds isn't bringing in veterans who know how to win. You want guys in their late 20s or EARLY 30s who still have gas in the tank and want to lead a team to another championship. Not old guys who are finished.

wtf? If part of the plan is to bring back Kyle it's going to be really hard to stay a fan next year. Guy can't even crack the Florida line up and they have some injuries. Reinhart back? Why would Reinhart do that? That's absurd too. Guentzel? For the money maybe but he's not what we really need. Now if they signed Lindholm and Pesce, that would truly be something.

I would not be surprised if they came out totally loose, guns blazing so to speak and they score tons of goals and win big but I wouldn't be surprised if they come out with zero effort as well. It really doesn't matter but hopefully it will entertain in some way.

I have to admit I did laugh at Harrington's line that it had become a teenager. That was pretty funny. Sad, but funny.

Or sign Pesce as a free agent (and yes I know there was talk he has Buffalo on a NTC list but offer enough money etc. and people can change their minds)

Yes, this isn't shocking. This is the thing the whole plan is based on. The quick outlet. You make the quick outlet you don't have to play D in your own end. That's the theory, that's the plan. Now watch how that falls apart for teams in the playoffs when they get aggressively forechecked. But yes, Power is good at that. He sees the ice well and makes that decision quickly and relatively accurately. Where he falls apart is in his own end when he doesn't have the puck. Dealing with that (and building muscle) is supposed to be what you do to develop D men. I see no evidence we do it though at all.

I'm in basic agreement with you but everything else he did was not a big nothing. He lost players and made subtractions. Huge ones. Mitts took a longer development path but he was our best center now. Ullmark walked and won a Vezina. Eichel was moved and won a cup. Reinhart has over 50 goals. The current roster is younger but not more talented than the roster he inherited. Remember UPL was not Adams plan. Adams plan was (and maybe still is) Levi. Imagine what we'd have had if UPL hadn't stepped up or worse, they waived him early on and he was claimed. Adams just got lucky or this team would have been substantially worse than it was.

The only reason I mentioned it is because we've had this recent fire Granato and look at how Torts got so much more from less so we need a hard ass coach discussions. I was on that ship but it too is sinking. idk if Torts lost the room there but it made me think that maybe in this day and age these kids would just quit on a hard ass and we'd be no better off. Flyers have other issues so maybe Torts isn't the problem there. idk enough about them really. Looking at how bad Fedotov is though it also did make me wonder just how bad would we have been this year if UPL hadn't filled that void and played the way he did? We might be bottom 5.

Do we take any solace watching the Flyers meltdown? That big Russian goalie is horrible. Talk about a free fall.

Freudian slip there. But just about right.

Depends for me. If they do not fire Adams or at least Granato I will be discouraged. Then if they do not make significant deals or sign free agents, well then there won't be much point in caring and I will be discouraged as well. My discouragement will start the minute they use the word "patience" .

Oh look on the bright side. Now Comrie can play.