PerreaultForever

and a private luxury box for themselves no doubt. I SO wanted Snoop to be in on the winning bid. That would have been so much fun.

There's your bright spot. It's not Eichel so at least we don't have to live with 2 Conn Smyth guys even if Eichel does get the cup. Also look on the bright side, at least Reinhart's still a loser.

Except they won because of Cassidy's defensive system and having the better 6 man D unit but whatever.

I hate the Sabres? Riiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiight. That's why I'm here. Sure sure. Whatever you say. I thought you were ignoring all my posts, yet here you are quoting and replying to them to throw more insults my way yet again. Oh yes, YOU'RE a fan. You define fandom. I hate the Sabres. I so wish I had a great team to follow like you do. Grow up. I don't want Connor McDavid. I did want a goalie, a 3C, (possibly a gritty PK guy) and a 4D last year. I still want those things this year although 3C moves to the bottom of that list unless he's a face off expert. Now what do you, as a true blue (and gold) fan want? Connor McDavid?

I really don't see any advantage Seattle had at all. When they drafted their initial expansion roster pretty much everyone here said they were going to be rubbish (as they didn't get the side deals Vegas did) . I asked this before in a similar thread and it can be repeated, would you have traded the entire Sabres roster and prospect pool for the entire Seattle roster and draft pool? No, of course not. Thus there's simply no advantage. We could have been just as good if we'd spent wisely and didn't stay a cap floor team with a long timeline for development. Just a proper goalie and maybe one D man more might have been enough as it turned out. They traded wisely, they drafted well, and they spent their free agent money well. It's just good management that has made them competitive. (But I wouldn't say "powerhouse" just yet)

Stone coming back off his (fake?) back injury was the thing that made them this much better than their regular season run imo. The biggest question was goaltending and that has turned out to be more than adequate, good even. Cassidy has great success when he comes to teams. Eventually the players get tired of his rants though. We will see how long he lasts in Vegas after this. Eichel bought in, and although he is highly rated as a whole, Pieterangelo is underrated in terms of his effect on a team and their defensive play, especially when it counts. I'd say it was all those things.

Something I've suggested people like Liger do several times if they don't like my opinions. Ignore whoever you want. That's a valid option. Do not, on the other hand resort to insulting people you disagree with (or are tired of) and do not consider your opinion more valid than anyone else's. Publicly grandstanding that you are ignoring someone is also a cheap and childish internet ploy that is, very outdated, and even more tiresome in 2023. But carry on. The same small group will high five you and make you feel special.

Funny how I see you as the condescending one. Despite disagreeing with you often, I have never stooped to insulting your posts as invalid or ridiculous. I can start though if you like.

I wouldn't disagree with this and have said for years we need character guys not just guys with fancy analytics but that's a different discussion. I would simply change the last bit to "they seem to be" or "they might finally be" a competent franchise but I think the uncertainty or unsure aspects of that assessment will remain until we make a solid push to contend. We've been called the team on the rise with the full prospect cupboard before.

No, the positive things about this team are well known around here. If you want to feel better by just posting positive have at it. Pragmatism and objectivity isn't for all fans, that's fair.

Should read "IF they win a playoff round" and "IF they make the playoffs" first. The "locker room is fun". How many locker rooms have you played in. Right, none. Granato is "liked". Okay. Cassidy is "hated". Go figure. So that means what? Right, nothing. Making the playoffs this year WOULD have changed perceptions. I have posted about why that was a missed moment many times. Now we are at a point where we definitely need to make them next year. IF we do, the perception will change. But not yet.

That's all I'm saying, and I hope it will change, but I do think this doesn't help. I doubt Eichel takes such a low road he slams us publicly, but privately? We've seen his personality before and it's not a good one. How much of what we, as Sabres fans, know or think about Adams and the franchise now will get out to other people and other players remains to be seen. There's probably going to be quite a time lag and a bit of a "show me" or "prove it" before players totally start to think of us differently.

The last sentence may be true, hope it is, but I don't see how players thanking him for moving them helps in any way at all.

Laughton's better than Krebs.

As an example, I was listening to a Bruins related podcast where they were discussing the pros and cons of a trade for Pierre Luc DuBois. The idea of him being a quitter and bad team mate came up and the rebuttal was, but look at Eichel. People were thinking the same thing about him and now that he got on a "competent franchise that actually knows what they're doing"............... etc. I don't have to fill in the rest. You can believe it's MY perception or MY idea, but it's not. It's out there. Like it or not.

You've had a great decade then, Congratulations.

It's a perception thing (right or wrong). Two years ago the perception of Eichel was maybe he's a quitter, maybe he's lazy, he doesn't have McDavid's compete, maybe he's not as good as people thought, and he won't play for (a demanding) Cassidy. A year later he's a team guy, he gets back up and has grit, he's playing two way hockey and everybody in Vegas loves him including Cassidy. So the perception becomes, I guess it was Buffalo, not Eichel. (you can add in Montour and Reinhart if you want, but the perception for anybody anywhere is if a player does better in a new place it was the place and not the player. That won't impact everyone, but it won't help)

Flyers also possibly trading Scott Laughton. Gritty 3C??? Hart and Laughton for ???

This is good to hear if true. Eichel winning the cup isn't going to do us any favors, but if we can become a desirable spot to play again it'll be good for everyone. I probably sound like a fan here, but I think a strong team in Buffalo is good for the league.

Depends how you look at it and whether or not you want to be a better team now or not. If you only view "holes" as empty spots then you are right, but if you want to look at upgrades then there are options. Haula at 3C is an upgrade on Jost. Haula can also play wing. I doubt the Sabres would consider him as an option, but he would be an upgrade if they did and he would fit the team style. Two problems. One, he has a modified no trade clause and we might be on his list, and two, he's a UFA after next season. I wouldn't give up a high first unless we were signing him long term as part of the deal. If we were, sure, he'd also be a good fit.

25 year old Czech. He is a back up but I think he's better than Comrie.

Kitties just couldn't get those last second heroics this time (although they were close). Might mean it's done, but then again Boston was up 3-1 as well and was supposed to end it in game 5. The unnecessary whistle was interesting. Never did get an explanation for that one, but it definitely helped Vegas. I'm still convinced the league wants Vegas.

Interesting option, and if it's a real negotiation would getting Vladar as well be enough to pair with Levi? Take a chance on Markstrom regaining form? Calgary wants to clear a spot for Wolf so I suspect one or both of them is available. Hanifin isn't my first choice, but it's definitely an upgrade.

I watched that game. imo he's a long shot at best. Needs a lot more development in his game. Has the raw tools and physicality to be a potential player but he's a long way away (if ever). Good for him to win though. He's in a good spot with a decent (if a little crazy) coach.

Absolutely. I think fans here too aren't used to the idea of having TOO MANY bodies at any position and not really caring about fringe players. You need to just look at the starting team. If we can improve and solidify our goaltending pair I don't care what happens to Comrie or even UPL. If you can ship out UPL for a pick sure, do it (after bringing in your new goalie of course) but if he gets claimed on waivers sfw.